AN IDEA BORN ON THE ROOF
How a roofer’ s experience and a family’ s commitment helped bring Blaze Tool to life.
For Kenton Reimer, the idea behind Blaze Tool began with work he knew well. Years in roofing had given him a close understanding of the challenges installers face, including the repeated cutting and fitting that make each roof a different job.
He had already been experimenting with a blade when a heart attack changed his circumstances. Facing an uncertain future, Kenton and his family made a decision: they would put their efforts into bringing that idea to market.
“ Me and my family decided we’ re gonna go for it,” he recalls.
Three months after the heart attack, they took the product to the Supply-Build show in Edmonton. Blaze Tool earned the 2025 Best New Product award, giving the family an encouraging milestone early in their venture.
Behind that recognition was a practical question: how could a blade cut a shingle while helping avoid damage to the material beneath it?
“ The reason for not sharpening it was so that we could create something that wouldn’ t cut through layers underneath,” Kenton explains.
Leaving the blade’ s points unsharpened was a deliberate choice, intended to help it glide over the underlying material while cutting the shingle above. His approach considered the entire task, including what needed to remain untouched.
The attachment fits a standard oscillating tool, allowing roofers to make push or pull cuts through asphalt shingles and navigate the individual shapes and details they encounter on a roof.
For homeowners, Kenton’ s story offers a glimpse into how construction tools evolve through the experience of people doing the work. For his family, it marks a new chapter: turning an idea inspired by his roofing experience into a venture they chose to build together.- Blaze Tool, www. blazetool. ca