It seems that companies that make 5-in-1 painter’s tools are currently engaged in a cold war of escalation. The last time I looked, I found one with 10 different tools integrated into it, and I thought that was stretching credibility to its bounds.
To my surprise, I recently found a Painter’s tool that claimed it could be used as 14 different tools. Do all of the different “tools” actually serve different useful functions, or is this just marketing?
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To break down the evolution of X-in-1 painter’s tools, I choose Clauss tools. For one, they have several tools, each with more functions than the last. Second, they all are very similar, so you’ll be able to easily spot the places tools have been added. Of course each tool might not actually be the predecessor of the next, but the premise still works anyway.
Let’s start off with all the potential uses of an unmodified 5-in-1 painter’s tool has. The blade can be used to scrape paint (1), and it can spread putty and joint compound (2). The half round cutout is used for cleaning paint rollers (3). The sharp point is used for opening up cracks, to make it easier to get patching compound into them (4). Finally, the blunt end opens paint cans (5).
Add a rounded, hardened cap on the end for beating paint can lids back on, or driving drywall nails back into place (6), and you get Clauss’ 6-in-1 painter’s tool. I believe somebody over at Clauss must have missed the Sesame Street episode where they counted up to 7, because that teardrop shaped cutout is a nail puller (7).
To get to eight tools, Clauss adds a bottle opener (8) and some random semi-circular hole on the opposite side of the blade that I can’t figure a use for. Ideas?
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Then we jump right up to fourteen tools. Right away you’ll notice the semi-circular hole is gone, but they’ve added 11mm (9) and 15mm (10) box wrenches. Also opposite the first roller cleaner, there is now a second concave roller cleaner (11). They say there is a convex roller cleaner, but I can’t figure that one out. I think they mean the second concave one. Maybe it’s that bump between the straight section and the shallower paint roll cleaner.
Lastly, when you pull out the compartment on the side of the tool, you’ll find a Phillips insert bit (12) and a flat head bit (13). The end cap, which already doubles as a striking tool, has a hex recess that these bits fit into so you can use the tool as a driver handle. They don’t show it on their website, but I presume that the bit carrier either is, or carries, the nailset (14), based on the way other manufacturer’s designs work.
It they really wanted to go for 15 tools, they could have claimed the hex recess in the hammer could be used as a 1/4″ nut driver.
All of these painter’s tools have a non-stick Titanium coating over the blade and an overmolded plastic handle for comfort and control.
Now here’s the real reason I choose Clauss: Walmart sells these tools for only $2.65, $3.25, and $3.69, for the 6-in-1, 8-in-1, and 14-in-1 painter’s tools, respectively. Plus you can get free pickup at Walmart Stores. The only extra is tax.
Buy Now (Walmart)
This 14-in-1 tool has more functions than my first Swiss Army knife, and frankly they probably perform their function better that the tools on that old knife too.
fred
Do painters really see a lot of 11 and 15 mm hex nuts or cap screws that they need to turn? Maybe in China? The 15:1 tool also reverses the teardrop nail puller – shortening the “lever arm”. I wonder why – maybe adding the hex cutouts resulted in a potential weak point vis-a-vis nail pulling – or maybe I’m reading too much into this.
The hex recess in the end cap – would also seem to reduce its usefulness in tapping in nail heads. I can also see them marketing the second curved recess on the 15:1 as a scraper for balusters and other curved items.
Nathan
and it does maybe 3 of those functions well. I guess.
I don’t clean my paint rollers – so I guess I’m not a pro there.
I still like a regular putty knife – that is a putty knife. I keep one stiff wide and one flexible narrow. the nail tear drop thing I sort of like.
Do people really use these for these functions. I will say if I got one – I’d want the one with the bit capability.
Milwaukee tool Steve
I own the Husky one and love the paint roller cleaner, I might say it is what I now use the most on this contraption.
Just imagine your rolling your roller around and you touch some drywall dust or hit some dust or some other big clumps and start smearing it all over your roller now you might be like oh I got to get a shop towel but no need I’ll just get my 14 in 1 tool and get it and scrap both sides of the roller then keep it in your pouch or nearby for another emergency.
of course I love this and everything else on my tool its actually pretty cool.
Nathan
AH – now that I could get behind. guess I’ll go think about one then.
still keeping my putty knife though.
Milwaukee tool Steve
lol ok. be sure you still have room in your toolbox for it. 🙂
Mike
The small cutout is for removing loose drywall screws that have stripped the material they are in. Usually the screw has popped up a bit since it can’t hold, but it just spins when trying to drive it back down or remove it. Wedge the cutout under the head to apply outward pressure and the screw will back out when turned.
fred
Here is Lee Valley’s take on that:
http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/page.aspx?p=32058&cat=1,43411,43422&ap=1
Nathan
or with a nail set or punch you can just punch the head on through the dry wall and putty over.
which I saw done on one of the TV shows and cringed. But I bet it happens all the time.
Doresoom
I don’t do a ton of painting, and don’t clean my rollers either, so I never saw the need to get one of these. I usually prefer carrying several tools made purposefully for each job, rather than one that does all of them so-so.
Plus, I like the flexibility of my putty knife, and the 5-in-1 tools I have looked at or held in the store always seem to be too stiff.
John
Husky has a similar one at Home Depot:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-14-in-1-Painter-s-Tool-DSX-G14/202038673
Although not “titanium coated” it has the same 14 tools the Clauss does including bit holder and bits.
fred
The Husky (UPC 037064183141) comes from Allway Tools – the OEM may be the same as for the Clauss (Acme United) although the Clauss UPC is 15829188563
Tim
I believe they mean convex edge not convex shape. The edge on the opposite side roller cleaner appears to be modified
MT_Noob
I got my first one a year or two ago (a different brand), but I found it so handy I bought a second one to keep in the tool box. I use it for general scraping, (instead of an old chisel), light prying (instead of a screwdriver), opening boxes (instead of a box cutter), and once in a while I use the metal capped handle for light tapping (instead of a hammer). I’m generally not a fan of multi-tools because of all the trade-off inherent in a multi-tool. But in this case, I find the painters tool to be a great tool for 3 or 4 basic light duty ad-hoc tasks.
Max
The sad thing is that it is incredibly hard to find a tool that will clean the smaller pant rollers but they are developing all these worthless add-on tools.
fred
Unless you use Wooster Easy-Roll (Mini) Cage rollers – I assume you mean spindle-type (as opposed to cage type roller covers. I more often then not toss roller covers out – rather than try to clean them. I find that this provides better results, and wastes less time and water. My exception is when using them to stain/paint fence and garden structures – where defects from a “cleaned” roller are not as noticeable and degradation in results not so very important. For mini spindle rollers – I have a 18 inch long rod – the same diameter as the roller spindle. After rolling out as much of the paint as I can (on the fence or newspaper) – I mount the roller on the rod, chuck the rod in a cordless drill and spin away in a pail of hot water and detergent – with a gloved hand to help the process along. Successive dips, then a spin in clean water, and finally in an empty bucket gets the spindle clean enough for garden painting.
fred
“gets the spindle clean enough ” should read “gets the roller cover clean enough”
BTW – my “rod” that I use to spin to roller cover – is actually a piece cut from a cheap long-handled mini roller frame. I think it has something like a 6mm or 15/64 diameter – not a rod size so easy to find.
max
I was talking about the spindle type.
I have no problem getting the roller clean enough to use again, I just hate throwing out all the paint that is left on the roller. I am a frugal person so that is part of it, but I also hate sending the paint down the sewers if I can avoid it.
RCWARD
Looks like a good use of 3 dollars. Can’t go wrong there. Can’t believe all the crying about it. #TIACREW
T
“Non Stick” – lol. Ive seen $15k hvlp rigs covered in epoxy, this thing wont last a week as a functioning “14-1” tool in the real world.
Blythe M
Great for: scraping, prying, banging stuff, cleaning rollers
Bad for: puttying, stabbing when you bend over
Cr8ondt
Wait a sec…. People ACTUALLY use these for painting??? I carry 2 in my tool belt for prying trim, acting as a beat on chisel, siding puller etc. Oh there was a time or two I opened a paint can with one, normally I’d use a screwdriver( ha another tool I rarely use for its designed purpose).
fred
Yeah – and like a bunch of other “painter’s sundries” the tool is cheap.
Here is another one our painting subs used to carry – although I think theirs had a wooden handle
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00PD9FIP0/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1?pf_rd_p=1944687622&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B00QL57QSM&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1S91W5V1CHQS9JAVKX8C
Benjamen
I just picked up the 14in1 yesterday at Wallmart after ordering it last week. It’s better quality than I expected from the sale price. It’s actually pretty stiff. I was thinking it would be more flexible like a putty knife, but it’s stiff enough where it might actually be able to pull a few nails.
I was wrong about the nail set, it’s not on the bit carrier. In fact I can’t find a part of the tool that could be used as a nail set unless they are talking about using the pointed end and hitting it with on the paint can opener. I can’t see that working for long.
fred
The end cap on the top of the regular handle is often used to tap in screws and nails standing proud of the drywall or plaster. So maybe the copywriters looked at the picture with the Phillips bit sticking out and thought : “wow a nailset”