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| Reviews Summary for Mark OShea Signature Series Hook By Midwest Custom Products |
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Reviews: 16
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Average rating: 4.5/5
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MSRP: $44.95
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Description: Seasoned field herpetologist and television personality Mark O’Shea gave us his personal specifications for a snake hook a few years ago. We made it for him and he’s been carrying it ever since. For the first time, we are now making this hook available to the public.
Designed after the snake-hook style most often seen in India and Southeast Asia, the hook utilizes blue anodized tubing laser etched with Mark O’Shea’s signature, 2 comfortable handgrips, and a titanium hook end.
This just might become your favorite hook as well!
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More info: http://tongs.com/shop/index.php?GrID=16&PrID=127
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You can
write your own review of the Mark OShea Signature Series Hook By Midwest Custom Products.
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Hotherps
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Rating: 3/5
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Feb 24, 2005 09:42
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Good for Boas, I think
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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I was kindly given one of these signature series hooks last year by Mark O’Shea.
My first impression is that it would make a fantastic Boa / Python hook, but I only deal with venomous species so I’ve not had the chance to try it out on any Boids.
If you watch Mark’s programmes you will see that he uses this hook for a wide range of reptiles. It is certainly a very strong hook that will hold up to a lot of abuse, sorry, I mean hard work.
I’d love to be able to say that this is a fantastic hook for handling venomous snakes, especially as I use other Midwest products in our Herpetarium … but sadly I can’t recommend it, well certainly not as your sole hook.
I like the length and the shaft / handle, but the hook head it’s self is totally wrong.
The hook throat size is far too big and the foot part is too short (certainly on my example). I Believe that this hook is a poor choice for use with venomous. OK, it is handy for large Bitis and Crotalus, but you would be putting yourself within the strike range of (large) Rattlers due to the fairly short shaft.
Although I am a big fan of Midwest gear, I have always thought that their hook throat sizes are far too big. My preferred hook shape/size is that found on Furmont Hooks. This company have been supplying hooks to professional handlers for many years, though their web presence, http://www.fieldcam.com/furmont.html is nothing like as good as that of Midwest’s.
Furmont make cage hooks in several sizes but the two I would recommend are the 24” and 36”versions. The throat measurement is about 2.5” and believe me, this is perfect for every thing from a Cerastes upwards, Black/Green Mambas, Cobras (including Kings), Bitis, Crotalus…..everything apart from really fat bodied snakes.
I have spent time with my present from Mark and tried to get used to it, but it is simply too slow handling compared to my normal cage hooks.
For those who don’t know who I am or what I do, maybe I should add that I care for the largest venomous snake collection in the UK (typically with 350 snakes of some 45 different species), I am the only UK licensed venom extractor and I work full time as a herpetologist for a major venom research unit. So yes, I do believe I know what constitutes a good hook for handling venomous snakes.
Come on Midwest, please make at least some of your hooks with smaller throat sizes!
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mayank_g
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Rating: 5/5
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Jan 16, 2005 06:51
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Amazing
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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This is one of the best and mose comfortable snake hooks I have ever bought. I had the colapsable one by Midwest forst but was always scared of pinning some thing down. This one piece hook gives me no worries.
A beautiful buy.
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bush_viper17
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Rating: 5/5
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Jan 3, 2005 12:41
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the best
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Time owned: months
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This is by far the best hook Ive used. It feels comfortable and very natural. When working in your venomous room, you dont have to worry about hitting the wall with the back of your hook and dropping the snake.(Ive used longer hooks and sometimes when Im getting the snake out of the cage the back of the hook hits the wall and the snake drops)
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Dadee
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Rating: 5/5
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Jan 2, 2005 06:26
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The only hook I own
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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This hook, has the strength of a field tool coupled with a compact enough hook to use in the "hot room". The only draw back to this tool, is the glued on grips...they tend to slip off, so often times you'll need to re-adhere them (a lot of pushing required). By far, my most used tool that it has persuaded me to not own any other hook besided this rugged beast. Great choice for those field workers, who don't want to carry 2 diffent types of hooks, one for prying the other for working with vens. Unless you're trying to overturn huge bolders, this is a great turning over tool.
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timberrattlesnake89
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Rating: 5/5
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Dec 30, 2004 10:50
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My favorite hook ever
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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It is smaller and easier to carry than the normal hook. I can use is on baby canebreaks to adult canebreak without worry. I deffinatly reccomend buying this hook.
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