Upholstery tool recomendation

[Askal]

Looking for some new upholstery tools. Durability and ergonomics are pretty important. It is for techs so low maintenance is good, I also wan to be able to mist the fabric and then vac. That is not a deal breaker. I can put in a Y and use a seperate mister with a trigger. I have used a Drimaster (one of the first ones) but mostly I have used Kleenrite tools for decades due to their durability. The Drimaster was high maintenance and broke pretty fast for 500 bucks. Would be nice to have some thing with a wider footprint too. So whaddyathink?
Thanks Al

 

[ruff]

Al, do a search this subject has been raised many times before.
Best advise is if you can try different tools and see which one works best for you. Totally personal.
Many swear by the SS tool (I swore at it, now Sir Rich admires it everyday), some like the Hydro-Kinetic, some ProChem (that one will mist and is so durable that it can second as a carpentry tool) some like the PMF (me ).
It boils down to what feels best in your hands.

 

[BLewis]

I've only used 2 in my experience. The hydro-kinetic and sapphires tool. All of my techs have liked the sapphire due to its ease of use and it is a good tool, however I prefer the kinetic because I feel it gives a deeper clean but still does not Soak the foam but shears the fiber like sapphires just with more force. If I were gonna clean 100 not to dirty chairs I would go with sapphires, if cleaning 1-3 pieces in a home I always go for the kinetic, my recent more experienced tech prefers it as well. We cleaned 89 med booth backs and about 42 large booth backs the other night in a rest and they were pretty bad and even though we did a lot, the sapphire stayed in the truck. We had a system down and knocked those out in 2.5 hrs

 

[Royal Man]

For me the hydro-kinetic and sapphires tools are poor at removing pet hair. So, I use an internal jet for that. It's good to have a variety of upholstery tools for different situations.

 

[hogjowl]

How does one go about trying different tools before purchasing?

 

[Mikey P]

those that attended M6F in Nashville know exactly what all the tools feel like.

 

[ruff]

Marty,

• If they have one of the specialty (advanced) upholstery cleaning classes like Steve Marsh (maybe Jim Pemberton) and there may be other, they usually have a variety of tools. Great class also.
• Or, your supplier. Most will allow you to use a tool for a week or so. Jon Don has a satisfaction guarantee also, which I assume will work.
• Local colleague?

 

[Jim Martin]

Sapphire

..........best one out there....comfortable to use...adjustable flow....nothing else beats it.........

 

[hogjowl]

You better hope Mytee doesn't make an upholstery tool, Jim.

Or Radar is gonna be all over you.

 

[Jim Martin]

You better hope Mytee doesn't make an upholstery tool, Jim.

Or Radar is gonna be all over you.

you know how it is...for some it's not about what is good and helping others...its about who they hate and if they hate someone..they hate everything they use or who they know...so others suffer from this type of ignorance.................

 

[Mikey P]

follow the money?



all are guilty.

 

[ruff]

Mostly personal preferences.
I never actually cleaned with the Kinetic, I held it and the head is so big and heavy that I felt it would not work in tight spaces or curves, be perfect for large flat areas. And more importantly it was heavy and seemed like it would be cumbersome and hard on the wrist which for me is the most important issue. We can all afford the tools but not the permanent damage to wrist, etc. (Again, in all fairness I never actually cleaned with it.)

Like Billy I did not find the SS tool to do a good enough rinsing/flushing job or it needed too many repetitions. It was convenient to hold and had decent maneuverability the ability for continuous flow and no over spray (can't mist). Unlike Billy I had lots of clogging issues with the KleenRite tool + the little brass connector, broke frequently and drove me nuts.

The ProChen tool is very hardy and durable, good valve, didn't like the round knob (bypass) as I felt it could hit/snag fabric or wood, you can mist with it (which is both an advantage or a disadvantage.)

My favorite is the PMF spray in vacuum 4.5" tool. Very maneuverable, can reach anywhere, no over spray, no misting, low price. Valve is not very good (not as bad as some claim) sometime the jet can be an issue, needs to be adjusted well.

I don't do it but I can see working with two tools, one for large flat areas and another for the harder to reach/curved areas.

As I said, best way is to try the different tools. If you do plenty of upholstery it will be time well spent. Finding a tool with which you feel comfortable working that gives you the results you are happy with, will save you time and keep your wrist functioning.

 

[Steve Lawrence]

Like Ofer, I prefer the PMF, too, but I like the 3.5" as the spray pattern doesn't quite fill out the 4.5" office totally IMO. This tool is ergonomics, great on contours and cushion piping. Yes, crappy valve but overall quite decent for the low price.

 

[Sapphire Savant]

Looking for some new upholstery tools.
Thanks Al

Check out this link:http://www.sapphirescientific.com/Content_003.aspx?cid=1233

 

[Dolly Llama]

Bought a SS tool and have been running it hard for the last week .
It's a good cleaning tool, and tremendously ergonomic /easy to use
I'll have more to say about it in a week or two ..when I know more ...but it's a keeper


as right now, the PMF internal jet is still the best upl tool
It's a wonderful tool...;learn to adjust psi and vac and dare i say.. it's as close to perfect as it gets



..L.T.A.

 

[Johnny]

Sapphire Savant" data-source="post: 4211638" class="bbCodeBlock bbCodeBlock--expandable bbCodeBlock--quote js-expandWatch">

Check out this link:http://www.sapphirescientific.com/Content_003.aspx?cid=1233

If you set the pressure of your tool to the same pressure you have the Pro Chem tool set, yours wouldn't work right either. You either don't know how to clean or you're being deceitful.

I got a SS uph tool a few weeks ago. The center two streams are weaker than the others and it doesn't seem very sturdy, which is a concern for me cuz my mother always said I was a very distructive child. How 'bout a sheath, like the drimaster, to keep the plastic head from getting buggered up? I have to keep mine in a rubbermaid tub, which is inconvenient. The SS seems to clean about the same as my drimaster, but might be a little more comfortable to use. I like the window on the head and the flow valve on the handle of the drimaster. The lever valve on the SS is nice.

 

[FLYERMAN]

I use a hydro kinetic I got from steamway over ten years ago. I wouldn't even consider another tool. I would buy another one in a heartbeat if something happened to the one I have. It will mist but is not the greatest at it. You could take off the vac hose and get a helluva mist but I never do.
As for cleaning HELLO It cleans on the push and pull stroke. Not something you need every day but it comes in handy a lot.

 

[jstucky]

http://www.jondon.com/combo-hand-tool.html

Anyone use this one???

 

[SamIam]

I have to SS went back and used my PC tool big difference. never puling that thing out again. The SS tool works great for me.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[Desk Jockey]

Looking for some new upholstery tools. Durability and ergonomics are pretty important. It is for techs so low maintenance is good, I also wan to be able to mist the fabric and then vac. That is not a deal breaker. I can put in a Y and use a seperate mister with a trigger. I have used a Drimaster (one of the first ones) but mostly I have used Kleenrite tools for decades due to their durability. The Drimaster was high maintenance and broke pretty fast for 500 bucks. Would be nice to have some thing with a wider footprint too. So whaddyathink?
Thanks Al

Like you I cleaned with a Kleenrite for several decades, those were great tools back then. However the newer tools are much more improved as weight and ease of cleaning as well as leaving the fabric drier (most problems happen due to too much moisture). I liked the older Drimaster better than the new version, it was a good tool but the Sapphire is an improvement over it too.

I love the Sapphire for its weight and cleaning ability, its a great tool. Thanks to Ofer and Bawb we have four of them.
We will still on occasion use the Prochem tool with Green Glides on herculons or other water loving fibers but even then the weight will get you if you cleaned for extended periods of time. I've never tried the Hydro-Kinetic but I've heard good things about it, I do have a CFR and its not a bad tool but not as good as the Sapphire.

If you don't clean that much upholstery all those PMF dry tools will serve you well also at a fraction of the cost of the Sapphire.

 

[dealtimeman]

I agree with Richard. We use our ss most of the time but have the prochem on the trucks always.

 

[ruff]

 

[ruff]

I love the Sapphire for its weight and cleaning ability, its a great tool. Thanks to Ofer and Bawb we have four of them.

Yep.
The well being of the fabric whisperer from Topeka is very important to me!

 

[Desk Jockey]

Why thank you!

 

[Askal]

Thank you all for the replies. I bought a SS and a Prochem. I have 2 Kleenrites and a butt load of parts for them so that will be for the least used truck. whoever sells the most furniture cleaning will use the SS as a little incentive.
Al

 

[John Olson]

Ask your supplier or at least buy for someone that will let you return it minus shipping if you hate it after one job.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Thank you all for the replies. I bought a SS and a Prochem. I have 2 Kleenrites and a butt load of parts for them so that will be for the least used truck. whoever sells the most furniture cleaning will use the SS as a little incentive.
Al

They will love it, it cleans well and is nice an lightweight you can clean for hours without wearing yourself out.

I cleaned with one for two hours Monday and four hours Tuesday,we so busy the inside guys were out cleaning. So to keep stuff on track I cleaned upholstery here in shop. No fatigue, no sore elbow, nothing associated with over working my hand or arms. It's a nice tool.