Definition and Function of Cat’s Paw
– A cat’s paw is a metal hand tool used for extracting nails from wood using leverage.
– It has a sharp V-shaped tip on one or both ends, driven into the wood by a hammer to capture the nailhead.
– The tool is smaller and more ergonomic than a crowbar, designed specifically for nail extraction.
– The original cat’s paw had a rounder, cup-shaped extracting head, but modern versions have narrower and more pointed heads.
– The tool stock can be hexagonal, round, or rectangular, with variations like a claw bar or a moulding bar.
History of Cat’s Paw
– Prior to the Industrial Revolution, nails were handmade and valuable, leading to the preservation and reuse of nails.
– The first cat’s paw-shaped puller appeared with machine-made nails, but its broad V-shaped notch caused significant damage to wood.
– Recent designs adopted a Japanese-style narrow and pointed head for better nailhead grip and less collateral damage.
– These modern designs offer greater leverage with a longer, closer to 90-degree fulcrum end and often have extractors on both ends.
– The development of cat’s paw tools was influenced by the need to preserve nails and minimize wood damage.
Alternative Nail Pullers
– The Nail Jack and Nail Hunter nail pullers are newer designs that take a pliers-like approach to the cat’s paw design.
– These tools have their own built-in fulcrum and can be struck with a hammer to drive the tips into wood with minimal damage.
– They are effective in removing nails driven into wood at or below the surface.
– The Nail Hunter nail puller has precise tips that come completely together, making it suitable for removing finish nails.
– The pneumatic-powered Nail Kicker allows efficient removal of large numbers of old nails.
Related Tools
– Denailer is a power tool used for removing large numbers of nails from used lumber.
– The Denailer is designed to streamline the process of nail removal from reclaimed wood.
– It is a valuable tool for recycling and repurposing materials.
– The Denailer reduces labor time and increases efficiency in the nail extraction process.
– It is commonly used in construction and woodworking industries.
References
– Raymond P. Fredrich’s patent reference provides information on nail pullers.
– Readers Digest features an article on the cat’s paw nail puller, providing additional insights.
– The article discusses the design, usage, and benefits of the tool.
– The source offers practical information for those interested in nail extraction tools.
– The article can be accessed online for further reading and reference. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat%27s_paw_(tool)
This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (March 2011) |
A cat's paw or cat's claw is a metal hand tool used for extracting nails, typically from wood, using leverage. A standard tool in carpentry, it has a sharp V-shaped tip on one or both ends, which is driven into the wood by a hammer to capture the nailhead. Essentially, it is a smaller, more ergonomic, purpose-designed crowbar.
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Historically, the cat's paw had a single significantly rounder, more cup-shaped extracting head, giving it its name. Today, the norm is to have the two much narrower and more pointed heads offset 90-degrees (in plane) from one-another (allowing the bar to be pressed fully down when using the tip on the long end without damaging the surface the free end contacts). By the physics of its design the tip on the short end has substantially more leverage, but is not always convenient to be set with a hammer.
Tool stock is typically hexagonal, though it may be round or rectangular. When the latter is sometimes is flattened on its long end to create a combination pry bar/nail extractor. Terms for each type used by popular retail outlets include "claw bar" when it has a claw on each end, and "moulding bar" if one end is flat.[citation needed]
The cat's paw is well designed for demolition work, able to removed nails from wood, synthetic wood, and concrete, but because it tears up the surface around the nailhead is only used with care in finish work.