Stiletto Titanium Flatbar & TiBAR

A short while ago we looked at Stiletto titanium hammers, and were suitably impressed with their superb weight to strength ratios and their ability to sink nails as easily as heavier conventional steel hammers, but with noticeably less shock recoil. It's primarily due to the use of titanium, which has the highest strength-to-weight-ratio of any metal. Check out our hammer review for more information on the characteristics of titanium.

Not surprisingly, we were pleased to be able to review Stiletto's new titanium 7-1/2" flatbar (model FB7S) and their new 12" TiBAR (model TiBAR 12). Both of these tools fall into the category of 'demolition' or 'renovation' tools, as they're primarily used to take things apart. Flatbars, cats paws, shingle bars, small pry bars and the like excel at trim carpentry, while crow bars, wrecking bars, larger pry bars, and utility bars (like the TiBAR12) are more suited to demolition and framing work.

Stiletto Titanium 7=1/2" Flatbar (FB7S)

The 7=1/2" size of the FB7S makes it the perfect tool for the finish carpenter or avid DIYer. At 7/32" thick, 1" wide and weighing a mere 4 ounces, it's effortless to use, but packs a punch. The pry bar end has a 5/8" flat bottom and is super thin, enabling you to easily work it under nail heads while minimizing damage to wood surfaces. It's also unbeatable for removing moulding or breaking out trim that's been painted over. In a pinch you can also use it as a chisel.

Pry bar and staple remover

Front end nail puller

Just up from the pry bar end is a very handy staple remover. At first I was somewhat apprehensive about breaking the tang off - it's only 5/32" wide and about 3/32" thick. My concern was unfounded and now I don't give it a second thought. Unless the staple is driven below the surface of the wood it comes out super quick.

Finish nail puller

Unbeatable for removing trim

On the front end (the head) of the FB7S are two pullers. It's thicker than the puller on the pry bar end enabling you to pry out larger nails. You can also hit the back of the arch with your hammer to force the puller under nail heads. On the arch itself is a finish nail puller. The slot is designed to securely grab small shank finish nails and pins. I've been using the pry bar to work under nail heads and then using the arch puller to finish the job. The arch acts as a fulcrum and makes it a lot easier to remove nails. And, the arch is contoured smoothly to minimize wood damage.

This is a just a super sweet tool. Several times the price of a steel flat bar, but it's an extremely well designed tool that will provide years of reliable service. And because of its miniscule weight and small size it takes up barely any space in my tool belt.

Stiletto 12" TiBAR (TiBAR 12)

The TiBAR bears a striking resemblance to a smaller version of the Stanley Fubar. Both excel at prying, splitting, board bending, removing nails, and various striking jobs. However, the resemblance is only superficial.

Dimpled face is less likely to mar surfaces

Bite Bar is great for manoeuvring framing members

At only 1 pound, the TiBAR is the flyweight of utility bars. Yet, it's every bit at durable as a steel bar (thanks to its all titanium construction). I was surprised at how easy it was to drive common nails up to 8D and finish nails, due to titanium's shock dissipation properties. The 1" D-shaped hammer face is large enough to replace a finish hammer, and the dimpled face doesn't leave much of an impression on wood surfaces. It even has a magnetic nail slot making it easy to start nails one handed. On one side of the hammer head is a side nail puller that enables you to remove nails with a swiveling 180° motion.

Side nail puller

Pry bar

The Bite Bar makes short work of rotating a warped stud, rafter or joist into place. At the end of the Bite Bar is a cats paw that you can use to extract all but the largest nails.

Just below the Bite Bar is a feature exclusive to Stiletto tools - a dimpler, which looks somewhat like a leather punch. With this clever device you'll be able to extract just about any nail. You whack the dimpler over the embedded nail (or put the dimpler over the nail and whack the TiBAR) severing the adjacent wood fibres, and then you pull the nail with the cats paw or head nail puller on the TiBAR. Once you've used it a few times you'll swear by it. The pry bar end has another cats paw and a 1/2" wrench for removing circular saw blades. Very nice.

Circular saw wrench

Makes a superb mini wrecking bar

The TiBAR 12 is a unique multi-function utility tool that could easily replace a finishing hammer, pry bar and cat's paw in your tool kit. The perfect tool for ripping, tearing, prying, nail pulling, straightening and hammering. For a premium price you get a premium tool. And because of its' light weight and compact size it stays on the tool belt so you never have to worry about it 'walking away'.

Reviewed March 2010