( 
)
Are you wondering WHY you need one of these things? If you already own a hammer, various hole punches and setting tips to accomplish the same purpose, it might seem as though you've already got this requirement covered. However...there are some significant advantages to this awesome little tool that are worth considering.
The Crop-a-dile tool is made by We R Memory Keepers and retails somewhere between $25 and $35, depending on where you shop. (As usual, you can get IT on eBay, too!) The one that I have features a soft-grip pink handle and I'm sure that it was named for its appearance. It has a toothy jawline that resembles a crocodile that received dental modifications to accommodate crafters' needs. The grip is quite comfortable and although it doesn't require super-human strength to make it work, I'd suggest that it's probably most effective for crafters who do not suffer any form of arthritis. Crafters with small or dainty hands might find this tool awkward to squeeze without using two hands. It weighs in at just under 500 grams, so it's about the equivalent of hoisting a hammer (for those of you who are familiar with the process of manually pounding and mashing eyelets and hardware!). On the outside flange, there's a 1/8th hole punch with an adjustable guide for depth to "bite" the paper, and a 3/16th hole punch on the opposite flange featuring a similar adjustable guide.
The jaw on one side features a rotatable cube with a 1/8th post for setting eyelets and 3/16 shank of the opposing side of the same cube. The post is intended to be inserted in the top of the eyelet during the setting process. On the other half of the jaw, a second rotatabe cube features 4 different moulded setting tips to accommodate a variety of shaped hardware. Depending on the size and type of eyelet you need to set, you can easily select the 'tip' by pulling forward to rotate the cube and click it into place. It's INGENIOUS!! There are no loose parts or setting tips to lose or misplace, and it's completely silent! This particular feature alone represents a significant advantage for anyone like myself. I often don't have an opportunity to scrap until most of the household has retired for the night, and whacking things with a hammer has a tendency to prevent family members from sleeping! (I'm ashamed to admit how many times I probably gave the neighborhood a reason to curse my scrapbook addiction because I crept out on the porch to furtively pound eyelets after midnight!!)
The Crop-a-dile seems to be VERY well made...I do not foresee the type of problems I've had in the past replacing individual hole punch tips with competitor's tools. The most common problem I've experienced with these individual pieces in the past has been folded or dulled edges, holes plugged with paper debris...and the occasional tip that simply went missing in spite of the usual scrapbooker's compulsive desire for organization. I haven't picked up my hole punch or setting tools since I received my crop-a-dile, and the ONLY reason that they haven't been completely replaced is because I might have a desire to set a piece of hardware in the middle of a page...where the cropodile becomes a toothless companion. (It can only "bite" up to about one inch depths on a project.) Unless you feel that regularly swinging a hammer to mash eyelets and pound holes is a rewarding form of stress relief, I can personally and highly recommend the Crop-a-dile...I love mine!
Thank you for voting. If your vote meets our 
