Tool review: Stanley 10-099 Classic 99 Retractable Utility Knife

Key Features:
 +   Extra blade storage
 +   Reliable slider
 -   Not much grip


Utility knives come in all shapes and sizes, and offer many different features.  If you are looking for a standard, bare bones, no-frills utility knife, the Stanley Classic 99 Retractable Utility Knife (model #10-099) is right up your alley.  It's a gray metal utility knife that typically costs about five or six bucks ($5.42 on BuilderProtection.com right now, $6.59 on Staples.com, $7.28 on Amazon.com).  It has a slider along the top to extend and retract the blade, and not much else.

The Classic 99 utility knife is not feature-rich, but it will get the job done.  It's a sturdy, solid knife with a slider that rarely gets stuck.  You can extend the blade to two different positions and retract it easily.  When you need to change the blade -- or if you ever need to lubricate the slider mechanism -- the knife casing comes apart easily with the removal of just one Phillips screw.

One feature the Classic 99 knife does offer is extra blade storage.  You can keep a few extra blades inside the knife casing, toward the back.  If you only store one or two blades in there, you can sometimes hear them rattling around as you carry or use the knife, but if that gets annoying you can always fill it with more blades, or buffer the blades with paper, cotton balls, or whatever you have laying around.

This 6" utility knife is good to have in a tool bag or tool box, but it may be a little heavy to carry around in your pocket all day.  It's significantly heavier than a box cutter or a plastic utility knife.  It has a small hole in the bottom of the handle so you can hang it from a nail or peg, or keep it on a key chain.

Unless you work in cold weather a lot (in which case the exposed metal will be cold against your hand) or you need a knife that offers more functionality, the Stanley Classic 99 Retractable Utility Knife is a good, simple utility knife that will most likely serve you well for a long time.  The knife comes with three carbon alloy steel blades and Stanley's limited lifetime warranty.

(Originally posted on Helium.com, Feb 2013)

Tool Review: WorkShop 87602 Telescoping Magnetic Pick-Up Tool

Key Features:
 +   Strong magnet
 +   18" reach


Any time you're working with electronic or mechanical parts, there's the danger of dropping or losing a screw, nut, bolt, clip, etc.  If you don't have a replacement for the one you lost and you can't find it, things can get bad.  If the one you lost drops onto a circuit board or electronic component, things can get worse.  Having a magnetic pick-up tool nearby can often save you in these situations.  One good, cheap tool is the WorkShop telescoping magnetic pick-up tool (model #87602).

WorkShop makes solid tools that are often sold for very low prices.  This telescoping tool, for example, is sold at a local Ace Hardware store for $1.99.  For that price, it is definitely a good buy.  (Amazon.com lists it for $3.02.)

The tool is about the size of a standard pen, approximately six inches long, though a little heavier than a pen would be.  When fully extended, it stretches to about 18 inches.  The head is large and flat, and the magnet is strong enough to pick up metal up to 1/4 pound in weight.  The sides of the magnetic head are attractive as well, though not with nearly as much power as the head itself.  Like with other magnets, this tool should be kept away from hard drives and other magnetic media or storage devices.

The tool has two joints behind the head, which allows for slightly more flexibility than a single joint would.  WorkShop labels it as a "dual ball joint."  The tension on both of these joints can be adjusted with a small Phillips screwdriver so the joints will either be stiffer or looser.

This tool can be carried in your pocket, as long as you're not also carrying anything like a USB drive that could be damaged by the magnet.  It comes with a pocket clip, but the clip can be removed if you don't want it.  The tool takes up about as much space as a ball point pen and it only weighs a little bit more.

For $1.99, this tool is definitely recommended.  The price may vary at other stores, but it will probably still be cheaper than many other brands.  Similar tools often sell for around $5 or $7 each.  If you want more from a pick-up tool, such as LED lighting, more flexibility, or a longer reach, then you'll probably have to pay significantly more.  In addition to the 87602 pick-up tool, WorkShop makes the 87603 model, which extends to 33 inches and can attract metal objects up to eight pounds in weight.

(Originally published on Helium.com, June 2013)

Tool Review: Stanley 10-788 InstantChange Retractable Knife

Key Features:
 +   Good grip
 +   Extra blade storage
 -    Blade doesn't slide out quickly


A utility knife is a staple of any complete home tool box.  For many people, it's used every day at work.  There's nothing wrong with a "standard" metal utility knife, but if you want something a little bit better and don't mind paying a few bucks more, check out the Stanley InstantChange Retractable Knife (model #10-788).

The InstantChange retractable knife is similar to other utility knives; it holds a razor blade that can be extended or retracted with a flick of the thumb.  But this knife has many more features that make it an attractive purchase.

Rather than just being a long piece of hard metal, this knife has a plastic handle on the bottom side, a rubber grip on the top side, and a rubber thumb rest near the blade.  These features make the Stanley knife more comfortable both to hold and to use.  The thumb rest in particular is nice when you do a lot of cutting, or when you have to cut through something tough.  The rubber and plastic grip pieces make the InstantChange knife a good utility knife to use outdoors in the cold, rather than an all-metal knife that can feel freezing, even after using it for a while.

The blade can be removed easily -- just extend the blade, hold down the yellow button, and remove it.  A new blade (or the other side of the same blade) can be installed just as simply -- hold down the yellow button and push the blade all the way in.  Both the yellow release button and the slider on top of the knife can stick occasionally, but this doesn't happen often and it doesn't significantly affect performance.

This knife has room to store extra blades, so you'll always have a spare on hand.  The extra blades can be stowed in the base of the knife, and they can be accessed quickly and easily, without having to use any tools.  There is a hole at the bottom of the handle, so the knife can be hung from a hook, peg, or nail.

There is a slit cut into the base of the knife, exposing a tiny portion of the razor blade, which allows this knife to be used for cutting string.  If you do a lot of string cutting, this could be a useful feature.  The blade is recessed enough that there's no risk of injury from the exposed edge.

Aside from being practical, the Stanley InstantChange Retractable Knife looks a lot more appealing than other utility knives.  The gray metal and black plastic and rubber pieces fit well together, and the knife curves slightly, which makes it stand out from many other knives.  This knife would be a great addition to any tool box, and it would make a good gift for anyone who needs a durable utility knife.

(Originally posted on Helium.com, February 2013)

Tool Review: Husky 74460 2-Piece Micro Screwdriver Set

Key Features:
 +   Sturdy drivers
 +   Thin slotted blade for multiple applications
 -    Short shafts, not much reach

If you work with small electronics, computers, or printers, precision screwdrivers often come in handy. Even if you just own a pair of eyeglasses, it's helpful to have a precision screwdriver around when a screw pops out. There are many different precision screwdriver sets that come with interchangeable bits, but sometimes it's nice just to be able to reach for a Phillips or slotted driver without having to change out a bit. If you're looking for a good pair of precision screwdrivers, check out Husky's 2-piece micro screwdriver set (model #74460).

This set consists of a small Phillips screwdriver, size 0, and a small slotted screwdriver, size 3/32". The screwdrivers themselves are only about three inches long, so they can easily fit inside a toolbag, or even in a pocket. They are color-coded so you can quickly grab the one you need -- the Phillips driver has a blue handle and the flathead driver has a red handle.

The handles are a strong plastic that provides a decent grip, and the blades are alloy-steel, very strong for such small drivers. The flathead driver has a finely-tapered blade that can be used to pry off covers, metal e-clips, or plastic clips with ease, or provide leverage without bending or breaking.

This set of small drivers doesn't come with a case or holster, but you can tuck them into the pocket of a toolbag, or even carry them around in your shirt pocket. Unlike many precision screwdrivers, these Husky drivers have handles that are much wider than the blades, giving you a good grip so your hand won't slip.

The blades themselves are not extremely long, so they aren't the best drivers to use in hard-to-reach places, but for up-close work they are handy to have around. These are simple screwdrivers -- no ratcheting action, no changeable bits, and no magnetic tips. But they are sturdy and well-made, and for the price tag of two or three bucks, they're a worthy investment if you use precision screwdrivers a lot.

Like other Husky tools, you can probably find this micro screwdriver set at Home Depot or HomeDepot.com.  Amazon.com also offers this set, but their price is currently set at $6.98. For that price you can probably find a precision screwdriver set that includes a lot more than two drivers.

(Originally published on Helium.com, Feb 2013)

Tool Review: Great Neck NRGN2 2-Piece Stubby Screwdriver Set

Key Features:
 +   Magnetic tips
 +   Very good grip
 -    Tips tend to chip with use


For most people, a stubby screwdriver isn't something you reach for very often.  But when you do reach for it, it's because you need it, so it's a good idea to always have one in your tool box.  For a pair of stubby drivers, there isn't a better value than the Great Neck 2 piece stubby screwdriver set (model #NRGN2).

This set of two drivers -- one slotted, one Phillips -- is sold in Big Lots stores for just $1.80.  That's a very low price for two stubby screwdrivers, and these drivers are better than average stubbies.

The biggest attraction these drivers have is their magnetic tips.  They might not always be able to hold on to very large screws, but the magnets are definitely strong enough for most screws.  The slotted driver holds screws better because of the tip's wider surface area.

The Phillips driver has a #2 tip, and the slotted driver has a 1/4" tip.  Both blades are about an inch and a half long, with a handle that's about two inches long.  The size for each driver is printed on the handle, so if you store them on a rack with other drivers, you can quickly tell which one you need.  Each handle is color-coded as well; the Phillips driver has a red and black handle and the slotted driver has a yellow and black handle.

The handles themselves are rubber and provide good grip.  They are contoured to provide purchase for your fingers, and they are big for easy gripping.  One problem with stubbies is often finding good purchase, because there's not a lot of room to get a grip, but these drivers handle that problem well.

The tips are solid, and are supposed to be rust resistant because they are chrome plated.  Resisting rust is nice, but the chrome finish tends to chip off as you use the drivers.  The tips are not soft metal like those on some screwdrivers; they're not the hardest tips in the world but they should last you a long time.  And if they do start to get chewed up, you can make use of Great Neck's limited lifetime warranty to get a new set.

You can't beat the price for this pair of stubby screwdrivers.  Even just as two extra drivers to throw in a drawer or a tool bag, this Great Neck set is an excellent value.

(Originally posted on Helium.com, March 2013)

Tool Review: Husky 1066 2-Piece Pistol Grip Pliers Set

Key Features:
 +   Allows access to tighter spaces
 +   Spring-loaded
 -    Not much grip on handles


I'd been wanting the Husky 2-piece pistol grip pliers set (model #1066) for a while, eyeing it at Home Depot every time I went.  My wife, without knowing this, went out and got me the pliers for Christmas.  I wasn't sure they would turn out to be as cool as they looked in the package, but they did.

If you've never used pistol grip pliers, they are pretty neat.  The pliers jaws work the same way, but the handle is turned about 90 degrees.  The angled handle allows you to use the pliers in hard-to-reach spaces that straight pliers wouldn't be able to fit into.

This set of Husky pistol-grip pliers works great.  The pliers are strong, and are spring-loaded.  There are two pairs of pliers included, a 6" pair and an 8" pair.  The spring on the 8" pair that I have is very weak, especially compared to the spring on the 6" pair, but this is probably an issue with my individual pliers, rather than a design flaw.

The pliers have both straight and curved regions of the jaws, allowing for many different applications, as well as toothed and non-toothed sections.  There are wire cutters at the base of the jaws on both pairs of pliers.  The jaws are strong and grab well.  These pliers work really well for clamping on e-clips, especially when you hold them upside-down.

These pliers are not lightweight.  Due to their design it would be hard to carry them in your pocket anyway, but their weight definitely makes them a toolbag tool (especially the larger pair).  The tips taper, but not for precision work like needle nose plier tips.

The biggest thing I can say is wrong with these pliers is that the handles don't provide a lot of grip.  They are a sort of soft plastic, and it's easy for fingers to slip off of them.  However, with the pistol grip design, the handles are curved, so the lack of grip isn't as much of an issue as it could be.

Home Depot currently sells this pliers set for $7.00 online.  For that price, these pistol grip pliers are a great deal.  Two pairs of large, functional pliers for $7.00 is an incredible value, especially for pliers that stand out from the pack like these do.