16 Different Types of Hand Tools and Their Uses []

The saying ‘you can never have enough tools’ is often justified, particularly when you are faced with a difficult job, where a tool you hardly use but happen to have, can complete the task. Working on the premise that most applications on the job site involve cutting, gripping, striking, turning, measuring, and marking; we have compiled this article ’16 Different Types of Hand Tools and Their Uses’ to list 16 different types of hand tools that should feature on anyone’s list when building their tool kit. 

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Tools have been selected from quality manufacturers and have useable features, are safe to use and offer proven reliability. Whilst the list may not be exhaustive, it is certainly not a bad place to start.

1. Hand Saw

For decades, the trusted handsaw featured in every carpenter’s tool bag and was called upon for cutting all kinds of wood. Traditional handsaws need to be maintained and re-sharpened on a regular basis which is time consuming and costly.  

As many modern building materials such as plywood, plasterboard, MDF and insulation contain resins, fibres and other abrasive particles, the soft teeth on a hand saw can become dull very quickly, making cutting difficult and ownership expensive. Hardpoint saws feature induction hardened teeth which remain sharp even under heavy prolonged use, they also cut much faster.  

The Irwin Jack 880 is a medium tooth pitch, universal saw, capable of cutting natural timbers and most building materials. A feature of the Jack 880 hardpoint saw is the triple ground teeth which improve cutting speed and help to prevent snagging.  Other clever features are the 90° and 45° marking angles on the handle and a water-based lacquer to prevent rust occurring on the blade. 

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2. Hacksaw

Often a go to tool for engineers, plumbers and electricians, a hacksaw can cut steel, non-ferrous metals, plastics, and composites. The thin, narrow blade is held within the frame and placed under tension using a thumbscrew or lever. Hacksaw blades are replaceable and come with different Teeth Per Inch – TPI. Lower TPI blades are used for thicker materials such as steel bar, higher TPI blades produce a cleaner cut and are used for thinner materials such as thin-walled pipe.

Milwaukee and Lenox hacksaws feature sophisticated tensioning levers to produce extremely high blade tension for faster and straighter cuts. These high-performance saws allow the blade to be mounted at 45° for flush cutting and each can store a selection of spare blades within the frame.

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3. Plasterboard Jab Saw

The use of plasterboard in modern construction is widespread due to its speed of installation, thermal properties and ease of cutting and shaping – when using the right tools! A plasterboard jab saw, also referred to as a keyhole saw or pad saw, is the perfect hand tool if you need to cut out holes for electrical sockets, pipes, extractor fans and any other services. Products like the fixed blade Milwaukee jab saw incorporate all the features you need when working on plasterboard such as:

• Specially designed plunge tip makes it easy to penetrate the board.
• Rigid blade avoids unwanted flex and helps to keep cuts straight.
• Teeth are ground to be very sharp and eject waste so cutting is effortless and fast.
• Rasping holes are cut into the blade which can be used to smooth rough edges or enlarge holes.
• The rear of the handle is wide and rounded so it can be struck with the palm of the hand to puncture sheet material.

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4. Clamp

A quality clamp can be an invaluable tool in the workshop or on site. They can be used for holding materials together during gluing applications, or, as a temporary vice when you need to ensure an item being cut does not move.  

The Irwin XP Clamp can be used with one hand and does not rely on a screw thread to bring the jaws together. A quarter tonne of clamping force helps to eliminate any unwanted slippage and is also strong enough to bring warped timbers together. The spreading feature is particularly useful in applications such as gluing support battens in-between wooden joists for nailing cut floorboards back down.

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5. Claw Hammer

Claw hammers have been around for nearly two centuries and are possibly the most recognised hand tool in the world. The head of the hammer is multi-functional with a striking face for hammering nails and a claw end for pulling them. This simple but wonderful tool can also be used to knock joists into place, strike chisels and even perform light demolition work, making it an essential tool for any trade.  

There have been design modifications over the years resulting in two versions – the curved claw hammer and rip claw hammer. Curved hammers are better for pulling nails as the shape of the head gives more leverage and reduces surface damage as the claw is rolled away from the gripped nail. A rip claw has less of a curve and is preferred for ripping wood apart, lifting floorboards and demolition duties.  

Hand tool experts such as Milwaukee, have also added other functional features such as side mounted nail pullers for tight spaces, magnetic nail holders, steel I-beam shafts and anti-shock handles.  

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6. Pry Bar or Wrecking Bar

Quite often, destruction precedes construction, as floorboards, window frames, joists and studs need ripping out to make way for replacements. Despite appearing like a crude lever, wrecking bars and pry bars are carefully designed to get into tight spaces and offer high leverage.  

Premium hand tool manufacturers such as Milwaukee also add soft grips for comfort, claws and tapered holes for pulling nails and strike zones for hammers.  

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7. Pliers

Gripping, cutting, and turning are three functions a quality plier set will allow you to perform. Arguably, you only really need VDE insulated pliers if you are an electrician or maintenance engineer that may be working on live circuits.  

At Protrade, we just like the comfort of being protected from serious injury or even death, should you unwittingly cut through a cable with electricity running through it, which is why we always recommend VDE pliers where possible. 

What are Combination Pliers?

As the name would suggest, offer a combination of features. At the tips of the jaws, finer parallel serrations can be used to grip cable sheaths and wire. Moving towards the handle the jaws no longer meet and feature oval shaped serrated edges which can clamp onto larger diameter cables, fasteners, and bolt heads. As the greatest leverage is generated near the handle this is where the cutting zone is situated. 

What are Long Round Nose Pliers?

Offer nearly all the features of a combination plier but with a rounded and long narrow tip for getting into tight spaces. 

What are Diagonal Side Cutters?

Feature a cutting zone along the full length of the jaws which is diagonally ground to allow cables, wires and small fixings to be cut flush with the surface.  

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8. Adjustable Spanner

In a perfect world you would own every size of wrench for every application you are likely to come across, and don’t forget, you would also need to consider imperial and metric sizes too! In reality, we do not live in such a place and there is always a time when we are defeated by not having the right size for the fastening in front of us.  

The beauty of an adjustable spanner is, with just a few turns of a knurled thread you can open or close the jaws to fit almost any size or type of nut or bolt head, which is why we regard them as an essential hand tool.  

Wera are known for hand tool ingenuity and the Joker self-setting spanner is their take on an adjustable wrench. A pivoting head replaces the traditional screw thread for instant size adjustment, and the spring-loaded jaws provide a ratchet like system for tightening and loosening without having to remove the jaws from the nut head.  

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9. Screwdriver

With so many different types of screw heads available, a screwdriver set comprising of pozi, phillips and slotted blades is a minimum requirement for anyone looking to start a tool kit.  

Regarded as one of the best hand tool manufacturers in the world, Wera screwdrivers feature a unique shaped handle that allows the best possible grip to turn stubborn screws, whilst also being capable of giving feedback to the user when performing tasks that require precision and feel.  

There are a huge range of screwdriver sets available to suit every type of fastener and trade. Insulated VDE screwdrivers provide safety when working on live circuits, chisel-driver screwdrivers can be struck with a hammer for use on fasteners with damaged heads and interchangeable sets use the handle as a chuck which screwdriver bits can be inserted into.

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10. Filling Knife

Having to patch up cracks in plaster, fill screw holes where wall plugs have been, or repair rotten timber is a common occurrence in any refurbishment project. Although it may look like a wall scraper, a quality filling knife is designed to incorporate blade flex to help force filler into cracks and holes.  

Blades are machined to release these sticky and viscous materials during application and leave a smooth and consistent finish.  

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11. Utility Knife

A utility knife can be used to open boxes, sharpen pencils, cut cables and even score plasterboard. These are just a few of the applications that a working knife gets used for every day. The corresponding replaceable blades go through a hardening process that makes them durable in harsh environments and cutting edges are ground to be extremely sharp. Utility knives are normally categorised as having a fixed or retractable blade, but more recently folding utility knives have become extremely popular.  

Toughbuilt have managed to take versatility another step further by launching a unique scraper utility knife. This incredibly clever tool has an inbuilt mechanism which allows the blade to turn through 90 degrees, converting the knife into a scraper, which can be used to remove paint, adhesive and labels. A discreet paint can opener has also been engineered into this practical and ingenious tool. 

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12. Tape Measure

Being able to measure the size and distance of an object, opening or space is essential in so many everyday tasks. From garments to garage doors, establishing if something fits or cutting it to make sure it does, relies on accurate measurements being taken and a tape measure is the tool most people reach for.  

Usually manufactured from thin metal, fibreglass or cloth, tape measures can measure long objects or spaces due to the length of blade material being rolled up tightly within the case. The blade features graduated markings which can be of imperial or metric scale, but it is common to show both.  

The key factors in choosing a tape measure are: 

• Length of blade.
• Preference for metric or imperial measurements.
• Blade width – wider blades can usually be extended further before they kink and fall.
• Case size and material – a rubber clad tape measure may be much better on a building site where it is prone to abuse, but it could be too cumbersome for a kitchen fitter working inside a cabinet.
• Accuracy – nearly all tape measures sold are of a class 2 accuracy level. There are very few tape measures on the market which meet the Class 1 accuracy standard which makes them twice as accurate as a Class 2 tape. 

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13. Spirit Level

A spirit level is a measuring device which determines if something is horizontal or vertical – this can be for structural or aesthetic reasons. The importance of establishing accurate horizontal and vertical planes is repeatability, continuity and safety, especially if the components are structural and they need to be joined together.  

Using a spirit level relies on the operator adjusting the tool so a small air bubble is centralised within a sealed glass or Perspex vial; once achieved, a horizontal or vertical plane is established and can be used as a reference point for marking and adjustment.   

Spirit levels come in different sizes depending on the application and distance to be measured. Other variations include magnetic bases when working with steel, lightweight hollow box section for internal and light duty tasks, solid I beam construction for heavy use and levels with digital displays and audible alarms for easy reference and use in poorly lit areas.  

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14. Carpenter’s Pencil

Referring to a pencil as a hand tool may seem overkill but it is an essential item to have in the tool bag. We have already discussed tools that measure and it’s those reference points that need to be marked on timber, masonry and other building materials – hence the need for a pencil.  

Although considered ‘just a pencil’ there has been some serious thought behind the design of a carpenter’s pencil.    

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• Larger size makes it easier to hold – especially when wearing gloves.
• The lead is bigger which helps to resist breakage when being used on rough sawn timber and masonry, or if the pencil is dropped. The rectangular shape of the lead also allows a thin or wide marking line.
• The flat sides prevent the pencil from rolling away. 
• The measured and consistent rectangular dimensions of the pencil, allow two different marking heights to be made by running the pencil against a flat surface using either the wide, flat side or the narrow edge of the pencil.

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15. Combination Square

Due to its versatility, a combination square is without doubt the most popular type of square used by trades people and machinists. Comprising of a rule and sliding head which features machined 45/90° sides and a spirit level; a combination square can be used to check angles, measure depth, establish if an object is level and even find the centre of a circle.  

A protractor and centre head can also be present on some versions, further extending their area of use.  

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16. Torch

Completing any type of work is normally easier when you can see what you are doing. It’s for this reason that a torch has made its way onto our essential hand tools list. If you need to check wiring inside a cabinet, tighten a fitting under a bath or simply investigate a ceiling void, a torch will be able to light up the area you are working in.  

Torches come in different shapes, sizes, and illumination power – referred to as lumens. Torches are predominantly handheld, but head mounted torches – often referred to as head lamps, are becoming very popular as they allow both hands to remain free.  

A final consideration is whether to opt for a torch that takes replaceable or rechargeable batteries. With so many to choose from it is too much of a challenge to single just one out so why not browse our entire range, you may even find you need more than one.

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I hope this essential ’16 Different Types of Hand Tools and Their Uses’ hand tool guide can offer you some ideas of what hand tools to consider, when starting to build or simply add to your tool kit.

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• What are the best hand tools for woodworking? All of the hand tools mentioned within this blog will be used by a woodworker at some point. But the essentials that any tradesperson working with wood must have, include hammers, chisels, hand saws, screwdrivers, tape measures, utility knives, levels, and clamps. These tools are fundamental for tasks such as measuring, cutting, shaping, and assembling materials.

• What are the best hand tool brands? At Protrade we believe in stocking only the best brands on the market. Our motto, ‘Built on Trust’, is what we stand by, and why we want our customers to be assured that when they come to Protrade, they’re buying tools that will be reliable and long lasting. The hand tool brands we have available in depots and online include: ToughBuilt, Milwaukee, Wera, Draper, Irwin, Lenox, and our own brand Maxitek. All of these brands offer a wide range of high quality, durable tools available for any hand tool user.
  Some brands specialise in specific tool categories, for example, Wera makes incredibly clever and durable screwdrivers, whilst Milwaukee offers a huge variety of pliers and cutters, and ToughBuilt’s scrapers and knives are exceptionally popular.
  If you’re unsure which hand tool brand is for you, come along to any one of our depots and try them out for yourself.

• What are the hand tools safety precautions? It’s incredibly important that when using hand tools, you follow safety precautions as failing to do so can result in injury. While some injuries will be minor, others will cause long-term physical damage and have lasting effects on employees’ lives and their ability to work.
  Here are our top 10 hand tools safety tips:

  • Always wear the right PPE for the job especially gloves and eye protection. Avoid loose clothing or jewellery.
  • Make sure you know HOW to use the tool you are going to be using and follow the CORRECT procedure.
  • Use tools that are the correct size & correct type of tool for the job.
  • Keep your cutting tools SHARP.
  • Inspect your tools to make sure they are in good condition.
  • Use proper lighting so you can see what you are doing.
  • Make sure your work area is clutter-free and is level.
  • Never leave tools unattended.
  • Carry sharp hand tools in a toolbox, not in your pocket.
  • DON’T work with OILY or GREASY hands.

• Are there any tips on how I can make sure I’m using hand tools properly? It is very important to take the time to learn how to use hand tools properly before you use them. Using hand tools incorrectly can have severe consequences, but educating yourself before you use hand tools will not only prevent injury but also ensure that any job you’re doing goes smoothly.
  Here are some tips to get you started:
  • Make sure you’re using the right tool for the job.
  • Examine each tool for damage before use and do not use damaged tools.
  • Educate yourself on how the tool works and how it is supposed to be used, it is important that you follow all of the manufacturers’ instructions.
  • ALWAYS use PPE.
  • Keep all tools in good condition with regular maintenance.
  • When using sharp hand tools… cut away from yourself.
  • Always clean the tool after use, this will help make sure the tool is in good condition for the next time you or anybody else comes to use it.
  • Check your surroundings and make sure the tool cannot get into the wrong hands.

• How to make my hand tools last longer? All of the hand tools we sell at Protrade are built to last, but to prevent rust or general wear and tear there are a few important steps that you must follow to ensure that your tool lasts as long as possible.

  • Cleaning: Wipe down tools after each use to remove dust, grease, and debris.
  • Sharpening: Regularly sharpen the blades.
  • Lubrication: Apply proper lubrication.
  • Tightening: Tighten any loose parts.
  • Inspection: Check for damage and wear and fix any obvious faults.
  • Storage: Store tools vertically, not only for easy access but for safety purposes.
  • Replacing: Replace worn-out handles and grips
  • Maintenance: Keep up regular maintenance on your hand tools. Improper maintenance can cause hand tools to deteriorate and become unsafe.

Synopsis: We’ve been conducting real-world tests on the best hand tools for decades now, long before the explosion in hand-tool appreciation of the past few years. From combination squares to handsaws to bench chisels and waterstones, we survey the hand tools that got the best reviews in head-to-head tests over the past 20 years. Use these to compile your tool kit, and you won’t go wrong.

Whether you’re trimming machine-cut tenons for a perfect fit, leveling one surface to another, planing decorative chamfers, or squaring up a router-cut corner, you can count on hand tools to do the job quickly and efficiently. They’ll also do it quietly.

Appreciation for the peacefulness and pleasure of handwork has grown markedly in recent years, fueling an explosion of products, from handmade collector’s items to excellent factory-made options. But with so many options available, it can be hard to know where to start. Luckily, Fine Woodworking has been conducting real-world tests on the best hand tools for decades now, with the help of a small group of trusted, independent experts.

In this article, I’ve compiled a list of the tools that came out on top in our tests in each essential hand-tool category. Whether you’re at the beginning of your hand-tool journey, or are looking to make a long-awaited purchase, you can rely on these recommendations to find excellent tools that will soon become trusted friends.

GOOD VALUE: In addition to presenting the best tools in each category, we’ve also included, where appropriate, a less expensive option that, while it may not quite measure up to the winners, represents a good value for woodworkers on a tighter budget.

Measuring and marking

For hand-tool work especially, success starts with accurate layout. There are lots of measuring and marking tools out there, but sliding squares, marking knives, and marking gauges are must-haves. Here are the best we found.

Squares

Phillip C. Lowe tested his two favorite types of squares: the indispensable 12-in. combination square, used for everything from measuring and marking to setting up machines accurately; and the handy 4-in. double square, which fits in your apron pocket and is easier to handle for smaller tasks. After trying out 61 products, he favored Starrett and PEC for both types.

Best Overall - Combination Square

Starrett 12-in. combination square

This accurate, robust, well-machined, easy-to-read combo square is as great as ever. Price: $106.34 at the time of writing

Marking knives

As Steve Latta said in his review, “Marking out with a knife instead of a pencil means that you care about the details. A good marking knife will do a number of things well. It will cut wood fibers cleanly, leaving a narrow, crisply defined line, easily visible and deep enough to anchor a chisel. The blade will fit into tight spaces and the tool will be easy to hold in a pencil-style grip.”

Marking gauges

Marking gauges do one thing very well: mark a line parallel to an edge. To narrow a crowded field, Jeff Miller looked at cutting gauges only—those that use a knife or a sharpened wheel to cut clean lines in any direction—and eliminated pin-style gauges, which tend to tear the wood when used across the grain.

Handplanes

There’s an overwhelming array of handplanes on the market, for everything from smoothing boards and trimming joints to shaping moldings. The best come ready to make fluffy shavings, save for a quick sharpening. Sharpening is easy too. Thanks to blades with dead-flat backs, they need only a light polish before you hone the bevel.

Low-angle block planes

These planes are effective on both end grain and long grain, more comfortable in the hand, and less prone to chatter than higher-angle, standard block planes, making them the obvious choice if you’re buying just one. As Mario Rodriguez pointed out in his review, a block plane’s small size makes it easy to control on an assembled piece, say for chamfering a table edge, and well-suited for jobs like removing machine marks from the edges and ends of a board, planing curved edges, and trimming joinery flush.

Editor recommended block plane

Lie-Nielsen No. 102 Low Angle Block Plane

With smooth, precise adjustments and wonderful balance, this compact block plane is a joy to use. It doesn’t have any bells and whistles, but there’s not a better block plane available for the money. Price: $160 at the time of writing

Jack planes

If you can afford only one bench plane to start with, Jeff Miller recommends the versatile jack plane, which handles smoothing, but can also be used for the flattening and straightening tasks often reserved for the longer planes. While the standard versions are easier for beginners to adjust and handle, the bevel-up blade orientation in low-angle jacks (bottom row) lets you alter the cutting angle by resharpening.

Smoothing planes

As Chris Gochnour said in his test, “Properly tuned and sharpened, a smoothing plane can leave a pristine finish on almost any board. Yet it is still compact enough to be ideal for general planing jobs like fitting and trimming parts.” Because so much rides on the finished surface, quality means everything with this purchase. All three of our recommendations will deliver flawless results, and all allow mouth adjustments without removing the blade, a big plus.

Planes for tuning tenons

Gochnour looked at both shoulder planes and rabbet block planes, the two types of specialty planes he uses for fine-tuning tenons off the tablesaw. While some woodworkers use the shoulder plane on tenon cheeks as well as on shoulders, many turn to the wider rabbet block plane to shave thin, precise layers off the cheeks. Both tools excel at cutting into corners, but used in tandem they fit traditional tenons to perfection.

Handsaws

Every woodworker needs a good handsaw or two to make quick, precise cuts on parts that power tools can’t easily handle. Dovetail saws are essential for their namesake joint, but they do a lot more. All-purpose backsaws, useful for a range of joinery, are even more versatile than dovetail saws. Then there’s the coping saw, which excels at handling curves. And Japanese saws, which cut on the pull stroke, deliver speed, accuracy, and a thin kerf.

Western-style dovetail saws

When Gochnour tested these Western-style dovetail specialists, he invited seven skilled friends to help him narrow a wide field of saws to those that work well for all sorts of people. They are available at prices for every budget. While precise dovetail cuts were a great test for these tools, all four of his favorites will do a lot more than dovetails, from trimming parts to length to cutting quick, accurate miters.

Coping saws

As Gochnour said, “Coping saws can be used to remove waste in joinery, make cope cuts on molding, and saw tight curves of all kinds. Motorized bandsaws and scrollsaws perform similar tasks, but require the workpiece to be brought to the tool, a task that can be difficult, awkward, or even impossible…This makes the coping saw an indispensable tool in the woodshop.”

Bench chisels

This general-purpose tool is suitable for a broad range of tasks, including dovetailing and mortise-and-tenoning, paring pegs flush, installing hinges, chamfering edges, and even cleaning up glue squeeze-out. They can be driven with a mallet, or used two-handed for controlled paring cuts, and work equally well with hard or soft wood. Popular sizes start at 1⁄4 in., so that’s where our prices start too.

Sharpening

For a hand tool to perform well, it has to be sharp. A set of waterstones and a honing guide make it fast and simple to get razor sharp and back to work.

Waterstones

As Gochnour said in his test, “there’s no doubt in my mind that waterstones are the best choice for honing chisels and handplane blades. They produce a fine polish quickly, and are more durable and less expensive (in the long run) than sandpaper.” Prices are based on the 800- or 1,000-grit stone, and go up for finer grits.

Honing guides

We finish with yet another tool test from Gochnour. “While some may prefer to sharpen freehand, I’m a big proponent of honing guides, and I recommend one for anyone looking to get sharp edges,” Gochnour said. There are excellent honing guides for all budgets.

Asa Christiana is a woodworker, editor, and writer in Portland, Ore.

From Fine Woodworking #286

To view the entire article, please click the View PDF button below.

For more information, check out the full review articles below:

• Tool Test: Squares by Philip C. Lowe – FWW issue #229
• Tool Test: Marking Knives by Steve Latta – FWW issue #198
• Tool Test: Marking Gauges by Jeff Miller – FWW issue #266
• Sliding Bevels by Steve Latta – FWW issue #170
• Tool Test: Block Planes by Mario Rodriguez – FWW issue #228
• Smoothing Planes by Chris Gochnour – FWW issue #219
• The Jack of All Planes by Jeff Miller – FWW issue #250
• Dovetail Saws: The Cream of the Crop by Chris Gochnour – FWW issue #264
• Japanese-Style Dovetail Saws by Charles Durfee – FWW issue #188
• Choosing and Using Spokeshaves by Chris Gochnour – FWW issue #185
• Tool Test: Waterstones by Chris Gochnour – FWW issue #224
• Tool Test: Honing Guides by Chris Gochnour 274

WoodRiver Bevel Edge Socket Chisel Set

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These chisels are well balanced, with a light-weight handle that makes gripping them down by the edge during chopping less fatiguing than many other chisels. Each chisel only requires a few minutes of work before its back is polished and ready to go. Similarly, the bevels all have a consistent grind that is quick to hone to razor sharpness. The smartly shaped beveled edges give the tool good mass, but with a very fine, consistent land (the flat between the side bevel and back) that won’t interfere with working in confined spaces. Price: $189.99 at the time of writing View FREE Project when you enter your address below. View PDF