What's your favorite hand tool?

[Daniel Morgan]

It's nothing special, just a scratch awl.

It's special to me because it was my grandfather's. He was a master carpenter, building houses for decades. He showed me how to use it and take care of it.

It was a staple of his toolbox and it shows many years of use.

So, come on folks, what's your favorite tool and why?

P.S. Can someone tell me how to make my photo files smaller so they will upload?

Thanks

[Shawn Pixley]

For woodworking, it is my LN 60-1/2 block plane. It seems to fit my hand so well and is so very useful, it is almost always on the bench ready for use.

For metalworking, it is my grandfather's small sledge. I have such good memories of him using it and me helping when I was young. He was such a profound male role model, using it reminds me to be a better man. Not very logical, but very real, nonetheless.

[Curtis Niedermier]

Mine varies, depending on the day, but for the most part it's my Bad Axe 12-inch hybrid dovetail/small tenon saw filed rip. I use it for 98 percent of my sawing - crosscut and ripping. It's the only tool I bring in the house every night. The rest sleep in the garage.

A close second would be my Veritas bevel-up jack plane. It was my only plane for a long time, and I've used it for all sorts of tasks beyond what would be considered it's "intended"
purpose.

I'm also really starting to enjoy shaping wood with a spokeshave and could see a nice shave taking over my top spot soon. I will hopefully be investing in a couple of the Boggs shaves soon. Once I refurb a couple of drawknives, I'm planning to start working on some simple chairs. The little drawknife work I have done has been very enjoyable too.

[Jim Koepke]

So, come on folks, what's your favorite tool and why?

P.S. Can someone tell me how to make my photo files smaller so they will upload?

Naming a favorite tool is like trying to name a favorite child. Today one thrills you and tomorrow it is another deserving heaps of praise.

Somedays it is even a stone that is "King of the shop."

I have used a shareware program called Graphic Converter. There are likely others that allow you to save images to jpegs and then allow the user to set the file size.

jtk

[Derrell W Sloan]

Right now it is a spoke shave. My 6 year old son loves to use it and the big smile it puts on his face puts a big smile on my face. I also take pleasure in thinking that one day he will be able to teach his children how to use it and he can remember the times we worked together with it. I doubt that will happen with any of my tools that have a cord attached to them.

[Jim R Edwards]

Lie Nielsen 60 1/2R.

[Tony Zaffuto]

LN 102 (maybe, as I got to think a bit more). Maybe my vintage #16 panel saw. Nope, the vintage 4# Stanley tri-square.

Jim's got it right: they're like kids, one day you want to kick the rear, the next day you're giving them a hug.

[Adam Petersen]

Veritas carcase crosscut saw. I use it for 95% of my crosscuts. It gets used a lot, cuts nice and feels great in my hand.

[Gary Baler]

Its a Stanley no. 78 duplex rabbet plane my father bought in about 1949. He was building a house next to our little trailer home and was so excited when he brought it home. I was 4 years old and still remember him sitting at the kitchen table carving a box for it. I build log home decor ... mostly from aspen and it is great for cleaning up rabbets on picture frames. I think of him every time I use it. He built this house by himself with no electrical tools ... and as far as I can remember, just a hand saw, a hammer, a brace and bit and this plane.

I've probably used it on a hundred frames and never had to sharpen the blade. Can't tell you how many hours it has saved me by allowing me to get into the corners of the picture frame rabbets so that the glass will lay flat.

[Malcolm Schweizer]

We have to pick just one??? Well certainly the new LV shooting plane is a top contender. It's just so beautiful as well as functional. Also the whole idea of shooting miters has really changed my game. I should have done this long ago.

Another favorite, also from LV- my matched set of skewed dab sting block planes. I use them for all sorts of trimming, especially in wood strip building and for making ship laps on lapstrake construction.

[Joe Tilson]

My hands are my favorite tools. They're always there for you when you need them. They work well together and never seem to complain to much, well, until you get a little older, that is.

[Adam Cruea]

Favorite? Probably my #51 shooter. I don't use it much, but it's just so nice to use and feels so nice.

If not that, one of my #8 jointers or one of my BadAxe saws.

[Chris Griggs]

Tough question, and it changes. Currently, I'm really digging the Miller Falls 15, I picked up this past spring. It gets A LOT of use.

[george wilson]

This question has come up before. I still have to say the knife. It is capable of doing more kinds of work than any other tool. I used to carve guitar necks with a pocket knife when I was young,and I carved the lion's head violin neck largely with a knife.

[Curt Putnam]

Favorite in terms of sentimental is a spokeshave I got for my 11th or 12th birthday. Favorite in terms of antiques is a probably 150+ yr old mallet that I've loaded with epoxy to put back in user condition. Favorite in terms of use is whatever is sharpest at the moment. Love my power strops.

Irfanview is a widely popular, free image viewing program that has a resize/resample capability. I use Lightroom for that sort of stuff.

[Bob Glenn]

Draw knife.

[Greg Berlin]

I think the LV bevel up jack plane. It's the plane to reach for the most followed the bu smoothing plane. I love that with a few blades sharpened at different angles, I could pretty much rid the shop of the rest of my hand planes. I can't see where they fail compared the standard bevel down planes at all. I haven't been able to find a task those two planes couldn't handle. At least in my shop so far.

[Don Dorn]

My good broom. May not be my favorite, but I use it several times per project because without it, it's not an inviting or comfortable place to work.

[Steve Voigt]

Its a Stanley no. 78 duplex rabbet plane my father bought in about 1949. He was building a house next to our little trailer home and was so excited when he brought it home. I was 4 years old and still remember him sitting at the kitchen table carving a box for it. I build log home decor ... mostly from aspen and it is great for cleaning up rabbets on picture frames. I think of him every time I use it. He built this house by himself with no electrical tools ... and as far as I can remember, just a hand saw, a hammer, a brace and bit and this plane.


What a great story.

[Tony Wilkins]

I'd have to say my LN chisels followed closely by my LV BU jointer.

[Steve Friedman]

I've got to agree with George - it's a knife. In my case, it's a North Bay Forge medium straight knife. Have the large and small also, but the medium just fits my hand perfectly. Easy to travel with. How many other tools can be used solo to make something out of wood from start to finish?

Steve

[Frederick Skelly]

Favorite would be my MF #9. Went from my grandfather, to my old man, to me. It was my first plane. I restored it to nearly new (and learned to use it) with help from the guys on this forum.

Most used would be my LN low angle block plane.

Fred

[Tony Shea]

Not sure if it qualifies as a hand tool but my bench is def my most used and favorite tool.

As for a tool I use in my hands it def has to be a knife with a scandi grind hands down. I use a knife in my shop more than any other tool at the moment and is my favorite to use. It is the basis for which all other cutting tools have been designed around.

I also use my LN 102 a ton and is probably my 2nd favorite.

I could probably go right down the list of all my tools and say they're my favorite, I just love tools!

[Rich Harkrader]

My Irwin Marples Blue Chip 1/2" chisel. I do 80%+ of my chisel work with it, in spite of owning over 50 chisels. It was one of the first hand tools I bought and is by far and away the most used.

[Daniel Rode]

My favorite hand tool is one I don't own yet. I really want the LN Rabbet Block Plane. I don't use a shoulder plane, block plane or rabbet plane often. Mostly because I only own a block plane and it's not a very good one. For me, this tool would replace all 3 in one handy package. I can cleanup a machined rabbets or even cut one in a pinch, I can clean up and fit tenons and I can do all the chamfers and end grain work that a LA block plane is so handy for. A Jack of all trades plane.

$175 is cheap considering everything it can do plus should have the renowned LN fit and finish.

Maybe Santa will remember it next year ;)

[David Weaver]

I think you'll find that you like a chisel and a rabbet plane better than the rabbet block. there's just not quite enough to hold on there. My three favorites for rabbets and tenon work.

* a simple vintage rabbet plane, cleaned up and sharp (figure 25 bucks, something like an inch and a quarter wide)
* a good chisel that's a pleasure to use with your hands (figure another 25)
* a bed float from lie nielsen (from the planemaker's section)

No clue what the bed floats cost right now, but with those three things, you can clean rabbets and tenons fast, and the vintage rabbet plane will give you a better sense for vertical/square. If you have a tenon marked out well, you can clean the cheek to the marking line literally in seconds with a bed float, and nearly as fast with a chisel.

[Mike Henderson]

My favorite hand tool is one I don't own yet. I really want the LN Rabbet Block Plane. I don't use a shoulder plane, block plane or rabbet plane often. Mostly because I only own a block plane and it's not a very good one. For me, this tool would replace all 3 in one handy package. I can cleanup a machined rabbets or even cut one in a pinch, I can clean up and fit tenons and I can do all the chamfers and end grain work that a LA block plane is so handy for. A Jack of all trades plane.

$175 is cheap considering everything it can do plus should have the renowned LN fit and finish.

Maybe Santa will remember it next year ;)

I bought an LN rabbet block plane with the same thoughts. Reality intruded. The exposed edges of the blade can do damage where you don't want it, including to your hand, when you try to use it as a regular block plane.

I now have a bunch of block planes (low and high) and my favorite is a Stanley 65 (with knuckle joint lever cap) and a modern blade. I also have an LV medium shoulder plane and like it, but it doesn't get a lot of use. The LN rabbet block plane gets very little use - I probably should sell it.

Mike

[Oh, my favorite hand tool is my set of chisels.]

[Robert Johnson]

My favorite is a vintage Stanley Bailey no. 4, type 11, circa 1914 with the original blade. I have a few old Bedrocks with LV PM-V11 blades and a few new Lie Nielsen planes, but the old Bailey just looks great with its wonderful patina. My other planes hold a sharp edge very well and can make whisper thin shavings, but the Bailey just feels better in the hand. I got it several years ago for a few dollars on eBay and it's the tool that encouraged me to sell all of my power tools to set up a hand tool shop.

[Winton Applegate]

Favorite hand tool. I am going to have to post more than one. I can't decide. And of course cheat with an electric "hand tool" . Actually it takes the combination of both hands and one foot (or knee if you are in a tight spot). Hey at least is stuff to look at. And you didn't say woodworking hand tool.
. . .
here is the short list.
I may change my mind later and will post again but these came immediately to mind.
Sorry they aren't on the higher minded plane like the mini sledge. Like I said, I'm going pure pig dog here.

Small to large

These things opened up a whole 'nuther world for me as far as sharpening drill bits and carbide cutting tools by hand while in the battle. I was sharpening my bosses cobalt drill bits just to finish up a project today.
http://www.amazon.com/EZE-LAP-PAK5-Color-Coded-Diamond/dp/B002RL83DQ/ref=pd_cp_hi_2


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_RLWKMXrqk
I love those things !

My BFF (Big F_____ Files) Alas for my metal work. Does anyone have a source for larger ones ? I want some larger ones.
http://i801.photobucket.com/albums/yy298/noydb1/Shellac/IMG_2490_zpsb37a6f24.jpg (http://s801.photobucket.com/user/noydb1/media/Shellac/IMG_2490_zpsb37a6f24.jpg.html)


And the chisel I put next to them. Used it to build the Klausz bench. Honkin' dove tails etc.
OH YAH
http://i801.photobucket.com/albums/yy298/noydb1/Shellac/IMG_2486_zps830548bb.jpg (http://s801.photobucket.com/user/noydb1/media/Shellac/IMG_2486_zps830548bb.jpg.html)

and
http://www.japanwoodworker.com/product/156882/112-Kamaji-Blue-Steel-Paring-Chisel---Iyoroi.aspx
Cuts good.

And finally, one of my great loves, I fell in love with her in high school while I was taking night classes in welding so I could get time on some oxy acetylene silver and brass brazing torches. One look was all it took and I had to have her. My Miller weighs about five hundred pounds not counting her argon bottle but it's what's inside that counts . . . right ?
Watch these and you may fall in love as I did.


Hey it is woodworking, he is demonstrating on his table saw.
Just watch the beginning for the equipment involved. The actual welding in this one is irritating so skip that.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJksVs2QT5Q


Thick (just glance at this one moves pretty slow but that is some thick stuff there)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSnj8AASuFs


Thin (feel free to skip the ad and to skip to the middle where he is actually welding. Be sure to see the cut away at the very end.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02U0H15_WEg
Foil welding is possible with robotics
Note the white gloves.
Clean huh ?
No smoke, No spatter.
For those uninitiated here is how the other guys do it. Choke, gag . . . WOW something is on fire ! Again !
Dang it it's my shirt !
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NVVqy0mpFI

Those are my favorites . . .
well besides my Klausz bench
and
my bicycle
and my . . .

PS: I know I didn't say why. Trying to keep it short.
What's not to like ?

[Tony Zaffuto]

I'll second and third what Mike and David have said about the LN rabbet block plane. I have one, but don't use it much at all. Maybe try the LN 140 instead?

[Edward Mitton]

Oddly, my favorite hand tool in my collection is one that I haven't used yet....It is an old Pexto 3/4" socket chisel that belonged to my grandfather. It is in really bad shape because I believe he used it more for a cold chisel application rather than a woodworking tool. (He was, after all, an aircraft mechanic during WWI and an automobile repairman in the '30s and '40s). Anyway, this old thing is badly nicked, there is no wood handle, and the socket is adequately mushroomed. I intend to do a nice restoration on it, already have a small mountain ash log picked out for turning a new handle. I anticipate this as being my most used chisel once it is put into proper working condition.

[Chuck Nickerson]

That would have to be my Barr Cabinetmaker's Chisels without the side bevels.
They are brutes that hold an edge like nobody's business.

[Mike Holbrook]

I could not select just one specialized woodworking tool so I will have to agree with George... MicroTech WhaleShark, flip open folding knife. Unless I have to go to the airport it is on me and constantly in use.

[Michael Ray Smith]

Millers Falls #1 spoke shave. Today anyway. Sometimes my LV low angle block plane. Sometimes my Stanley No. 2 bench plane.

[Jonas Andersson]

Gotta say the hammer. It is the problem solver.

[Edward Miller]

I'm going to cheat and pick two.

1) A Stanley #5 jack plane. Absolutely nothing special about it, except that it belonged to my grandfather, and getting it made rough planing jobs go from being an incredible chore that took forever to something a bit more reasonable.

2) My 28" rip saw. It's kinda beat-up, is missing one of the screws that attaches the handle, has no visible etch, and doesn't have that many sharpenings left in it, but it just flies through wood. I found it hanging in the garage at an estate sale without a price on it; they gave it to me for $2, and it took no time to become my favorite saw.

[Kim Malmberg]

I agree with George. If this list woyld be about which tool you'd keep if you had to give away every single other tool except one, I'd say I would keep the puukko knife.
A saw would be very close, as would an axe. But a good knife can do more than most other tools can. It's a Swiss army knife without all the extra tools.

[Brian Thornock]

If I had to pick just one, it is probably the infill shoulder plane that I built. Not necessarily because of how much I use it, but because it is beautiful and I made it myself. I tend to love using my shop made tools. As for tools not made by me, my lv la block gets tons of use.

[Ruperto Mendiones]

My Lee Valley shooting plane. I've never had a cutting tool work so well right out of the box.

[Winton Applegate]

MicroTech WhaleShark
I have only recently payed any attention to that type of knife.
You know . . .
for hand to hand combat on the bike path. Ha, Ha,
(is that still hand to hand ? Guess not . . . anyway )


I bought this guy and find it a great design. No it does not feel like I would have the least possibility of my finger going past the blade hook and onto the edge.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004MNAKYM/ref=oh_details_o01_s00_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1


Lee Valley shooting plane.
I tend to be one to just plane the end with a little block even though I have the LN Miter plane (that I like)
. . . but say . . . the Lee Valley is an appealing plane.
I need to start paying attention to catalogs again.
That one could make me do something unforgivable with my Visa card !

I must say to see the things that have been mentioned here I been working harder than I like. Searching on google etc. I am feeling exhausted. I can't go another step.
I have moved from the main couch to my fainting couch.
Swooning as I desperately try to stay conscious long enough to type this.
How bout more links and photos ?

For those not so keen on posting photos I have worked up an instruction sheet for Photobucket along with another member here who asked me to help.
There is probably an instruction page here on SawMill but he wasn't able to come up with it easily.

Anyway here is our effort in that department.
Some pretty big in line pictures. Ha, ha, yah often when I want them to be smaller.
Many I am pulling from a file I have that I have used in other forums. There they come out not too big. In SawMill Creek they show up way larger and I have to remember to make them smaller but I don't always.

Annnnny way here is the deal :

For SawMill I have to store my photos on Photobucket.
Before I put a photo there that I intend to post on SawMill I first drag the photo from my photo program iPhoto onto my desk top.
on my computer (I have a Mac)
I double click the icon of the photo and it opens and starts a program called Preview.


Then I go to the pull down called Tools and in Tools is "Adjust Size".
From the list of sizes I select the smallest one; 320 X 240 or there abouts. That is plenty big for most posts.
The next size up 640 x 480 and that shows up on SawMill pretty big. You get the idea.
I hit save and close the photo and it goes back to the desk top as an icon.


I go to my Photobucket site on line.
Click on Up Load.
Drag the photo (you can drag several at once) onto the area labeled to receive them.
Wait for them to transfer, indicated by the blue bar at the bottom.
Then a commercial starts but if you look for the Library pull down at the top and select Recent Uploads it will stop the commercial and take you to the photo(s) you just uploaded.


From there click on the photo you want to use on SawMill.
To the right of the screen there will be a list of ways to make the photo available = "Links To Share This Photo".
I click in the little window next to "IMG".
It will flash yellow very briefly and you will know you have copied what you need to transfer the photo.


Then go back to SawMill.
Type your text.
Where ever you want that photo click there and then paste.
The photo will show up there when you preview your post or you click on "Quick Reply" or something like that.
Some of the guys have photos that when you click on them in SawMill they expand and leave the text behind.
I assume that is one of the other Links To Share This Photo available in Photobucket or where ever they are storing their photos on an online server. Or maybe they are paying the host for SawMill as a Member Fee.
I don't know about that.


Let me know how that works.
If you have a PC/Windows/Microsoft maybe we can get a person from SawMill to help with that.


Cheers,
Winton

[Winton Applegate]

While I am on about knives, does anyone have a sunfish / elephant toenail (http://www.iknifecollector.com/group/elephanttoenailcollectorsclub) they want to get rid of ?

I don't have one but have the bug to get one.
I am kind of picky so here is my preferences :
I don't want a cheepy modern chinese knock off.
I want:
Dark handle
Blade that rusts
Engraved blade

[Andy Pratt]

I love to look at all my LN/lv planes/spokeshaves/saws on the shelf the most but the thing I honestly get the most use out of is a simple marking knife I made for myself. It is made from a tiny hand file blade that I re-purposed. I wet-ground a double edged blade on it and epoxied it into a nicely shaped walnut handle. It isn't fancy but it fits my hand perfectly and looks ok, it fits all the way into deep recesses (since it has a thin, 2" long blade sticking out) and marks great in either direction. I even bothered to heat treat the blade end with a torch so that it would stay sharp, and it actually worked quite well.

Favorite hand tool to use though has to be a spokeshave on easy wood (seems like it never happens though) making nice gentle curves in something like an axe handle. You know, the kind of work no one would ever pay you to do but you get to do for yourself during down time.

[Jim Koepke]

Favorite hand tool to use though has to be a spokeshave on easy wood (seems like it never happens though) making nice gentle curves in something like an axe handle. You know, the kind of work no one would ever pay you to do but you get to do for yourself during down time.

This is a joy of mine with many tools. It is really nice to have a comfortable handle whether it be axe, hatchet, saw or plane.

jtk