Book on hand tools and their use?

[J.A.S]

Chaps,

apologies for my third post today.

Anyway, having just sent for David Charlesworth's first book, and Garrett Hack's The Handplane Book , I'm now after a book on hand tools. Hack's other book looks great, but seems a little short on practical tips.

I like the look of Choosing and Using Hand Toolsby Andy Rae, and wondered if anyone had had a looksie at it. Any other suggestions?

Oh, and what's DC's second book like?

Cue Alf..?

Jeremy

 

[Alf]

<Alf, on cue :roll: , flips open the handy copy of "Choosing and Using Hand Tools" in order to refresh the confused galoot memory>

Yep, it's a good 'un, but again, a leetle bit lacking in practical stuff. There's plenty there to make it worth while, but with a bias more towards the choosing rather than the using. Worth having though, definitely. Before you get the second volume of DC see how you like the first; you may find it more intimidating than helpful in the early stages.

For real "how to" stuff you want something dating from about the 1950s or, better still, earlier, preferably by Charles Hayward. The only problem with older books is sometimes the author writes about something and assumes you'll know what he's referring to (which if you were reading it when it was published you probably would have), which is why I have frequently recommended Hayward's "The Junior Woodworker", which assumes you're about 12 and know nowt. Unfortunately a quick look on Bookfinder draws a blank at the moment, although there's a Sterling reprint on Amazon but I've heard some negatives about them. Never mind, anything by Mr H, or Paul N. Hasluck's The Handyman's Book isn't bad, or Bernard E Jones' Practical Woodworker or Complete Woodworker. Don't expect glossy pics in any of them though, but good clear b&w stuff. My Galootish Gleanings would give you an idea of the style of presentation.

Other than that, take lots of large doses of Jeff Gorman's site which contains enough info for two or three books.

Cheers, Alf

P.S. There's post rationing?! Yikes, I must be waaaaaay over my limit... :shock:

 

[J.A.S]

Thanks, again, Alf.

J

 

[Philly]

Jas,
The book is't bad though-lots of pretty tool pictures to drool over. (If thats your thing :lol: ) Another good drool book is the Garrett Wade Tools book.
Garretts Hack's other book "Old Hand Tools" is pretty helpful also-a good companion to the Plane book.
Cheers,
Philly