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Several years ago I purchased a nail apron from a company named “Diamondback” out of California. When I received my order, there was a nail puller included.
Without a doubt this is the most versatile handtool I own. I would like to purchase a couple more for my crew, but have never seen it in a catalog or store. Maybe someone can point me in the right direction.
The tool is Japanese and is marked with “YAMAGUCI 12in.” on one side and “NICAHARA 300mm” on the other. It has a small nail puller on one end and a prybar on the other end similar to a smaller version of a wonderbar. It started life painted blue.
Any Help is appreciated.
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Tod, try japanwoodworker.com or garrettwade.com
these are oft known as "fishtails" or "japanese cabinetmaker's prybars". Woodworker's Warehouse (Trendlines) carries a version in their retail stores, and I've a local source as well.
*hey toddtry toolcrib of the north they have a pretty good selectionsean
*Try Lee Valley/Veritas. Once you get their catalog you won't need any others. Note that they don't specialize in power tools, but then there's always tool crib for that.
*Where is this lee valley/veritas?
*A cat's paw is different. It is used for pulling nails out of rough lumber, and it will tear up the wood. It looks like the paw of a cat, hence it's name. (I still think it looks more like a pig's foot, or a deer's hoof, but what do I know)I bought mine at a local tools supplier.I also have a small prybar like you mention. I got it at a cabinet/woodworkers supplier. You might try someone like Leichtung, or Woodworker's Supply. I don't have an e-mail address in front of me, or a phone number. Maybe someone else can help with that.James DuHamel
*Well, we i arereading our Fine Homebuilding aren't we?Or, (ignoring any smartalec comments) poking through a FH for said catalog....
*have to give a shout-out to my favorite japanese tool co. hida tools in berkeley, ca. they have at least 100 different catspaws in stock from 10cm to 1.5m. really really nice tools. nice staff. real knowledgable.333 san pablo aveberkeley, ca 94702510.524.3700fax 510.524.3423theyve got catalogs, too.
*Whatever you do, brother, don't pick-up the Death Stick Exhumer. It's a piece of sh*t.
*Sharks Tooth got mine at lowes, it keep disapearing, and I by a new one only to find it in one of my guys bags. Best tool in my pouch
*Tod, I love my exhumer!!!The salesman said many hate it, but I find it to be superior to any thing else available. Do you mind elaborating on your hatred?blue
*Seven Corners Hdw/Tools on Sale has them in their store, not sure if they have them in their catalog, but it might be worth a trip to their web site.Steve
*Don't mean to bud in,... but my exhumer quickly went into my rather large pile of cool yet crappy tools in dark recesses of the shop. It's billed as a framer's tool (evidence the blade wrench and the bottle opener) but the teeth are set too close together to grab a 16 without splitting one of the teeth off. It is also just a bit too long and too sharp and I've impaled myself on it more than once. Finally, the skull and crossbones emblem poped off the first week I strutted around with it. Oh well, it's off to the pile with it and it's time to look for the next cool thing to waste an hours (or 15 minutes) pay on.
*It's alway polite to butt in Zonmon!One of the reasons that I like the exhumer is because the teeth dont' spit off! I've split a dozen other nail pullers before I got this exhumer.The pointy teeth do a nice job of getting in and under too. That's another plus for me.The extra length is another plus. I've noticed that I can lever out the tightest nails more easily. And the big bonus is that the unique shape allows me to peel the nails out completely without changing tools or position. That's an important feature for a guy who does a lot of nail pulling!Sadly, my skull and crossbones also fell off. I was deeply and bitterly disappointed and looked forlornly for days to find it. It's still lost but I entend to buy a new one and figure out a way to keep the darned thing on.I do think the teeth are a bit close for regular 16d hand pounders. Since i don't use, nor pull many, I can live with the slight inconvenience though.Also, the exhumer is great for shearing off the heads of imbedded nails. I do that a lot for many situations and like a tool that does it with ease. Interestingly I never knew that their was a bottle opener on it. The blade wrench fits my green saw (makita) but any self respecting beer drinker knows that the only way to open a beer bottle is with the hammer. I'd never be caught reaching for my exhumer to open a bottle!blue
*b TVMDCLe Valley & Veritas, 1-800-871-8158: Don't ask for their catalogue unless you have a fair line of credit on your card since they have a lot of cool stuff.Page 210 of their catalogue has a nice selection including a restorer's paw whose long end is a flat blade used for popping moulding, etc.
*I think the Vaugn cats paw is the best
*I like the Vaughn, too. I tried one of the Japanese ones, a bloody big heavy thing that wouldn't grab a 2" common nail and wound up rusting in a snowbank on some jobsite. The best I ever saw was an old Stanley that had a straight claw on the other end of the shaft. That came in handy more times than I could count as we're always taking stuff apart that wasn't meant to come apart. The only two things wrong with it were that somebody else owned it and that it was no use as a monster nail set.Ron
*Brandon- Welcome to cyber-space!Wes here. Hope you find who you're looking for.Do you have an extra phone line so you can talk when you're on-line?Tod,got the jap. one- don't like it.Got a dbl. ended one-love it.(actually I hate cat's paws and usually find a faster , easier method.
*They have a web site, don't have the URL handy.
*If just typing in leevalley in the goto space doesn't work, then youc an find them at http://www.leevalley.com/home/main.asp
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Several years ago I purchased a nail apron from a company named "Diamondback" out of California. When I received my order, there was a nail puller included.
Without a doubt this is the most versatile handtool I own. I would like to purchase a couple more for my crew, but have never seen it in a catalog or store. Maybe someone can point me in the right direction.
The tool is Japanese and is marked with "YAMAGUCI 12in." on one side and "NICAHARA 300mm" on the other. It has a small nail puller on one end and a prybar on the other end similar to a smaller version of a wonderbar. It started life painted blue.
Any Help is appreciated.