Canvas stretching pliers

Jana,

I use the 2862 pliers 99% of the time when I have to hand stretch a canvas. I never have seen a pair of the 3523 pliers and don't have a clue about them. I also have the 2530 and 2531 pliers and use them occasionally. The chrome plated Fedrix pliers are probably the most popular and the easiest to use.

Framerguy
 
Personally, [because nobody else can] 99% of the time I use the #1952 Model
00Canvaspliers.jpg


When I have to, I'll resort to a pair of 1947 Fedrix like Dunlins.
 
Thanks. I hadn't seen the previous thread. I did a search but it was for stretching canvas.

When I was in art school I stretched canvas with my hands. Unfortunately the 1950 model now has arthritis. That's one reason we've been lagging in stretching canvases, but there is a need for it.

I think I need a refresher course on canvas stretching 101. A friend who is a painter says to spray the back lightly with hot water before stretching the canvas. She says this works on pre-painted canvases. I just remembered I have some old unstretched paintings in the basement that I can experiment with.

I'm not sure about that UMS pliers that has the extra prongs on it. What are they for?
 
Jana if the extra prong is the block on the underside of the downward curved handle it is to brace against the stretcher/Strainers for leverage. Just don't pull too tightly or you can rip the margins of the canvas. Maybe that is why Baer showed his fingers. I can't begin to pull as tightly with my hands as with the Pliers.

Also when spraying the back of a painted canvas use some caution this could cause mold or mildew if it stays too damp .The paint stops the water and it can sit in the weave of the canvas and it doesn't help that much in my opinion. Now if you are stretching an untreated canvas that may be a different story. But I stretched only a very few so listen to the more experienced canvas framers . Is Marc Lizer ( The Canvas Peddler) listening?
BUDDY
 
Stretching canvas comprises about 80% of my art preparation for retail sales since I became an employee of an art gallery dealing in original art only. I have not had to wet a canvas to get it stretched by hand or by machine and I have done a few hundred since my move back to Florida.

Jana is probably referring to the pair of pliers with the 2 rail looking thingys on the bottom jaw, I haven't a clue how those work. The little shoe that Buddy is talking about serves 2 purposes, it provides leverage when pulling the canvas taut and it can be used as a hammer to tap in any staples that may not seat themselves completely.

To give an idea of how many I have to stretch at a time, I have 65 to do on Monday that range from 8x10's to 36x48's and I will assemble all the strainers and stretch the canvases in a day. With the pneumatic stretcher it is a breeze to stretch them.

FGII
 
Back
Top