The Hand Tools You Need, From the Beginner to the Advanced Woodworker. An in-depth shop tour.

If you haven't already, please like, share, and subscribe to help get the word out.
Questions? Please ask in the comments and I'm always happy to answer!
Over the past dozen years or so I've bought a lot of tools. There have been some that I fell in love with right away. And others which have turned out to be a waste of money and space. I'll walk you through my tool cabinet, the chisels, planes, saws...everything, and give you my honest opinion on which have been winners and which were big mistakes.
Thank you to everyone for watching. Your support is very much appreciated.
Follow along on Instagram - / quillwoodworks
Amazon Affiliate link for many of the items used in this video and in my shop:
www.amazon.com/shop/quillwood...
Thanks again!
Kevin Almeyda of Quill Woodworks.

[@Gotmovezlikejagga]

Thank you for this tool tour. I would guess that there are many who have gone the same route as you and me, buying hand tools then migrating to more power tools. I wouldn't want to change this progression though, learning to sharpen plane blades when doing all your processing of rough wood has been essential, now we can get a razor edge on our smoothing plane to use after weve used a power jointer and planer. I can also sharpen a hand saw as needed. But I too find that a few power tools replace MANY hand tools. Great channel, very low pressure, love of the craft on display!

[@quillwoodworks]

We seem to be on the same page. I recently put out a hands-tool only video and while the small project was fun to make, I couldn’t help thinking how tedious making a dresser would be using only hand-tools. The mix of both power and hand tools really maximizes my enjoyment of the hobby.

[@dngriffiths8105]

Excellent run-through of your hand tools, with solid pragmatic advice. I also appreciate your clear, succinct and unpretentious presentation. New subscriber.

[@quillwoodworks]

Thanks so much for watching and the sub. Glad you found it helpful!

[@billwilliamson4715]

Terrific content. It's great to hear what you use or do not use and why. Thanks for sharing.

[@quillwoodworks]

I appreciate you watching, Bill. Thanks for the kind words.

[@JanXXVI]

Since i don't have a functioning planer, i use the Veritas Scrub plane quite a bit, but i also have an old stanley nr 5, that's been converted to a scrub/foreplane. For anyone that is doing this with hand tools, you need a scrub or foreplane to quickly remove material to flatten boards. But flattening boards by hand is a lot of work, so buying a planer and useing it safely is truly time saving.

[@slanwar]

Building that cabinet as well, I have 1 car garage and I barely can move because I keep buying power tools I didn't had space for: -Dewalt table saw (sold my Jet) -Dewalt planer (sold my older one) -Wen bandsaw (sold my bigger bandsaw which I don't remember the brand) -Craftsman drill press -Metal bandsaw -Triton spindle and belt sander - Lathe -Lincoln mig with tank -6" joiner (rarely use that, most of the time I use my 5 1/2 bench planer) -Freezer -CNC (not using because I have no space) -Bosch 12" sliding miter saw (why 12"? a 10" would be fine) -A few more things like a stick welder, generator, etc. I don't learn with my mistakes and anytime I try to gain space selling a tool I end up buying another one.

[@quillwoodworks]

Sounds like a great shop, Luis. I think I’m officially done buying big machinery. I really feel maxed out with space. So no CNC in my future! Luckily my buddy has one.

[@robertberger8642]

Excellent video, thank you very much for it!

[@quillwoodworks]

Glad you liked it, Robert!

[@chrisbresh8817]

Very nice video. I love your honest opinions. Thank you

[@quillwoodworks]

Thanks for watching, Chris. Much appreciated.

[@rogerwaters5477]

Great video! Thank you for sharing?

[@christopherharrison6724]

Some beautiful hand tools there thanks for sharing your experience.

[@quillwoodworks]

Thanks for watching, Chris. Much appreciated.

[@markluke8447]

Great insight, thanks for sharing.

[@StoneBasses]

seems like you build a very nice cabinet to keep all of your buyers remorse well organized and safe.

[@quillwoodworks]

I like to keep my lapses in judgement well-hidden behind frame and panel doors.

[@anthonydtobias]

I have the veritas version of the edge plane, it's amazing how easy KZbin videos can convince you to purchase some of the tools you see everybody uses... Sometimes it's good and sometimes it's just way too expensive ha ha ha. We have an extremely similar tool cabinet, I don't have as many tools as you do but I'm trying to be careful not to buy something I don't need. You should keep your tools and don't get rid of them, you never know when your style might change and you want to go back to hand tools more

[@quillwoodworks]

Yep. No rush to get rid of them. And thankfully, they have a pretty decent resale value if and when the time comes. (especially since Lie Nielsen is having lots of supply chain issues)

[@BobAmarant]

Wow Kevin, sweet collection of tools and love the palace you build for them. Your videos and interesting and fun. See you at the holiday dinner on the 20th. (Thanks for the honesty on the less/not used tools.

[@quillwoodworks]

Thanks Bob! My wife and I are looking forward to the dinner. We had a great time last year.

[@tomware9448]

BTW built similar cabinet but used nothing but off fall from over the years. It was challenging and to be honest it is more utility in appearance, looks like a shop cabinet but works

[@Tensquaremetreworkshop]

Virtually every centre join tool cabinet I have seen has box doors- i.e. the middle sides are the same depth as the rest. Why? They can be shallower, or non existent. Makes secondary doors easier to position, and avoids any clashes with the tools in the main part. I have drawers in the bottom of my cabinet, and they can be deeper than the centre, because I do not have these unnecessary sides

[@FearsomeWarrior]

It’s shiny! I need it! When I was at a woodworking class we started talking about how we worked and what we used. The Tormek got brought up as a want and they had used one but hadn’t bought one. I realized that many items like this are things you don’t have, until you do. You forget about the money you spent very quickly. It’s sort of a puzzle where you dont want to spend but want the thing and once you have that thing you just move on to wanting the next thing.

[@quillwoodworks]

Great point. True of everything right?! Want something badly then once you get it, the high quickly wears off. I may be showing my age but the older I get, the less clutter I want in my life. I appreciate your comments.

[@piotrs.774]

Thanks very much for video, very good

[@quillwoodworks]

Thanks for watching, Poitr!

[@SawForgeGarage]

Awesome cabinet my friend. I plan on making one of my own in the near future. Cheers.

[@quillwoodworks]

I appreciate you watching and the kind words. Good luck building yours!

[@jeffv4728]

Great video! I have been woodworking for a long time but always with great shop machinery. Just getting into hand tools and I bought a Veritas low angle block plane and their cabinet scraper as well. You gave me a lot of insight into what I should be looking at next few purchases. Thanks!

[@quillwoodworks]

Glad you found it useful, Jeff. Good luck with the journey into hand tools!

[@garynelles]

Another great video, Kevin.

[@quillwoodworks]

Thank you, Gary!

[@tomware9448]

We all been there and done that. I am a LOT older now, find myself using those hand tools more. Proudest of the ones I built

[@quillwoodworks]

I bet you’re proud of them, Tom! I appreciate you watching.

[@walterrider9600]

thank you . very honest of you . yup we do get taken by the shinny stuff . i have to check out your channel .

[@quillwoodworks]

I appreciate you watching, Walter. Thanks.

[@julianplante3985]

Beautiful cabinet and great tour! I completely agree about the Japanese saws replacing the Western ones. I think about selling some of my regret purchases, but sometimes they do come in handy for the odd task or when you don't want to mess with a machine setup for something quick.

[@quillwoodworks]

Yeah, even the regrettable purchases are fun to mess around with!

[@stephenemerson9890]

Thanks for sharing.

[@quillwoodworks]

I appreciate you watching, Stephen!

[@ChristIsLord229]

I really like your channel, your builds and your approach in the tool selection you use. I share a similar style and when you said you like to finish with your number 4 smoother i was like YES! Sanding sucks! I aim for the same thing. Id really love to see a video on how you use and tune up your smoothing plane for a perfect finish thats ready for oil. I know theres many on here, but id like to see the way you do it and any tips or tricks you have in adjustments or sharpening. I can only watch so much Rob Cosman. Thanks!

[@quillwoodworks]

I really appreciate the kind words! I have a couple of project videos in the works and I’ll be sure to go over my smoothing plane setup. Thanks so much for watching!

[@andrewbrown8148]

Great video~! I really like Mike's tool cabinet and having seen yours, I'm liking it even more. Will have to put this on my list since I'm in need of one myself. I too have some tools where I share buyer's remorse, but live and learn. This was the first video of yours that I've seen and I'm definitely going to check out more. Put a +1 on the subscriber count~! 😉

[@quillwoodworks]

Glad you enjoyed the videos and thanks for the sub! That tool cabinet is one of the best things I ever did for my shop. I believe Fine Woodworking put the entire video series on their KZbin channel for free. And if you build it, invest the $20 or so for the printed plans from their website. Invaluable. Thanks again, Andrew!

[@matthewlawson884]

Great video. Thank you for sharing. For info the LN low angle block plane apron style is one of my most used hand tools and has pride of place at the centre of my work bench!

[@quillwoodworks]

Thanks for watching, Matt. I’ve had a few people think I was crazy for not giving that plane more love!

[@danharris3319]

Really enjoy your channel and approach to making videos. Very nice tool cabinet and collection of hand tools. I'm gearing up to build a similar Pekovich style cabinet myself in the coming year for all my overpriced and over-collected tools lol

[@quillwoodworks]

You’re going to have a lot of fun making that cabinet. Hope the build goes great for you!

[@joeleonetti8976]

Thanks for the share. I've bought a bunch of tools that don't get used that often. Of example, that side rabbet plane, I've got the left and right. They sat for years unused. Recently, I was working on a 4 foot tall chest and between the two sides I had 20 housing dados. To get the proper fit, it was handy to have the side rabbet plant to widen this housing dado. Having said that, it will sit probably for 3 or 4 years before I need it again. As such, I have mixed emotions about owning them. I've decided I will just keep them as sometimes they come in handy and they don't take up much space. But I hear you and can understand the feeling.

[@quillwoodworks]

We seem to feel the same way. Hard to get rid of something knowing you'll need it five minutes after you sell it!

[@VicFroman]

You have a very good presentation and on camera demeanor. Every man's man

[@quillwoodworks]

Very much appreciated, Vic! Thanks for watching.

[@VicFroman]

@@quillwoodworks every video I will watch sir

[@robancill4908]

Don't normally watch these type of vids but enjoyed thank you when's the next project

[@quillwoodworks]

Thanks for watching, Rob. Hope to have another project video out in a couple of weeks.

[@user-dy1jo8wr9v]

Nice

[@barrydoxseyuk]

O you only have few, "wish I hadn't splashed out on." Nice cabinet, not so big. You have good taste. O and I am glad my tool shop is a few hours drive away!

[@quillwoodworks]

Ha! Thanks for watching, Barry.

[@eddiebauer5976]

Another excellent video! Thanks for sharing your cabinet as well as your knowledge…if you decide not to make a New Year’s resolution with that plow plane, hit me up! (Seriously) I’m still holding on to my #7 just like you…it’s too beautiful to part with.

[@quillwoodworks]

Appreciate you watching, Eddie!

[@tommoeller7149]

Loved your step by step assessment. My only quibble is that most of the tools you wouldn't buy in hindsight are those you've replaced with power tools. I'm a mixed tool user as well. I don't regret any of my hand tools even though I can do the job faster with my power tool. Some days, especially for smaller projects, I'm really glad to not have to wear the ear and eye protection, turn on and listen to the dust collector and the whine of a motor. Just a bit of quiet wood removal with a handful of shavings to scoop into the bin. I hope your kids make parole soon.

[@quillwoodworks]

I appreciate you watching, Tom, and you make a good point! Cheers!

[@beepseatsfindingfoodtreasu8756]

I picked up a Stanley #55 combination plough plane and the cutters for the price of just one of the "name" brands, if you enjoy hand working, i can't say enough about the versatility of them. I've even added the #45 and a Trouts patent to the mix. These are not your average "go to" planes. But the versatility when adding beading or creating one of a kind moldings is fantastic. And thanks for setting me straight on a few of my purchases. I hate dusting, so I equate the price of the tools to the price of cleaning products over my lifetime. And i still came up short. So i incressed the value of the labor. Wow! Did i save some money buying those dust collectors! I have found that for dovetail saws, if you do your searching, you can find high quality antique saws that are on a completely different level than what's in production. Once you master sharpening and setting you can't beat them for their value. I even recut the teeth on one that looked like it was used for trimming finish nails, for that added detail look i imagine. To a pull saw and i can't believe that someone didn't produce them. The one thing we can take from some of our less than genius purchases is, we can impress people with our knowledge of tool nomenclature and how well we care for them. Mainly because they never see the light of day and therefore don't endure the tortured lives of the ones that do. Great video and the drawer was the best feature, its a dad thing. And when we look at some of our less than purchases. We can always look at our smile maker and push on with the project. Thanks for sharing yours along with your experiences.

[@quillwoodworks]

Wow. I really appreciate your thoughtful response. So many good points!

[@pope52]

Why do you find yourself using the low angle block over the rabbeting? I have the rabbeting, but would be curious if I'd also benefit from the 60 1/2, or even the no.102 for something a bit more maneuverable. Again, your content is great. Keep it up. I know you have spent years building up this collection -- I'd be curious for a sort of retrospective on your work as you've started and developed skills over the years.

[@quillwoodworks]

Hi Tom! The low angle block isn’t as tall as the rabbeting block plane (the width of the sole is the same though) so for how much I use a block plane, I prefer to have the 60 1/2 in my hand. Just feels perfect. If you could get your hands on a 102 to try out, go for it. Many people absolutely love the way it fits in their hand. There are some older pieces that I made that I’m really proud of that I made before I started filming (“filming”…showing my age!) my work. I can definitely see making a video going over some of those earlier projects. I appreciate you watching and the nice words, Tom!

[@user-tq9xd3ri9m]

In your first drawer you said you have sanding blocks to keep surface rust off the hand saw, what kind of sanding blocks do you use for this? Thanks for the video.

[@quillwoodworks]

Hi. I also use them to clean any slight surface rust on hand planes. Look up “Sandflex Hand Block” on Amazon. “Medium” cleans things very well. Then I follow up with the “fine” to match the factory finish. Thanks for watching. They also sell a “coarse” but I’ve never needed that one.

[@user-pn7pe9vj6k]

Hi. Another great video. I enjoy your channel and work. What process do you use to sharpen chisels? I’m just starting out, have purchased some decent chisels but not what to buy for sharpening process. Thanks for any thoughts. Warren.

[@quillwoodworks]

Hi Warren. I use Shapton water stones. 1k, 4k, and 8k grit. They last a long time (years and years for a hobbyist) and you don’t have to soak them before a sharpening session. Just spritz with water. On most tools I have a 30 degree micro bevel on them. And I use a honing guide as opposed to free hand sharpening. Hope this helps!

[@user-pn7pe9vj6k]

Apologies Kevin, meant to ask about your honing guide - what brand do you use? I’m assuming it’s best to spend money on a decent one? Thanks.

[@quillwoodworks]

Sure. I use the Lie-Nielsen guide but only because I got it second hand for a really great price. The Veritas Mark 2 is a great choice as well. I used that for years before I switched to the Lie Nielsen. Again, I only switched because of the deal I got. The LN is in my opinion just marginally better.

[@TWC6724]

Love your tool cabinet. If you ever want to sell the Lie Nielsen dovetail saw let me know. I might be interested.

[@quillwoodworks]

Will do. Thanks for watching!

[@anthonyseiver7000]

Nice Cabinet and tools. While I disagree with some of your regret tools, it's your shop, your rules.

[@quillwoodworks]

Thanks for watching, Anthony. Yeah, it’s funny how one person can find a tool not necessary and another person finds it invaluable.

[@Tensquaremetreworkshop]

How do you sharpen a fishtail chisel?

[@quillwoodworks]

Freehand. A little tricky as the bevel is so small but you get the hang of it. And the sharpened tool lasts quite a long time as I only use it for a few types of operations (mostly cleaning up half-blinds) and it’s a paring motion, not chopping.

[@russellseaton2014]

I'm going to argue with you about the scrub plane. I have an old Stanley 40 scrub plane. I don't use it much. But when it is needed, nothing else could do what it does. Of course I only paid maybe $20 for my Stanley. I don't know what a Lie Nielsen 40.5 scrub goes for.

[@quillwoodworks]

Thanks for watching, Russell. I was crazy to buy a Lie-Nielsen scrub plane. An old Stanley scrub plane like you have (or modifying an old junk #4) would have made much more sense than buying a premium tool for down and dirty work like hogging off material quickly.

[@timothymallon]

Man, the tools you wouldnt buy again would look awfully nice in my shop. I love those saws especially. I prefer western style saws. Not really a fan of the Japanese ones. I know it's a personal preference but I just cant get into the whole "throw away the blade and buy a new one" model of the Japanese style. I like sharpening. It slows you down and becomes meditative.

[@quillwoodworks]

While my opinion on types of preferred saws differs from yours, I get your point on sharpening. I like sharpening chisels and plane irons. Like you mentioned, very meditative. I appreciate you watching and your thoughts!

[@joymeyda]

Wow, amazing video! It makes me wonder what you could’ve bought your wife with the money spent on all those now unused tools 😢😘

[@quillwoodworks]

She would have just spent it on wine coolers anyway.

[@billwilliamson4715]

😅@@quillwoodworks

[@davidfaridimani6915]

If I had seen this video 3 months earlier, I'd now be a lot less in debt and a lot farther from poverty 😂

[@quillwoodworks]

Ha! I appreciate you watching, David!

[@jimmcnett]

This video was targeted for me. There are a couple of tools that I was on the fence about. You suggest not to buy them so I will not waste my money. The router plane is one that I believe you would recommend.

[@quillwoodworks]

I love using the router plane. If I were to start over, after a jack plane, smoother, and block plane, it would probably be my next plane purchase.

[@robandsharonseddon-smith5216]

At that age school definitely felt like prison!

[@quillwoodworks]

Good point!😁