Malco TNP3S Trim Nail Punch, Small, Pack of 1, Multi

Definitely not a professional product

If youve never used these before, youll be amazed how well this allows you to put in nails into fine woodworking and dramatically reduce the chances of either damaging the wood or else bending the nail. I have both this mini size TNP3S (2.25oz) and the larger and heftier TNP2 (5.65oz). I originally bought them to quickly put in nails for bronze weatherstripping and immediately used them for all sorts of other nailing too. They both work remarkably well, although they each works well in different ways. The mini size does not seem that small to me and I like the size better. Its much more narrow. On the other hand, nails go in MUCH faster with the heavier TNP2. The larger size has a spring-loaded clip built into the barrel to help keep a nail from sliding out (if it has a larger head than a trim nail anyway). And I learned its far more durable (with the possible exception of the spring loaded clip, which I messed around with bending it to try to get it hold nails more tightly). So I was using the TNP3S yesterday to nail 2.5in trim nails (Maze HT250) into extremely dense old-growth oak thats 100-years old (this wood is so dense that ordinary nails pop the heads off with a claw hammer before they pull the nail out, and Maze nails are the only ones Ive found I can consistently pull back out...). And Im totally baffled how, but all of a sudden my Malco mini punch is jammed and nearly unusable. Somehow either the outer sleeve or the inner part that moves inside it got bent so it they dont always slide freely anymore, and tend to get jammed up. So the smaller TNP3S is not nearly as durable as the ordinary TNP2 version. Durability is critical to me, and ordinarily Id never want to buy a product again that got damaged so easily. However this small size is so incredibly useful and convenient, and the wood Im working with is so unusually hard, Ill give it another chance. I pre-drilled holes but the slender drill tip isnt 2.5in long and theres absolutely NO WAY I could have got 2.5in trim nails into this dense wood without a tool like this one. (some bent even so, going in the last half inch that wasnt pre-drilled) I immediately bought a replacement for the mini size. Its far easier to replace this tool than the original oak woodwork in a 100-year old house. Its that simple. Bottom line, I prefer the small one when I want to be more careful and am willing to take my time to be careful with wood in a really visible place that cant be easily replaced, and in tight spaces. I bought the large one first, then ordered the small one and never touched the big one again til this happened yesterday. I may use the larger one most of the time in the future, be very careful with the small one, and maybe Ill use the smaller version only in cases where the large one isnt practical (such as the really small bronze weatherstripping nails I originally bought this for).

Works great. Would have liked it better if it were an inch longer

Does as advertised

I tried another brand, but the copper nail heads were too wide to fit. This works quite well, and REALLY speeds up weatherstrip installation and takes out all the frustration. And you can pound the nails flush with this, no need to go back with a punch to finish the job. Simple tool, but a game changer for this use.

A simple, but useful tool.

kind of cheesy but should be able to do the job

its not nearly nearly as good as the larger version of this it didnt drive nail really well at all for me but maybe its just me

Great tool!

I like this and it definately makes it easier to put small nails in areas where I use to hold them with Needle Nose pliers to get the job done. Should have been magnatized