Official Luthiers Forum!

Owned and operated by Lance Kragenbrink
It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 5:49 pm


All times are UTC - 5 hours


Forum rules


Be nice, no cussin and enjoy!




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 8 posts ] 
Author Message
PostPosted: Thu Sep 02, 2021 4:05 pm 
Offline
Koa
Koa
User avatar

Joined: Sat Jan 19, 2013 7:33 am
Posts: 1831
First name: Willard
Last Name: Guthrie
City: Cumberland
State: Maryland 21502
Zip/Postal Code: 21502
Country: United State
Focus: Repair
Status: Semi-pro
I've been meaning to write these up for a month or so, and did not see them mentioned yet in a few quick searches. Recommended by the fellas to me when I picked up some work for a local not-for-profit.

As suggested by Mr. Morelli, I pulled the frets dry and without heat on two rosewood, one mystery wood, and one ebony fretboard. No chips, which usually requires both some moisture and heat to accomplish. The spring action and finely ground tips make removal easier than any other pullers I've used, to include shop-made Knipex, Stewmac, Summit, and some no-names. Just the right size for my smaller hands, which was certainly an issue with the Summit straight and angled pullers. And without heat and moisture, the time required to cleanly pull old frets was reduced from 20 minutes to something like 5...quick and clean.

The pullers appear likely to be more easily honed than the usual mini-end cutters. I've only done those four boards, but the guys have used their pullers for the better part of a year (at 2-3 refrets/new fret jobs per week), so many fret jobs and no need yet to rehone or replace.

Philadelphia Luthier Tool and Supplies carries these for about $50, but I picked mine up on Ebay for about $55 while PLTS was out of stock. MIJ and marketed under the Hosco name, but badged 3Peaks.

https://www.philadelphialuthiertools.co ... available/

_________________
We have become a civilization that elevates idiots, prostitutes, and clowns. Am I still to defend it? Yes, for its principles. Yes, for what it was. Yes, for what it still may be.

-Mark Helprin, The Oceans and the Stars: A Sea Story, A War Story, A Love Story (A Novel)



These users thanked the author Woodie G for the post (total 5): Cal Maier (Sat Sep 04, 2021 7:54 pm) • Smylight (Fri Sep 03, 2021 8:30 am) • Durero (Thu Sep 02, 2021 11:30 pm) • Hesh (Thu Sep 02, 2021 9:00 pm) • Pmaj7 (Thu Sep 02, 2021 7:38 pm)
Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Thu Sep 02, 2021 4:25 pm 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member
User avatar

Joined: Sun Mar 06, 2011 12:04 am
Posts: 5743
First name: Chris
Last Name: Pile
City: Wichita
State: Kansas
Country: Good old US of A
Focus: Repair
Status: Professional
Thanks for the tool report. I've seen those and wondered about them. Since I'm already in good shape on pullers I didn't pop for them. But if I get the new tool bug, I'll keep your recommendation in mind.

_________________
"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince



These users thanked the author Chris Pile for the post: Woodie G (Thu Sep 02, 2021 4:35 pm)
Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Thu Sep 02, 2021 4:46 pm 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member
User avatar

Joined: Fri Jul 10, 2009 4:44 am
Posts: 5398
First name: colin
Last Name: north
Country: Scotland.
Focus: Build
Status: Semi-pro
Like these, got a pair 3/4 years ago.

_________________
The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.


Last edited by Colin North on Fri Sep 03, 2021 3:29 am, edited 1 time in total.

Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Thu Sep 02, 2021 6:07 pm 
Offline
Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood

Joined: Fri Aug 19, 2005 4:02 am
Posts: 3227
Location: The Woodlands, Texas
First name: Barry
Last Name: Daniels
I like these too, but there are a lot of sharp edges around the hinge area. I took a file and knocked down the sharpies wherever I could.



These users thanked the author Barry Daniels for the post (total 2): CraigG (Thu Sep 02, 2021 8:57 pm) • Pmaj7 (Thu Sep 02, 2021 7:38 pm)
Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Thu Sep 02, 2021 6:40 pm 
Offline
Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood

Joined: Fri Dec 14, 2007 3:21 pm
Posts: 3290
Location: Alexandria MN
Those look a lot like the newer StewMac fret puller. I have one and like it a lot.

https://www.stewmac.com/luthier-tools-a ... et-puller/

_________________
It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Thu Sep 02, 2021 7:23 pm 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member
User avatar

Joined: Wed Oct 08, 2008 11:36 am
Posts: 7241
Location: Southeast US
City: Lenoir City
State: TN
Zip/Postal Code: 37772
Country: US
Focus: Repair
Terence Kennedy wrote:
Those look a lot like the newer StewMac fret puller. I have one and like it a lot.

https://www.stewmac.com/luthier-tools-a ... et-puller/

I also have the newer SM puller and was thinking the same thing.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

_________________
Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Thu Sep 02, 2021 7:41 pm 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member
User avatar

Joined: Sat Jan 31, 2009 8:50 pm
Posts: 2246
Location: Seattle WA
Focus: Build
Status: Semi-pro
Thanks for the review! I love tool reviews, especially luthier specific. I've probably got a couple I could do...

Pat

_________________
Pat


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Thu Sep 02, 2021 9:07 pm 
Offline
Old Growth Brazilian Rosewood
Old Growth Brazilian Rosewood
User avatar

Joined: Fri Nov 02, 2007 9:49 am
Posts: 12971
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
First name: Hesh
Last Name: Breakstone
City: Ann Arbor
State: Michigan
Country: United States
Status: Professional
They look good and what makes them work well is the flat face combined with a decent bevel angle to "lift" the fret simply by the act of closing the pliers while keeping the face firmly against the board.

This is how the original batch of Stew Mac fret nippers were manufactured of which we have one pair from before my time. All the SM nippers since then have too shallow a bevel angle to lift the fret much when closing them.

I don't like the term "pullers" and have been in several conversations other well known luthiers who agree that we should not be "pulling" anything, that's how chips happen. Instead we should be using the tool to gently lift part of a fret while using it's ground face to keep chips in place and from happening in the first place.

I'll have to purchase a set, thanks Woodie and everyone else for the recon work here.

_________________
Ann Arbor Guitars



These users thanked the author Hesh for the post: Clinchriver (Sun Sep 05, 2021 7:15 am)
Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 8 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 5 hours


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: J De Rocher and 52 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group
phpBB customization services by 2by2host.com