PRODUCT REVIEW
Flexible fixing I am not sure if Norman would approve but when I used it, I found I had a way of using it to suit me because I don’t often need to tether heavy tools. Very often I am just using pliers or an adjustable spanner that are not heavy enough to trouble the retraction spring on the MUKA. By effectively having the MUKA upside down I could just pull the tool out, use it and let it retract safely to hang from my belt.
But the intended way of using the MUKA tether is to ensure that you have the correct belt placement on the back plate. On a standard belt, the MUKA needs to have the cable feed from the top of the casing. Attached to the cable quite near the end, is a metal nipple that slots into a metal socket in the top of the MUKA. When attached to a heavier tool, like a drill driver or an impact driver, this arrangement prevents the tool from answering the call of gravity and simply sliding downwards on the retractor spring. The tool is then held at your side where it is available literally within a hand’s reach.
Attaching to the tools The Muka has a free spinning and robust hook attached to the end of the cable. The free spinning should avoid tangles and the hook element has overlapping jaws
that should prevent a tool from coming off accidentally.
Many tools these days have hooks or holes in the handles to allow them to be hung up or attached to tool tethers. A simple, strong, nylon string loop would be good enough for many smaller tools, but for power tools a nylon strap with a strong, metal loop attached is really necessary to either go through the handle loop or over the battery at the bottom of the tool handle.
Ideally I would have liked a smaller hook arrangement or possibly even a small carabiner instead, for extra lightness and security. But it wouldn’t be impossible for a user to change this by himself.
Two versions The MUKA comes in two versions – the standard and the Pro. The Pro is distinguished by having a red name label and a double backing plate for extra flexibility on belt fixings. Both versions can carry the same amount of weight – 3kgs – and both retraction springs have a similar amount of ‘pull’ on them.
Tethering my thoughts Launching any new tool is a risky business and even well-known companies have got
launches wrong; who remembers acoustic ‘tape measures’ that relied on the radar effect to measure distances? They were overtaken by laser devices that were much more accurate and reliable once lasers became widely and cheaply available.
Trades too can be very slow to adopt new devices but can also be very quick to respond to an idea that suits them. Every tradesperson has a different way of working and different requirements, so if I was forced to guess which trades would adopt the MUKA tethers it would be scaffolders and window fitters. Possibly roofers could be added to the list too.
I couldn’t replicate working on a scaffolding when using the MUKA tethers, but I did use a long ladder to do some gutter repairs and some initial work on a custom-made wooden window on the upstairs of a small cottage. I found that the tethers were more useful attached to a cordless drill driver than, say, a pair of pliers or a hammer. This has a lot to do with the way in which the tools are used. It is handy to know that you can have a drill right near you and not have to worry about where to balance it when space is limited.
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mukasafety.com
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