What is a Knuckle Bender and do you need one?

Mail Call this week from Fastcap brings us a very useful tool that makes a complex problem easy to solve
Ron's Amazon Store: thesmartwoodsh...
Fastcap Knuckle Bender Link: www.fastcap.com...
Paulk Plans: stores.modularm...

[@ssan-chez6694]

19 yr old aspiring finish carpenter here. Finding this channel has been a gem especially with tips like these that are actually useful & straight to the point. picking this tool up for sure thanks ron!

[@TheSmartWoodshop]

It's no magic bullet, but it works.

[@raymae60]

An old Norwegian carpenter named Okie showed me how to do this with a plain old Crescent wrench when installing metal doors 49 yr ago. Glad to see you sharing the craft with this generation. Also tell them to make sure the hinge screws are tight and not to booger up the trim in the process.

[@renegadewa4183]

I made one of these about 15 years ago by simply taking a crescent wrench..................closing it and using a drill press drilling a 3/8's hole through it. I used it just a couple of days ago and it still works great!

[@HI-RISER]

Hey Renegade, does it put any stress on the screws?

[@HerbertAtkinson]

The thing is that the hinge knuckles to bend is the hinge on the door not the hinge on the jamb, thought I would throw that out there being I didn't hear that mentioned in this video.

[@SteveMcQuillin]

Watched all these mail call videos but first time I have actually thought "I need that *now*" so went and ordered it. Got 4 or 5 doors that have settled since the house was built and just need some fine tuning. Great video, Ron!

[@kitchentimeinc]

Steve McQuillin ditto

[@LTVoyager]

An alternate technique is remove the middle and upper hinge pins and then put a shim in the top of the door to get the gap where you want it (actually just a little more to allow some spring back). You can then bend the hinges t align with each other, insert the hinge pins and voila you are done. No guesswork or trial and error required.

[@ronlapierre5977]

Learned this from Gary Katz long time ago at JLC Live. Thank God for good teachers that help lift up trade professionals. We've got a long history of bad reputation to overcome. Thanks Ron

[@LJG781]

Learn something every day.. doing this for 44 years, never seen a knuckle bender....

[@tonyadams4989]

I was going to hire someone to do this, but that would cost me a few hundred dollars. I am a senior citizen, and I think I can do this myself! Thank you for the video!

[@MichaelHall-op3sl]

This tool is awesome, no doubt one of the best tools in my toolbox. I would recommend to everyone with this same issue!

[@TonyWadkins]

Excellent tool demonstration ! Bifolds and double sliding doors are the worst for uneven jambs! Every movement is compounded with the other hinged door reveals. This works great as long as the original door hinge jambs were hung somewhat plumb and the jamb headers are level/square. Then you may have to whoop out your planer or in some worst cases remove casing and reset jambs. Occasionally using more than one method including the long hinge screws in jambs which is one of my first go-tos if appropriate. Sometimes cheap hinges are just weak from the get-go and hinge replacement may be necessary. There is some work/strain hardening being done with bending the knuckle/leaf which can help a little but I usually find the same hinge has dropped again months or a year or so later depending on weight of door. I've been using just a plain crescent since 1984 but it can leave scratches if not careful. I plan on scooping out some crescent jaws today(please buy the tool to support the manufacturer if they hold a patent) . Thanks for all you do for advancing true craftsmanship in our trade!

[@jackpinnell3973]

You are a treasure chest of knowledge Ron! Thank you for taking the time to share "your tricks" to all us that learn so much from you.

[@andygullion5182]

Good job, I just ran into a stain grade door ,and I didn't want to risk long screws pulling the jambs and casing apart ...that tool will be ideal. You know , it's so valuable to have a reputation for knowing how to things .

[@alienproductions9948]

This is gold. So well explained. All aspects are covered clearly and concisely.

[@chancebeasley6536]

Great video Ron. I just bought these last month but haven't needed to use them yet. I'd ABSOLUTELY love it if you did a video on hanging and adjusting doors. You are an awesome teacher. Thanks!

[@rolling_hills_landscapes]

I bought the knuckle bender but I was using adjusting it the opposite direction, lol. Thanks for showing the proper way.

[@Drewster9mm]

Just bought one! I hang a lot of doors and I can't wait to try it out!

[@jspallin]

Cool tool! A video that shows all the tips and tricks you alluded to would be fantastic! Loved your series on crown molding!

[@AaronBrooks1]

Door hanging is one of those things I never quite get right. I'd love a door hanging video!

[@soccovitch]

Ordered! I will use as a last resort, but it is cool to have options. Thanks for the discount.

[@patmason7276]

Putting up new doors having to tweak a few. Nice will be a door expert before I am done.

[@straight_to_finish]

Wish I had this tool the other week; trying to adjust a fire door with a metal jamb means trying to tighten a hinge to jamb has the opposite effect. There is no sucking in a hinge since the metal flange on the jamb are held in with roofing nails.

[@lucasblake7224]

It’s really good that you can see what you’re doing

[@frankie2234]

I have never seen that done. What a great tip......game changer.

[@richardbabin7309]

frankie2234 h

[@benharrison1069]

We're you adjusting the door hinge or the jamb hinge? I wish you had shown a close up view of what you were doing and how your adjustments affected the gaps around those doors.

[@TheSmartWoodshop]

The door side of the hinge

[@raterus]

I just use a regular crescent wrench, it slips a little, but does get the job done if you position it correctly on the knuckle.

[@frankoneyjr.4515]

LT Voyager Perfect advice !

[@peterfritzsche4654]

It looks great an I can see how it would work great on hinges with knock out pins all the hinges I fit in the uk don't have removable pins though

[@bobbycrider199]

Sixty-four-year-old retired carpenter here. Try bending commercial hinges. Put shims behind hinges, cope inside corners, measure it three times, and cut it once. People are cutting corners, trying to do it faster. Take pride in your work.

[@oscarmadison138]

Best explanation of doing this, thank you

[@amtrom1]

Thanks for the great instructional video Ron. Could you cover heavy fire doors when/if you do another video on door adjustment/installs? Thanks!

[@RetrotechCNC]

Looks like a must have tool... I have the older version and it works great as well. They only issue I see is that this wouldn't work on 3/4" flat stock trim installed.....? Well It would, but I would need to unscrew the hinge then bend it I'm guessing...

[@Squelch203]

Please do a video on hanging and adjusting doors, everyone seems to have their own way and I would like to see yours!

[@EarlGoreman]

I done this on interior doors works well, what about on prehung exterior metal door a new one was installed but the gap is even much on both sides the door top looks saging though but the main problem is the door knob & security knob is not linning up to latch on eithet on they are off least quarter inch & the corner of door opening side is rubbing a bit, this is a head scratcher being everything is level cant figure it out especially being new door i hope i dont have to relocate both striker plates down about quarter inch on the opening side.

[@Mrhvac]

Winter is here and my doors are a mess. Thanks for that. I didn't know how to adjust the doors. Now I have some adjusting to do.

[@MAGAMAN]

if you don't know what you are doing, this will likely make your doors even worse.

[@docghines]

Ordered. Never even realized you could do that.

[@fatdogslow8011]

We don't often use hinges with removable pins in the UK. But can imagine if we did that tool would be a top seller.

[@brandondill4234]

Is it ok to bend the jamb knuckle and the door knuckle or should only one of the two be messed with?

[@ningis21]

Here in the U.K. loose pin hinges are rarely used....and also, as an apprentice many moons ago, we were taught the inset/set back the knuckle at least half its depth so less of it protruded, for a better looking and flusher hinge finish. Seems like a good tool though. Might have to start leaving the knuckle sticking out and using loose pin hinges???

[@luistello1971]

Good presentation, comprehensive.

[@johngeddes7894]

Hanging doors! It would be awesome to see a bunch of little tricks like you mentioned.

[@mikemarr1877]

I've had the old one for a few years .Works good for most interior residential doors .But exterior residential and commercial doors no good . I might have to modify a cresent wrench to work like the new version.

[@BarryGordon58]

I see a video with a messy shop... I shy away. YOUR STUDIO / shop is awesomely professional. THANKS for inviting us in! Kudos on the BODY CAM!

[@MAGAMAN]

An perfectly clean shop is a shop that isn't being used. Also his advice on bending hinges is bad advice. That should only be done under certain situations and he's going to have a bunch of people messing up their doors doing this. My favorite quote "If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, what is an empty desk" .

[@superspecialty5169]

Focus on the subject matter which is the modified crescent wrench and the bending of the door hinges, I finally figured out why most KZbin videos don’t/can’t do it, it’s because the camera is not on their head, but is narcissistically facing them and “them” aren’t the subject matter!

[@bobbyz7736]

Glad I found your video Ron. Does it matter whether you bend knuckle on door vs the jamb?

[@Drewster9mm]

great video! I would love to see you make another video on door hanging and adjustments.

[@charlesyoungblood3169]

Great tool and Great explanation on how to use it..

[@foreman3737]

What a great tool.

[@sarcspark131]

I didn't know Robert Redford knew so much about doors.

[@likearockcm]

Come on, sarcspark everybody knows he's Redford's brother.🤪

[@sidel8]

I bet he can’t swim 😀

[@davidhopkinson6647]

My first thought was John Jacobsen - I was waiting for double dream hands! That device seems really handy though - might have to try one on our front door.

[@Albert-the-Astro]

No crap!

[@marcusportley4881]

Thank you I just ordered mines

[@wyattsprague2218]

Well' going to make one tomorrow...I have several crescent wrenches, can sacrifice one, good trick.

[@wilkinsoncarpentry6278]

This is the best , never have I done this , but I will from now on .🤙

[@don-p7e]

Great tip. I will get one of these tools.

[@Megamailh]

Did you adjust the hinges attached to the door or onto the jamb

[@stephanstephan5491]

Any suggestions as how to adjust a double door if they door line up at bottom when shut? There is about 1/4 difference which one panel sticks out.

[@TEBCO123]

thanks Ron

[@greenleafhs]

I bought two of the original knuckle bender. Didn't fit on any hinge I had. Contacted fast cap I told him they should make it look more awake and adjustable wrench. Then this thing came out what do you know what a good idea

[@okayq]

What do you do to a door that scraps with the top left corner and doesn't close without pushing hard?

[@deejohnson5163]

I have an exterior door on enclosed porch that the lock side is really jammed into the upper corner where you almost need a battering ram to open it. I think this part of the house structure has settled. Can someone please give me some pointers to fix this. This is a fire hazzard. Thank you.

[@ronin4711]

Great video and tool, actually very simple to make one even, if you don't mind sacrificing an old or not so good crescent wrench. I have a question: many times replacing an old door set or installing a new "pre-hung" door with all level and plumb... sometimes when you close the door it's miss aligned with the door stop molding, either the top or the bottom is touching first, I'm pretty sure a lot of carpenters had this "head scratching" situation, specially on new construction. You try to balance the opposing jamb from the hinge to left or right and then the casing doesn't cover the "gap"... Any solution?

[@jakealbrecht8752]

If you are hanging a prehung I usually install the hinge side first, put the door in the opening, close the door, and then set the strike side so that everything lines up perfectly. You can also split the difference so the casing goes on easily and then move the door stop by hitting it with a block of wood and hammer and then renailing it

[@protect.your.digits.creations]

Another GREAT Fastcap tool ,

[@ryanbe25]

ha! thank you. I've never clicked the down arrow, now I know. thanks, again for all your videos!

[@sdgrinnell]

What do I do if the bottom of my exterior door is too low but the top of my door is already pressing against my door frame?

[@TheSmartWoodshop]

This technique and tool are for fine-tuning doors. If a door is poorly installed, it is best to remove it and reinstall it.

[@dennisbinyon9023]

thanks Ron nice tip

[@boydmiller8720]

Very good video thanks

[@duggydugg3937]

no cramping in which door springs back from the stop ? would new hinges do better ?

[@janellemyre871]

please do make a video hanging doors and fixing poorly installed doors.

[@EdVidz]

Shouldn't you double-check the jamb's screws to make sure they're firmly in place?

[@JohnCorina]

What if its a security hinge? Unable to remove pin?

[@kevinyoungblut]

I learned a lot from this video. Probably my favorite video from you. Thank you so much. Now I have to adjust some doors.

[@steveblanmag7410]

Thanks for the video, Mr Ron. Since you did the top hinge knuckles as much as you did, do you need to do the middle hinge knuckles a little bit?

[@JerryD770]

Not sure if I missed it but is it not only the 2 door knuckles are to be bent never the jamb hinge?

[@simmonsbilt6893]

how to hang doors would be a great video... I've been wanting to make doors for my house.

[@jakewalter3729]

Simmonsbilt Is

[@shahidt8872]

Nice one, thanks.

[@kymbo72]

is it ok to bend the knuckles the opposite way if i need to, or does it only work bending them to the right like you did?

[@garyroxene]

Hey Ron!? Did NOT find a link embedded in the description with a $10 discount. would love to own this little tool and quit using my little crescent wrench that is scarring the hinges.. where'd it go?

[@victorgcajiaoo4836]

Oh, man, this is amazing...

[@ryanbe25]

Thank you! great tool. I don't see the discount code on the video - has it been taken down?

[@TheSmartWoodshop]

It is in the description

[@realpdm]

Do a video on fixing ghosting doors. There seems so much magic and bad solutions to this problem. Thanks for sharing.

[@BrBill]

The pros I know say to put a very gentle bend in the hinge pins. This make the hinge tighter and less likely to allow the ghosting.

[@aaronmccarthy3763]

Anyone have any experience with this tool on an exterior door? I have a client that has a metal exterior door and it's got this exact problem. My worry is that the tool wont be strong enough to bend those hinges. I read a review on amazon where someone was trying to use it on an exterior door and it broke the tool.

[@TheSmartWoodshop]

I have used it with no issues on every type of door. Fastcap has a no questions warranty. They take care of their customers.

[@aaronmccarthy3763]

Thanks Ron. I appreciate it. I went ahead and ordered it.

[@Funraiser]

Thank you Sir

[@inderpalsingh9648]

Good video help to understand door thanks

[@justincarter9622]

As always thank you Ron for providing us with these awesome tools. I didn’t think to put in the discount code. Oops.

[@timramirez4121]

Where is the discount?

[@burrowsal]

Just tried to use the code after finding your video today and it is expired. That is frustrating!

[@superspecialty5169]

Didn’t buy the special crescent wrench, I got out my grinder and modified it myself!

[@SOLT_Mark]

Cool tool for sure. Went to order it but balked at the cheapest shipping of $8.35 for an $11 item.

[@anthonylau3065]

Hmm. I'm on the east coast and cheapest shipping I get is $3.39.

[@SOLT_Mark]

I stand corrected. I do have that option. It is listed last and I missed it. Thanks for bringing it to my attention. I ordered one.

[@anthonylau3065]

Outstanding!

[@TheHandyman1]

I have been doing that for years. I never knew it was called knuckle bending.

[@Asgro]

The one and only!

[@travel734]

Great tool, well explained. Thanks Ron.

[@notnilc20]

darn...the discount code is expired...wonder if you could use some vise grips to do the same thing?

[@ozarked2363]

I don't have a knuckle bender but I have a drawer full of knuckle busters and knuckle bruisers.

[@axemastersinc3269]

Its called racking the hinge, and all we ever used is a crescent-wrench and it is a last resort. Only to be done after all other methods are exhausted. Been doing this for over 30 years and had to that one time.

[@anthonyromano8565]

Seems like it could save some time shimming hinges.

[@whoDatBeDare]

Yeah ok. That was cool.

[@peterkiernan1668]

Lots of talk = lots of great info.👍🏻

[@hmoreno1353]

Do you have another code? That one you have listed has expired.

[@TheSmartWoodshop]

Hector, I posted that video last year. FastCap provides a 7-day discount code for the FastCap tools I review in mail call. Keep an eye out as I may start doing Mail Call again in the near future, but the discounts are limited to 7 days. Thanks, Ron

[@brock4629]

Didnt know this was a thing. Cool

[@michaeljensen32]

Wow thanks Ron! Learned something new

[@df56gh4d5h]

You should clarify that you're bending the knuckles attached to the door itself. Can't see what you're doing.

[@hugheshomeimprovementssp4055]

I just swap out the bottom hinge with the top one and 90% of the time this will work.

[@philliptoone]

Excellent idea. I hadn't thought of that. Thank you for sharing. But wouldn't that be more work than just bending then hinges in place.