How well stocked are you with basic hand tools

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Tirediron

Seasoned HillBilly
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HCL Supporter
Joined
Dec 11, 2017
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2,229
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Rural western Canada, Sunrise side of the Rockies
Any kind of hick up can mess things up and disrupt life. Do you have some kind of saw in case a tree block your way, an axe the list goes for ever. do you know how to use a manual saw?? there is a right way.
 
Stocked above average...but always working on improving it. I just ordered a specialty scythe with a made to fit me handle that takes 3 weeks to get it made and shipped.After i get it and i see i can use it correctly..because of my spine...i will be ordering a book and penning anvil and more to maintain it and the other scythes i have. I have one with a wheat cradle on its side.

One worry i have is with all ash dying from bugs now will there be ash handles in our futures.I know we will have hickory but ash will be a big deal i think at some point in future.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emerald_ash_borer

Have various types of saws and hand tools
 
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I have a LOT of hand tools, inherited from my Dad, Father in Law and late Son in Law.
Plus my own tools accumulated over 75 years of life.
Everything from antique wooden body hand planes (that I have used) to chainsaws, routers (several), table saw, to every tool needed to pull and rebuild a gasoline engine. I do not work on diesels or transmissions.

God gives everyone a talent. Some are mathematicians, some are financial geniuses, I can figure out how things work and fix them when they don't.
 
Any kind of hick up can mess things up and disrupt life. Do you have some kind of saw in case a tree block your way, an axe the list goes for ever. do you know how to use a manual saw?? there is a right way.
what I thought you were saying, "any kind of hick can mess things up." YEAH!
I've got a lot of tools because hubs had a lot of tools and he knew how to fix (or figured out how to fix) just about anything. Do I? No. I either ask you guys, my sons, guys from church, look it up on yt videos...
I've been wanting a list of what the basics are that would be needed. (You'd think I'd know by now). HAHAHA. I'm asking GUYS that. The list will go on forever cuz guys love tools. Can never have enough.
 
what I thought you were saying, "any kind of hick can mess things up." YEAH!
I've got a lot of tools because hubs had a lot of tools and he knew how to fix (or figured out how to fix) just about anything. Do I? No. I either ask you guys, my sons, guys from church, look it up on yt videos...
I've been wanting a list of what the basics are that would be needed. (You'd think I'd know by now). HAHAHA. I'm asking GUYS that. The list will go on forever cuz guys love tools. Can never have enough.
You can never have too many tools. I bought a weird tool for a friend one Christmas, something he might only use once or twice in a lifetime. Less than a month later he needed it. He could have used a file for the same results but it would have been slower and not as good a job. I’ve watched Dad build tools because he didn’t own the right tool and to order one would take weeks to get here, if anyone made it. You can never have too many tools. I bught over $200 in specialty tools to do a job on my truck. A buddy helped me fix the truck so I left the tools at his place. He does more vehicle repair than I and I know where they are should I need them. I won’t live long enough for that truck to need that job again.
 
I have so many mechanics tools some I have never used! I can rebuild motors and transmissions and every tool to do them.
I have tools from my Dad, uncles and friends of all types. Some I don't even know what they are!
Ask my Wife, I do Not throw Anything away!
 
Growing up on a farm… have all the basic tools, carpentry, electrical, plumbing etc. My grandpa’s tools are still here and my dads. My problem as I’ve gotten older, seems I do less of the things that need those tools or skills. The old sayin’ If you don’t use it you lose it!

Example, got really frustrated years ago trying to lay out angles with my grandfathers framing square. Something I’d done countless times but I couldn’t remember how to use the chart.

I’ve been buying hard copies, get them from used book stores, yard sales. A prepper needs a good library. Been buying selectively for 30yrs. I donate or resale too. If I find a better book on a topic than the one I have I upgrade! Quality means a smaller footprint when it comes to technical books.
 
I want a spare set of metric taps and dies, got a pile of imperial and pipe , only one set of metric and a couple of odd ones A set of metric bottoming taps would be nice too.
 
Dad was a tool and die maker for 30+ yrs. He sold his tools last year. I hated to see them go but i understood. He wanted his tools to go to someone who'd use them. Better that than some relative who'd take them to the flea market.

I kept a few things of course, taps and dies. And a few precision items like starrett dial indicators and mics.
 
Wife picked up an antique wood toolbox that i converted into a coffee table. It had some old bits in it, so I picked the old hand brace drill just in case.
Other tools, if i can use it 3 times i buy it. Rule has worked for me my whole life.
 
Yeah Stihl chainsaws and an older heavy commercial weedeater/saw/hedge trimmer that you have to tear apart to change heads. plus axes wedges etc, Four big commercial toolboxes with 1 inch 3/4, 1/2, 3/8, 1/4, spline and hex drives. sockets from 5/32 to 5 1/2 wrenches from 5/32 to 3" plus metric versions of all the above.

Body work from leading paddles and wax to bunch of older Binks easy spray and newer HVLP spray guns, masking carts and flat sanders, DAs, cut off tools, welders wire and stick Victor torches, Smith torches, jacks, hoists, cutoff saws, routers, drill presses forsner, flat, spiral, cobalt, bits and hole saws, all kinds of carpenter sheetrock, flooring tools, framing tools nail guns compressors, chain hoists, engine hoists >>>>>>>>> may be about 1/3 of the stuff besides gunsmith tools.


NO CARPET STUFF THOUGH, premade and bound Rugs ok, carpet>>>> somebody else can do it.

My dad could build custom rugs for people before there were many carpet stores I hate it.

I wish I had a lot of leather crafting stuff and the tanning process knack, that is one of the most important things a prepper needs to be able to do and I have NO skill in that at all.

I can trap and harvest it but have no ability to turn a bear skin into a coat for a hard winter or the deer into a good warm wax sealed moccasin or tipi cover..
 
I have a very complete set of tools for both outside/gardening and mechanical. All are in very good shape, since with my mechanical aptitude they seldom get used. I believe everything is there so if somebody knew how to use them (better than I do) they would not be disappointed or missing anything.

I used to do more in a prior life. Now my mechanical work has been reduced to putting a rear end in a recliner.
 
Any kind of hick up can mess things up and disrupt life. Do you have some kind of saw in case a tree block your way, an axe the list goes for ever. do you know how to use a manual saw?? there is a right way.
Your Thread Title shows this "

How well stocked are you with basic hand tools

"

Seems there are a few on here that in the event of "Total Power Failure" would 🐝 in trouble...?!?

Even this list is off a tad :

https://www.protrade.co.uk/blog/16-different-types-of-hand-tools-and-their-uses/
 
Not sure how much people will need mechanics tools or computer tools after the SHTF. No gasoline, no electricity, who cares if something mechanical or electrical breaks? May need some of the tools to repair a wheelbarrow or wagon or a hand pump well.

Since we heat with wood, we have a wide selection of saws, especially bow saws. I stocked up on new bow saw blades ranging from 20" to 42" long. It was tough finding the 42" blades.
 
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I'm always looking for tools at yard sales and the thrift store.
I found a scythe , I believe was made in the late 1800 . The handle is decorating my rock garden..but I managed to get the blade restored at a local knife shop. I ordered a new handle and had a handyman friend help me custom fit it onto the new modern handle.
I use it to attack the thistle out here and in case I need to cut down winter feed for the critters once modern tools are not a option.
I love it..it can be really dangerous hand tool as well. No critters allowed around me when I'm using it.
My most utilized hand tools are my Mccloud, garden tools, R5 shovel, Pulaski , wire clippers, my splitting mauls and my old hatchet that was my grandfather's.
This reminds me that I should take everything out n give a little maintenance on it all. Sharpen n oil the blades, sand any rough spots down on handles.
 
Not sure how much people will need mechanics tools or computer tools after the SHTF. No gasoline, no electricity, who cares if something mechanical or electrical breaks? May need some of the tools to repair a wheelbarrow or wagon or a hand pump well.

Since we heat with wood, we have a wide selection of saws, especially bow saws. I stocked up on new bow saw blades ranging from 20" to 42" long. It was tough finding the 42" blades.
Eggcellant Idea You had there and don't forget one of these :

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https://duckduckgo.com/?t=ftsa&q=p-38+can+opener&ia=web
 
The shop building I bought has many tools in it! My son from OKC is coming down this weekend to go through them with me!! I'll know more of what I have and need after that!!
Keep Everything that doesn't have an Electrical Plug or a Pull Handle 🤣
 

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