The Only Hand Tools Garrett Hack Really Needs

From milling and layout to fitting joints and smoothing, this tidy hand-tool kit does it all when on the road.

By Garrett Hack #265–Tools & Shops 2018 Issue

I am fortunate to teach woodworking classes around the United States, in Canada, and in faraway places such as Japan and Germany. I learned early on that I need my own tools with me when I teach, ones that I know well and that are dependable, perfectly tuned, and sharp. Through the years, I’ve worked to minimize the number of tools in my kit. It has to be complete enough to build a whole project, yet light enough to carry through airports and on buses and trains. Although I am still fine-tuning my kit—replacing a tool with a lighter version, for example—it’s proven to be lean and capable of a wide range of work. When it comes to hand tools, this kit contains all I need including planes, scrapers, chisels, saws, scratch stocks, and a means to sharpen everything – it’s all there.

Choosing planes to include in the kit was tough, because they should be few in number but able to perform a wide variety of work. A jack plane and two block planes can handle just about any planing task outside of joinery, and a shoulder plane gets the job done there. One spokeshave is all you really need for curves. Keep some card scrapers on hand, too.

**Low-angle jack plane and extra blade:** Good for everything from jointing stock to smoothing and shooting. The extra blade is cambered for smoothing.

It’s possible to get by with just three or four chisels, but it’s better to have more, so you’ll always have the one that allows you to work most efficiently. In place of a very wide one, you can use the blade from your low-angle jack plane. Throw in a pair of small saws, and you’re ready to cut and fit most furniture joints.

**Bench chisels:** These workhorses handle most of the chisel work.

I couldn’t make furniture without my magic box of scratch cutters. Everything I need to make, sharpen, and use them fits into a nifty little box. Equipped with an assortment of profile cutters, a scratch stock allows you to create furniture that is genuinely custom.

**Scratch stock body:** Made in the shop, with a thumbscrew to hold the blade in place.

Hand tools are useless if they’re not sharp, so no kit is complete without the means to sharpen them. It doesn’t take much to hone an edge. When traveling, I get by with half a diamond plate and one waterstone. Around the shop, I use a grinder to maintain the bevel.

From Fine Woodworking #265

For the full article, download the PDF below:

Comments

user-6869596 | Oct 31, 2017 12:52pm | #1
This article is awesome. Love having a window into what true professional considers essential. When building a collection of tools this is a helpful starting point. Thanks for sharing!

-Wes
BrianOBoatright | Oct 31, 2017 03:03pm | #2
Love this article. The only thing missing is a shot of the tools backed in the little metal suitcase. Surely Garrett Hack doesn't pitch his chisels and planes all willy-nilly into that case.
user-1132729 | Dec 22, 2017 02:49am | #3
Great article, also love that you share these as PDFs now.