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Hand Tool Posts

Understand Your Hand Tools – Improve Your Woodworking

Hand tools are the core of what we do and how we build.
There’s many ways to approach your woodworking, but I’ve always believed that a minimal tool kit is the best.

Fewer tools means we  get to understand each one that bit better. We learn how they work, and build up skill with less confusion.
And in all honesty, woodworking by hand is simple. So you really can be minimal.

Below you’ll find all our posts on hand tools.
From saws to hand planes, & drills to marking tools.

There’s thoughts on buying, videos on setting up, and ideas for building you own…


Perfect Tracking & Japanese Hand Saws

September 13, 2016 By Richard Maguire 61 Comments

Using A Japanese Pull Saw From Above

I've been standing on top of my workbench again. Strangely I'm up there quite a lot. Sometimes I just lay on there... and think. I've been a long time obsessive of Japanese woodworking. I find it truly fascinating and have promised myself if I make it to retirement, I'll treat myself to a nice … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Sawing, Woodworking Hand Tools

Bandsaw Alternative

May 13, 2016 By Richard Maguire 39 Comments

Despite writing my sensual spiel about the whys of the bandsaw, I haven't actually used it since closing the workbench business. That's because I discovered the frame saw (that thing that the savages use). Prior to four months ago, the most experience I had with one of these savage implements … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Sawing, Woodworking Hand Tools

ECE Hand Plane Review

March 29, 2016 By Richard Maguire 49 Comments

ECE Hand Plane Review

We don't do many reviews. That's because I'm human and that makes me biased. But sometimes, something comes along that's quite special, it's then that I find it hard to shut up. I discovered this hand plane when looking at commercially made frame saw blades for some future planned...plan? I ended … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Buying Hand Tools, Woodworking Hand Tools

Non Tweak-Able Tools

March 9, 2016 By Richard Maguire 32 Comments

My most well used tools are like mates; I accept them warts and all, and they're dependable without needing to be pampered. I'm careful not to cross the line though, and some job's around our building site of a home would be plain abuse of a good friendship. For those jobs I call on something … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Woodworking Hand Tools

Cap Iron Fatigue

March 2, 2016 By Richard Maguire 42 Comments

Since ranting about using the cap iron for dealing with tear out, the question 'why do you only use it when smoothing?' comes up a lot. This question is best answered by me asking you to go and do something. Go and set your hand plane up to take a shaving with the cap iron nice and close to … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Hand Planing, Woodworking Hand Tools

When Is It A Luxury?

September 11, 2015 By Richard Maguire 11 Comments

I doubt that any two tool kits are the same. They're brought together in such an individual and accidental way, and with so many varieties of tool, the probability of any two collections matching exactly must be infinitely small. My tools for example are a fairly ugly lot. I'm no collector, just a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Woodworking Hand Tools

The Hand Plane Build – Getting Prepped

September 2, 2015 By Richard Maguire 40 Comments

UPDATE - The Full Build Is Now Available! CLICK for details. What You'll Need If you plan to build along with us then here's what you'll need to follow the same Jack Plane design: Iron - I'm using a Hock blade complete with cap iron (chip breaker) made to fit the Stanley No. 4 and 5 … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Free Videos, Make Your Own Tools, Woodworking Hand Tools

How To Use A Fillister Plane

August 25, 2015 By Richard Maguire 15 Comments

A Fillister Plane Makes Cutting A Rebate Joint Fast & Repeatable

Anyone used to using machines or power tools can be surprised at just how quickly a joint can be banged out by hand. There might not be any motors, but there are many tasks which can be completed well before you would have had time to find the bits and set up a router. In addition to the benefits of … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Hand Planing, Woodworking Hand Tools, Woodworking Techniques

Learning To Set Wooden Planes

August 14, 2015 By Helen 40 Comments

Wooden Smoothing Plane

When I decided to start woodworking I chose do it with wooden planes. Perhaps this was heavily influenced by what Richard felt would be a good route to take, but also because I've always felt a great attraction towards them. Setting up a wooden hand plane is not intuitive. Not for me … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Hand Planing, Woodworking For Beginners, Woodworking Hand Tools, Woodworking Techniques

Basic Hand Tools List, For Getting Started

August 7, 2015 By Richard Maguire 38 Comments

hand tools list - basic kit for getting started

Today I want to talk about basic hand tools, which are new, cheap and practical. There's been a huge interest in the second hand tool market in recent years. Second hand prices are variable, but on the whole they're popular because they're cheap. Cheap is an awful word, easily taken to mean … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Buying Hand Tools, Woodworking Hand Tools

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