That time I botched a seam in a client's living room in Portland

I was installing a nice thick carpet in a house over on 23rd Ave, feeling pretty confident. Got about halfway through the seam and realized I had the wrong knife blade - it was dull and started to fray the edge instead of cutting clean. Had to stop, pull the seam apart, order a new blade from the supply house, and redo the whole thing. The client was patient but I lost three hours and looked like a rookie. Anyone else ever get tripped up by a simple tool mistake like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

henryt189d ago

Man, that dull blade thing is brutal. I had almost the exact same thing happen last summer on a job in Beaverton, working with a high-end wool blend. Got maybe four feet into the seam and the blade started tearing the fibers instead of slicing them, left this nasty fuzzy line that you could see from across the room. Had to unpick the whole stretch, drive 20 minutes to the nearest supply house, and come back with a fresh pack of blades. The homeowner was cool about it but I felt like such a clown standing there with my tail between my legs. It's wild how one little tool check can blow up your whole afternoon.

ivan_harris9d ago

Damn man, I used to be one of those guys who'd run a blade til it practically fell apart, thought I was saving money. But stories like this finally got thru to me, now I swap em out way more often. It's crazy how something that small can wreck a whole day's work.

henry_ross9d ago

And then you get back with the fresh blades and realize you forgot the seam tape, so you gotta make another run. Three trips to the supply house for one room always makes me feel like I'm running a taxi service instead of install.