If you love your tools, want to understand them, look after them, own the very best, and use them effectively, then this is the book for you. A complete visual guide featuring more than 800 images, and a foreword from Nick Offerman, The Tool Book pays homage to generations of craftsmanship, ingenuity, and know-how.



It looks at tools from every angle, so you can understand the structure and make-up of your trusted tool, and includes illustrations of tools in action. Gallery pages display different types of hammer, spade, or chisel, and there's expert advice on what to look for when choosing a tool.



Clear step-by-step photography walks you through how to use your tools like a pro, while easy-to-use charts provide tips on how best to care for them. The Tool Book explores, in loving detail, why each tool is the right tool for the job, and why it deserves pride of place in your tool shed, workshop, or studio.

• 1: PLAN YOUR WORK AREA
• 2: CHOOSING A TOOL BELT
• 3: CHOOSING A TOOL BOX
• 4: CHOOSING A TOOL SHED
• 5: THE TOOLS FOR MEASURING & MARKING
• • 1: HISTORY OF MEASURING & MARKING
  • 2: CHOOSING A MARKING TOOL
  • 3: STRUCTURE OF A MORTISE GAUGE
  • 4: USING A MORTISE GAUGE
  • 5: CHOOSING A MEASURE
  • 6: CHOOSING A CALIPER OR DIVIDER
  • 7: STRUCTURE OF A DIGITAL CALIPER
  • 8: USING A DIGITAL CALIPER
  • 9: CHOOSING A SQUARE
  • 10: STRUCTURE OF A COMBINATION SQUARE
  • 11: USING A COMBINATION SQUARE
  • 12: CHOOSING A LEVEL
  • 13: STRUCTURE OF A SPIRIT LEVEL
  • 14: USING A SPIRIT LEVEL
• 6: THE TOOLS FOR CUTTING & CHOPPING
• • 1: HISTORY OF CUTTING & CHOPPING
  • 2: CHOOSING A SAW
  • 3: STRUCTURE OF A HACKSAW
  • 4: USING A HACKSAW
  • 5: STRUCTURE OF A HANDSAW
  • 6: USING A HANDSAW
  • 7: CHOOSING AN AXE
  • 8: STRUCTURE OF A SPLITTING AXE
  • 9: USING A SPLITTING AXE
  • 10: CHOOSING A KNIFE
  • 11: STRUCTURE OF A UTILITY KNIFE
  • 12: USING A UTILITY KNIFE
  • 13: CHOOSING A SCYTHE OR SICKLE
  • 14: STRUCTURE OF AN ENGLISH SCYTHE
  • 15: CHOOSING SHEARS
  • 16: STRUCTURE OF TOPIARY SHEARS
  • 17: USING TOPIARY SHEARS
  • 18: CHOOSING A PRUNER OR LOPPER
  • 19: STRUCTURE OF BYPASS SECATEURS
  • 20: USING BYPASS SECATEURS
  • 21: MAINTAIN TOOLS FOR CUTTING AND CHOPPING
• 7: THE TOOLS FOR FIXING & FASTENING
• • 1: HISTORY OF FIXING & FASTENING
  • 2: CHOOSING A SCREWDRIVER
  • 3: STRUCTURE OF A RATCHET SCREWDRIVER
  • 4: USING A RATCHET SCREWDRIVER
  • 5: CHOOSING A WRENCH
  • 6: STRUCTURE OF A TORQUE WRENCH
  • 7: USING A TORQUE WRENCH
  • 8: CHOOSING A DRILL AND DRILL BIT
  • 9: STRUCTURE OF A COMBI DRILL
  • 10: USING A COMBI DRILL
  • 11: CHOOSING A VICE
  • 12: STRUCTURE OF A MECHANICS VICE
  • 13: USING A MECHANICS VICE
  • 14: CHOOSING A CLAMP
  • 15: CHOOSING PINCERS OR PLIERS
  • 16: STRUCTURE OF COMBINATION PLIERS
  • 17: USING COMBINATION PLIERS
  • 18: MAINTAIN TOOLS FOR FIXING AND FASTENING
• 8: THE TOOLS FOR STRIKING & BREAKING
• • 1: HISTORY OF STRIKING & BREAKING
  • 2: CHOOSING A HAMMER
  • 3: STRUCTURE OF A CLAW HAMMER
  • 4: USING A CLAW HAMMER
  • 5: CHOOSING PICKS AND MATTOCKS
  • 6: STRUCTURE OF A PICKAXE
  • 7: USING A PICKAXE
  • 8: CHOOSING A WRECKING BAR
  • 9: MAINTAIN TOOLS FOR STRIKING AND BREAKING
• 9: THE TOOLS FOR DIGGING & GROUNDWORK
• • 1: HISTORY OF DIGGING & GROUNDWORK
  • 2: CHOOSING A SHOVEL OR SPADE
  • 3: STRUCTURE OF A SPADE
  • 4: USING A SPADE
  • 5: CHOOSING A POST-HOLE DIGGER
  • 6: CHOOSING A HOE OR CULTIVATOR
  • 7: STRUCTURE OF A HOE
  • 8: USING A HOE
  • 9: CHOOSING A TROWEL, FORK, OR DIBBER
  • 10: STRUCTURE OF A TROWEL
  • 11: USING A TROWEL
  • 12: MAINTAIN TOOLS FOR DIGGING AND GROUNDWORK
• 10: THE TOOLS FOR SHAPING & SHARPENING
• • 1: HISTORY OF SHAPING & SHARPENING
  • 2: CHOOSING A CHISEL
  • 3: STRUCTURE OF A MORTISE CHISEL
  • 4: USING A MORTISE CHISEL
  • 5: CHOOSING A PLANE
  • 6: STRUCTURE OF A JACK PLANE
  • 7: USING A JACK PLANE
  • 8: CHOOSING A FILE OR RASP
  • 9: CHOOSING A GOUGE OR SPOKESHAVE
  • 10: CHOOSING A SHARPENING STONE
  • 11: MAINTAIN TOOLS FOR SHAPING AND SHARPENING
• 11: THE TOOLS FOR FINISHING & DECORATING
• • 1: HISTORY OF FINISHING & DECORATING
  • 2: DECORATING
  • 3: CHOOSING ABRASIVES AND SANDING BLOCKS
  • 4: USING A SANDING BLOCK
  • 5: CHOOSING A PAINTBRUSH
  • 6: STRUCTURE OF A PAINTBRUSH
  • 7: USING A PAINTBRUSH
  • 8: CHOOSING A ROLLER
  • 9: STRUCTURE OF A ROLLER
  • 10: USING A ROLLER
  • 11: CHOOSING WALLPAPERING TOOLS
  • 12: CHOOSING TILING TOOLS
  • 13: CHOOSING A CABINET SCRAPER
  • 14: MAINTAIN TOOLS FOR FINISHING AND DECORATING
• 12: INDEX
• 13: ACKNOWLEDGMENTS