# Recommend me a rivet tool **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 30, 2008, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-rivet-tool/465879 "2008-09-30T17:02:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Darryl\_Lict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@Darryl\_Lict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darryl_Lict)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-rivet-tool/465879/1 "2008-09-30T17:02:12Z")
I had a run of the mill Stanley rivet tool that has been giving me endless grief. The problem is that the steel pin on the pop rivet does not release out of the tool after the pop rivet has been set. It’s a real pain in the ass and I’ve been forced to disassemble the tool a bunch of times. Yesterday I was trying to rivet a plate to a mast and out of impatience I took the tool apart after it jammed and of course the little bits and pieces shot all over the place into the sand. I recovered all but one piece, so the tool is now useless. Can anyone recommend a better brand or tool? ---
**Author:** ![Rocketeer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocketeer/32/4437_2.png) [@Rocketeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rocketeer)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-rivet-tool/465879/2 "2008-09-30T17:42:58Z")
How about a Sears Craftsman? [http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p\_10153\_12605\_00974755000P](http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00974755000P) The nice thing is the lifetime warranty. ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2008, 8:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-rivet-tool/465879/3 "2008-10-01T08:15:29Z")
see: > **[Aircraft Tool Supply Company](https://www.aircraft-tool.com/shop/error.aspx?aspxerrorpath=%2Fshop%2Fsearch_result.aspx&AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1)** > > Shop aircraft-tool.com for all of your aviation and aerospace maintenance tools and test equipment. We have the best prices and outstanding customer service. p.s. - “cherry” are speciality items - I believe they are incompatible with common “Pop” rivets ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2008, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-rivet-tool/465879/4 "2008-10-01T13:22:35Z")
I’ve had a [Marson](http://www.perfectfit.com/15341/154515/Rivet-Tools/Marson-Rivet-Gun.html) for twenty-some years. Works great, very sturdy, never a bit of trouble. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2008, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-rivet-tool/465879/5 "2008-10-01T21:30:33Z")
Though I haven’t used one, I’ve heard good things about the [RiveDrill](http://www.s-bgroup.com/lobster/rivedrill.html). It’s an attachment for a cordless drill that pulls pop rivets; reversing the drill ejects the rivet shaft. ---
**Author:** ![Darryl\_Lict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@Darryl\_Lict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darryl_Lict)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2008, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-rivet-tool/465879/6 "2008-10-03T00:25:24Z")
Thanks for the recommendations. I picked up a Marson, which looked pretty sturdy. I did however kind of manage to break it also, although it was probably my own fault. The pop rivets don’t seem to break off normally and I put so much force on it I seemed to have managed to strip the adapter (you change it depending on the rivet pin diameter). Fortunately, it jammed on the last rivet, so at least my mast is repaired. Christ, what a nightmare. Woo hoo! I disassembled the Marson tool at put it back together again and it works. It’s quite the sturdy tool! ---
**Author:** ![Fetchund](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b2d939/32.png) [@Fetchund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fetchund)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2008, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-rivet-tool/465879/7 "2008-10-04T21:12:00Z")
What brand rivets are you using? I sat through a seminar on rivets the other day (granted, the guy was a Pop/Emhart rep) and heard some pretty convincing reason why the actual Pop brand is a better rivet. The folks I was with (all fastener experts) seemed to agree. Mind you, I’ve never actually USED a rivet gun… but now I want to! ---
**Author:** ![Darryl\_Lict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@Darryl\_Lict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darryl_Lict)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2008, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-rivet-tool/465879/8 "2008-10-05T02:21:18Z")
> [@Fetchund](#): > > What brand rivets are you using? I sat through a seminar on rivets the other day (granted, the guy was a Pop/Emhart rep) and heard some pretty convincing reason why the actual Pop brand is a better rivet. The folks I was with (all fastener experts) seemed to agree. Interesting, I thought that the manufacturers would just be able to design in the proper failure mode of the steel pin. I’ll check out the Pop brand in the future because it’s a major pain in the ass when the pins don’t break off, plus it’s near impossible to drill out if the steel pin juts out of the rivet. Most of the rivets came with the retrofit kits from either Hobie or Ocean Kayak and I’ve bought Stanley brand rivets and some from West Marine. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2008, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-rivet-tool/465879/9 "2008-10-05T04:49:35Z")
> [@Darryl\_Lict](#): > > it’s near impossible to drill out if the steel pin juts out of the rivet. Use a Dremel or similar to grind away the protruding part, then a center punch to start the drill in the right place.