Not an axe but related??

[jake pogg]

Have you ever heard of tirfor's? They are a cable grip style puller. They can pull inbetween 2000-9000 pounds depending on which model you buy. The only downside is when you want to pull over 4000 pounds the cables are 1/2" and up they weight a ton.

In the past,in some of Muleman's cool posts cable grip-hoists have come up.
I for one was really interested in the concept.
I use pulling/hoisting gear regularly and hard,everything from Lewis chainsaw-winches to comealongs to Maasdam,and in spite of spending my entire life in Alaska(or because of it?)have never even seen one where an endless cable is gripped.
The ones Muleman showed in use by USFS looked all enclosed and sexy in every way...

 

[I'mSoSharp]

If I'm relying on the point of the hook to embed itself into the bark or maybe even the wood of a branch (when positioned over a branch larger in diameter than the opening of the hook), I would want the ring positioned where it is, not on the other side on the shaft. Here's my proof:
View attachment 1315123
View attachment 1315124
The first photo shows the rope tied to a ring attached to the outside of the shaft. The second shows the rope attached to the ring on the inside of the shaft as it was originally built. Look at how the point of the hook is better positioned to dig into the wood with the ring attached to the inside of the hook. For the purpose that I theorize the hook was designed. having the ring attached where it is works better. But I welcome any further thoughts or comments. I'm enjoying this immensely! T-A

If anything what you've pictured only backs up my point rather than disproving it.

As your images show the angle of the hook/tip is obviously affected by where the pull is located, if a pull further away was desirable then the ring hole would be further away with the ring on the outside, it wouldn't be achieved by having the ring bind on the inside of the socket (which also introduces an undesirable side/twisting force).

Of course you could be correct on it's usage, if it was knocked up by the village Blacksmith the optimal design wasn't necessarily that important over something that works, which no doubt it does.

 

[muleman77]

In the past,in some of Muleman's cool posts cable grip-hoists have come up.
I for one was really interested in the concept.
I use pulling/hoisting gear regularly and hard,everything from Lewis chainsaw-winches to comealongs to Maasdam,and in spite of spending my entire life in Alaska(or because of it?)have never even seen one where an endless cable is gripped.
The ones Muleman showed in use by USFS looked all enclosed and sexy in every way...

Heres a couple, if folks dont know. Big and heavy, especially with all the riggin', but they do work well.

I carry it like this

Not sure about that hook, some reasonable ideas thrown around..... but even if misapplied a guy could find a good use for it I'm sure.

 

[jake pogg]

Thanks!Yes,it looks well-made and tough...Is it some 3/8"-ish wire in that one?...
It looks like it'd be just the ticket for some of the scarier fishwheel and logging situations here.

I carry it like this

My heart breaks looking at these beautiful animals...Man,i dreamed of a mule for decades here...
(not really an option,to do with feed but mainly with lack of veterinary support here).
What gorgeous beasts,man!

 

[Square_peg]

Have you ever heard of tirfor's? They are a cable grip style puller. They can pull inbetween 2000-9000 pounds depending on which model you buy. The only downside is when you want to pull over 4000 pounds the cables are 1/2" and up they weight a ton.

Sure, I've used Tractel's griphoist/tirfor. It's a staple of trail work. Great for moving heavy logs but we used them more for moving boulders. That's what inspired me to get the Maasdam rope puller - it's kind of a poor man's griphoist.

 

[the-accumulator]

I want one now!!!

I'll send you all the pics and dimensions you want, and you can built one or have someone build you one. T-A

 

[the-accumulator]

Of course you could be correct on it's usage, if it was knocked up by the village Blacksmith the optimal design wasn't necessarily that important over something that works, which no doubt it does

What this tool was designed for we may never know, but I do believe it might work well for several of the purposes that have been suggested by contributors to this thread. I've enjoyed the discussion tremendously, and I hope someone someday comes up with a similar tool or a picture that adds to the conversation. Thanks for sharing. T-A

 

[muleman77]

Thanks!Yes,it looks well-made and tough...Is it some 3/8"-ish wire in that one?...
It looks like it'd be just the ticket for some of the scarier fishwheel and logging situations here.



My heart breaks looking at these beautiful animals...Man,i dreamed of a mule for decades here...
(not really an option,to do with feed but mainly with lack of veterinary support here).
What gorgeous beasts,man!

Its a lot bigger than you'd think. That box is about 60 pounds, and if I remember right its a 5/8" mainline swedged down.

An arm and hand is in there above it for rough scale.

Its about 200 pounds to take a complete useful riggin' show out, with a choker, a block, and all you need to get anything done.

I have a couple of 2000 pound (4 doubled), Lug-All come-a-longs that are pretty good for a lot of jobs and much lighter. Probly use them a lot like the maasdam applications. Not sure I have a picture but they're good quality, lightweight, lift rated tools that hardly weigh anything in comparison.

No way they'll touch the large grip for heavy work though.

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

I definitely do not think it was for cutting limbs, I don't think that would work very well. The amount of force you would have to pull down on a limb would break it before cutting it with that thing.

Note that in the closer images provided it looks to actually be pretty thin in the edge, and possibly single beveled? When I posited that it could have been used for branch removal I specifically meant very thin branches--not thick ones. In the scrub growth we have around here there's often a lot of finger-thick limbs clogging up the canopy and whether it actually cuts or breaks through them would be largely irrelevant if trying to clean up the visual mess. Also note that I wasn't necessarily advocating that it did a very good job, either, but merely pointing out a possible intended purpose, among many others.

 

[jake pogg]

Its a lot bigger than you'd think. That box is about 60 pounds, and if I remember right its a 5/8" mainline swedged down.

Och aye,i low-balled the weight on that!Thanks for noticing it.
200# of gear is not that problematic,work takes place either right on the beach,or a short ways into the woods(couple shots of cable away,where we log on Federally-owned islands we're forbidden machinery,so don't go in far as all hauling out is by hand).

5/8" is some wire tho..Big wheels get into the sort of trouble that even that much can be touch and go...If one ever gets hit with enough drift this'd be the size of gear it'd take.
But only in an emergency.
Well,last fall i woke up as the wheel was icing pretty bad,and already stuck and filling up with ice,and i eventually lifted up the baskets by using a chain-hoist on each end of the axle,a 1500 and a 2000 lbs they were i think...

I have a couple of 2000 pound (4 doubled), Lug-All come-a-longs that are pretty good for a lot of jobs and much lighter.

Lug-All...are those with that nice bulky alloy(or even cast iron sometimes?) casting,for the body?
Those are nice to have around,but that darn length makes a guy rig and re-rig till you're all wiped out running..But yes,decent comealongs are in constant use....

 

[muleman77]

Och aye,i low-balled the weight on that!Thanks for noticing it.
200# of gear is not that problematic,work takes place either right on the beach,or a short ways into the woods(couple shots of cable away,where we log on Federally-owned islands we're forbidden machinery,so don't go in far as all hauling out is by hand).

5/8" is some wire tho..Big wheels get into the sort of trouble that even that much can be touch and go...If one ever gets hit with enough drift this'd be the size of gear it'd take.
But only in an emergency.
Well,last fall i woke up as the wheel was icing pretty bad,and already stuck and filling up with ice,and i eventually lifted up the baskets by using a chain-hoist on each end of the axle,a 1500 and a 2000 lbs they were i think...




Lug-All...are those with that nice bulky alloy(or even cast iron sometimes?) casting,for the body?
Those are nice to have around,but that darn length makes a guy rig and re-rig till you're all wiped out running..But yes,decent comealongs are in constant use....

Lug-all is a brand name, they are mostly aluminum with a 25 foot cable. There's also a cast one I have acccess to at the FS from another dept. that's about twice as heavy but has a 40 foot cable, not sure the name...Pow'r Puller?

Neither of these are like the cheap auto parts store come-a-long most think of although they work the same way. Great tools in the right application. Anyway whichever if you're going far...yes re-rigging is a hassle. I think the maasdam has an advantage there, but I've already spent the money......

They're just right for short pulls, turning a medium size log off the trail, flopping a rootball, boulder, or something like that.

The grip can be rigged up to do some amazing complicated work if you have the know-how. I bet there's times it would have really put a smile on your face.
It comes in several smaller sizes too, less power but the same versatility and a lot lighter.

 

[jake pogg]

The grip can be rigged up to do some amazing complicated work if you have the know-how. I bet there's times it would have really put a smile on your face.
It comes in several smaller sizes too, less power but the same versatility and a lot lighter.

Aw,man!
It sounds like a Great tool!
I've actually recently mentioned it casually to my often time work partner here.He's yet an older guy,and vastly wiser,(and much of that kind of work is with him,with him making decisions and rigging too), and he kinda pricked his ear up...We'll see,maybe i'll get a chance to run one!

 

[Driller]

Sure, I've used Tractel's griphoist/tirfor. It's a staple of trail work. Great for moving heavy logs but we used them more for moving boulders. That's what inspired me to get the Maasdam rope puller - it's kind of a poor man's griphoist.

Nice!
We use them in pairs to manoeuvre light drilling rigs on cliffs. Or single to make zip lines . We also use them to rip out trees and overburden.

 

[Square_peg]

Sure, I've used Tractel's griphoist/tirfor. It's a staple of trail work. Great for moving heavy logs but we used them more for moving boulders. That's what inspired me to get the Maasdam rope puller - it's kind of a poor man's griphoist.

Nice!
We use them in pairs to manoeuvre light drilling rigs on cliffs. Or single to make zip lines . We also use them to rip out trees and overburden.

Here's some pics from a job a couple years ago.

They will move heavy objects.

 

[Square_peg]

This is my favorite rigging supplier in the NW. They got some good stuff.
https://www.westechrigging.com/hoists---pullers-comealongs---pullers.html

 

[the-accumulator]

I TOTALLY agree that wedges are better than ropes for felling trees

WEEKEND UPDATE: I had an Aus tree (type of willow) about 14 inch diameter to drop to the south. I thought this would be the perfect time to use my fancy hook. BUT, instead, I used my telescoping pole trimmer to remove all the northern branches that I could reach, notched the south side, did an east-west plunge- cut, wedged it, and cut the back strap. Nothing happened until I pounded on the wedges a bit more. I heard a CRACK, stood back, and watched it make a perfect landing to the south.

Ignore the damage on the stump below my cut; that's from me having girdled it last fall. I'll have to save my sky hook for another day. T-A

 

[FLINT77]

WEEKEND UPDATE: I had an Aus tree (type of willow) about 14 inch diameter to drop to the south. I thought this would be the perfect time to use my fancy hook. BUT, instead, I used my telescoping pole trimmer to remove all the northern branches that I could reach, notched the south side, did an east-west plunge- cut, wedged it, and cut the back strap. Nothing happened until I pounded on the wedges a bit more. I heard a CRACK, stood back, and watched it make a perfect landing to the south.
View attachment 1330125
Ignore the damage on the stump below my cut; that's from me having girdled it last fall. I'll have to save my sky hook for another day. T-A

NICE!!!