Provided is a tool that includes a handle assembly including a top portion and a bottom portion. The tool also includes a lock plate disposed between the top and bottom portions and having a deflectable arm having a free end biased towards the top portion, a fixed end opposite the free end, an inner edge, an outer edge, and a detent near the free end and the inner edge. The tool additionally includes a blade having first and second ends, an indent in a bottom surface of the blade near the first end for engaging the detent in a closed position, and a ramp on the bottom surface near the indent defining a reduced thickness portion of the blade that reduces in thickness from the indent towards an edge of the blade to reduce contact between the detent and the blade during rotation of the blade.

A stencil for use in stenciling complex symbols incorporates a stencil substrate employing a flexible material, having a plurality of symbols arranged thereon. A plurality of folding stiffeners are incorporated in the substrate, each stiffener being positioned to split symbols having stencil cutouts forming isolated elements within an interior of the symbol. The stiffeners are foldable about a vertex, to collapse into a raised position and bring together the split symbol, with the stiffeners supporting the isolated elements created by the cutouts and portions of the stencil cutouts forming the symbols that extend into coincident channels in the folding stiffeners, to bridge adjoining portions of said split characters.

A can piercing tool including an annular ring and a plurality of pointed punches connected to the annular ring, concentric with the annular ring, inside the annular ring, and defining a circular perimeter. The tool includes a handle connected to the annular ring extending away from the annular ring.

A tool for assisting in the installation and/or removal of clips. The tool can include a handle and a tool head attached to the handle. The tool head includes a clip abutment portion having at least one surface operable to substantially abut at least a portion of a clip. A magnet in the tool head is configured to retain the clip proximate to the clip abutment portion such that a user can utilize a tool to apply a clip to an article. The tool head can also include a clip extrication element to facilitate removal of installed clips.

Systems and methods for color selection are provided. A user device displays room types on a display, receives a room type selection indicating a particular room type, displays phrases having words associated with types of feelings, and receives a phrase selection indicating a particular phrase. The user device accesses a lookup table that associates the room types and phrase with paint colors such that each possible combination of room type and phrase is associated with a subset of paint colors. The user device determines the associated subset of paint colors in the lookup table for the combination of the particular room type and the particular phrase and displays the associated subset of paint colors as recommended paint colors for the combination of the particular room type and the particular phrase on the display of the user device.

Surface elements comprising a decorative upper layer and a supporting core are disclosed. In such surface elements the decorative upper layer can comprise a digitally applied wood grain pattern made up of at least four colors, said pattern being applied to an underlying white ground coating provided on said supporting core, said pattern comprising at least one of visually simulated knots, cracks, flaws and grain. In such surface elements the decorative upper layer can further comprise an at least partly translucent wear layer arranged over said pattern, said wear layer consisting of a cured substance comprising silicon oxide. In such surface elements the decorative upper layer can further be provided with a surface structure increasing the realism of said wood grain pattern, being directed in accordance with the direction of said pattern and being in the form of narrow elongated recesses simulating the pores of wood.

A mixing and paint-making device and method for making paint are described. Embodiments of the paint-making device include a first and second palette hingedly coupled to a base. The base includes a paint pot shaking component configured to agitate and/or translate a paint pot. The paint pot shaking component includes a series of gears and pistons that interact to produce a shaking motion for a paint pot coupled to the paint pot shaking component. In one embodiment, the paint pot shaking component includes a crank gear adjacent a combination gear that contacts a slide crankshaft. The slide crankshaft is coupled to a slide crank arm that is secured by slide bracket coupled to the base. A paint pot harness holds a paint pot during agitation and moves in an upward and downward motion corresponding to the motion of the slide crank arm.

A container for holding paintbrushes includes a bucket having an interior and a bottom, and a stand configured to be disposed in the interior. The stand includes a holder and a plurality of legs extending from the holder, with the legs configured to support the holder above the bottom of the bucket when the holder is disposed in the bucket with the legs positioned on said bottom of the bucket. The holder includes a plurality of hangers configured to removably receive paintbrushes thereon with the bucket configured to retain liquid into which the bristles of paintbrushes are submerged when retained on the hangers.

A paint roller cleaning tool. The paint roller cleaning tool has an upper edge and a lower edge with a pair of opposing side edges. At least one arcuate extension is on the upper edge. The arcuate extension is designed to receive a paint roller and to remove paint from the paint roller. A pair of notches extend into the lower edge. The pair of notches are designed to secure the paint roller cleaning tool in a paint container, such as a paint can.

Methods and apparatus for cleaning brushes quickly, comfortably and efficiently are disclosed. The apparatus contains at least one cleaning chamber comprising a plurality of cleaning elements disposed within the chamber that contacts the brushes during cleaning, the cleaning chamber in contact with a) a drive and a motor that can deliver rapid reciprocating motions to the cleaning elements, b) a solvent flow system, and c) a removable brush holder connected to a motor that turns the brushes slowly over the cleaning elements. Rapid reciprocating motions of the cleaning elements, continuous flow of a solvent over the brushes to be cleaned and a slow rotation of the brush itself over the cleaning elements achieve rapid cleaning of brushes with little damage to the brush itself. A removable brush holder that can accommodate many different kinds of brushes in the same slot extends the functionality and comfort of using the brush cleaner.