Stapler

[Battis]

I need a good, reliable stapler. Arrow, Powershot - not so good. I mean, terrible. Just when you need them to work, they jam. I don't use them often but when I do, I expect them to fire.
Any ideas?

[jim147]

A red Swingline.

[Winger Ed.]

A red Swingline.

Milton, "Don't take my red stape-ler".

[Battis]

I completely neglected to mention that I'm looking for a hand held stapler gun. The kind that I had in my hand that carapped out an hour ago trying to staple a blue tarp over the repair I'm doing on the outside of my house with rain on the way.

[Mal Paso]

I have 3 different Arrow regular all metal staplers that have been trouble free. I also have a hammer tacker stapler which is great for tarpaper, signs and targets, all metal but the rubber grip. Oh and an all metal swingline paper stapler on my desk.

[gmsharps]

A Duo Fast C5000 works for me. You can adjust the amount of power it takes to staple.

gmsharps

[Gewehr-Guy]

Whenever my staplers have jammed up, I give them a shot of penetrating oil, and blow them out with the air hose. Usually find a mangled up staple stuck in there somewhere , causing the malfunction. The strip of staples is usually the cause of the jam.

[Battis]

When my neighbor moved a few years ago he gave me a bunch of tools and one of them is a Duo Fast stapler that I just dug out of the collection. It's old and seems to be frozen up, but I'll work on it.

[remy3424]

Make sure you are using the correct staples for the tool, the wrong staples will stop things fast. I try to keep all staple guns using the same ones. Don't load with short sticks of staples, I have learned that will potentially cause issues.

[Omega]

Depends on what your intended purpose for the stapler is, but I do think the Harbor Freight air stapler is a great tool. I got the bright idea to line my attic space with mylar using a regular handheld stapler, what a PITA. But once I started using the air stapler, man I tell you that I not only got done faster, but used many more staples because I didn't space them out as much as I did when using the handheld. The Banks brand is actually pretty good, I have the pin nailer too, man that is one great tool.

https://www.harborfreight.com/collections/black-friday-deals/20-gauge-wide-crown-stapler-58222.html
https://shop.harborfreight.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/5/8/58222_W3.jpg

[megasupermagnum]

I can't speak for the cheap plastic ones, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with an Arrow T50 heavy duty staple gun. Mine is around 10 years old. Never once jammed, never once failed to work. I mostly use it for targets, 1/2" into thin wood or cardboard, but have used it with some 3/4" staples, and it will even drive those in with no issue.

[jeepyj]

Milton, "Don't take my red stape-ler".

Great movie!

[country gent]

I have several of the Arrow T 50 staplers that have seldom missed a beat. all metal and good. I have a couple of the hammer type that work well also, these are normally used for installing insulation or tasks where pin point placement isnt required.These you swing like hammer very fast stapling. [COLOR="#EE82EE"]Not recommended for those who hit their thumbs though.

Quality staples make a big difference in the staplers reliability also

[contender1]

I use staple guns a lot. In my work, and on my gun range for targets. I have found that the Bostitch has become my favorite brand & most often used. I have several Arrow T50 ones,, that don't always seem as reliable as my Bostitch. I even have an older hand help paper stapler by Bostitch (B8 Plier) that has seen a lot of use now for a few decades. Don't even know if they make it anymore.

[MostlyLeverGuns]

Make sure you get good staples. I checked staples from Walmart, (Black&Decker?) against the Arrow brand, cheaper staples measured .020 against .025 for Arrow. Significant difference in feeding and penetration, an occasional shot of spray lube, drop of 3-1 oil helps with occasional cleaning.

[Bmi48219]

I think I bought my Arrow T-50 in 1973 or 74. It will jamb on occasion, most times because I’m using up short sticks of staples (that I’ve had since 73 or 74).
Squeezing the lever to drive a staple seems more difficult than it was 45 years ago. I need to oil it some day. Then again squeezing the oil can is more difficult too.

[cwtebay]

A red Swingline.Thank you... just thank you for that!
.... in a given week I probably only do about fifteen minutes of real, actual, work.

Sent from my Pixel 5 using Tapatalk

[skeettx]

Bostitch, the best

https://www.amazon.com/BOSTITCH-T6-8-Heavy-Powercrown-Tacker/dp/B002CT4Q34/ref=sr_1_58?keywords=Bostitch+Stapler&qid=1637299741&qsid=142-6604763-2872642&sr=8-58&sres=B0799BNR93%2CB003VNBUYS%2CB00006JNU3%2CB07994 LRXJ%2CB0015ZZ1H6%2CB003S5YOXS%2CB001QFYD2E%2CB000 06JNU2%2CB004XJYATQ%2CB0013CBFE4%2CB0067Y5TI6%2CB0 0006IFLI%2CB0009VGD24%2CB074MCQSTZ%2CB0753GF6MH%2C B00006JNU0%2CB00A180C3G%2CB00006JNTZ%2CB018OQ6J5G% 2CB01M7QEPN5&srpt=STAPLER

[kevin c]

I think, for what you want it for, a power stapler with longer heavy gauge staples might be a good but relatively pricey option. My club uses Ryobi staplers that will hold plywood onto stick lumber frames for outdoor tables and props. A tarp would be effortless (to put down; getting off might be problematic).

[jsizemore]

We used the Arrow staplers because staples were available everywhere. We used them for various tasks in house building but mostly for roofing felt/tarpaper install on the roof deck or plywood braces for framing before Tyvek house wrap. Because the slap tackers especially took a whooping, on the weekends the head was soaked over the weekend in mineral spirits to lube and remove the tar build up. We kept some lighter fluid around, the stuff for lighting the charcoal, to clean and lube the staple magazine. Compressed air blows out the the excess. Works good on all metal firearm mags too.

[762 shooter]

I have a Dewalt carbon fiber stapler in my range bag.

Surprisingly light and zero issues.

762

[trebor44]

Brand names or generic, they ALL jam. The defining factor is the 'quality' of the staples. And over the years the staples have become doo-doo or non existence for some of the major brands. I have a nice collection of staplers and staples (hand held, hammer, desktop, hangers and electric, also pneumatic). Buy the one that you can get staples for! Staple length is also a consideration as is the material being stapled to. Enjoy, none of them are fail proof.

[Battis]

I worked the DuoFast vintage staple gun that my neighbor left me with CLP and got it working. This staple gun is so old that I can't find a pic of that model anywhere. But, hey, it works.

[country gent]

The other issue with they cheap staples is they are much softer ( bend able) than the quality staples. are. A arrow T50 staple is very tough and harder to bend. Along with the size variances this makes for problems. A staple gun by nature gets very dirty quickly they need cleaned and lubed regularly.

[fayettefatts]

I use an arrow and think it is a good stapler. I also have an old plastic Craftsman that was given to me years ago. It is light duty, and really light in weight, but always worked great for hanging targets. Unfortunately, staples are no longer available for it. Sure wish I could find some.

[StuBach]

I have a t50 that’s seen thousands of staples over the years (inherited from a retail store that used it for 30 years before closing) and can’t remember ever having an issue with it unless there was an issue with the staples being used.

I also have a poweshot metal unit full size that has been a champ for 20 years.

Have a small plastic one in my range bag and it on occasion gives me fits but not often.

I think others have said it best. All brands have good and bad models. Key is looking at the construction and finding one that’s quality within a brands offerings.

Good luck finding what will work best for you.

[1Hawkeye]

Arrow t50 no doubt. I've got several of them and even the one my daughter hit with a .22 still works fine.

[Mal Paso]

The Arrow Powershot the OP mentioned is a reverse action plastic looking thing, nothing like the T50.

The trouble is, once you engineer a great product, you are out of that job.

[Battis]

The DuoFast vintage staple gun that I got working is old but built like a tank. Even if I got mad at it and did to it what I did to that Powershot, I think it would just laugh at me and keep working.

[Mk42gunner]

When I was a kid, Dad had an old green Swingline. That thing always worked. I haven't seen a new one that would touch it for reliability.

I will second getting one that you can get good staples for. From memory, there are Arrow T-50, Swingline, and one other brand that I cannot remember that are reasonably good. They don't however, interchange well.

The best new stapler that I have used is one of the battery operated Milwaukee's that my cousin brought over when we insulated my attic. IIRC it takes T-50 staples. Expensive, but it works.

Robert

[MT Gianni]

I have used an Arrow T50 since 1982. It still works fine.

[MUSTANG]

I have used an Arrow T50 since 1982. It still works fine.

I have four T-50's and inevitably can only find one.

[Mal Paso]

I have four T-50's and inevitably can only find one.

That's about the right number. I have four 16' tape measures so I can usually find one.

[jimlj]

I have a T-50 stapler. It will jam from time to time, but I've found the jams are few and far between when using genuine Arrow staples. Don't be tempted to save a few bucks and buy off brand staples that are supposedly compatible with Arrow T-50 staplers. I suppose the same applies with any quality stapler.

[EMC45]

Arrow T-50

[David2011]

Another Arrow T-50 user. I won't use anything but Arrow staples in it and it has never jammed that I can remember.