Stretching the Limits: The Grabber Blog

Hello and welcome! If you’re stopping by our blog, we’re glad you’re here.

With cold weather keeping many of us indoors, now is a great time to slow down, get creative, and maybe even pick up a new hobby or studio project. Whether you’re stretching a canvas for the first time or refining your process, having the right tools makes all the difference.

Cold winter days are perfect for focusing on creative projects, and stretching a new canvas at home or in the studio is easier and more efficient with the right equipment. That’s exactly what The Grabber canvas stretching pliers are designed to do.

Built with artists in mind, The Grabber features:

• Lightweight, high-carbon steel construction

• Adjustable tension for better control

• Secure locking mechanism to hold canvas firmly

• Easy-release handle for smooth workflow

• Non-slip grip for comfort and stability

• Flat jaws that distribute pressure evenly and help protect the canvas
  
  

Designed to deliver strong, consistent pulls while reducing hand strain, The Grabber helps artists achieve clean, professional results ... especially on those tricky corners that often cause frustration.

If you’re new to canvas stretching or just want a refresher, be sure to check out the step-by-step instructional videos available on our website and YouTube channel. You’ll find clear demonstrations that walk through the entire canvas stretching process from beginning to end.

Learn more and watch our videos here:
https://www.thegrabberna.com/

Individuals, art stores, and suppliers can visit the “Where to Find The Grabber” tab on our main page for a list of retailers who carry The Grabber.
 

Art stores and suppliers interested in selling The Grabber can also find distributor and retailer information on the main page.

Thanks for stopping by - and here’s to staying creative all winter long. 🖌️❄️

Happy New Year from The Grabber Canvas Stretching Pliers

January 7, 2026:

Happy New Year, and thank you for checking in on the Grabber Canvas Stretching Pliers blog. We’re excited to kick off a new year and reconnect through this space. One of our goals for 2026 is to attend NAMTA in St. Louis, and we look forward to sharing updates as plans come together. We’re also incredibly grateful for the continued support of our art suppliers and retailers, including Breathing Color, David Art Supply, Meininger in Colorado, and Rochester Art Supply.

Throughout the year, we plan to post blog updates about once or twice per month, sharing announcements, canvas-stretching tips, behind-the-scenes notes, and product news. Thank you for being part of our community—we appreciate your support and look forward to another creative year ahead.

Season’s Greetings from The Grabber Canvas Stretching Pliers

December 22, 2025:

Holiday Greetings from The Grabber Canvas Stretching Pliers!!

As the year comes to a close, we want to take a moment to wish our artists, framers, retailers, and creative partners a joyful holiday season and a happy New Year.

At The Grabber Canvas Stretching Pliers, craftsmanship has always been at the center of what we do. From individual artists stretching their first canvas to professional framers and art suppliers supporting studios and galleries, we’re proud to play a small role in the creative process.

This season, we’re reflecting on the relationships that make our work meaningful - the artists who trust our tools, the retailers who carry them, and the creative community that continues to value quality, durability, and thoughtful design.

As we head into the New Year, we look forward to continuing to support:

• Artists and studios seeking professional, reliable tools

• Art suppliers and retailers interested in offering quality canvas stretching solutions

• Framers and makers who care about precision and results

Thank you for being part of our journey. We wish you a creative, productive, and inspired year ahead.

Tighten That Grip! The Grabber Canvas Stretching Pliers Demo

September 22, 2025:

Ever feel like your pliers are slacking off on the job? 

In this quick demo, I show you how to tighten the grip on The Grabber Canvas Stretching Pliers using the small adjustment knob. It’s simple, fast, and makes stretching canvases much smoother. At the end of the video, I even share my dad’s favorite sidekicks - open-ended wrenches (13 mm or 0.5 inch).

👉 Check out the YouTube Short video below for details and a quick demo. 

Whether you’re an artist, framer, or studio assistant, having tools you can trust makes a big difference. The Grabber is built for comfort, strength, and reliability - making canvas stretching easier and more consistent.

Stay tuned for more tips, tricks, and behind-the-scenes demos. Don’t forget to follow along as we share ways to make your art prep a little easier!

canvas stretching, canvas stretching pliers, The Grabber, art tools, art supplies, artist tips, canvas prep, art hacks, stretching canvas, canvas stretcher, art studio tools

A Summer Wrap-Up & A Closer Look at The Grabber

August 17, 2025:

We hope everyone enjoyed a wonderful summer and found time for creativity in the studio or outdoors. As we move into a new season, we wanted to highlight one of the unique features of The Grabber Canvas Stretching Pliers that sometimes goes unnoticed - the adjustable knob that tightens the grip (photo below).

This small but important detail allows you to customize how firmly the jaws hold your canvas, giving you greater control and precision when stretching. If you’ve received a free demo set, be sure to test out the knob so you can experience the difference it makes in achieving clean, professional stretches.

For more information, visit the rest of our website where you can:

• Explore detailed product specifications

• Watch instructional videos

• Request your own free demo

• Learn more about business and wholesale pricing
  
  

We’re here to support artists, framers, and retailers with tools that make the canvas stretching process easier and more reliable. If you haven’t yet, check out The Grabber Canvas Stretching Pliers and see how they can elevate your work.

Why We Made The Grabber Canvas Stretching Pliers - And How They Can Help You Work Smarter

June 9, 2025:

We now offer free display cards for The Grabber Canvas Stretching Pliers: lightweight, eye-catching, and perfect for your retail setup. 

These are available at no charge to current and potential wholesale customers. 

I'm also attending a webinar on the upcoming Sunrise 2027 regulations concerning 1-D and 2-D barcodes, and I’ll share any updates we make to stay compliant. 

I’ll include our latest video below! 

Why We Made The Grabber Canvas Stretching Pliers - And How They Can Help You Work Smarter

April 21, 2025:

That’s how The Grabber Canvas Stretching Pliers were born.

These aren’t your average pliers. The Grabber was designed with real use in mind, offering features that make a difference whether you’re a professional artist, a gallery prepper, or a student getting into large-scale canvas work:

• Lightweight design: easy to hold and reduces fatigue
  
  

• Non-slip jaws: securely grip canvas without tearing or slipping
  
  

• Adjustable grip: get just the right tension with minimal effort
  
  

• Easy lock-and-release mechanism: so you can focus on the canvas, not the tool
  
  

Over time, we’ve heard from artists, teachers, and framers who’ve made The Grabber part of their daily work. It’s now sold at select art retailers (list of retailers available here). 

If you're an art supply store, instructor, or studio manager interested in seeing the pliers up close, we’d love to send you a free demo. Try them out, pass them around, and keep them whether or not you make a business/wholesale purchase.

We’re a small family business based in the Midwest, and we believe in sharing tools that actually make the creative process easier.

Thanks for being part of the art community and for supporting independent makers like us.

Angie Deane
The Grabber Canvas Stretching Pliers

Want to request a demo or see our wholesale pricing? Contact us here or send an email to the.grabber.na@gmail.com. 

Canvas Chaos: Dull Scissors and Noisy Compressors! 

April 1, 2025:

This evening, we unleashed two videos on YouTube to sharpen your canvas-stretching skills. First up, a snappy 2-minute tutorial where my dad demonstrates his corner-wrapping wizardry using The Grabber Canvas Stretching Pliers—in particular, how to manage the pliers close to the corner. 

Then, we have a YouTube Short that underscores the importance of sharp scissors when trimming the back of a stretched canvas. Spoiler alert: dull scissors are about as useful as a screen door on a submarine. 

And if you hear an unexpected “pfft” in the background, that’s just our air compressor chiming in with its unsolicited commentary. We’ve done our best to remove it from the background noise!!

Videos are linked below.

— Angie

Welcome to The Grabber Blog!

March 27, 2025:

Hi there! Thanks for stopping by the official blog for The Grabber Canvas Stretching Pliers. I’m Angie, and I’m excited to share more about our company, our product, and the art world with you.

The Grabber was designed and patented by my dad, Walt Deane, who has been stretching canvases for nearly two decades. I live in Omaha, Nebraska, and I’m proud to help carry on his work by introducing more artists and framers to this tool. When I’m not working on The Grabber, I run a private tutoring business where I help high school and college students with math and science.

My daughter, Sophia, is kindergarten age and already has an eye for detail—she loves picking fonts for our videos (and stealing my microphone!). She keeps things fun behind the scenes, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

This blog will be a place to explore all things canvas stretching, share insights from the art world, and highlight tips and tricks to help artists and framers get the most out of their tools. I’m glad you’re here, and I look forward to sharing more with you soon!

Stay tuned for more posts, and feel free to explore our website to learn more about The Grabber.

— Angie

The Grabber Canvas Stretching Pliers (Patent No.: US 10,532,446 B2)

Omaha, NE

Ph: 469-318-1975

Email: the.grabber.na@gmail.com