Your favorite hand tool

[Perd Hapley]

Do you have a favorite tool?  I'm talking about screwdrivers, hammers, etc., the kind of thing you would keep in your toolbox/bag or in the trunk of your car.  I don't think we should leave out power tools, but let's just keep it in the realm of hand tools, things you hold in your hand, rather than mount to a work-bench. 

I know your favorite gun is a tool, but can we just stick to the Home Depot sort of tool?  I guess that goes for flashlights, too.  I guess.

Having worked in apartment maintenance for a couple of years now, I have learned to take my 10 in 1 screwdriver with me at all times.  Carpenter pants have a handy little pocket for that.  No. 2 Philips, two sizes of flat screwdriver, and 1/4" and 5/16" nut driver.  The other five tips are rarely used.  The 10" Channel Locks are indispensable, but a little harder to keep in my pocket at all times. 

I do like my 18V, 1/2" Ridgid cordless drill.  It seems a lot nicer than the Ryobi that I lost.  Worth every penny, as I use it a lot. 

I have a Ryobi 120V Circular Saw.  I was looking for something inexpensive, as I only need it every so often.  It's not fancy and I don't use it much, but for some reason - I just really like it.  I like it a lot.  Is that wierd?

I also have to keep a tape measure handy at all times, when at work, and at first I tried to carry a 25' tape - the full-sized .357 or govt. model of tapes.  It was just too obtrusive.  I now carry a 12' Stanley.  I had a couple of plastic ones, but the clips don't hold up.  The clips themselves were of steel, but screwed onto a plastic body.  The plastic always stripped and left the clip upside down and dangling. 

[El Tejon]

Hammer, bigger the better!  It's the only gunsmithing tool that I'm qualified to use and a great forearm workout.

[Nick1911]

I always like a quality 3/8 ratchet and socket set. 

[charby]

A four in one screwdriver, its a quick tool to grab for a lot things.

[K Frame]

My Yankee screwdriver.

Fun, useful things them.

[Ron]

I have found with my tools that you get what you pay for, like many things in life.

I'm partial to my 18volt Dewalt stuff.

My screw and nut drivers are all Klien

Most of my pliers are by ChannelLock

Locking pliers by ViceGrip

Adjustable wrenches by Crescent.

Klien strippers/crimper's. Not the cheap as ones you get at the hardware store, things actually can strip wires and the crimps on solder less connections actually hold.

My socket set is all pretty much still Craftsmen with some other odds and end pieces from other mnftr's. I bought the stuff years ago and utilized the lifetime warranty when necessary.

All my 115 volt stuff is Milwaukee, 1/2" power drill "hole shooter", Super Sawzall and circular saw.

And for you HVAC guys I will never use anything other than an H10G 115 volt leak detector. I am the guy that gets sent to find the leaks others cannot find.

Out of everything listed I get the most pleasure from my Dewalt stuff.

[Perd Hapley]

My Yankee screwdriver.

They look like fun.  Seems like my cordless drill would do a better job, but maybe I'm missing something.  Or do you just enjoy the novelty of them?

I saw one at a yard sale last year.  Did I miss out on a good tool? 

[wingnutx]

crescent wrench with the end of the handle ground down into a pry-bar / screwdriver.

I used that a lot when I was a steel worker.

[Perd Hapley]

There was a time some years ago when I carried a Leatherman Super Tool in the left front pocket of my BDU's or jeans at all times.  I used it a fair amount, especially since I didn't have that many other tools.  I have never been impressed with other brands of multi-tool pliers, because their screwdrivers and other tools don't seem to be intended for actual use.  I'm not sure why I think so. 

I carried a Super Tool ALL the time, until I realized it was making holes in my pants.  I didn't want to carry it on my belt, so I just quit carrying it.  I wish Leatherman would make a Super Tool with a belt clip. 

[carterbeauford]

Milwaukee 14.4V drill - you may laught at its low voltage rating, but this thing outtorques and outlasts the Skil 18V and Craftsman 19.2V I used previously. Drives hundreds of 3" screws on a single charge. Quality difference is amazing between Milwaukee and other mainstream power tools.

That and my 24oz Estwing stainless steel framing hammer. The 1911 of hammers, if you will.

[thebaldguy]

I have a bright orange handle 4 in 1 screwdriver. Actually, I have several, but I like the orange one best for it's visibility.

[Sylvilagus Aquaticus]

Standard shovel.


Good for lots of things. Varmint control, varmint disposal. Also useful for self-defense as well as self-determination.


Regards,
Rabbit.

[drewtam]

My Chainsaw can solve anything. (just not the solution you might have wanted).

It did a great job on the neighberhood powerlines. 

Drew

[Perd Hapley]

I don't think you were supposed to do that, drew.   

[brimic]

Bottle opener, though they aren't much needed anymore.

[280plus]

6 in 1 screwdriver, crescent wrench and a pair of dykes. With those three items I can fix dang near anything. Toss in a scrap of wire for a jumper and I can troubleshoot most electrical control circuits too.

[wingnutx]

I worked with a pair of dykes out in the fleet that could fix just about anything.

[280plus]

That reminds me of a good Navy dyke story but it's probably not a good idea for me to tell it here,,, again. 

[280plus]

I've often thought about developing some kind of Extreme HVAC Survival Olympics where they toss you on a roof with nothing and you have to troubleshoot and repair a unit with only the flotsam you find on the roof. I've saved myself many miles of walking back to the truck for a tool with roof flotsam. 

[cosine]

I've always been partial to a multi-screwdriver and a pair of pliers. You can fix lots of things with just those two tools.

Of course, it then figures that I carry a Leatherman tool.

[Balog]

Vice grips are like the duct tape of hand tools. I love em.

[Unisaw]

I have a hand plane that I inherited from my grandfather.  It probably didn't cost him much and was in bad shape when I got it, but I flattened the sole, removed the rust, and sharpened the blade.  Everytime I use it, I can't help but think of him.

[Perd Hapley]

That's not the tool we were expecting from you, Unisaw. 

Dyke:  I could look up dyke on the introweb, but why don't one of you tell us what they are, and why they are so useful.  Can't google good info like that. 

Vice-Grips:  I just bought my first one, what uses have you found for them?  I was surprised you called them the duct tape of hand tools, but then I shouldn't be.  I've been fixing things for a living for the last couple of years, and haven't used either one.  Been meaning to add vice-grip pliers and duct-tape to the toolbag for a long time, but never have until just now.

[wingnutx]

dykes

Click the link.

[crashresidue]

Cheers,

Can't believe no one has listed a Dremel tool.

cr