NY Roof Hook?

[bishop0341]

I have been looking in catalogs at some tools that my department, as well as others in my area don't have. I am curious about the NY roof hook/Griff hook. Is this versatile like a halligan? I am wondering if it can be used for forcible entry/escape, or if it is just a really fancy pike pole.

My crew usually ends up with a combination of irons and either another halligan or Denver tool, and maybe a closet hook. It would be nice to have a hook that works well for overhaul after the fire attack/search, but I wouldn't try forcing entry with a plaster hook, hence my original question.

Also, could someone explain that technique of using the hook? I assume it is not just push/pull.

[quint1officer]

Ive seen people kick the low end of the hook under a door, and use the leverage of the handle to force the door. Kinda hard to explain.

[bishop0341]

Ive seen people kick the low end of the hook under a door, and use the leverage of the handle to force the door. Kinda hard to explain.

Would this be similar to kicking the adze end of the halligan under the door to pry it?

[VinnieB]

Its advertised as a NY Roof Hook...but we call it the haligan hook. I assume you are speaking of the all steel hook with a pry end and a "crooked T" for the working end. The tool was created out of the Ashes of the War years here in NYC. Some guys came up with an idea for ONE tool that can handle a multitude of roof tasks and do so like a gentleman. Things like open bulkheads, skylights, returns, scuttles, pull roof boards or vent holes....etc etc.

Yes it is more than push and pull. We typically carry it with the Haligan. Its knocks out the returns on skylights easier, It can pry open scuttle covers and skylights, and with the haligan bar, it can be used for single man forcible entry, it pulls plaster and lathe better than the standard hook, you can tie off on it, it pulls tounge and grove roofing like a champ and its easier to grab the knock out end of roof cut. Basically I think its easier to manipulate than the standard hook. Thats the basic uses for the hook....I am sure there are truckie here that can tell you more about there experiances.

[quint1officer]

Would this be similar to kicking the adze end of the halligan under the door to pry it?

Just like it, just a little longer handle.

[firefiftyfive]

as vinnie mentioned it is great for single man forcible entry. For example on the roof. I also have found like the engine man vinnie already stated that it is great for pulling lathe and plaster. I actually prefer it over the normal 6 ft wooden hook. Mainly because it weighs more and is a bit easier to drive through the cieling! In my company the OVM also carries the Haligan Hook. In some companies the OVM carries the wooden hook. Excellent hook. I am trying to get my volly company to purchase more of them. INstead of the those poor fiber glass ones!!!

[quint1officer]

Definitely!! When you're hooking a ceiling with a new york hook, you know you're accomplishing something. We got them from 6-8', its mostly the only thing people grab. The clemmens hooks are a distant runner up.

[masterFF]

I think they are excellent tools, but I haven't been convinced that the short "griff hook" is a replacement for a halligan. I like a 6' ny roof hook better than a traditional pike though.

[lieutleroy140]

We carry a few of these scattered about on our rigs, and I think they work great. A few years back I was at the Providence, R.I. safety and survival seminar, (which, btw, is a good one to catch here if the Northeast, always very informative), and I took a hands on class on ladder company operations. It was taught by Bob Pressler, a retired FDNY guy with tons of experience. (Like there are any other kind?) Anyways, he showed us the proper way to use the tool, and what an eye opener. One side of the hook end has that 45 degree bend in it. Well, it ain't just for hooking down ceilings. He showed us how to pry up a roof or floorboard with very little effort, just how the tool was designed. Expose a joist, right next to a floorboard or roof sheathing, then rest the point of the angle on the joist with the pry end of the pole up near your head. Make sure the perpindicular, straight end of the hook end is under the floor or roof board you wish to pry or pull, and just rock the tool down, using the point of the angle as a fulcrum. Easy as pie, I don't care how many nails are holding the boards to the joists. The pole is super strong and stiff, so it won't bend. Anyways, it's nice to be actually shown how to use something properly and then actually use it. Since then, that tool is in heavy demand around here. Much more versatile than a standard pike pole.

[dmc540]

In addition to the informative comments posted, here are a few more. The "Griff Hook" is a redesign of the NY Roof Hook. The difference is that it is 3' instead of 6' and has two welded rings and a shoulder strap. It is actually popular with engine guys. There are obviously many uses for the NY Roof Hook, as have been mentioned. With regards to the head, it is slanted and was designed to be slid up a wall to penetrate, access and open tin ceilings. Also, the offset "T" is designed to lift floorboards by first making a penetration through the floor, lowering the longer of end in, while the shorter end of the offset "T" rests on the intact floor boards, then simply lower the handle and, because of the leverage advantage, floor boards are quickly poped. The steel design provides less flex and is more sturdy.
NY ROOF HOOK

[Halligan84]

We put 2 of the Griff Hooks in our tower bucket, they work well and give you an option where you really can't change tools around. Ours have a Boston Rake on one end instead of the pry end. I can't find it in their catalog at the moment. The shorter ones are good for working close in out of the bucket. One thing to remember about fire hooks is that they will make to size. We had them made to a different size for our particular needs. For inside or roof work I prefer the multi hook or roof hook over the "gadget hooks"

[bishop0341]

The Ringer

We put 2 of the Griff Hooks in our tower bucket, they work well and give you an option where you really can't change tools around. Ours have a Boston Rake on one end instead of the pry end. I can't find it in their catalog at the moment. The shorter ones are good for working close in out of the bucket. One thing to remember about fire hooks is that they will make to size. We had them made to a different size for our particular needs. For inside or roof work I prefer the multi hook or roof hook over the "gadget hooks"

I've seen this Boston Rake/Griff Hook in catalogs. It's called "the Ringer" I just don't know if I want to give up the pry end for the rake.

[OSD122]

The NY Roof Hook & the Griff Hook are fine tools. Both work well for roof and outside vent man operations.

Here's another hook that I like.

[jfTL41]

One thing that I didn't see mentioned about the roof hook is when opening walls, stick the steel shaft down into the wall and rip plaster and lath in nice big sections like gentleman, don't try that with the wood hook unless you want to sit the rest out with your broken tool.
As for the aforementioned closet hook, who ever invented that thing should be hit upside the head with one. I just don't get the concept of a 2-3 foot "hook." A halligan (pro-bar not the pinned POS holligan) can do whatever it is that the closet hook does and much much more.
I like the concept of the hook above having the fork of a pro bar however having used one I find that the added weight is not worth any benefit it may provide, go for the standard chisel tip it works just fine.

[bishop0341]

I found a decent posting on Fire Engineering about the use of this style hook.

http://fe.pennnet.com/articles/article_display.cfm?Section=ARCHI&C=Depar&ARTICLE_ID=61371&KEYWORDS=roof%20hook&p=25

This sells using a steel shaft tool with a pry end.