My knee kicker snapped mid-stretch on a Berber job in Mesa

The pin sheared clean off while I was pulling the last section, so I had to finish the tension by hand with a carpet tucker. Anyone have a brand that holds up better than the Roberts 50K for heavy commercial stuff?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_robert2mo ago

Man, that's the worst feeling when a tool gives out right at the finish line. Had a Roberts pin shear on me too with a dense loop pile. For the real heavy-duty stuff, you gotta step up to a power stretcher. The Crain 600 series head is a beast, or even an older used Stretch-Mate if you can find one. Those things just don't quit on commercial pad jobs. Hand tensioning Berber is a brutal way to finish the day, my back hurts just thinking about it.

miller.jason2mo ago

Ugh, a sheared pin is the worst kind of surprise. Makes you just want to sit down on the floor right there. You're totally right about needing the heavy gear for that kind of carpet, it's a different world. My old boss had a Stretch-Mate he swore by, said it was the only thing that never argued with him. That hand tensioning talk is bringing back some bad memories for sure.

lee_grant972mo ago

Try a slide hammer stretcher.