Hand Tools
Over the past 10 years, I have slowly but steadily build and equipped my shop, putting a lot of effort into researching each of the tools to make sure to always get good value for the money invested. You will find here a list of hand tools I would recommend to all builders, woodworkers and DIY lovers. Most of them are affiliate links, meaning I will get a small commission in case you decide to make a purchase, which would greatly support this site and its content.
Hand Saw Classic "western-style" hand saw which typically work on the push stroke, equipped with a hardwood handle and sharp teeth that allow for rapid trimming Buy on Amazon
Japanese Dozuki Pull Saw Quality Japanese pull saw (as they cut on the pull stroke as opposed to western-style saws that cut on the push stroke. This one is from renowned Japanese saw maker Gyokucho and comes with only 0.3 mm blade thickness, excellent for dovetail cuts. Buy on Amazon
Japanese Ryoba Pull Saw Versatile Ryoba-style (without saw back reinforcement) Japanese pull saw with 2 sides, one for rip cut and the other for crosscut. Buy on Amazon
Block Plane Adjustable block plane made of cast iron, with a 1-3/8-Inch Blade set at a low angle which is useful for face grain and end grain, e.g. to plane chamfers on hardwood. Buy on Amazon
Draw Knife Very efficient on green wood to remove large shavings of wood or bark by drawing the knife towards the user. Buy on Amazon
Flush Cut Saw Japanese razor saw from Gyokucho with double edge for flush cutting dowels or protruding pins. Buy on Amazon
Speed square Speed square are super handy to quickly mark 45 degree angles or simply as a circular saw guide to quickly cross-cut a board. Buy on Amazon
Spokeshave Initially designed for making spokes on horse carriages, this tool is used to shape curves or round stock, e.g. for a stool leg or a tool handle. Buy on Amazon
No 4 Plane Good quality plane from renowned tool-making company Stanley that comes with hardened A2 steel and cherry handles. Buy on Amazon
Combination Square 6” combination square from Massachusetts-based company Starrett, can’t get any better in terms of precision and build quality. Very versatile tool for marking precise 45 and 90 degree angles, as a height gauge for setting the table saw blade or as a depth gauge when cutting mortises. Buy on Amazon
Marking Knife Marking knifes produce very accurate lines that aid a great deal to make precise cuts. Comes with hardwood handle and flattened sides to prevent roll-away. Buy on Amazon
Chisel Set Premium quality chisel set in 6 different sizes. The blades are made from tempered chrome-manganese steel, hardened to Rc 59 so they hold an excellent edge. Sharp out of the box, a joy to work with! Buy on Amazon
Soft-Faced Hammer Soft-faced hammer with one soft face for assembly & one hard nylon face for chisels. Won’t leave ugly dents on your work pieces! Buy on Amazon
Sliding T-Bevel Swanson Tool 9-Inch sliding t-bevel with a nice hardwood handle and brass bound, indispensable tool to repeat angles. Buy on Amazon
Screwdriver Set For some delicate screws such as door hinges or anything linked to electronics, you should go for the good ol’ screwdriver to better control the torque you are applying. This is a quality set that will last for ages. Buy on Amazon
Paint Scraper Bahco carbide 2.5" heavy-duty scraper for super easy removal of paint, glue, varnish or excess epoxy – way faster and less dusty compared to sanders. Buy on Amazon
Marking Gauge Beautifully made marking gauge allows you to make line marks with ease by simply rolling the brass fence along the wood surface. Can also be used as a depth gauge, e.g. for mortises. Buy on Amazon
File Set Files are indispensable to smoothen intricate shapes or to get rid of rasp marks. This set will have you covered for every possible use case, whether it be for wood, metal, glass etc. Buy on Amazon
Rasp Set Set of quality rasp, very useful to shape stock, for example for new tool handles. Buy on Amazon