danielh81•3mo agoMost Upvoted

Vent: My old boss swore by that cheap $40 knee kicker for years, and it finally blew out a seam on a big job.

He always said 'a tool is a tool, kid' but after it cost me half a day's pay to redo the install, I'm never skimping on gear again. Anyone got a solid knee kicker brand that won't fail under pressure?

3 comments

3 Comments

butler.mark1mo ago

That cheap gear story hits home. @gavinhunt is right about a good tool saving you, but a knee kicker is a specific beast. The real problem with the cheap ones isn't just plastic gears, it's the weak spot where the pad meets the head. They weld it cheap and the whole thing can torque and pop a seam under real tension. Roberts makes a good one, but the key is finding any brand that forges that joint as one solid piece. It costs more but it won't fold on you.

tara_palmer3mo ago

My uncle's a floor guy and he swears by the Roberts heavy-duty ones (the blue ones, not the red). He said the cheap ones have plastic gears that strip out, but his Roberts has taken some real abuse over the years. He told me he once had to kick in a really stubborn corner and the thing just wouldn't quit. That story sold me on getting a good one when I started helping him out.

gavinhunt3mo ago

My old man was a roofer and he had the same rule about tools. A good pry bar saved my knuckles more times than I can count.