Paslode Eagle Claw - Tool Review

This is a tool I stumbled upon quite by accident. I happened to be at one of Paslode’s warehouses recently and the Eagle Claw was hanging on their product wall. Naturally, I was drawn to it, having never seen anything quite like it before. What a brilliant idea, though! The Eagle Claw is a cat’s paw prying tool combined with hand pliers. It was another “Why didn’t I think of that?” moment.One look at the tool and you can guess how it operates – it’s not rocket science. Of course, that’s the beauty of an ingenious idea. It needs no real explanation. With that being said, let me explain a couple of things…First, the difference between this tool and a pair of diagonal cutters (my usual tool of choice for removing stubborn nails) is that the jaws of the Eagle Claw are blunt. They won’t simply cut through the nail when you apply pressure. That’s a biggie. It’s frustrating when you’re trying to remove a bent or misplaced nail and the extraction tool cuts it so short that you have to simply pound it back in.

Another great benefit to the tool is the handle configuration. It allows you leverage to pry out even the most stubborn nails and leaves hardly a mark on the work surface, since there are no sharp edges along the bottom of the jaws. For maximum leverage, simply grip the fastener in the jaws closer to the handles and push down. Here’s a very short demo of the tool in action:Here’s my bottom line: at a less-than-40-dollar-pricepoint, I think this tool is a great addition to your toolbox. It seems sturdy and well built. If you do a lot of trim work or just carpentry in general, this may be your next go-to tool when a fastener goes awry.

I look forward to hearing what you think, as well. Send me an email at brad@toolskool.com.