The lever you’re probably referring to on back of your tape measure is the anti-kickback pawl; it’s what clicks and locks the blade into place so you can hold it still with one hand while taking a measurement. It has saved (and ruined) more floorboards and cut off more fingers than perhaps any other part of a tradesmans tool kit. So here’s the question: When do you use it?
Is it just a nifty piece of equipment or does it cause as many issues as solutions under some circumstence? So is it all good? No. Is it all bad?
Not at all. It depends entirely on where you are standing, and what you want to measure. If you’re looking for reach and speed, then the pawl will fight you; if you’re wanting something precise and safe, then it’ll deliver.
Knowing when to release the blade versus engaging the lock will be the difference between fighting against your tool and having a smooth workflow. The main reason this feature is there is so that it can absorbs with one hand. How many times have you tried to install drywall or mark the middle of a room on a stud, only to find you can’t reach behind yourself to hold tape case against wall?
Understanding Anti-Kickback Pawl Benefits And Drawbacks
The Power of One-Handed Measurement
With the pawl you can pull out blade, release your hand, and the hook will remain in place as you mark your spot. A two-man job becomes one-man job. For someone like me who frequently works alone, that convenince is worth its weight in steel.
Preventing Kickback Injuries
The other big thing folks forget are safety. That blade of a tape measure will actualy slap back at you pretty good. You might pull it to far and the tension builds up.
Or, you hit the tip on something solid and, wham, the blade becomes a spring-loaded weapon without the lock engaged. With the lock engaged, the blade is kept in check, so nothing get bruised, including your hands and floor beneath them. This is another little habit that saves you from bruising your shin and making a bunch of noise.
When to Disengage the Lock
But the pawl sucks on long reaches. When measuring across a big room, the lock create more drag than necessary. It also forces you to break your flow in order to disengage the pawl before retracting the blade.
Letting it ride freely is far quicker when you’re making quick, rough estimates. It wasn’t designed to extend and retract rapidy. It’s designed to hold position.
Using it for all things makes you slow down. But the lock are needed for precision as well. A millimeter make a difference when you’re cutting tile or laying out cabinet layouts.
Precision Layout and Accuracy
Your square needs to be aligned and the pawl keeps the blade in place so it won’t slip or creep while you line things up. It gives you a solid reference point your thumb can’t always promise. In these cases, the few seconds spent clicking the lever is a small price to pay for accuracy.
This is a tradeoff of speed for surety. But there are things few people consider: Maintenance. The moving parts of the pawl mechanism gets covered with sawdirt, dust and other junk.
Cleaning the Pawl Mechanism
When they’re clogged, your lever sticks, locking the blade when you want it to move or unlocking it when you want it to stay put. Clean the mechanism out and it will work when you need it most. A simple wipe down makes all the difference.
But the anti-kickback pawl is really just a tool in the toolbox. It is not something you use all the time or never ever. You should of used it more often.
Engage it for safety and stability and disengage it for range and speed. Mastering when to flip that switch turns a basic tape measure into a much more capabel instrument. Instead of fighting the tool, you work with it.