Hercules Hook Jan 04
16 comments Latest by Ed
Here’s another simple invention: The Hercules Hook. This one is for hanging pictures or other items on drywall. Billy Mays does the hocking.
The hook/hanging business seems primed for a renaissance. 3M’s quickly expanding Command Adhesive line seems to be doing really well too. It’s always cool to see new products address problems that seem like they’ve been solved long ago. It’s a reminder that room for improvement is plentiful.
What’s interesting about the Hercules Hook is that while you still do need to put a hole in the wall, you don’t need any tools anymore. All you need is your hand and a little muscle. So while the end-game remains the same, the effort needed to get there is reduced.
It’s definitely a novel alternate solution to traditional hammer, nail, and hook system. Neat thinking.
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16 comments so far
Dan Boland 04 Jan 07
Local newscasts love to do segments on testing “As Seen on TV” products. I did a Google search for these hooks a few months ago, and the two or three that tested them verified that, yep, they really do work.
Jamie Tibbetts 04 Jan 07
Boy, he’s reeeally pushing down hard on that mantel to showcase the hook’s 150 lb. weight limit. ;)
Andy Field 04 Jan 07
Excellent if you live in a cardboard house…
Jamie Tibbetts 04 Jan 07
I use “Ooks” (their site is down for some reason), and they work beautifully:
http://hardware.hardwarestore.com/28-452-picture-hangers/picture-hanger-216341.aspx
Cade Roux 04 Jan 07
Fine if you have drywall.
We have lathe and plaster and because of that have used ooks (www.ooks.com) for years. They are great and also leave little mark when they are (easily) removed. They will also work on drywall.
Adhesives are also not an option for us since the interior plaster and exterior stucco is highly textured.
Chad 04 Jan 07
I also like the Hercules website. A little noisy maybe, but with a single page they include details, video and the order form. Well done.
Adam 04 Jan 07
Ha! Do you see the S&H on those things?
“Only 14.99! (Plus 10.93 Shipping & Handling)”
Those silly telemarketing scammers.
phantomdata 04 Jan 07
The whole not needing tools thing is nice. I push nails into the wall with a tape measurer from time to time because I live in an apartment and /hate/ making lots of noise. Interesting.
Stephen 05 Jan 07
They look neat. I use a very old fashioned method: I hang my pictures from a picture rail using fishing wire. Works a charm for me, and it leaves no marks on my plaster walls.
4point44 05 Jan 07
if it weren’t such exasperating fun to put holes in walls…
a mouthful of nails, hopping on one foot hoping the hammer flies right.
a reverse haiku.
my ears!!!! 05 Jan 07
Billy Mays is the Tony Little of household wares. Loud and proud!
Brian 05 Jan 07
Careful… the website (http://www.herculeshook.com/) is asking for a credit card for ordering, without a https.
Looks like a great idea though.
jeff 05 Jan 07
Brian,
The site submits via https. Look at the source and you’ll see that the form submission is indeed secure: https://www.herculeshook.com/short_summary.php
Dustin J. Mitchell 06 Jan 07
I’m opposed to anything Billy Mays sells. In fact, I take his appearance on the screen as a signal to turn off the TV and find a book.
Apropos to the topic of this site—why does he have to be so loud, and advertise such crap?
andrew 07 Jan 07
I could’ve used this yesterday before I hammered a gazillion holes in my walls hanging a bunch of new stuff during one of those post-New Year’s “Let’s Check Stuff Off Our Things To Do Around The House List” moods.
Billy Mays’ voice just makes me angry.
Ed 09 Jan 07
It seems like a good product, by I have to agree with those objecting to Billy Mays.
I am really turned off by the Carnival Hawker or Used Car Salesman approach. It makes them immediately suspect.
Comments are closed