Category knowledge
Buying guides
Written by people who use these tools, for people deciding which one to buy. No affiliate links, no filler, and no pretending an expensive tool is right when a cheaper one is.
Reading a plier specification: capacity, hardness and why it matters
Cutting capacity is quoted in three numbers for a reason, and ignoring which one applies is how a good cutter gets a notch in it. 5 min read
Setting up a new bench chisel
A new chisel is not ready to use. The twenty minutes of setup most people skip is the difference between a tool that pares and one that skids. 6 min read
Japanese pull saws explained: ryoba, dozuki and kataba
Three saw types, one cutting direction, and a plate half the thickness of a Western saw. Here is which one to reach for. 5 min read
Choosing a first sharpening stone
Grit numbers are not comparable across standards, and the stone most people should buy first is not the one they usually buy. 7 min read
JIS vs Phillips: why your screwdriver keeps camming out
If you have ever destroyed a screw head on a camera body, a carburettor or a games console, the driver was probably the wrong standard, not the wrong size. 6 min read Updated February 18, 2026Not sure which tool you need?
Describe the job rather than the tool and we will tell you what solves it, including when the answer is something cheaper than you expected.