Buyer's Guide
Log Lifting Hooks & Timber Tongs Buyer's Guide
Moving a heavy log section by hand without the right tool risks a crushed finger or a strained back. This guide covers the difference between tongs (which grip tighter under load) and hooks (which give one person leverage to roll or drag a round), so you can pick the right tool for lifting, dragging or repositioning timber on site.
Tongs vs Hooks: Grip vs Leverage
Log tongs clamp onto a round from two sides and tighten their grip the harder you pull, which makes them the safer choice for lifting or dragging a log where a slipped grip could mean a crushed hand. A hook, by contrast, gives one person leverage to roll, drag or reposition a round without lifting it at all — useful when the log is too heavy to pick up but just needs turning or moving a short distance. Most working kits carry both rather than relying on one tool for every job.
Hookaroons & Sappie Hooks for One-Person Log Handling
A hookaroon combines an axe-like head with a hooked point, letting one operator drive it into a round and then use the handle as a lever to roll, drag or flip it without help. Longer-handled versions (800mm) give more leverage for bigger rounds, while shorter hand versions (380mm) suit closer, more controlled work moving smaller sections around a processing area.
Pulp Hooks & Bush Hooks for Smaller Timber
A pulp hook is built for repeatedly grabbing and moving smaller logs or pulpwood sections, with a shaped handle that keeps the point angled for a quick, repeated grab-and-pull motion rather than a single heavy lift. A bush hook serves a similar close-range role, giving grip on brash and smaller stems where a full-size log hook would be too much tool for the job.
Lifting Tongs: Sizing for the Log You're Moving
Lifting tongs come in different jaw sizes, and picking one that matches the diameter of log you're actually handling makes a real difference to grip security — tongs opened too wide for a small log grip poorly, while undersized tongs simply won't fit around a larger round. A small 20cm tong suits firewood-sized rounds, while large steel tongs are built for full timber sections shared between two people.
Log Picks & Drag Hooks
A log drag hook is built specifically for pulling a felled length along the ground rather than lifting it, keeping the operator's back out of the lift entirely. A hand-forged log pick with an ash shaft serves a similar dragging and positioning role with a more traditional point-and-handle design, favoured by some for its balance and repairability over a fully steel tool.
Holsters: Keeping Hooks and Tongs to Hand
A hook or tong left on the ground between uses is easy to lose in brash and awkward to relocate mid-job. A belt holster — in leather or polyethylene — keeps the tool within reach and the point covered when it's not in use, which matters as much for safety as convenience when you're moving around a site with a sharpened hook at your hip.
Safety When Moving Timber by Hand
Even with the right tool, moving a heavy log section by hand carries risk — keep the load close to your body, lift with your legs rather than your back, and never put a hand or foot where a round could roll onto it if a hook or tong slips. Check tongs for a worn or bent jaw before relying on them under load, and keep hooked points covered in a holster whenever you're not actively using them.
