Loadingā¦
6
Knee kickers taught me more about carpet than any power tool ever will
When I began, my mentor had me use a knee kicker on every job. You learned the carpet's feel and how it should stretch. Today, new guys just hit the power stretcher and move on. I fixed a living room last week where the edges popped up fast. It's clear we're losing the art for quick fixes.
3 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In3 Comments
the_adam6mo ago
My grandad used to say you could hear when the stretch was right, like tuning a guitar string.
5
price.nora6mo ago
My mom's pie crust has that same kind of tell, a quiet crackle when she rolls it thin enough. Funny how your hands learn to listen for those tiny sounds.
6
brooke9455mo ago
Remember that old saying about the tool you don't use? I got lazy with the power stretcher on a hallway job and the carpet started walking. Had to go back with the kicker to really lock in the turn at the door. Now I always start with the kicker to set the tack strip, then finish with the power. It's slower, but the carpet just sits right and doesn't fight you.
3