The Straptite appears to be the exact same tool formerly known as the Bandit, a tool I've used forever. This thing works very well indeed; it makes extremely heavy-duty straps. It has long been considered essential emergency equipment by blue water sailors -- for splinting broken spars on long voyages. The device is used to clamp traffic signals to their poles, as well as in more mundane hose clamping duties, for instance to repair the hydraulic hoses on farm machinery. I have used mine as a huge clamp to secure perimeter details of domes, and it has been particularly useful reinforcing wiggly deck railings. Stainless steel strap is ideal and most common (and expensive) but permanent. Of course it can be used with blue-black steel strapping to bundle lumber, pipes, crates etc. (The Poly strapping used in shipping uses a different tool). This tool is not particularly cheap, but it sure does work well; mine is showing little wear after 35 years. Cackle, wheeze.

-- J. Bladwin

Straptite
$105
Available from
Straptite