Hookaroon vs Pickaroon: Differences Explained

Wood is part of a vast industry of construction. We can do almost all woodworking at home if we have the right tools. Carrying and transferring rounds, logs and splits are as much a part of woodworking as the cutting and shaping of the wood.

If you want to start wood craftsmanship, then you have probably heard of something called a hookaroon. But you have also heard of a pickaroon perhaps. So, Hookaroon vs Pickaroon ? which one to pick?

They sound and look very similar indeed, so we understand that you might be getting confused here.

Hookaroon vs Pickaroon

Well, both of these tools are used for the same purpose. But they have one tiny difference between them. So, with that and some more information on them, we have prepared this article to address your questions and confusion.

Hookaroon

If you have worked with wood before, then you may know that a big part of the work involves bending over and picking up the rounds and splits to transfer them from one place to another.

Now, doing this once or twice won’t kill you; however, with time, you will notice your back getting heavy with the stress that builds up because of the continuous bending work. This is where the Hookaroons will help you.

These tools look like a hammer, but they’re not for slamming anything anywhere. They usually have long wooden handles. The head of the tool is shaped like a wedge, and it is made with crafted steel. There is a curve on this tip, which ends in a clean, curvy hook.

Some of these tools come with small handles too. The right length of the handle for you will depend solely on the manner of work you do. Besides, sometimes, the handles are made with composite and sometimes with steel.

The advantage of wood handles is that they can be replaced, whereas, you do not have replacement options with steel and composite handles.

There are two main styles of Hookaroons in the market; the old and the new. The old style is the one where the crafted steel pick is thick, and the new ones are those in which the crafted steel heads are slim.

Many people prefer the new style because of the slim pick; they have a stronger clasp on the wood than the ones with thick heads.

Hookaroon Uses

The primary purpose of the Hookaroon is to assist you in picking up the wood. It will stop you from bending over for long periods. The pointy edge of the wedge will “hook” into the piece of wood and make it easy for you to transfer them from one place to another.

Our recommended Best Hookaroons on Amazon:

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• Picking up big and bulky logs of wood with ease
• Dragging long heavy trunks of wood over long distances in no time
• Using them to load and unload wood rounds onto and from trucks

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• The head is so flat and smooth that the wood might slip off easily

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Pickaroon

Woodworking doesn’t only involve cutting the wood and shaping them up. You also have to carry them from one place to another. It can be tedious, and even a painful task for you no matter how young, old, muscular, or fragile you are. You will need help carrying wood. Especially if you have to do it every day.

The hookaroons will do the work for you, alright. But then again, there are similar-looking devices in the market called pickaroons. Try not to get confused. They are used for the same purpose. At a glance, you will see no difference between the two.

However, if you look closely, you will notice that in the pickaroons, the pointy end of the wedge is almost entirely straight, with just the tiniest bit of a bend towards the end. There is a problem with them though, and it is the characteristic flat tip.

Due to this flat end on the thinning tip of the wedge, the wood slides off the tip quite often, and that is hugely counterproductive. You can tell from the name? it only picks the wooden rounds up. Doesn’t hook on to it.

There is no resistance to hold the wood in place once it has been picked up, which requires you to be more careful with a pickaroon. Accidents are more prone to occur with this one.

The slipping wooden block might hurt your feet if you’re not cautious. But if you can be a little careful, these tools will do the work just fine for you.

Pickaroon Uses

The primary use of these tools is to pick up wooden rounds, stack them up on top of each other and make it easier to load them on and off trucks. These tools are more comfortable to pick up the wood since they have a sharp pointy end.

Our recommended Best Pickaroons on Amazon:

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• The straight end makes it easier to pick up wood
• It will be easier to dislodge the block of wood as well
• Good for picking up light splits of wood

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• Not ideal for picking up heavy rounds
• The woodblock will keep sliding off

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Hookaroon vs Pickaroon: Which One Is Best?

If you are working in open spaces, you need long handles. Smaller handles will probably be better for working in enclosed spaces. Be mindful about the length you go for because it will just add to the resting weight of the tool.

The lighter the tool, the easier it will be for you to swing and move it around. Other than that, these two devices are so similar in appearance that finding a difference between them is quite the task. Only when you use them, will you notice that the Pickaroons are not that helpful.

Due to the flat end of the head, the wood will keep on sliding off and causing a lot of distress to you. You will always feel a little doubtful about the reliability of the Pickaroon.

Hookaroons, in this regard, is much better. They pick up the wood and keep them correctly hooked to the head so that the block of wood is firm in its place until you dislodge it with some effort.

If you are working with thin and light splits, you might find a better use for a Pickaroon. For heavy and bulky wood, we recommend the Hookaroons.

Another must-read: Differences Between a Mallet and a Hammer

In Conclusion

There is not much else to say in the Hookaroon vs. Pickaroon debate. They are used for the same task. So, what you choose will be more about personal preference based on comfort.

Some people work better with Pickaroons because they have a way of picking up the wooden logs vertically. If you are not accustomed to any particular style of carrying or have not been doing it for a long time, then you should get the Hookaroons.

Whichever one you choose, make sure that the weight and the length of the handles are both comfortable for you to work with.

Frequently Asked Questions