# Old Electric Hand Tools With Hair Triggers



## htl (Mar 24, 2015)

I was thinking last night about an old Black and Decker [Skill saw] I bought a while back with a *hair trigger*,
It's heavy duty for the few times I need one now a days but have got so used to all my Ryobi tools [wood working and yard tools] with their two step triggers I really have to think about what I'm doing to use this old tool safely.
I've done wood worker for a living all my life so have used these older tools all my 50 years of making a living but it *just hit me how my mind set has changed* with all these new safety feature they've forced on us over the years.
When they first came out I hated! hated!! Hated!!! them.
My weed eater and all my yard tools have these two step triggers and many times you could do the job one handed but no, the trigger just won't let you get your grip right to get the job done.

The point I'm wanting to make is that we need to be *careful using these older tools with our new mind set* and most newer wood workers having never been exposed to these type tools.

I use this old saw for cutting bolts and the like with a metal cutting blade where I don't want to mess up my better tools.

Just some thoughts on being safe.
#4 over and out.


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## runswithscissors (Nov 8, 2012)

My old B & D 4 1/2" angle grinder, which seems to be on its last legs, was the first one I ever saw with a paddle switch. At least 45 years old, and suffered a lot of abuse/heavy use. This first paddle switch lacked the little annoying gizmo that won't let you turn it on merely by squeezing the paddle-you first have to get that device out of the way. I understand why they soon came up with that trigger lock, but it makes it harder to use the tool one-handed. I did learn to carefully set the grinder down, usually on its back, to avoid accidentally turning it on. Only accidentally started it up 2 or 3 times, with no injuries or damage.

The safer version of the paddle switch is another example of a 2 step switch, and it's still annoying.


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## GR8HUNTER (Jun 13, 2016)

I think I have the same grinder as rws got to watch just how you pick that sucker up it will kick and get you all the time :<((


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