My cousin found this today.. anyone have any ideas? interesting handle......

This one has come up before on another forum - this tool appears to have several uses, but the main one is for moving 'stuff' - in Japan they are used in the fish markets for moving whole tuna... However I have also seen them sold as gardening tools for loosening the soil....

see: http://www.jonbowermaster.com/photo/gallery/2009-05-japan_tuna/japan_tuna.php

and more images showing the handle:

very cool thanks!!!

What do they call it in Japan? And, do we call it something different here?

Now you are asking the impossible - how about 'long handled stevedore's hook'??? Don't try fish hook, or even tuna fish hook - that gets thousands of other hits of fishing hooks... Japanese fish market porter's hook????? Anyway, the answer would be in japanese..... Whatever it is I have a couple - also bought in the USA (using that well known on line auction site) - it took me a lot longer to find out what they were... just a chance image in the screen whilst web-trawling for hooks (billhooks)....

Just had a look on line, and found this image of a 'lumper' or porter in the UK, using a similar tool:

link: http://blog.5pm.co.uk/2013/05/

I think fish mongers hook..

I've seen these used in sawmills for flipping the boards, but I don't remember them having the fancy wood handle.

Mike

Quote from: mikeswrenches on August 23, 2013, 07:32:23 AM
I've seen these used in sawmills for flipping the boards, but I don't remember them having the fancy wood handle.

Mike

The ones in sawmills for handling boards are usually called a hookaroon.

I did some google searches based on discussion here. And I believe it is called a Gaff or Gaff Hook. Of which there seem to be two types. One that has a closing jaw and one that doesn't. Found this PDF which was informative: https://www.spc.int/coastfish/Sections/Development/FDSPublications/FDSManuals/HLL/HLL4s.pdf

And, I found this etsy listing for a similar one (which was not all that helpful, but etsy rarely is): http://www.quicksales.com.au/ad/antique-fishing-gaff-japanese-weapon/159127http://www.quicksales.com.au/ad/antique-fishing-gaff-japanese-weapon/159127 (and another on ebay but lost the addy)

The OP's looks very well made. Seems very solid and like it isn't going to slip away from you, given that back end...And, speaking of that back end, other then something of a guard maybe it serves a dual purpose of clubing? I'd look to see if there is significant wear, on the fat end, as if from repeated whacking with it.

Nope, not a gaff.  Billman's got the right track here.   I've seen this tool sometime in the past, but I can't remember where, or what it was used for.  The handle is very distinctive. 

The Japanese tuna workers are definitely using exactly this hook.  The trouble is that tools migrate, not only from country to country, but from trade to trade (a lot of ceramics tools began as food preparation tools).  Not to mention that peasant tools often became weapons, especially pole arms.  Because Japanese armor was laced together, this hook would have been useful to pull riders from horseback...

Where did your cousin find it?  Were there other tools there as well?

Judging by the label on fliffy42's cousin's tool, it doesn't look more than late 20th century in origin, and the script definitely ain't English - not a lot of samurai horsemen riding about this late to need hooking off their horse... But I guess not only do tools migrate, often together with workers, but they find other uses....
Gaffs are usually used for landing fish, rather than hauling them on shore - but it would also make a useful gaff, or vice versa - the shape of the handle would make it good in wet conditions or with blood covered hands - maybe the fisherman's gaff found its way on shore as a market porter's tool...

Hi-Liner Fish Kill Gaffs    Japanese style tuna gaffs featuring hard wood handles with a slip proof butt and heavy duty steel hooks. Available in three sizes.

Hi-Liner Box Hooks   Constructed from heavy stainless steel rod and feature rugged nylon handles providing a comfort-able grip. Available in 12″, 24″, 30″, and 36″ lengths

No images avaiable - link: http://www.hiliner.ca/gaffs-and-harpoons

Google Image search: Japanese Tuna Gaff - link: http://www.cookingissues.com/2012/06/15/cooking-issues-goes-to-tsukiji/

quote: I particularly liked the way they manipulated the huge pieces of fish with these gaff-like knives (sic):