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Hook (hand tool)

technology Maturity 5-7 Next article →

A hook is a handy tool for moving and holding heavy loads.

Handhaken
Handhaken

It is made of a round wooden handle. A strong metal part sticks out from the center. This metal part grows at a right angle. To use it, you hold the handle in a closed fist. The metal hook sits between two of your fingers. This tool helps you reach things more easily. It also gives you more strength to pull loads. Most importantly, it keeps your hands safe from getting hurt.

Two hay hooks with scale 1
Two hay hooks with scale 1

Many different jobs use these tools in special ways. In the farming industry, people use a hay hook. These hooks usually have a longer shaft than other kinds. They help workers move bales of hay. Moving hay by hand can be very awkward. A hook makes the job much easier. In forestry, workers use tools like the Packhaken. This name comes from the German language. These tools help people lift or move firewood.

Packhaken
Packhaken

Longshoremen used hooks to work on ships for a long time. These workers are also called stevedores. Before big containers were used, they moved freight by hand. They moved things like sacks, barrels, and wood crates. The hook became a symbol for their hard work. When a longshoreman retired, he might "hang up the hook." The Seattle Local union even has a newsletter called The Rusty Hook. Some workers even carried their hooks on their belts.

Handhaken
Handhaken

Different hooks have many different names depending on the work. A cargo hook or loading hook is used for ships. A baling hook or hay hook is used on farms. In Sweden, a tool for moving logs is called a timmerkrok. This name means "timberhook" in English. In forestry, you might hear names like Hebehaken or Forsthaken. Some hooks are even small for food processing. City workers use a long shaft version to move manhole covers.

Two hay hooks with scale 1
Two hay hooks with scale 1

Even though hooks are helpful, they must be used carefully. Some cargo can be damaged if you pull it with a hook. You might see a sign that says "Use No Hooks." This tells workers to be extra gentle. Hooks have also appeared in stories and movies. They are sometimes shown as weapons in crime fiction. In the film Edge of the City, workers use them in a fight. In the game BioShock, characters called Spider Splicers use them to crawl.

Packhaken
Packhaken
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File:Handhaken.jpg
Handhaken.jpg
File:Two hay hooks with scale 1.JPG
Two hay hooks with scale 1.JPG
File:Packhaken.jpg
Packhaken.jpg
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