Top 4 Most Useful Hand Tools

The Christmas season is nearly upon us, and as the flurry of holiday fliers arrive in the mail, men’s thoughts turn toward….tools.  Hand tools and power hand tools are every man’s favorite gift.

There’s a right tool for every job and every man wants every one of them.  But unless you buy a hand tools set, you will be buying them one at a time.  Which are the most useful?

1. A claw hammer.  A hammer is the most useful tool you can own, so buy a good one.  They come in different weights and with claws of different curvatures, so buy one that you can hold comfortable while driving nails and with a claw curve that fits your needs.

2. Some screwdrivers.  If you aren’t nailing it together, then you are screwing it together.  You will need a set of screwdrivers with various sized flat head and Phillips head tips.  Some screwdrivers have detachable tips that store in the handle.  Screwing or unscrewing is all about torque.  You want a screwdriver with a handle that is comfortable in your hand and large enough to move the screw.

3. Vice Grips.  Vise Grips are actually a particular brand name, but the name has been applied to any pair of locking pliers.  To adjust the size of the jaws and clamp them down on something you want to keep hold of.  Locking pliers won’t slip around the head of a bolt the way regular pliers might if you fail to grip them tightly enough.

4. A tape measure.  A good, quality tape measure is essential.  They come in various sizes and designs, but you’ll want a 25-foot one.  That’s big enough to handle most jobs, and not too bulky.  Get one with a metal tape ribbon and a rocker button to hold it extended and release it to wind back.