Stop using a hammer on your stair tool.

[Sean Moore]

For years I used a hammer to install countless numbers of box steps. DING DING DING DING! Finally got so sick of it I started wearing hearing protection while doing it, should have done that from the start.

Then one day after I moved out west, one installer looked at me like I was a greenhorn and said, "What the hell are you doing?"

"Uh, chiseling these steps."

"Use this."

Denver Tools 192DBH16 16-oz Dead Blow Hammer

I have never looked back. When my rubber mallet I used exclusively for cleaning patch buckets and clamping clamp metal went missing I grabbed my dead-blow. Worked like a champ, just as neat and twice as easy as that silly white rubber mallet.

Try it, you'll like it. Now, customer's dogs still like me after I install the steps.

Trick: The faces of these things don't really like how hard they get hit on the stair tool. When you buy it use some nylon reinforced tape *very tightly* around the circumference of the face. it keeps it from fracturing.

[Daris Mulkin]

Why not just get another rubber mallet? It has a bigger head-less chance of missing stair tool. But the dead blow hammer would be second choice.
When I'm doing trainings on steps the first thing I do is take out a hearing aid and say "a pair of these were $8000 so save your ears and don't use a steel hammer."
But who listens until it is to late.

Daris

[Sean Moore]

The dead-blow carries MUCH more energy to the stair tool. It also does not bounce as it is filled with shot (sounds like a maraca). I'd estimate at least twice as much energy is driven through the stair tool as with a soft rubber mallet.

[rusty baker]

If you have to hit it that hard, your tack strip is too close together.

[Sean Moore]

rusty baker said If you have to hit it that hard, your tack strip is too close together.

Why you lookin' at me?! I didn't install the strip!!!!

[kylenelson]

Rubber mallet, it works great for me. I use a hammer on some carpet though.

[Sean Moore]

kylenelson said Rubber mallet, it works great for me. I use a hammer on some carpet though.

And before I came along you would have used slotted blades in your glue down carpet trimmer.

Try it or not, no skin off of my nose. I'm tellin' ya though, the deadblow beats the mallet hands down.

(not mad at anyone, BTW. THIS IS JUST HOW I TALK! Wait until I start making fun of everyone's small patch trowels.)

[kylenelson]

Sean Moore said And before I came along you would have used slotted blades in your glue down carpet trimmer. Try it or not, no skin off of my nose. I'm tellin' ya though, the deadblow beats the mallet hands down. (not mad at anyone, BTW. THIS IS JUST HOW I TALK! Wait until I start making fun of everyone's small patch trowels.)

True, true. If I get one for free I will try it out. Until then, it will remain another tool that I DON'T have to lug in and out of the van.

I like a 12'' patch trowel, or a used vinyl trowel on the smooth side. I have used a putty knife...yuck!

[Sean Moore]

kylenelson said True, true. If I get one for free I will try it out. Until then, it will remain another tool that I DON'T have to lug in and out of the van. I like a 12'' patch trowel, or a used vinyl trowel on the smooth side. I have used a putty knife...yuck!

deadblow: $15, you don't like it it sits in your garage until you have to bust the ice off of your door handles one winters day.

Small patch trowels make me cry. How can you expect to span a 1in high ramp and comply with ADA requirements with a 12in trowel?! I don't see how you can, really.

22x5 Marshalltown for the win.

Why 22 long? So you can span those big ramps. Also, it's the smallest they make their 5in wide trowels.

Why 5 wide? Same reason a big golf driver is better than a small one, there is a larger "sweet spot". Big sweet spot means you can really glide over the latest gravel floor you're supposed to put vinyl on after lunch. Fewer passes means quicker floor.

Maybe I'm just "compensating". I can't afford a corvette so I have a big patch trowel. I also have a really big...



...


forearm muscle.

[kylenelson]

Haha. I don't deal with many one inch ramps and 12'' is overkill alot of times.

[Sean Moore]

It's funny when I try to use my partner's 18x4 to skim. I'm constantly overestimating the length and leaving snakes... swipe it again, dummy! Not bad for small kitchens and bathrooms though.

[aaroncarpet]

I like my 18 for skimmin....I'll use mapei and keepit on the wet side...But on the stairs my mentor was so strong he used to just tuck the croctches on his box steps...except for the thicker berbers and sizal...and super dense stuff, and if you cut the stairs individually they tuck in...a little more knife time though...I used to hate stairs when I was learning, but now I prefer to do skirt and cap...sprinkle a little warm water on the back.....just don't hit youyr kicker on that one spot on your knee that makes you want to scream

[stullis]

aaroncarpet said I like my 18 for skimmin....I'll use mapei and keepit on the wet side...But on the stairs my mentor was so strong he used to just tuck the croctches on his box steps...except for the thicker berbers and sizal...and super dense stuff, and if you cut the stairs individually they tuck in...a little more knife time though...I used to hate stairs when I was learning, but now I prefer to do skirt and cap...sprinkle a little warm water on the back.....just don't hit youyr kicker on that one spot on your knee that makes you want to scream

Welcome Aaron, eventually you will find that usind water on the backing is going to come back and bite you especially on steps.

[aaroncarpet]

I have had it bite me...one time I watered a flight and when I kicked it tore the carpet.....I don't always use water......the main reason we do it is in the winter in Michigan by the time the rug gets to the job it is like putting your kicker against and Iron pole.....when the rug is like 35 degrees fahrenheight it is really stiff....

not every customer lets us turn up the heat to 85 to warm up the goods

[stullis]

You mean you don't acclimate your carpet before installing. lol

The stuff is far more likely to wrinkle as well as tear.