6 Fence Staple Removal Tools That Old Farmers Swear By

You know the feeling. Staring at a half-rotten cedar post, with a rusty fence staple buried so deep it looks like it grew there. You’ve tried prying it with a screwdriver and yanking it with cheap pliers, but all you’ve done is chew up the wood and break the staple in half. Repairing an old fence line isn’t just about stretching new wire; it’s a battle against the work of time, weather, and the farmer who came before you.

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Why Good Tools Matter for Old Fence Lines

Tearing out an old fence is a lesson in frustration. Staples aren’t just holding wire; they’re fused to the wood by years of rain, sun, and rust. A cheap tool will slip, break, or simply lack the leverage to pop a stubborn staple, turning a two-hour job into an all-day affair.

The goal isn’t just to get the staple out. It’s to do so without destroying the post or the wire if you plan to reuse them. A good tool gives you the precision to work the staple loose without splintering a perfectly good post. It also saves your hands, back, and patience, which are finite resources on any farm.

Think of it as an investment. Spending a few extra dollars on a dedicated staple puller saves you from buying new posts or more wire. More importantly, it saves you time—the one thing you can never get back. The right tool makes the work efficient, not just possible.

Channellock 85: The Classic Fencing Multi-Tool

If you’re only going to own one fencing tool, the Channellock 85 is a strong contender. It’s the Swiss Army knife for fence work, combining a staple puller, hammer head, wire cutters, and splicers into one rugged package. It’s the tool you grab when you’re walking the line and don’t know exactly what you’ll find.

The staple puller on the 85 is a sharp, hooked claw designed to dig under the crown of a staple. It works well on staples that aren’t completely buried or rusted into oblivion. For general maintenance and pulling staples from softer wood like pine or newer cedar, it’s more than adequate.

However, its versatility is also its weakness. It’s a master of none. The hammer face is small, the wire cutters can struggle with thick gauge wire, and the puller lacks the fine point of a dedicated tool. For deeply embedded staples in hardwood like oak or locust, you’ll find yourself fighting for a good bite.

Crescent Staple Puller for Precision Removal

When you need to pull staples without turning your fence post into woodchips, the Crescent Staple Puller is your go-to. Unlike multi-tools, this one does one job, and it does it exceptionally well. Its design is simple and effective: two sharp, hardened points that can get under the tightest staples.

The real advantage here is control. You can carefully work the points under the staple, using the curved head to gently roll it out with minimal damage to the wood. This is crucial when you’re working with older, weathered posts that you want to preserve. It’s the difference between a clean pull and a splintered gouge.

The tradeoff for this precision is a lack of brute force. The Crescent puller doesn’t have the long handles for massive leverage, nor is it designed for prying. If a staple is buried deep and the wood has grown around it, you may struggle to get the points underneath. It’s a surgeon’s scalpel, not a sledgehammer.

The Estwing Cat’s Paw for Deep-Set Staples

Sometimes, finesse fails. You’ll encounter staples that have been in an old oak post for fifty years, so deep and rusted that no puller can find a purchase. This is where you stop thinking about pulling and start thinking about digging. This is where the Estwing Cat’s Paw comes in.

Technically a nail puller, its sharp, curved claws are perfect for the most stubborn staples. You use a hammer to drive the claws into the wood right beside the staple leg, getting underneath it from the side. Then you pry, and that staple will come out.

Let’s be clear: this tool will damage the post. It’s a brute-force solution for an impossible problem. But when the alternative is leaving the staple in or cutting the post down, a little cosmetic damage is a small price to pay. It’s the tool of last resort that you’ll be thankful you have.

Malco ST2 Staple Puller Offers Superior Leverage

Fixing a long, straight run of fence means pulling hundreds of staples. Doing that with a small, hand-cramping tool is a recipe for a miserable afternoon. The Malco ST2 Staple Puller is built specifically for this kind of high-volume work, prioritizing leverage and ergonomics.

Its long handles give you incredible mechanical advantage, making it easy to pop staples that would otherwise require significant effort. The head is designed to grab and roll staples out with a simple squeezing and rocking motion, which is much easier on your wrists and forearms over the long haul.

This is a specialized tool, and it isn’t cheap. It’s probably overkill if you’re just fixing a small garden fence. But if you’re reclaiming a quarter-mile of old pasture fence, the Malco will pay for itself in saved time and Aleve before you’re halfway done.

Vaughan Fencing Hammer: Pound, Stretch, and Pull

Much like the Channellock, the Vaughan Fencing Hammer is an all-in-one workhorse. It’s a heavy, well-balanced hammer first and foremost, with a milled face for driving staples without slipping. It also features a staple pulling claw, a wire stretcher, and a splicing crimper.

The key difference is its emphasis. Where the Channellock feels like pliers with a hammer, the Vaughan feels like a hammer with extra features. The pulling claw is robust and effective for most moderately set staples, and having the weight of the hammer behind your prying motion adds a little extra persuasion.

This is an excellent tool for someone who is both building new fence and repairing old sections. You can pound in new staples and pull old ones without switching tools. However, like other multi-tools, its puller isn’t as precise as the Crescent or as powerful as a Cat’s Paw for those truly nightmarish staples.

Klein Lineman’s Pliers: A Versatile Backup Tool

Sometimes the best tool is the one you have on you. For many farmers, that tool is a pair of high-quality lineman’s pliers, like those made by Klein. While not designed for pulling fence staples, their hardened cutting jaws and powerful grip make them surprisingly effective in a pinch.

You can often grab the crown of a staple and, using the fence post as a fulcrum, roll the staple out. For staples that are broken or have one leg exposed, you can grip the leg directly and yank it free. The built-in wire cutters are also second to none for snipping old wire.

This isn’t your primary staple puller. You’ll mar the staple, and it requires a lot of hand strength. But when you’re a hundred yards from the truck and spot a loose section of wire, a good pair of lineman’s pliers is often all you need to get the job done right then and there.

Choosing the Right Tool for the Post and Wire

There is no single "best" tool; there is only the right tool for the job at hand. Your choice depends on the age of the fence, the type of wood, and the scale of your project. Trying to use one tool for every situation is a common mistake.

Here’s a simple framework for your toolbox:

• For everyday carry and minor repairs: A multi-tool like the Channellock 85 or Vaughan Fencing Hammer is indispensable.
• For preserving valuable or historic posts: The Crescent Staple Puller offers the precision needed to avoid unnecessary damage.
• For high-volume, repetitive work: The Malco ST2 will save your body from fatigue and speed up the job significantly.
• For the absolute worst, buried staples: Keep an Estwing Cat’s Paw in the truck. You won’t need it often, but when you do, nothing else will work.

Don’t forget a solid backup like Klein Lineman’s Pliers. Having a few of these options on hand means you’re prepared for whatever that old fence line throws at you. The goal is to work smarter, not harder, and that always starts with the right tool.

Ultimately, fighting with old fence staples is a waste of energy that could be spent on more productive tasks. A small investment in two or three of these specialized tools will transform one of the most dreaded farm chores into a manageable, and sometimes even satisfying, job. Choose wisely, and let the tool do the work.