Hand Tool Reviews

If you work interiors, 25 ft. is a good manageable legnth to measure the size of the room or the height of a ceiling. Anything shorter won't measure up and anything longer is overkill... unless you are building a mansion.

But what about those times when you need to measure a Sony DVD player to cut out a faceplate? Or what about when you need to lay down European tiles? You need a conventional/metric tape.

DIY and professionals alike will appreciate the conventional and metric measurments on this tape. The numbers are easy to read, plus the 16" and 19" stud markings are really helpful. The casing is compact and the rubber grip fits nicely into the hand. Of course, I've dropped it many times despite all that, but the casing did not break - pretty durable.

I have has several tapes in the past as I work in the Construction Industry. This tape is wide enough to stand up for easy vertical measurements and to act as a pointer in ceiling spaces 7 or 8 feet over my head. The case and the tape are also robust enough to withsatnd the rigours of a construction site.

If you remember, these tapes used to be black with a chrome winding handle. The one my Dad had always had a good coat of rust and mud on it. it was one of the first tools we used when starting a new house. Compared to a fiberglass tape, there's no comparison. With a fiberglass tape, the windier the day the harder you tend to pull, to stop the tape from fluttering, this causes stretching. Read"inaccuracy". A steel tape has weight. This weight helps reduce flutter and WILL NOT STRETCH! Lay out your new house,room addition,garden spot,driveway or whatever you need 100' of measuring capacity for with a tape that you can drop into a tool belt pocket or a jacket pocket. Compact, efficient, there's one in my truck right now and I think Dad's is in my shop. You buy two and leave Dad's alone.

It's Very bendableand can't cut your hand.It's very easy to use and the handle is kind of adjustable and the tip is adjustable.

i like this product for the size reason... i have a bunch of torpedo levels that i tend to break b/c they are alittle too small but this one survives being in the back of my truck with no probs and i can find it when i need it b/c it is not so small that it is hidden. if you find torpedo levels alittle to small step up to this product. - enjoy

I've own the 2', 4', and 6' versions of this level for a few years now. They became very popular at the job site when I brought them in recently due to their weight... my co-workers were VERY happy with the fact that they weigh seemingly almost nothing. This is compared to the Stabila levels that are used there now. The Stabila cost three times as much, weigh more, and the accuracy level difference isn't noticeable. It's also very convenient to have the full length of the level as a straight edge... Stabila's has magnets (which collect garbage and effect accuracy) and vials to interfere when needing to use them for marking.

The only downside is the flimsy construction of the end caps. They snap into the level and both my 4' and 6' levels had at least one end break to where they no longer stay in. This hasn't occurred on the 2' level yet, but since they're constructed the same way and my 2' level hasn't been used nearly as much, I suspect it'll occur at some point.

Very handy for exact right angle work in shower construction, tile, cabinets, etc. Nice folding action for storage.

This sliding bevel is a must if you do any kind of trim work. It will help you in many ways. You can find angles with it and a protractor or miter scale on your saw. Or you can skip finding the angle and just tranfer the line directly to your work.The slide makes it easy to get in to tight spots or measure inside or outside angles. It is very flexible . I wouldn't be without one. There are nicer ones on the market, but they don't do a better job.

This is an awsome chalk line. It can be used as a plumb bob or just used as a chalk line. This as a durable die cast aluminum body and a universal hook. If you use a plumb bob and a chalk line a lot this is the tool for you.

After 2 years of going on a mission trip to inner-city Syracuse and fixing up houses, Stanley graphite hammers are undoubtedly the best. Of all the many hammers I shared, this was by far the most comfortable, and its balance and weight are also good.

The graphite also provides much more safety, as it only dents slightly and doesn't shatter like wood or fiberglass hammers. The grip is extremely comfortable, and I've never had my hammer (a 16 oz. Stanley graphite) slip. This 20 oz. version is ideal for any situation that doesn't require delicate driving. If you don't have one, get one.

I saw a special on TV that talked about tool manufactureing and this was one of the products they showed. The showed how it was designed to minimize vibrations transmitted to the tool users hand and how they measured it to make sure it really worked. They also showed the manufacturing process. Anyway, I bought one and it really does reduce the vibration substantially. Up until now I have always bought wood handled hammers just because of the vibration and shock problems with metal handled hammers. This one seems to have solved that problem.