Customer Reviews

Tajima CR201R-0 CHALK-RITE Gear Drive Chalk Snap-line

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

If you are sick and tired of the plastic junky chalk boxes that should be sold in the toy department, you will love this Tajima chalk box. I have the Tajima Ink Rite and love it, so when I saw this Tajima chalk box, I had to give it a try. First of all it is very good looking, fits in your hand nicely, and is geared to rewind very, very fast. Unlike most chalk boxes with a cheap cotton string, this box has a very strong nylon string. You have to get use to a little stretch on long snaps, but once you are use to that, it is the best. The nylon string gives you a better snap and holds the chalk more evenly so you get a nice line. Also consider getting the Tajima chalk, it is a very fine powder and gives you a nice clean line. Highly recommend, this tool fits in nicely with the other premium tools you are now seeing on the job site.

After going through a third chalk box in a single year (and getting stuck several times with the line jammed), I decided to shop around for something a bit better. It didn't take me long to spot this one. I purchased it with hopes that my most frustrating problem, fraying chalk lines, would be history.

Although it's quite a price hike compared to the 'usual' chalk lines, this is NOT your usual chalk box. Here's some of the features that distinguish it from the others:

The braided nylon line is the number one feature that sets this box apart from the others. No more fraying cotton line that loses its ability to hold chalk over extended use, or jams up in the box. The nylon line keeps its shape much, much longer then cotton line. This means consistent thin, sharp lines. I noticed a couple of people have pointed out that the line doesn't hold as much chalk as cotton lines... this is true if you compare new units. The Tajima line will hold enough for about 4-5 good, visible snaps, while the cotton could probably go to about 7-8. However, after about three to four months of use, cotton lines wear out and they're usually only good for 3-4 good snaps. I've had this unit for 7 months now and it's STILL giving me 4-5 good snaps with the same quality.

The 'Positive gear-lock line hold' is a switch that you can quickly flip with your thumb to lock the line in place. No more having to either hold the handle in place, or flip it over to lock the line. A quick flip of the switch and you're locked. Start retracting, and the switch automatically disengages. Very convenient.

The 'gear-drive winding' is extremely nice to have... very smooth and very fast retracting. Other chalk lines don't even come close.

Also, the Tajima chalk line has a gasket around the seam and an o-ring around the string... there is NO chalk leakage while sitting in your pocket.

The only feature I don't like is the anchor... it's about 1-1/2" long, so if you're snapping a line to cut, you have a 1-1/2" gap at the end, compared to about 3/4" for the other chalk lines. Also, since the anchor is wider at the end, marking for angled cuts can be a problem. The anchor tends to sit squarely on the edge rather then at an angle when needed. This certainly isn't a severe problem for me, but it is something I've noticed and wish would be changed.

Is the cost warranted? For me, absolutely. After seven months of absolutely flawless use, it's still working like new. The guys who I worked with who've borrowed it love it and plan to buy one themselves. Use one and you're hooked. I'd never go back.

I really like this tool. Besides the fact that it makes a very well defined thin line, I love the fact that it doesn't spew chalk out of the string hole all over the work piece every time I pull the string out.
PLUS... Nobody else on the job has one and of course that means you're cooler than everyone else. LOL

Generally well designed, using it every day showed the weak rewind knob. Plastic shaft snapped. Drilled a eighth inch hole in the lever, used a 3/4" #6 machine screw and locking nut to hold the knob and it should last a lifetime. The nylon string also doesn't hold as much chalk for repeat snaps without a rewind but I trade that for its other advantages.

I bought this chalk line since we were doing a major reroofing project and needed to snap every other row to keep things straight. For the first part of the roof, we used a cheap aluminum chalk line with cotton string and had to change the string every so often because it frayed. Also, the string would get stuck inside the box and be difficult to pull out (it even broke once). The new Tajima had no such problems. It does take a little while to get used to the difference in string - the Tajima nylon string is thinner and stretchier than the cheap line. But it makes fine, distinct lines. Also, the Tajima blue chalk seems to be finer than standard blue chalk and it makes a sharp line and probably aids in the ease of pulling the string. The string recoils fast when you wind it up. The plastic-covered metal end on the string where you attach it to things works well. This tool seems to hold a lot of chalk (or maybe uses less per snap), so it doesn't need refilling very often. It also looks good - a pretty red color but the case does scratch a bit when dropped from the second story and the paint has rubbed off at the edges from frequent use. Overall, we have been very satisfied with the Tajima Chalk-Rite.

I have owned this chalk line for about a year now. While I don't use it every day, I've given it a good work out in a variety of conditions as a timber famer. I've owned perhaps a dozen chalk boxes over the years. This one is far superior to any other I've seen. It's well built and durable; the nylon line is strong and provides a fine, well defined line; the rewind is fast; the hook is useful- unlike any other hook on the market. This is a first rate tool all around- you won't regret spending the few extra bucks.

THE LINES ARE EXCELLENT, VERY THIN. THE PROBLEM IS ONLY THAT YOU CAN SNAP ONLY 2-3 MAX LINES WIDHOUT RELOADED CHALK

I got this chalk line because my other lines were starting to bug me. I wasn't aware you could replace the line from the manufacture. Instead I bought this chalk line new. Well, glad I did. Its a decent design. The handle isn't made out of anything really strong but the rest of the product is rare. Its odd, if you don't buy this chalk line try the chalk by this company. The chalk from these guys is nice. I'm serious. The braided line thats in this chalk box and their brand chalk is hard to beat - really. Awesome combo for me. If i rate this off of durability I would give it a 4 star out of 5. Off pure execution and performance its rare 5 out of 5. I am all for this product.

only down side is I sometimes feel a bind when unwinding...haven't figured that out yet...I must admit I miss my old straight line Brand ...but I guess this is progress... I love the holding clip and the quick drive and it makes a nice clean line...no dull spots...I just don't know if they warrant the price...?

First let me say that I layout homes for a living. I've used almost every kind of chalk box there is, and I'm still looking for one that will stand up to the use I put them thtough. The biggest problem I've found with all of them is that chalk gets between the spool and the body causing it to bind, which transfers the torque to the handle. With time because most handles are plastic, or steel connected to plastic, they break(so what's the point of the steel handle ?).I was very impressed (with some reservation over the plastic parts)when i first started using it because it free spooled almost flawlessly. It seems that this design has overcome this problem. But after 3 weeks of use it started to have some major problems (21 houses). The gears started to bind up on me.This was something that had happened previously with another brand of similar gear design. Both use what is called planetary gears;multiple gears in a circle. At first they move very smooth but when the connection between the body and the plastic spool begins to wear it starts to wobble slightly, which because the handle is connected causes the pressure while winding to be applied unevenly to one or the other gears. This renders the box virtually useless.At 2 or even 3 times of the cost of other brands I should have gotten much more. The design is right there, but the quality is not. It boasts a metal body, but what good is that? Another annoying thing is that the end of the lever that rewinds pops on and off and I almost lost it. I ended up taking it back to the vender who didn't even want to replace it because he knew another would do the same. He said the representative only gives them a week on returns. Because of his integrety in allowing people to return them he's lost $500.00 and will not buy more. Bad support!