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The teeth of both the power stretcher and knee kicker should be adjusted (Figs. 8.60 and 8.61) to the depth of the fabric of the carpet; if the carpet has a long, heavy pile the teeth should be set long enough to reach through the pile and grip the backing. If a short pile is being worked, the teeth must not go completely through the carpet and seize the padding. When the carpet is being stretched, it should slip over the padding, not drag the padding along with it.
How much to stretch carpet is a question that cannot be worked out by a mathematical formula, nor is it helpful to try to express it in pounds per square inch or percentage of length. The optimum or suitable amount of stretch depends on the kind and quality of the carpet, the atmospheric conditions, the amount of pretreating, if any, and the judgment and skill of the mechanic. Generally, the better quality carpets require less stretch. The carpet should be taut, but not tight—and knowing the difference is what makes an expert carpet layer.
While the old "plank" method of stretching is now used in certain exceptionally large jobs, it was once the only means of stretching vast areas of carpet such as is encountered in department stores, theatre lobbies, and the like—where the walls are nearly a city block apart! Today the versatile power stretcher, which is available in various "head" sizes, can be fitted up with a great number of extension tubings (Fig. 8.59) and adjusted to any desired length. Where still greater length is required, a length of 2 X 4 lumber can be used to reach the distant wall.
When using the knee kicker, kick it once or twice and hold it there. If kicked several times at the same spot, it will slip back each time and the mechanic tires himself needlessly. The knee kicker should be struck either with the muscle on the inside of the knee, or the portion of the leg above the knee-cap, but not with the knee-cap, as the latter method may result in injury to the knee over a period of time.
CUTTING AROUND FIREPLACES AND DOORS
Do not make any cutting around fireplaces, doorways, or other jogs or projections until the carpet has been thoroughly stretched past the point to be cut. The reason is that nearly all corner cuts are "net," which means that the incision, whether by knife or shears, opens up the fabric to the point of the corner, even on a turn-under job—and a cut that misses by only a short distance is not easy to correct if it shifts on stretching. The proper method of handling fireplace areas is described on pages 122-124.
