Tools for caning, seat weaving and upholstery

Caning and upholstery need only a few hand tools, but the right ones are the difference between a tight, clean seat and a dented groove or a split frame. This collection holds the tools you keep and reuse from one chair to the next, plus the glue.

For pressed cane, a caning chisel lifts out old spline without widening the groove; use the blade that matches your groove or one size smaller, 1/8 in for #7 grooves and 3/16 in for #8 and larger. Hardwood caning wedges press the soaked webbing into the groove, usually 4 to 8 at once, and a rubber mallet taps wedges and spline home without marking the wood. A narrow-tip wood glue lays the bead first, and a sharp utility knife trims the cane flush outside the spline. The pressed cane seat guide shows each tool in use.

For hand caning, wooden caning pegs hold the strands in the holes, usually 10 to 12 at a time. Spring clamps hold cane, cord or webbing in place while you weave, and small glue-ups while they set.

For upholstery and re-webbing, a staple remover lifts old staples and tacks without splitting the wood, a manual upholstery staple gun takes T50-type staples for webbing, seat fabric and dust covers, and a webbing stretcher pulls jute webbing tight before you fix it.

To add a groove where there was none, a straight router bit cuts a 1/8, 3/16 or 1/4 in groove for #7, #8 or #9 spline, guided by a template or an edge guide. For wicker, a slim stainless steel weaving tool lifts tight strands. The tool set puts a chisel, wedges and pegs in one box.