In a previous post I talked about some things that nearly everyone on every blog with tell you to avoid. Cheap tools. In many ways, I can understand the reasons behind steering clear of cheap, low quality tools. First of all, they don’t work as well. They also may not hold an edge for very long, so you wind up sharpening….and sharpening….and sharpening. But I would pose an argument that there is a positive side to inexpensive, poor quality tooling--and no, not just learning to sharpen. As in all things, I believe there is a time and place for just about everything.
No I will not say that everyone should buy this or buy that. That is up to the user. I could really care less if you’re using the latest and greatest chisel or saw from LV or some cheap Chinese knock-off. I believe in personal choices in regards to tools, and I don’t think there is a “one size fits all” method of buying tools. If you want it and can afford it, buy it. It keeps the economy moving. Good for you.
But here are just a few thoughts that I have. Please, bear with me…
My view on cheap tools is very similar to my thoughts on University education. Yes, I am a college graduate. I spent 4 years in school taking classes that honestly have nothing to do with what I do today, and I love what I do and I make a good living doing it. I hate to tell my folks this (no they didn’t pay for all of my schooling, though they helped. I’m still doing that 15 years later), but I wasted four years worth of education at an average priced private college. Oh, and I didn’t get my degree with those years. Awesome. I had changed my major about 3 times in those 4 years, and kept just shelling out or borrowing more and more money. I had to have it right? When you’re 18 that’s exactly what you have to do: leave home, go to school, meet a girl, get your degree, get a job, get married…and so on and so on. At some point I realized that I don’t like throwing my money away.
People ask me today for advice about their kids heading off to college and here is what I tell them I would have/should have done: Community College. Suck it up and keep them at home for another two years. Let them figure out what direction they want their life to start down before you start shelling out the big bucks for what will then only be half of a 4 year degree. This gives them time to get used to school, the less rigid structure, and take some classes and get some experience to find out what they like. There’s no guarantees that what sounds like a good idea at 18-19 years old will still be a good idea at 21-22. Sure, we all wanted to run away from home and start striking out on our own, but was that really the smart thing to do? For some? Sure. Others like me? Nah. Same thing goes for woodworking or any other hobby.
Not everyone is going to like woodworking. Shoot, some people may decide after a couple projects and a month or two in the garage that woodworking is really more of a 3rd or 4th hobby or “nice to have in your back pocket” kind of thing rather than a real passion that will want to soak up every bit of free time you can squeeze out. There's no shame in it. We all try things and then realize it was fun, but just not for us.
Now think about it. If this is just a “it’s nice to know” kind of thing, do you really want to buy that $2000 cabinet saw that everyone is raving about? How about a set shiny planes that are the envy of every woodworker? Wow, very cool. Some people will. Go for it. I wish I could do that some days, too. I’ve seen plenty of garage sales and notices with people selling their stuff that I’m sure looked like at really good idea at the time. I like those guys. I buy a lot of stuff from them.
Now think about it. If this is just a “it’s nice to know” kind of thing, do you really want to buy that $2000 cabinet saw that everyone is raving about? How about a set shiny planes that are the envy of every woodworker? Wow, very cool. Some people will. Go for it. I wish I could do that some days, too. I’ve seen plenty of garage sales and notices with people selling their stuff that I’m sure looked like at really good idea at the time. I like those guys. I buy a lot of stuff from them.
This is where I say to the people just starting out: Don’t go crazy and buy the best tools out there. Not yet, at least. You don’t even know what you want. You’ll find out soon enough, I guarantee it! So do some searches, read some reviews on some less expensive tools. Cheap tools can work just fine, and there actually some good ones out there that don’t cost a body part. They take a little bit of work to get going sometimes, but they do work. (Oh, but SAFE is another thing, especially when working with power tools. Yes, you can still go inexpensive, but don’t sacrifice safety. Just be careful and spend a little time on research) Yes, using the shiny, new, expensive stuff is nicer, smoother, less fuss, and worth the money in many cases, but they still do the same thing. Once I learned to sharpen, guess what my chisels did…they cut a mortise cleanly and pared the shoulder and cheeks of the tenon to my lines. Wow. Amazing.
Learn to sharpen. Sharp is sharp, no matter the tool. Then it’s just a matter of how long it will hold the edge. Trust me, people won’t make fun of you for your tool collection. No skin off my back if you made the entire project with a sharpened claw hammer and some pruning shears. Good for you. I’d love to see how you did it! Sure, tools can be cool, but it’s the wood that everyone really sees and cares about.
The other way to do it is to check out the used market. There is a ton of good stuff out there looking for a new owner. If for some reason you decide woodworking isn't for you, you should at the very least be able to get your money back out of it. Breaking close to even isn't a bad investment at all, considering.
Learn to sharpen. Sharp is sharp, no matter the tool. Then it’s just a matter of how long it will hold the edge. Trust me, people won’t make fun of you for your tool collection. No skin off my back if you made the entire project with a sharpened claw hammer and some pruning shears. Good for you. I’d love to see how you did it! Sure, tools can be cool, but it’s the wood that everyone really sees and cares about.
The other way to do it is to check out the used market. There is a ton of good stuff out there looking for a new owner. If for some reason you decide woodworking isn't for you, you should at the very least be able to get your money back out of it. Breaking close to even isn't a bad investment at all, considering.
Don’t get me wrong. I want some better quality tools now, but in no way do I regret the paltry amount I spent to get going. Shoot, I’m still deciding if I like Western saws or pull saws better, so I’m definitely not going to go out and buy a custom back saw from some very good makers out there or order my next saw from Japan. That’ll come later… maybe. Currently, I’m slowly upgrading my tool set and to be honest, I have to suggest vintage tools. I love and prefer good vintage user tools, but that is just what it is, my preference. I like the history and getting them working, but that’s me.
So why am I upgrading, because my cheap tools don’t work? Nope, because I now know what I want and how I’m going to use it. I would have hated to spend all that money a year ago and then watched it collecting normal dust, not sawdust, in my garage/shop. Now I can take that $7 set of chisels, which I still use at times today, and use them to beat the heck out of stuff or scrape glue and paint off my garage floor if I want to. I can also modify my cheap, uncomfortable #5 jack plane and turn it into more of a scrub. No one said they were useless, just not as nice to use. Spend some time, figure out what you want, then go for it. The worst thing you will say is, “Man, I wish I would have had this for that one thing I did way back when.” It happens. At least now you know why you appreciate it now.
So why am I upgrading, because my cheap tools don’t work? Nope, because I now know what I want and how I’m going to use it. I would have hated to spend all that money a year ago and then watched it collecting normal dust, not sawdust, in my garage/shop. Now I can take that $7 set of chisels, which I still use at times today, and use them to beat the heck out of stuff or scrape glue and paint off my garage floor if I want to. I can also modify my cheap, uncomfortable #5 jack plane and turn it into more of a scrub. No one said they were useless, just not as nice to use. Spend some time, figure out what you want, then go for it. The worst thing you will say is, “Man, I wish I would have had this for that one thing I did way back when.” It happens. At least now you know why you appreciate it now.
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