You
might begin to believe hand tools will soon
disappear as you scroll through today’s
tools catalogs. With the development of cordless
tools, pneumatic tools and lasers, it almost
causes one to believe that conventional hand
tools belong somewhere closer to the Stone
Age than today’s workshops. Handtools are being defined as those instruments that
rely on the energy of the user for power.
These tools include screwdrivers, planers,
sanding blocks, hammers, saws and others.
The assumption these tools are out of date
is simply not accurate.
Stanley
tools have been recognized as outstanding
user powered tools for more than a century. The
Stanley company, in keeping with changing technologies,
is continually working to develop and manufacture
top quality power tools. It is not about to surrender
its line of hand tools. And, for good reason.
For some jobs, it is just easier to use hand
tools. Also, for some people, there is a special
satisfaction that comes from doing a task with
a hand tool. Perhaps it is a connection with
a father or grandfather who would have done the
job that way. Or, perhaps it is a reverence for
the wood and the project that is shattered by
the roar and clatter of power tools.
Leatherman
Tools Fill A Special Niche
Leatherman
tools are another example of useful handtools.
These all-in-one tools are handy to have in
situations where it is impractical to carry
a toolbox filled with power tools. These tools
have been and continue to be developed by a
man who has experienced the need for a single,
simple tools that could be used to accomplish
a variety of tasks. The leatherman
tool go
beyond the Swiss Army knife and combine a unique
cluster of hand tools into a compact, folding
frame.
Antique tools are valued by collectors and others
because of their uniqueness and the connection
they give us with nearly forgotten eras. Antique
woodworking tools such as hand planers, saws,
levels, gouges and many other such tools cause
us to marvel at the skill of ancestoral craftsmen.
These tools are interesting in the tasks they
accomplished and the technologies employed.
There is a special satisfaction that comes from
working with wood. For many, the reward is in
the doing much more than in the finished project.
For these people, tools provide a connection
with the project and require skills and techniques
that contribute to making the project worthwhile.
Often, these people find this is best accomplished
by working with hand tools.
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