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Hand Tools

Planes, saws, chisels, marking tools: choosing, fettling, using.

HAND TOOLS · Jul 13, 2026 · 15 MIN

The 12-Tool Hand Kit That Builds Almost Anything

An opinionated 12-tool hand kit that will build real furniture — the why behind each pick, what to skip, and the order to buy in. Layout, sawing, paring, planing, and the sharpening setup that makes all of it work.

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HAND TOOLS · Jul 13, 2026 · 6 MIN
The $40 Japanese Ryoba, Reviewed: Where a Pull Saw Beats Your Backsaw
At around $40, a double-edged Japanese ryoba may be the highest-leverage hand-tool buy there is: pull-stroke tracking, a fine kerf, and rip-plus-crosscut in one blade. Where it replaces a Western backsaw, and where it doesn't.

The shortlist

The tools worth gifting — see the full ranking on the best-gear sheet.

SUIZAN Japanese Ryoba Pull Saw 9.5 Inch
$42.80
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Narex Bench Chisel Set
$81.99
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Starrett 12-Inch Combination Square
$126.07
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6 guides drawn

8 tools vetted

29 reader price checks