Sail hook

Sorry! It has been copiously pointed out that I shouldn't use "buzzwords" in a public forum.... what I need are some canvas maker's hooks, commonly referred to as "sail" or "bench" hooks: these are cast iron or forge steel, appx. 3/8" in diameter with an appx. 2.5" circular hook end (rather like a large shark hook) with the very tip filed to a sharper point. (in length the point, or scorpion, is commonly the diameter of the hook body.) This prevents the entire hook body from entering the canvas and opening a great honking hole.

The other end of the hook, which is six to eight inches overall is peened and enclosed by a axis swivel for attachment to the working end of a luff tackle or handy-billy to provide tension on the canvas while sewing a seam.

I've put up a (VERY!) rough picture of this at

Might make a nice little project and I can sure use some! There should also be a small but steady business in striking these as I can find no convenient commercial suply worldwide.

Please reply offline

TIA!

(crosspost to metalworking and boatbuilding)

Any blacksmith could forge these up for you.

However they'll cost more than $3. That sort of price needs a factory and re-engineering the design to be easier to make and not so useful (losing the scorpion point).

Jim Conlin: Yep. Duckworks (and others) have that "thing" that passes for a bench hook, but it bears the same resemblance to what I'd want as a tricycle to a Harley Servi-car. the link is appreciated, though!

Andy Dingley: They'd better b****y well cost more than $3... A good sail hook is worth the cost since it's such an integral part of the sailmaker's toolkit. Without a scorpion (or at least a large nose that can be filed into a scorpion), it's useful only for holding in a grommetted hole but does nothing to allow a seaming stitch or for roping a sail. Also, if it were made with a decorative 360 degree twist to the shaft, wouldn't that be pretty as well as practical! Old-time sailmakers either had a local blacksmith make theirs or struck them themselves, being masters of several disciplines as they needed to be (canvas experts, ropemakers, riggers, smithys....) but I, unfortunately, am master of only a few things, and smithing is not among them.

Someone could make these and, while they wouldn't 'jump' off the shelf, I'll bet that it wouldn't take too long before they'd become a nice little item for the smith.

Thanks for all the replies, off and on line!

snipped-for-privacy@frayedknotarts.com Vince Brennan