Tools of the Trade: The Art and Craft of Carpentry

by Jeff Taylor, Rich Iwasaki (Photographer)

Profiles over twenty-five carpentry tools, describing the joy of using and owning them, and includes anecdotes for each tool

Genres: Nonfiction, Woodwork

167 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 1996

Reviews

[Scott G · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. It was a pure meditation on the spirit of carpentry without getting too ‘zen’ about it.
Taylor learned from the best journeymen in the trade before these types passed off the scene for good.
The little dispensaries of sage advice on how the only way to properly use pipe wrenches is in twos, or the practical uses of an awl outside of the realm of the trade, the multi use of a framing square…and many more.
The hardcover faux wood grain is a nice collectable touch. It may have been written in the 90’s but that only makes it more appealing to me.
Now off to the garage sales/flea markets to find some of these near forgotten relics that I just found out are indispensable additions to my toolbox.

[Harlan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable quirky essays about (well, more like inspired by) hand tools, and the people who use them, I believe written for a woodworking magazine.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a grand book! I already have my dad whizzing through it and have promised to pass it on to other friends and family members! Having been a carpenter by trade now for the past four years, I found his stories SO relatable! The amazing characters Taylor had the honor to work with remind me so much of all the wonderful men I've met along the way in my adventures with woodworking tools. I also greatly appreciated his jokes with his dad about coming up with unusual names for tools they didn't know the name of. I can't say how many times I have handed my dad a gitchy whopper, thing-a-majig or doohickus :)

[Jeff Youngstrom]

My review from April 30, 2000