Zen-Wu F-2 Hammer Review

Tool: F-2 Titanium Hammer Shop Now  Manufacturer: Zen-Wu Toolworks MSRP: $159 It’s not often that a new tool company makes a significant impact in the woodworking market, and it’s even rarer [...]

95 and Counting

More than a century ago, Stanley introduced a new plane, and I’ve wanted one ever since. Well, no — I’m not that old — but it was still in production when I was born and would continue to be [...]

Handplanes for Beginners

Once you understand the anatomy of a handplane, you’ll be well on your way to using it with success. [View the full-size exploded view of a handplane here] Handplanes are the king of woodworking [...]

The Core Hand Tools

For the cost of one large piece of machinery, you can set up a complete shop with hand tools. Here's what you need to get started.

Coarse, Medium & Fine

  Most woodworking projects involve roughing, refining, and finishing steps, and using the right tool for each makes the work both precise and efficient. Too often we hear that hand tools [...]

16 Sharpening Tips for Woodworkers

Understanding the Why is just as important as the How. Hand tools are a pleasure to use — if they’re sharp. Once you have a sharp tool in your hands, you’ll begin to realize why some [...]

Rabbeting by Hand

Cutting rabbets by hand can quickly and easily be done with vintage and modern planes alike. Both just take a little know-how. I would consider a rabbet joint an essential woodworking joint to [...]

Understand & Use a Bowsaw

These traditional tools are woefully misunderstood by modern craftsmen. Here’s a primer. In the 1970s when I was the young, innocent and naive chairmaker at Strawbery Banke, a museum in [...]

Tooley Park Big Compass Kit Review

Tool: Tooley Park Big Compass Kit Shop Now  Manufacturer: Tooley Park MSRP: £150.00 ($201.50) A few issues ago, Popular Woodworking shared a set of scribers from a company in the UK [...]

Veritas Hacking Knife

Tool: Veritas Hacking Knife Shop Now  Manufacturer: Lee Valley MSRP: $95.00 Of all the tools in my shop, I probably use a knife the most. Oftentimes, it’s something as simple as cutting open [...]