Archives

Tool:Mike Dunbar-Style ScorpShop Now Manufacturer: Barr Tools MSRP: $170 Barr Tools out of Boise, Idaho has a reputation for making high-quality, hand forged tools. I first heard of Barr Tools [...]

Tool: Joinery Saw Shop Now Manufacturer: David Jeske MSRP: $235 If you’ve been around hand tools for any amount of time, David Jeske is probably familiar to you. Dave is the founder of Blue [...]

The simplest tool in your chest is also the most sensitive and versatile; here’s how to set up a chisel to a high level and wield it like a maestro. It’s almost impossible to build furniture [...]

Learn how to choose and use these versatile shaping tools. As a Windsor chairmaker and spokeshave maker, I use a spokeshave more than any other tool. I have three: two straight shaves (large and [...]

Tool: 5 Piece Spoon Carving Set Shop Now Manufacturer: Stryi MSRP: $249 For several years, I’ve seen tools coming out of Western Ukraine, and they’ve always appeared to be high-quality. One [...]

Cutting miters so they are ‘just right’ is a problem faced by all woodworkers. Here’s how to sneak up on the perfect miter with scrap wood and a plane. You find yourself in a quandary. To ensure [...]

When you know what you’re doing, chisels can be wonderfully helpful tools. If all you want to do with your chisels is adjust machine-cut joints or slice glue drips, any technique or tool will [...]

Discover a nearly extinct tool that can help you work faster and more accurately. As preposterous as the notion seems, the historical record suggests cabinetmakers working in dim shops with hand [...]

Discover what really matters when choosing a handsaw. You don’t have to be a saw maker to think about saws like one. Some of the most important decisions made when making a saw get surprisingly [...]

Most bench planes come equipped to eliminate tear-out. Handplanes are great tools for creating a smooth, finish-ready surface on a board without the dust and noise from a sander. If the board is [...]

An experiment uncovers cutting edges of the past. “How did they sharpen their tools back then?” I’ve asked this question myself and I have been asked the question, and I’ve never felt comfortable [...]

For this work, hand tools are better than power tools. Fitting butt hinges is exacting work. For precision, you might think that power tools are the way to go, but I always turn to a small set of [...]