WALL UNIT TONGS

If you are working with any bricks or stack of wool retaining wall blocks this tool will save you lots of time and energy. Easy to adjust and can work with various shapes of rocks, blocks and bricks.

The biggest dislike is the smooth metal ends that grab the block. Rubber tips would help a lot. 3 times a block slipped out and nearly crushed my toes. Thankfully I yanked my foot back in time to avoid that.

Tool works as described.

This tool makes block moving easy on the hands and back. Two things I have added are a rubberized grip and diagonal teeth on the block pads. The flat surface would slip on the rough surface blocks. After adding some file lines to the surface the slipping issue went away without losing easy grab and strength. For all-day use, I would have liked it to be a little lighter and self-opening. Maybe I will add a spring to it.

If we had nothing to compare this to or no other tool to use, I am sure we would have rated it 5 stars. As it turns out, we ordered this one and the more expensive one by Bon as well (the 21-468). We had an old truck "mud flap" that we cut on a band saw and glued onto the edges of it to simulate the grips on the 21-468 but still, side by side, this one was not as comfortable to handle and it was more flimsy in its operation. If you are handling a lot of block (in this case 170+ feet of retaining wall), you might want to spend the extra bucks on the more expensive one. Either way, this sort of tool is invaluable to lifting heavy block so I'd recommend it - but would recommend the more expensive version, the Bon 21-468, even more.(blocks were 75-80 lbs each)

The build quality of this tool is marginal. The fixed jaw on my tongs is not welded square to its main tube section, so that end wants to slip off of the block. The moveable clamping jaw also slips off of the 70 lb. 15.6" long block that I was trying to lift, due to a poor design that doesn't clamp with adequate force as compared to the block weight being lifted. I am currently considering if it would be best for me to redesign this nonfunctional tool or just simply return it. It could be modified by gluing rubber pads to the inside of each jaw to reduce block slippage and possibly shorting the clamping jaw length, if needed, to increase the handle's mechanical advantage and jaw clamping force. With the modifications noted, it would likely become a functional tool that would help me to finish the block project that I have started.If you are not interested in modifying this low cost tool to make it functional, it would probably be best to consider a more expensive tool that already incorporates these improvements.

This was the perfect tool for my retaining wall project. I don't see a reason to spend more money on a high end model unless you think you will use onmany projects or if you plan to handle very large blocks. This tool was indespensible when I was lowering the first row of blocks into my trench. Without it, it would be very difficult to make sure my first row was level. Highly recommended!

Had to add a hard rubber pad on each end clamp to prevent slippage.

This lifter has been a huge help for my paver patio project. Couple reasons why 4 and not 5 stars.1) Not as effective at lifting heavy pavers. Had it slip sometimes while lifting 13"x19"x2 3/8" pavers (not sure about the weight, but heavy enough).2) Locking pin occasionally slips. Not a huge deal, and probably easy enough to fix (e.g., drill a hole and add a cotter pin... or use duct tape to hold it in place).I find it's particularly helpful when I need to remove a paver that is already set. Good tool!

Used to extract some 16 inch paver to relevel them. Without this tool, it was a struggle to get them out, to replace them, as the space was tight. Very sturdy, adjustable.

Stones shifted a bit over time. Had to lift them and realign some of them. This tool did the trick!

looks like quality not tested, had handle stuck few times. otherwise does the job