Cant Hook vs Pickaroon: Which One Should You Buy?

cant hook vs pickaroon: the difference in one paragraph

A cant hook is a lever: a long handle with a swinging hook that bites the log, so you roll it over or jack it up off the ground. A pickaroon is a hook on a stick: a pointed, curved pick that stabs into the log end or side, so you pull and drag the wood toward you. One rolls and lifts; the other hooks and drags.

Side by side

Example figures are manufacturer rated, as published on each listing and collected 19 October 2026.

What a cant hook does

The FAHKNS timberjack is the adjustable example: a 50.8 in handle of heavy-duty carbon steel with solid welding and a black powder-coated finish, gripping logs from 3 to 25 in in diameter and lifting them 10.6 in from the ground. That lift is the point: a raised log is easier to cut without hitting dirt, and a rolled log is easier to split. It carries a 2-year manufacturer warranty. The Felled is the fixed example: a 60 in cant hook that latches logs up to 15.5 in (39.4cm) in diameter for rolling, lifting and cutting, at 12.67 lb. Longer handle means more leverage; the 60 in Felled gives more leverage than the 50.8 in FAHKNS, though the FAHKNS grips larger-diameter logs (3 to 25 in).

What a pickaroon does

The two FORESTER pickaroons are the hook example: a drop forged steel head on a USA hickory handle, with a sharp, curved pick designed for easy insertion into logs. They come in 16, 28 and 36 in lengths so you can match the handle to the work: the short one for close stacking, the long one for dragging logs across the yard. The steel head penetrates the wood and the hickory handle takes the strain; one listing states 1.5 lb. A pickaroon does not lift or roll like a cant hook, but for moving cut rounds from the splitter to the stack it is faster than bending over every piece.

Choose the cant hook if

• You need to roll logs over for bucking and splitting
• You want the log lifted off the ground: 10.6 in on the FAHKNS
• You cut large-diameter wood that needs leverage
• You want the 2-year manufacturer warranty on the FAHKNS

Choose the pickaroon if

• You drag and stack cut rounds and firewood
• You want a light tool: 1.5 lb on the FORESTER
• You pick your length: 16, 28 or 36 in handles
• You prefer hickory and drop forged steel

The four picks

How we scored them

Scores run from 9.2 to 9.8: each product’s point total is placed on that range, so more points always means a higher score. Safety counts only for powered gear or where the listing states safety features; where it does not apply, the score is taken over the remaining 90 points.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a cant hook and a peavey?

Both are log levers; the classic difference is the peavey’s spike foot, which the cant hook lacks. The tools here are cant hooks: a swinging hook on a handle for rolling and lifting. See our pickaroon vs peavey comparison for the other matchup.

What length pickaroon do I need?

The FORESTER pickaroons come in 16, 28 and 36 in. Shorter is handier for stacking rounds close in; longer reaches further when dragging logs across the yard. Most firewood work suits the middle length.

Can a cant hook lift a log off the ground?

The FAHKNS timberjack lifts logs 10.6 in from the ground, enough to get a saw bar under the cut without hitting dirt. It grips logs from 3 to 25 in in diameter.

Will a pickaroon damage the log?

The pick stabs into the wood, so it leaves a small mark. For firewood that does not matter; for saw logs destined for the mill, a cant hook’s hook marks less wood.

Which is better for firewood: cant hook or pickaroon?

Most woodpiles want both: the cant hook for rolling and lifting logs before cutting, the pickaroon for dragging and stacking the rounds after. If you buy one first, match it to the job you do most. Our how to use a cant hook and how to use a pickaroon guides cover the technique.

Related guides

Also see our cant hook vs log tongs and the best length for pickaroon.