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. . . .GILBERT ? Is that the Gilbert from DRIPPING SPRINGS TX 
RSVP 
Hi Gil, I was planning to get your attention when I spotted your posting.
As I told you at digfest, I was also working on the "hay bail hook"
tool because the basic concept is good and results of first tests were impressive.
Well I have settled on my final design that incorporates good steel, angle of attack, weight and balance and the right leverages [ for me ]
Started with an off the shelf from Harbor freight tools. HARBORFREIGHT.COM item 44912-5VGA
With a torch, straightened then rebent the end{s}
[ using a wet rag for holding the metal up near the handle so the plastic does not melt ]
Easy finish reshaping with a hand grinder.. . .
The basic tools are so dead cheap, I wound up with 3 different sizes for seven bucks 
And it's proven to be a good bonus. . . .I use the medium, one hander a lot and the largest as a two handed gruncher !
Here's a pic of the business ends. . .
Customised tools suit the individual, like tying your own trout fishing flys, it's not for everyone.
I still use my regular tools but go to the "hook" for the compacted deeper soils. . . . ESPECIALLY that last bottom three inches of paleo caliche 
Now my biggest challenge is an apropriot name. Its not really a Rake but if it was Jake, it might be
" JAKE THE RIPPER " Still in the frenetic frensy of digging, short is best
so it may forever be associated with the pirate Smee's
Captain.......
Different tools for different soils> > > > That section of the digfest trench where we were was about as bad as it gets, wet, compacted silt 
I also got zipped there.
. . . . GIL. . . .I AM ON A "HOOK" ROLL 
The MARK II just came off the workbench yesterday. I had another 18" hook plus the plastic handle from the
24" prybar. All these handles readily come off with carefull tapping [ hammering ] and reinstall tight
by hamering back on.
Anyway, I took the handle off the 18 and slipped the 24 on [ after drilling out the small base slug ].
then hammered the original 18 back on. . .
VOILA. . .THE...."MARK II"
Its a copy of the long wood handled product of yours.
But the handle shifts up to 3 1/4 inches, presumably for the ultimate grunch near the business end.
The 24" handle hole is about a 1/16th larger than the 18" and so slides easily. Pic #1 shows handle full forward, then pic #2, full back.
The odd camera angle on pic 1 is to illustrate what you noted on previous comments. . . .its a bit "tricky
to get that tight radius on the hook, the new bend is actually in the most difficult to handle direction, like against the flat....So when the heat and bend is finished, miniumum grinding is needed and the most effective strength is accomplished.
24 inch pry bar, stock number 39700-3VGA
MY Captain hook story started last year at FRL, , , Sam K was using a piece of metal like a bent clothes hanger. He said his digging pal, Buddy, had been using a hay bale hook for THIRTY YEARS.
I thought " well, thats a real country bumpkins tool, little do they know what big city diggers use"
End of interest.
Couple months ago at TJ's first shot at hand dig on the new property. . . .The whole gang was using bent
screw drivers !
Matter of fact they were rebending and making new ones at the morning beer break, in a hole on the flat bed work truck.
From then I said " I gotta check this out"
BUT>>>> I gave up moving dirt with mild iron years ago
so job one was to come up with a tempered steel hook,
Enter Harbor Freight......the rest is history !
For others trying this trick "at home"....a propane torch may not produce a high enough temp to
easily bend the steel. Might have to visit a
weld shop and plead for mercy on the price !
To reduce the shop man's time on the job, might be best to remove all plastic handles and reinstall after the
hot work is done !
So now we got a hook, anybody got any leads on a
parrot and petrified wood leg 
I find it incredible that those isolated "country bumpkins" kept the secret so well. . .
Has a smattering of a TX version of back in them thar
hollers of Apalachia
RATS. . . pic #1 didnt go. . . try agin >>>>
one of my favorite tools
L, Where did you locate your picture source?? I can hardly believe that that would be a public
non classified article
It's obviously from the unused alternate ending of the Indy, Ark documentary; ; ; ;
That logo looks like the dirty rotten rat ***** nazi's
third reigh nut cracker sitting on the
ARK PACKING CRATE
The TERRA TALON. . . what a great name, you can just visualise a Jurasic park raptor going after
a mountain of fire rock
When Gil reported that He paid 3.99 for tools, I figured he was wrong. So I stopped by there myself
yesterday and bought another set, Sho nuff, with tax they were 4.32
