Fastcap Knuckle Bender: Awesome Customer Service

[-MIKE-]

A while back I picked up the original version of Fastcap's "Knuckle Bender" shown here...

In my handyman work I run across hundreds of doors that are either improperly installed, have sagged due to house settling, or have swollen and are rubbing against the frame. I can attest that the vast amount of doors I fix are due to improper installation by lazy and/or ignorant installers who are getting paid by the door and don't give a rat's ass if it's done correctly, or simply were never trained how to do it right.

I'm put in situations where I must give the home-owner the option of me removing the door and installing it correctly, which is an expensive option. Or spending 10 minutes bending the hinges to correct a crooked hang and possibly another 10-15 minutes readjusting/chiseling out the strike plates to compensation for the new door angle/height.

You can guess which one makes for a more satisfied client. :-)

The original Knuckle Bender has served me well and is worth its weight in gold. However, there were a couple of design flaws which made the tool a bit less than perfect. It didn't work on all diameter hinges. It could damage the casement molding at times because of its square profile. It was difficult to move down the hinge when bending because the previously bent knuckle moved the tool out of line with the rest of the hinge.

Even with those flaws, it was a great tool and served me well for dozens of door adjustments. The business end that fits over the hinge started to bend out over time, so I emailed the company and asked them about their warranty. Their reply simply asked for my mailing address. Today, this version arrived via UPS.

I look forward to trying it out, which I get to do on a job tomorrow for a client who has a few crooked doors needing adjustment. It seems like a pretty simple modification of a common tool, but kudos to the inventor for perfecting it. I can tell just from visual inspection that it fixes some of the flaws in the original design. I'll find out tomorrow how well it works in real world application.

Thank you, Fastcap, for standing behind your products and sending me this free upgrade.

[nailshooter41]

Right there with you. I used to hang doors for a door company, and I could n't agree with your assessment more. OTOH, I made good money fixing expens ive doors that were simply installed incorrectly by that company (!) so I d on't have any complaints.

I use 12" to 16" wedges to hang doors coming from both sides of the jambs. I never, shim. Never. Result? No call backs in my memory from a door sa g or loose jamb. Yes, I was trained to do it that way 40+ years ago, but I cringe when I see pieces of wood, debris and all kinds of crap stuck behin d hinges because they can get the door to hang well for a while. Depending on the door, I might not wedge both sides (no need on a 2'6" A/C access do or, etc.) but still, no shims. And no call backs.

OK,... why am I the last to hear of this? I can't calculate how much time that would have saved me over the years. Seriously... that little bit of g enius should be in my tool box.

Hope you post back your findings! And BTW, I do metal doors as well, and t ypically I shim the hinge where possible with 30ga sheet metal. Do you thin k that would bend a standard thickness (.143") 4" commercial hinge?

Robert

[-MIKE-]

Explain the wedges. I'm picturing them as just longer shims. Am I seeing it wrong?

It is a serious time saver! Great when I'm doing it "per job" but not so much when I'm on the clock. :-) I used to use a big pair of pliers to bend the knuckles, but it was too easy to scratch polished brass hinges. They also make shims for hinges, but that's more work than bending them. I also put some of the blame on manufacturers trying to save money by making everything thinner (weaker). I've taken off older brass hinges that weighed almost twice as much as newer ones.

This new version will definitely work, since it's adjustable. I'm looking forward to that feature. Sometimes the older version was not only too small, but too big.

[Leon]

Fastcap has replaced several tape measures for me. Their customer service it top notch.

[G Ross]

Got my knuckle-duster today and it really works! Two doors in a new addition have always sagged a little. Not enough to really scrub, but a tight fit at the top. Pulled the pin and started bending the top door knuckle and the hinge popped off the door. The screws were only

1/2" long. Went and got some 1 1/4" replacement screws and bent the knuckles a bit and now both doors look great. Suggest you check the screw length on new doors before using the bender.