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Heard a new guy at the supply house call a knee kicker 'that old thing'
Honestly, I was grabbing some seam sealer last week and this young installer was talking to the counter guy. He pointed at a knee kicker on the wall and said 'what even is that old thing, we just use power stretchers now'. It made me think about my first boss in Kansas City who taught me how to set a carpet hook with one in like 1990. Tbh, sometimes the simple tools still have their place on tricky jobs, you know? Has anyone else had to explain why you keep a knee kicker in the truck to a younger helper?
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henrycooper2mo ago
Man, that's wild. A knee kicker is like a basic part of the job. You can't always get a power stretcher into a closet or a weird corner.
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wilson.sam2mo ago
Oh man, you're totally right. A good knee kicker is the bread and butter for any installer who's done more than a few rooms. Power stretchers are great for big open areas but they're clunky as heck in tight spots. I've seen too many guys try to force a power stretcher into a weird closet and end up damaging the baseboards or the carpet. Sometimes the old school way is just the best way, plain and simple.
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the_robin2mo ago
Yeah, you can't always get a power stretcher in there. I showed my new guy how to use one in a tight hallway last month, and he got it right away. Some jobs just need the right tool for the space, you know?
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