Editor's Review: Lightweight Nail Puller

The cat's paw, aka the nail puller, is a tool that just about every carpenter has but seldom admits to needing. Recently, I found one that I like, the Clawbar with Dimpler. It works like a regular nail puller with an in-line claw on one end and a 90 degree claw on the other.

Right away, I noticed that this tool was light-about half the weight of my old steel cat's paw. That's partly because it's made of titanium, but it's also because the shaft isn't solid. The body is more trusslike, with a continuous "W" running between the two cords.

The other feature that sets apart this cat's paw from others is its stubby "dimpler" cylinder, designed to help you extract nails that are flush or slightly below the surface. Instead of chiseling around the nail head to create clearance for a claw, you can place the dimpler over the nail, give the tool a sharp rap with your hammer, and-voilà!-you've got the clearance you need to pull the nail.

Editor Test Results: