Help using the Trim Master Carpet Trimmer
So you bought a Stikatak or Homebase Carpet and Vinyl trimmer. A greyish plastic handle thing, all screws. The instructions are fairly useless, mostly informing you just to make sure you wear gloves and handle blades carefully. All sensible advice, but now you are left staring at the grey thing wandering exactly how it will trim carpet. How does this handy tool actually work?
This is how I figured out it should be used. I searched the web, I tried the Stikatak website, the Homebase and B & Q websites, DIYnot, eHow and so on. I could not find out how this gizmo I had bought works. So this is all based on my own experience.
This is how I figured out it should be used. I searched the web, I tried the Stikatak website, the Homebase and B & Q websites, DIYnot, eHow and so on. I could not find out how this gizmo I had bought works. So this is all based on my own experience.
Contents
Carpet Trimmers
There are a number of better options than this tool. It is cheap,and once I understood how to use it, it was actually very effective. However, the better options will no doubt be easier to use, make straighter cuts and save you some time and hassle. If you have not bought a carpet trimmer yet - try one of the alternatives.
Roberts Carpet Tools Trimmer Replacement Blades 10-444
Amazon Price: $2.68 (as of 11/27/2009) 
Roberts Carpet Tools GT Conventional Carpet Trimmer 10-616
Amazon Price: $47.90 (as of 11/27/2009)
Better Tools - Chisel Bevel Carpet Trimmer Blade (100 blades/box)
Amazon Price: $9.99 (as of 11/27/2009)
Blades
The tool does not come with blades - so the first thing is that you will need carpet trimmer blades. If you bought it off the shelf - they are normally next to it, I bought them in case it did not come with a blade and that paid off.
These blades are hooked, and very sharp, so keep them in, and return them to their dispenser, treat them with care. Use gloves if you have them to handle them safely!
These blades are hooked, and very sharp, so keep them in, and return them to their dispenser, treat them with care. Use gloves if you have them to handle them safely!
Set up
This was probably a little confusing - as although there are not many screws, there are many permutations to set it up. Luckily I found one which made good sense.
The grey handle has screws to the left and right, and screws underneath.
The plate underneath should be considered a guide - it allows the device to glide smoothly over the carpet as the blade cuts. So far, beyond my initial investigation, I have not had another reason to unscrew the two screws holding the guide in.
The blade itself is actually fitted to one of the sides. Consider where you will be working, and the direction of the cut. Unscrew one side, and the panel should come off. There is an internal nut the other side of the bolt here, and it should be clipped in place. If it wanders, then you will need to remove the glide plate, reseat the nut and replace the guide plate.
Under the side panel, you will see there are standard Stanley blade style notches - the blade will sit in these, with one hook protruding from under the tool.
Now get yourself a blade from the dispenser. Handle it carefully - as noted many times, it is fiercely sharp, and hooked. Without gloves or due care, it is quite capable of burying itself in a finger and slicing other skin on the way back out!
Place the blade into the slot and over the two notches, and screw it down well. Make sure it is well held, but not overtightened.
The trimmer is now ready to use.
The grey handle has screws to the left and right, and screws underneath.
The plate underneath should be considered a guide - it allows the device to glide smoothly over the carpet as the blade cuts. So far, beyond my initial investigation, I have not had another reason to unscrew the two screws holding the guide in.
The blade itself is actually fitted to one of the sides. Consider where you will be working, and the direction of the cut. Unscrew one side, and the panel should come off. There is an internal nut the other side of the bolt here, and it should be clipped in place. If it wanders, then you will need to remove the glide plate, reseat the nut and replace the guide plate.
Under the side panel, you will see there are standard Stanley blade style notches - the blade will sit in these, with one hook protruding from under the tool.
Now get yourself a blade from the dispenser. Handle it carefully - as noted many times, it is fiercely sharp, and hooked. Without gloves or due care, it is quite capable of burying itself in a finger and slicing other skin on the way back out!
Place the blade into the slot and over the two notches, and screw it down well. Make sure it is well held, but not overtightened.
The trimmer is now ready to use.
Carpet Tools
This tool is only part of the range of gear that can or should be used to make a good job of laying carpet. It just struck me as the least explained. Here are a selection of other handy tools at good prices.
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
Preparing The Carpet
This is not a tutorial on laying carpet, but at this stage your grippers should be down, the underlay in place, and the carpet rolled out.
You will need to have cut the carpet until you have around 50mm (5 cm, 2 or 3 inches) flaps to trim away.
The carpet should be clear of any other trimmings and so on.
Try to get the carpet right into the corner made by the floor and the skirting. I found using a block of wood and kicking into the corner works for this.
You will need to have cut the carpet until you have around 50mm (5 cm, 2 or 3 inches) flaps to trim away.
The carpet should be clear of any other trimmings and so on.
Try to get the carpet right into the corner made by the floor and the skirting. I found using a block of wood and kicking into the corner works for this.
Using the tool
Starting in one corner, place the device so the glide plate is face down, and the blade is pushed into the carpet between the wall and the floor. The front and rear guide plates should be flat on the wall, with the side into the wall.
Hold it firmly, and keeping it down and into the wall, push it along to the next corner. Once the initial cut is made, it will (with some resistance) glide through fairly well, just keep it going to the end.
As the meagre instructions say, there will be a few cm at the ends of the cut that you need to use a carpet knife or good strong sharp scissors to finish. Try to use a metal rule to keep them straight.
Hold it firmly, and keeping it down and into the wall, push it along to the next corner. Once the initial cut is made, it will (with some resistance) glide through fairly well, just keep it going to the end.
As the meagre instructions say, there will be a few cm at the ends of the cut that you need to use a carpet knife or good strong sharp scissors to finish. Try to use a metal rule to keep them straight.
Home Improvement and DIY information
There are plenty of great books to help with DIY and Home Improvement. As there are so many jobs that professionally require specialists for each, and some jobs only come up once, then DIY'rs are always learners. Having a reference nearby can at best help you get the job done easily, and at worst make sure you avoid the nasty common pitfalls and mistakes.
Black & Decker Complete Home Improvement: with 300 Projects and 2,000 Photos (Black & Decker Complete Photo Guide)
Amazon Price: $16.47 (as of 11/27/2009)
Black & Decker Complete Photo Guide to Home Repair: with 350 Projects and 2000 Photos
Amazon Price: $23.10 (as of 11/27/2009)
Black & Decker Complete Photo Guide to Home Improvement: More Than 200 Value-adding Remodeling Projects
Amazon Price: $23.10 (as of 11/27/2009)
Finishing Up
Be sure to remove the blade from the device when you have finished by unscrewing the side bolt. You should be able to put the blade back into the dispenser.
Screw the side plate back onto the side, and you are done.
Take care to store the blades safely. Never leave blades out on a floor or surface, never leave the tool armed when not in use. Never leave the tool where children can get to it.
All Home Improvement projects should be carried out safely. He who DIY's in a safe way, lives to DIY another day.
Screw the side plate back onto the side, and you are done.
Take care to store the blades safely. Never leave blades out on a floor or surface, never leave the tool armed when not in use. Never leave the tool where children can get to it.
All Home Improvement projects should be carried out safely. He who DIY's in a safe way, lives to DIY another day.
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Reader Feedback - Carpet fitting and DIY tales?
Have you tried to use this tool? Perhaps you are a carpet fitting professional who can tell me the error of my ways, or perhaps just another person looking at Home Improvement projects trying to figure it all out.
If you have any other interesting DIY stories or lenses you want to share please do. HTML is allowed, pure spam is not.
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- Jul 22, 2009 @ 11:56 am
- Nice lens, I thought it was pretty insightful so I decided to give you 5 stars, hey, I have a page that's pretty similar to yours, maybe you can check it out when you have time: The Perfect Carpet
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- EelKat EelKat Jul 1, 2009 @ 3:59 pm
- I had no idea there was such a thing as "carpet trimming", I have never heard of it before! good info - sent you a blessing
More info on this tool and carpet fitting
Other places about this on the web.
- Stikatak Vinyl & Carpet Trimmer - At B & Q
- A place where this inexpensive device can be bought.
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