We’re working on a review of the Fubar, and might put together another video showing how well it performs. Since quite a few more people have been asking about its suitability as a survival tool we’ll address that too.

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Hooks and picks are great for cleaning, removing, and manipulating small parts, and many times these are the only tools that can get the job done properly. These Ullman picks and hooks may be small, but they are sharp, strong, and durable.

I’ve used this set to separate wires, remove O-rings and gaskets, toggle hard to reach micro-switches, clean/scrape grooves, retrieve small parts, clear swarf from a drill bit, and accidentally give myself new scars.

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A 4-piece set should be enough for most common tasks, but 6-piece and 8-piece sets are also available.

The Brewzer, by PocketToolX, is more than just a bottle opener. It’s a pry bar, a flat head screwdriver, 1/4″ hex wrench/bit driver, and oxygen wrench. That curved notch at the tip – that’s for ripping through cardboard and packaging tape.

Brewzers are made in the USA from high-grade heat-treated stainless steel. Pricing is at $12 plus shipping.

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The Gerber Shard (preview) is a reasonable lower-priced alternative.

Stanley is coming out with a new FuBar demolition bar and remodeling tool, the 55-134, which is designed quite differently than the several other FuBar demo bars in their lineup. Most notably, the new FuBar has an edged blade designed for cutting and chopping.

New FuBar Features:

1. Large precision chisel and prying end for ripping, cutting and prying
2. Striking surfaces to provide additional cutting or prying power
3. Wide beveled pry bar with nail puller
4. Secondary nail puller in the prying face for added leverage
5. Bolt-on grip for comfort and less slipping

The primary market for the Stanley FuBar demolition bar will be remodelers, general contractors and framers, but we imagine that many other tradesmen and professionals will find it useful.

Expect to see the new FuBar in stores in December 2011 for ~$20. Model number is 55-134/STHT55134.

Buy Now(via Amazon)

Stanley FuBar Photo Gallery:

Nail Jack Nail Puller

The Nail Jack looks like a pair of oversized diagonal cutters that have been bent out of shape by the Incredible Hulk. It definitely looks to offer better gripping ability than a standard fixed-jaw nail puller, and features a hammer tap zone if you need a little help getting the tool around larger or deeply driven nails.

Nail Jack Nail Puller via Amazon

Nail Jack Nail Hunter

The Nail Hunter has a more pointed jaw, and can be used for more precise nail pulling than the Nail Jack. From usage example videos, it looks like the Nail Hunter is a far better choice for smaller fasteners and for reducing the amount of surface damage created when removing nails.

Nail Jack Nail Hunter via Amazon
Nail Jack

I know what you’re thinking – a new chisel, ho hum. But Dewalt’s new 1″ Side Strike chisel isn’t like any other chisel I’ve ever seen. It features a beveled chisel tip AND a beveled chisel edge on its side. The chisel’s thickness tapers towards the opposite edge, forming a thick flat edge that begs to be pounded on.

The wide strike-able edge is tempered to withstand impacts, and the side blade is tempered for demolition work and slicing tasks. A hardened strike cap helps keep the end from mushrooming, and an extended tang helps reinforce the handle. The handle is composed of a bi-material handle for a safe and comfortable grip.

Along the chisel edge you’ll also find a serrated cutting edge for faster cutting, especially when the chisel is embedded in a thin material halfway length-wise.

Model number DWHT16065 Side Strike Chisel will be available for $15.

Channellock has just announced their new #87 Rescue Tool, the 3rd addition to the Rescue Tool family. The #87 is 2-inches shorter and 30% lighter than their popular #89 Rescue Tool.

As with the #88 and #89 Rescue Tools, the #87 is designed for firefighters, EMTs, and first responders, and features a number of essential emergency tools.

The #87 shares many of the same tool components as the #89 Rescue Tool: curved hardened cutting jaws, narrow jaw for easier access in tight spaces, tapered pry wedge, spanner wrench for up to 5″ hose couplings, and a gas shut-off valve slot.

The #87 is about 8.8″ long and weighs 1.1 lbs, making it lighter and more compact than the #88 and #89 Rescue Tools. Of course this isn’t without compromise – the shorter size does translate into a slight decrease in leverage. Still, as Kevin D mentioned in his comment, there are times when even the #89′s 11″ size is too short to provide enough leverage.

So what we have here is a lighter and more pocketable Rescue Tool. Kudos to Channellock for listening to firefighter and user feedback!

The #87 Rescue Tool is now available for sale at Channellock’s store, and should be available via other retailers and distributors shortly.

Product Info via Channellock

Harry Epstein received a shipment of Vaughan factory seconds under the Grayvik label, and are holding a huge closeout sale. This includes hammers, pry bars, nail pullers and hatchets, all made in the USA.

Jori, a Harry Epstein representative said on a forum that she looked at most of the stuff and the finishes are really nice for seconds. Everything has this shiny clear coat on it, and the wood and fiberglass handles look great.

Vaughan Grayvik Closeout Sale via Harry Epstein

While several of the items caught my eye, I don’t really need new hammers anytime soon. What about you?

We have had a mid-range line of hammers and bars made in Taiwan for about 9 years. We also have a line of high end Japanese pattern bars which are made in Japan.

However, our core line of Estwing tools are made in the USA and that will not change. Over 95% of the tools we sell are made in the USA.

Edit: During a brief trip to the local Home Depot, I spotted the typical steel handled blue grip Estwing hammers, several Vaughan hammers, quite a few Husky ones, a single made-in-Taiwan Estwing framing hammer, and several Japan-made Estwing Pro Claw pry bars.

Someone at Stanley though that they could pull a fast one on us, but oh no, we caught on! That’s right, they thought that they could just go ahead and improve the FatMax Functional Utility Bars (FuBars) by giving them a high visibility yellow powder coat without anyone noticing. But we did!

There I was, browsing the tool catalog at Lowes, when I spotted a yellow FuBar. Thinking that this was strange, I clicked on the product link, but all that came up was the standard dull grey FuBar that I’m used to. A few keystrokes later, and BAM, I’m over at Stanley’s website with bright yellow FuBars on screen.

What can I say, I’m a sucker for bright colors.

As they are, Stanley’s FatMax FuBars are great demolition and utility tools. With their new yellow coating, FuBars will be easier to spot from a distance and from amongst other assorted tools thrown about.

Since the model numbers of the FuBars remain the same, you may receive an older grey tool if you buy one online until the older stock is sold off.

Stanley FatMax FuBars, via Amazon
Product Info via Stanley Tools

Following the wake of their immensely popular Artifact keychain tool and pocket knife, Gerber is preparing to release the Shard, an even smaller keychain tool. Gerber’s Shard is a lightweight and compact pocket tool that looks to be quite functional despite its small size. One of the more interesting points that Gerber makes, is that the tool is considered “airline safe”.

The Shard is 2.75″ in length, weighs a measely 0.6 oz, and is made from titanium nitride coated stainles steel for corrosion resistance. Gerber designed 7 functions into this compact tool:

• Phillips screwdriver
• Small flat/slotted screwdriver
• Medium flat/slotted driver
• Bottle opener
• Lanyard ring
• Prybar
• Wire stripper

Gerber Artifact, for Comparison Purposes

If the price is right (we expect/hope it will be $5-6), we may just have to pick up a few of these. The Gerber Shard is due for release in February 2010, and is priced at $7.90 on Gerber’s website. If you cannot do without a blade, take a look at the Artifact instead, which is available for $10-12.

Gerber Shard via Amazon
Gerber Shard Product Info
Gerber Artifact via Amazon
Gerber Artifact Product Info

Note: “Airline-safe” claims may not save your Shard from being confiscated by TSA agents.

Stanley’s FatMax Xtreme Fubar is their heavy duty multi-tasked pry bar. By now, most people are already familiar with these tools after seeing them at any home improvement or general goods store (e.g. Target), so I’ll skip the details. I just wanted to point out that it’s currently on sale for $24.31 with free shipping on orders over $25.

This tool retails for $40, and I have rarely ever seen it on sale. The Fubar series of tools are great for demolition, prying, and 2×4 tweaking.

Stanley FatMax Xtreme Fubar via Amazon

If I’m wrong in assuming everyone knows about this tool, please let me know!