Summary

Learning to work with hand tools takes a little guts, some basic dexterity and some background information. In today’s shop, you supply the guts, anyone can learn the dexterity and the background is best gotten from a crusty German master cabinetmaker.

Now, if you don’t have a crusty German master cabinetmaker hiding in the garage, we have something almost as good that should help you on your way. This book is 224 pages of the best writing on hand tools from Popular Woodworking and Woodworking Magazine during the last 10 years assembled into a full-color and reasonably priced book.

“Hand Tool Essentials” (Popular Woodworking Books) contains articles from all of our regular contributors during the last decade, including Lonnie Bird, David Charlesworth, Adam Cherubini, Don McConnell, Frank Klausz and magazine editor Christopher Schwarz.

The 43 chapters cover a wide range of topics, from how to assemble your first kit of hand tools at a flea market for less than $100 and tune them up, to advanced topics such as how to blend bench planes with power tools, how to make custom chisel handles and how to select an exotic infill handplane.

Not only is there a wide range of subject matter in the book, there’s also a wide range of opinion on what are the best practices. We tried hard not to make this a dogmatic, you-must-work-this-way book. So you’ll get a good dose of 18th-century techniques and philosophy from Adam Cherubini, a firm understanding of the merits of wooden-bodied planes and spokeshaves from Don McConnell, and a modern hybrid of hand and power techniques from Lonnie Bird, David Charlesworth and Christopher Schwarz.

Here are some of the raw numbers on this book: We packed in nine chapters on sharpening, five on chisels, 10 on handplanes and five on sawing. In addition, we also squeezed in complete plans for a French-style workbench, an Arts & Crafts wall-hung tool cabinet, an English sawbench and a useful miter shooting board.

Armed with the complete picture of hand work in the modern shop, we think you’ll be able to find the path that’s best for you. And in some ways, that approach might be even better than the advice you’d get from an old German cabinetmaker.

Our Return and Refund Policy

Shipping is $6 per book and $3 per CD. If you wish to return an item, simply return it to us by ground mail within 30 days of your order. We will promptly refund your money and the cost of the ground shipping. Send all returns to: Returns, Lost Art Press LLC, 26 Greenbriar Ave., Fort Mitchell, KY 41017. Please be sure to include your return address and a phone number so we can contact you in case there is a problem with your return. If you have questions about a return, send us an e-mail at sharon@lostartpress.com or call (317) 603-3605.