I have both styles and prefer the straight one for some reason, others may prefer the bent style, personal preference I suppose. It's really a very straight forward job, about the toughest part is to get the hog ring into the plier properly if it's in an awkward area. I hold the ring in the middle with needle nose pliers to get it in a position to grab if it's in a tight spot. Make sure your seat cover is centerd properly and away you go. Cheers