Pretty sure I’ve done this topic before but new day, new people.

What tools are your favorite? Why? What do you use them for? If you could have any tools what would you get?

All of the old hand tools

This axe is my valuable tool. It's good for chopping, sharp as heck so good enough for shaving and light carving, portable and damn good quality considering I got it second hand on eBay for something like £25. Absolute steal. If I had to have only one tool, I would pick this and that's over any knife I own. I've used it for making spoons, kuksas and for splitting mini logs for my tin can stove but it can do basically anything I throw at it.

The one tool that would greatly improve my life and speed up... everything would be a belt/disc sander. I love what sanding can do but doing it by hand... The second thing that would help stuff out would be a drill press. Third would be someone to come and sharpen all my tools because I still suck at it :D

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I use my Victorinox Forester a lot. I use the saw to cut young trees, branches and notches. I use the knife for food prep, cutting, carving and debarking. The reamer for making holes in leather and the can and bottle opener for their uses all the time.

I go back and forth on whether I want to own a lot of power tools. In one sense my favorite part of bows is the design aspect and the faster you can get the heavy reduction down the more bows you can design. On the other hand I like the old ways.

But I would personally like to have another good size bandsaw. I think they are just too valuable not to have. A lamination grinder, belt sander and maybe a nice random orbital sander.

As for hand tools I have an idea for one I want to make that hopefully I can get done sooner than later and then share on the forum.

I have been building up my tools for a couple years now,  i have been trying to get one version of a power tool, and its manual old time version as well.  Been using more hand tools since we hsve no power, but i did pick up a generator to run some tools.but recently been using my dehydrator the most, hooked up to the generator.  Trying to build up our supplies, and good storage.  But i use all the tools equally , chainsaw,  axe,  hammer. Hand saw, coal forge is up and running, so once i start using it. I will be making most  of my hand tools,  to prep for zombies. Just in case

Morphy wrote on May 10^th, 2020 at 5:45am:

I go back and forth on whether I want to own a lot of power tools. In one sense my favorite part of bows is the design aspect and the faster you can get the heavy reduction down the more bows you can design. On the other hand I like the old ways. But I would personally like to have another good size bandsaw. I think they are just too valuable not to have. A lamination grinder, belt sander and maybe a nice random orbital sander. As for hand tools I have an idea for one I want to make that hopefully I can get done sooner than later and then share on the forum.

Personally, I think a succesful bow made with primitive tools, even better stone age tools, is a more valuable skillset than being able to make a 'traditional' high grade commercial bow with power tools. Even if the stone age bow only draws 30# and only lasts a few months.

So if you are aiming purely for survival skills, I would definitely go no-power-tools.

This is also why I am going to learn to process nettle fiber and make twine from it.

AncientCraftwork wrote on May 10^th, 2020 at 4:21pm:

Morphy wrote on May 10th, 2020 at 5:45am: I go back and forth on whether I want to own a lot of power tools. In one sense my favorite part of bows is the design aspect and the faster you can get the heavy reduction down the more bows you can design. On the other hand I like the old ways. But I would personally like to have another good size bandsaw. I think they are just too valuable not to have. A lamination grinder, belt sander and maybe a nice random orbital sander. As for hand tools I have an idea for one I want to make that hopefully I can get done sooner than later and then share on the forum. Personally, I think a succesful bow made with primitive tools, even better stone age tools, is a more valuable skillset than being able to make a 'traditional' high grade commercial bow with power tools. Even if the stone age bow only draws 30# and only lasts a few months. So if you are aiming purely for survival skills, I would definitely go no-power-tools. This is also why I am going to learn to process nettle fiber and make twine from it.

Some really good points Jauke. I went ahead and added making a bow with just flint tools to my list of projects. I have still not done this yet but it would be a good experience. Speaking of making cordage, if you haven’t tried using a drop spindle I highly recommend it. It’s easy to learn, fun and very effective for making high quality primitive bowstrings.

A circular saw is pretty much an essential tool.  You could use a hand saw to do most of the same jobs but it takes twenty times as long.  A chain saw can be a useful item also.  After the tornado hit here in 2015 the stores sold out of them right away. I was lucky to find one.  Lesson learned.  I won't be without one again. 

Hmm, solar powered dehydrator would be pretty simple.

In summer all you need is a small fan and a box with trays.
In winter a guess a small heater would help.

The other way would be to add something inbetween the top of your stove's chimney and the outside chimney and siphon some of the heat off to use in the dehydrator. You could just a 4inch 12volt pc case fan.

As far as hand tools go: my gerber plierman 600 multitool and my little mantis buzzard 1 inch blade knife are used every single day for something or other.

power tool wise. I use my cordless drill a lot. And in the wood shed, the bandsaw and the disc sander I made from the lathe are most used.

Although hands down the tools I use most in everyday life are my He3d k200 3d printer and my £100 pc, I do all the designing on.   

A chainsaw is very useful but also very dangerous. I wouldn't recommend one unless really required, an accident with it usually requires an airlift

Chainsaws are great , use them everyday I work. Danger and risk can be reduced with proper training and PPE. Chainsaw pants are a must.

A multitool or Swiss Army knife don’t really count as a tool so much as a set of tools, and to me they are convenient but less than ideal for most jobs. For me, the tool I use the most every day is a good pocket knife... specifically the mini griptillian by benchmade. I own two of them, and I feel naked without one in my pocket.

   In that I have always done most of the cooking (these days all of it) one tool I use more than any is my meat cleaver.  It's one of the handiest tools in the kitchen. 

I need a Maru Dai. That’s one tool I would love.

Morphy wrote on May 29^th, 2020 at 5:50pm:

I need a Maru Dai. That’s one tool I would love.

It would be nice to be able to do a Kumihimo braid.

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Rat Man wrote on May 29^th, 2020 at 8:28pm:

Morphy wrote on May 29th, 2020 at 5:50pm: I need a Maru Dai. That’s one tool I would love. It would be nice to be able to do a Kumihimo braid.

That’s the main thing but the other side of it is it’s so calming watching people use one. Like meditation. I would love to get into that “zone” and just braid for an hour or two.