One of the joys of producing Cool Tools is the delightful moment a
reader turns me on to a better tool than the one I just reviewed. I
got a note (below) letting me know that the good old standby Staple
Gun which I ran last week has a superior improvement: the forward
action stapler. You increase impact by squeezing toward the point of
contact (on the left side in the illustration here.) I immediately
got one and was hooked. It's ergonomically ingenious, more effective,
and no more expensive than the standard type. Takes the usual T-50
staples. It is so much better that I will retire that early review.
This good "new" standby is the one that belongs in the most basic
toolbox.

-- KK

There's no doubt that a staple gun is, well, a staple. And far be it
for me to knock the old school tools - age, or more properly staying
power, seems to correlate very highly with usefulness when it comes
to tools, but I have to say I think there are better staple guns.
The problem with the classic design is that the stiff spring requires
you to place the bulk of your squeeze pressure as far up the handle
as possible - that is, away from the staple-point. This has the
unfortunate tendency of causing the staple point to lift in a sort of
pre-recoil when the trigger engages, leaving you with staples that
are not-quite-in. Experienced users learn to counterbalance and apply
extra pressure to the front -- also to anticipate the recoil -- but
these adaptations speak to a need for revision.

The newer school of staple guns have very sensibly reversed this
arrangement. The handle now inclines towards the front, with the
trigger mechanism at the rear. Now the strain of battling the spring
causes you to bear down directly on the staple point. You can get
both consumer and contractor-grade "forward action" staplers.

-- Johnathan Nightingale

Powershot Pro Stapler
Model 800KB
$30
Available from Amazon

EasyShot Light Duty
$9
Available from Amazon

Also $12 from Ace Hardware

Manufactured by
PowerShot