*** 2015-02-09 Update ***
Works Great After Adjustment

I got curious one day and decided to see what exactly was causing staples to jam in the new T50 I purchased. I disassembled the bottom of the stapler and checked to see if everything fit correctly. All the parts and their placement seemed to be in order. I then decided to slide some staples down the rail used to hold and align the staples. Using a full 'clip' of staples everything seemed to work fine -- I was able to slide the clip back and forth without issue.

I then separated 10 individual staples from the clip and placed them onto the rail. I used the spring-loaded staple pusher to slowly and carefully push the individual staples down the rail as a group. When the group got near the driving end (stapling end) of the rail I noticed a problem. The first couple of staples slid just fine, but the next one hung up and caused a jam. I repeated this test several times reordering the individual staples. Sometimes the first staple would jam, while other times most of the staples would slide through before a jam occurred.

At first I thought it might be a problem with the staples, but they all seemed to be identical, unbent, and undamaged. Upon closer inspection I noticed that the gap between one side of the rail and the center of the rail was narrower than the other side -- this is where the staples were hanging. I used a flat-headed screwdriver to bend out the side of the rail until all the individual staples would slide without hanging. I then reassembled the gun and it worked without jamming.

I loaned the gun to a person who is recovering a living room couch. I warned this person about the jamming issue I had and told her to let me know if she has any problem. The couch is now almost completed and the gun didn't jam a single time. We estimate hundreds of staples have now been run through the gun without issue.

Consequently, I've adjusted my rating on the T-50 from 1 star to three stars. I still think there is a quality control issue with this stapler (hence all the negative reviews) that customers shouldn't have to remedy themselves. Once I resolved the misaligned rail problem, however, the stapler works better than the old T50 I replaced. If you feel up to it, you may want to try to repair your stapler the same way I did.

*** 2014-11-16 Review ***
Another Victim Of Corporate Shortsightedness

I inherited a T-50 from my father that he bought back in the late 1960s or early 1970s. That stapler went through hell and back and always performed great until the last few months. Cleaning and lubricating it has no effect -- it's simply worn out. Thinking what I great stapler it was I purchased a new T-50, but what a disappointment. The new unit jammed after only 5 staples. I had to take it apart to free the jam. I inserted another rail of Arrow staples and it jammed up again after about 10 staples. The nickel plating covering this thing is also flaking off.

Most likely Arrow is using the same tooling in their manufacturing process that they have been using for the last 40 years. Manufacturers do this in order to save the expense of having to upgrade worn out tooling. They then "bin" each unit produced according to how close it comes to design tolerances. In other words, the units that come the closest to design are given a particular model number -- and higher price -- than those furthest out of tolerance. I suspect the T-50s are the units with the most variation from design tolerances while the model T-50PBN, for example, is closer to design specifications. (Thus it gets better reviews and commands a higher price.)

A former great stapler model is now a piece of junk. I think I can hear the sound of "Taps" being played in the distance...

...thanks for reading.
*** 2015-02-09 Update ***
Works Great After Adjustment

I got curious one day and decided to see what exactly was causing staples to jam in the new T50 I purchased. I disassembled the bottom of the stapler and checked to see if everything fit correctly. All the parts and their placement seemed to be in order. I then decided to slide some staples down the rail used to hold and align the staples. Using a full 'clip' of staples everything seemed to work fine -- I was able to slide the clip back and forth without issue. I then separated 10 individual staples from the clip and placed them onto the rail. I used the spring-loaded staple pusher to slowly and carefully push the individual staples down the rail as a group. When the group got near the driving end (stapling end) of the rail I noticed a problem. The first couple of staples slid just fine, but the next one hung up and caused a jam. I repeated this test several times reordering the individual staples. Sometimes the first staple would jam, while other times most of the staples would slide through before a jam occurred. At first I thought it might be a problem with the staples, but they all seemed to be identical, unbent, and undamaged. Upon closer inspection I noticed that the gap between one side of the rail and the center of the rail was narrower than the other side -- this is where the staples were hanging. I used a flat-headed screwdriver to bend out the side of the rail until all the individual staples would slide without hanging. I then reassembled the gun and it worked without jamming. I loaned the gun to a person who is recovering a living room couch. I warned this person about the jamming issue I had and told her to let me know if she has any problem. The couch is now almost completed and the gun didn't jam a single time. We estimate hundreds of staples have now been run through the gun without issue. Consequently, I've adjusted my rating on the T-50 from 1 star to three stars. I still think there is a quality control issue with this stapler (hence all the negative reviews) that customers shouldn't have to remedy themselves. Once I resolved the misaligned rail problem, however, the stapler works better than the old T50 I replaced. If you feel up to it, you may want to try to repair your stapler the same way I did. *** 2014-11-16 Review ***
Another Victim Of Corporate Shortsightedness

I inherited a T-50 from my father that he bought back in the late 1960s or early 1970s. That stapler went through hell and back and always performed great until the last few months. Cleaning and lubricating it has no effect -- it's simply worn out. Thinking what I great stapler it was I purchased a new T-50, but what a disappointment. The new unit jammed after only 5 staples. I had to take it apart to free the jam. I inserted another rail of Arrow staples and it jammed up again after about 10 staples. The nickel plating covering this thing is also flaking off. Most likely Arrow is using the same tooling in their manufacturing process that they have been using for the last 40 years. Manufacturers do this in order to save the expense of having to upgrade worn out tooling. They then "bin" each unit produced according to how close it comes to design tolerances. In other words, the units that come the closest to design are given a particular model number -- and higher price -- than those furthest out of tolerance. I suspect the T-50s are the units with the most variation from design tolerances while the model T-50PBN, for example, is closer to design specifications. (Thus it gets better reviews and commands a higher price. )

A former great stapler model is now a piece of junk. I think I can hear the sound of "Taps" being played in the distance... ... thanks for reading.