How to choose the right upholstery stapler
It’s My Toolkit here back with another useful article to keep you up to date with this ever-evolving industry.
This time, we’ve decided to take an in-depth look at one of our most popular ranges over here at Stapling and Nailing Supplies – the mighty 71 Series! (a stapler for upholstery)
The 71 Series Staplers have been firm customer favourites for as long as we can remember. Our upholstery friends are particularly big fans of the range, so are our DIY customers and even those taking on specialist projects such as car door cards.
Top Tip: The most common staplers for fabric are air powered and need a compressor; these staplers are the easiest to use (less wrist strain) and are most effective in general. However, the Managing Director here at MytoolKit has carefully sourced and tested one electric stapler in the case that you are unable to use a compressor yet still need that professional finish.
But with so many brands on our shelves, how do you know which 71 Series Stapler is right for you?
We know variety is the spice of life at Stapling and Nailing Supplies, that’s why we offer 16 different varieties of 71 Series Staplers! Incorporating some upholstery staplers which feature an extra-long nose.
There are many things to consider when buying the right stapler, so let us walk you through!
Triggers
According to tool manufacturing law, if a tool isn’t designed to drive staples over 25mm in length, then it doesn’t legally have to have a safety trigger fitted. However, most of our 71 Series Stapler range have one fitted as an extra safety measure anyway.
Top Tip: If a tool does come with a safety trigger fitted (even if it technically doesn’t need one) DO NOT remove them! This could compromise the inner workings of the tool and will void your warranties (just a friendly heads up!)
The Bostitch 21671B-E (and its long-nosed 
brother 21671B-LN-E) has a relatively large safety trigger that fits comfortably into the hand of the user, almost as if it moulds to the hand. This is really helpful for those who want the reassurance of an extra safety measure, without it compromising the tool’s ease of use.
If you are looking for something with a slightly smaller trigger, then the Omer OMER3G16H may be the better choice for you. Though you still have to pull back the safety trigger before the regular trigger will fire, its size makes it much more of a natural manoeuvre than an extra inconvenient step.
Alternatively, if you don’t want a secondary safety trigger at all (and legally you don’t need one with these tools) then perhaps the Josef Kihlberg range is more to your liking, such as the JK20A670 or the JK10-670.
Nose
Now, the type of nose you might want on your 71 Series Stapler is completely down to what projects you are going to be using it for! Most of the regular-nosed tools have a nose length of around one inch, but some models are available in longer-nose versions.
If you’re looking to do some extra fine and delicate upholstery with your 71 Series Stapler, then perhaps the BeA 71/16-421 is your perfect fit, just because its narrower nose is great for precise staple placement.
Or, if you’re looking to get into those hard to reach corners, or doing specialist upholstery such as bike seats, maybe a long nose tool will be more suited to your needs, like the Tacwise A7116LN.
Weight
This one really is down to personal preference. The weight of a tool can really be a deal-breaker for some people, and it usually depends on where and for how long you’re going to be using your stapler. Heavier tools may be sturdier but can set the aches and pains in much faster; whereas the lighter tools can be transported on and off-site much easier and can be used for longer without fatigue setting in.
If you’re all about the lightweight tools to keep your arms free of muscle strain, then our lightest 71 Series Stapler is the Fasco F1B7C-16, weighing in at less than 1kg. But in honesty there is only a minute diffference in weight beween this and the other air stapleguns.
If you prefer having something a little on the heavier side with excellent weight distribution, and as sturdy as they come, then the Tacwise Electric 71ELS is the heaviest 71 Series on our shelves. It weighs in at just less than 2.9kg. This tool is electric and therefore a compressor is not required!
Or, if you’re looking for something in the middle – not too heavy, not too light – then a fantastic neutral option is the Tacwise A7116V. This middle-ground tool is just less than 1.5kg on the scales. The perfect balance of comfortable and sturdy.
Fasteners
This is the section where you’re in luck - all of our 71 Series Staplers take exactly the same type of fasteners! This range of 71 Series Staplers take our 71 Series Staples between 3mm and 16mm in leg length (except for the Tacwise 71ELS, as above which takes the staples in 6mm to 16mm in leg length).
The great thing about our range of 71 Series Staples is that they are available in both the standard galvanised finish, and they are also available in Stainless Steel (these are our strong anti-rust variety). If you’re doing any type of outdoor or cosmetic work and you need your fasteners looking their best, Stainless Steel is the way to go!
Just because we like to offer the best variety, we also offer some leg lengths of our 71 Series Staples in black and beige varieties too! These are the perfect choice for some upholsters when you want the fasteners to blend seamlessly into your materials.
Manufacturing
This section isn’t important to some people, but others have favourite brands. Where the tools are manufactured doesn’t affect the quality of our tools as we only supply some of the best on the market. But here’s a little background info on where our tools are manufactured:
Josef Kihlberg – Made to order in Sweden
BeA – Made in Germany
Tacwise, Bostitch + Maestri – Made in East Asia
Applications
Of course one of the biggest deciding factors when it comes to is whether it is going to be suitable for the project at hand.
For the DIY-ers among you, perhaps tidying furniture up or replacing the odd dining chair cover, we would recommend the tool from our Tacwise range – great value for money but is still a quality piece of stapling equipment. If you’ve got a compressor, then we offer multiple air operated staplers from Tacwise, but no worries if you like to stick to the simple way – we have an electric version too! Perhaps you want an airtool but don't know where to start then our Easy Kits for upholstery projects will equip you with everything you need to get going.
For the semi-professional upholsterer, perhaps with a small business, who are going to be using your staplers more frequently than a DIY-er but in no way industrial volumes, then our Stanley Bostitch 71 Series Staplers may be more to your liking. Durable but powerful and will stay by your side for years to come.
Finally, for those industrial users, perhaps a large upholstery company or production lines, you are going to need something a lot sturdier. We suggest the Josef Kihlberg range for these types of applications. Though this range is definitely more on the pricey side of things, these tools are handmade to order in Sweden to really give your business that bespoke quality.
Other Considerations
Of course, there are a few other things to keep in mind when purchasing your perfect 71 Series Stapler. You need to consider if you want air-powered or electric; the price is a huge factor; For DIY projects or applications that are much lighter in use you may even decide a hand tool would do the trick instead.
Want to learn more then take a look at this article: Nothing Does it Like a 71 Series Stapler.
If you are still unsure about which tool is right for you, you can always contact our experts on 0333 8000 345 or via our online messaging service. Tell us about your industry and project and they’ll find your 71 Series companion.
We hope this blog has helped and when you are looking for an upholstery stapler for sale…. we will see you again then!
Best Wishes,
From the MyToolKit team
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