Upholstery Hand Tools
Lift and remove old upholstery staples
Decide whether you need to get under the crown, reach around an obstruction or pull out a leg that stayed in the wood.
Inspect the edge before you pull
Turn the seat so you can see where the fabric is fixed. A staple has a bridge with a leg at each end. Upholstery tacks have a head over a single shank. Choose an opening that can get under the fastener you see and check what part of the frame the tool will rest on.
Use reach where access is the problem
Compare the Osborne 124 and 124-12 when a rail or folded cover obstructs the approach. The 124 has a 2¼-inch blade, while the 124-12 has an 8¼-inch blade and is specifically described for hard-to-reach staples. If you can already get the tip under the crown, the shorter body occupies less of the work area.
Switch to a gripping tool when the crown breaks
A fork helps start a staple that is still flat. If only one leg remains exposed, a jaw you can close on the metal gives you a different way to pull. The Osborne 600 uses a bent nose to get below a staple and grip it. Compare that shape with the room available around your seat rail.
Check the mounting line before covering it
Once you can see the wood, look along the intended attachment line for remaining metal before deciding where to place new staples. A seat board can have old staples from both the cover and the dust cloth. Check the two lines separately when the layers were attached at different points.