TOOLS/HARDWARE

Our thinner picker-upper, but with a powerful 5-lb-pull, 9/16" dia magnet on the business end (for spilled nails, the screw that rolled under the stove, or the heavy wrench you dropped into the sump). The 5/16" dia x 5-1/4" long 4-draw barrel extends to a full two feet. Has a convenient pocket clip.

This 16-piece set of watchmaker's tools are just as handy for jewelry-makers, crafters, or anyone else working with small parts. The professional watch-repair kit Includes (2) tiny Phillips-head screwdrivers, (3) diminutive flat-heads, a case knife, non-magnetic tweezers, case wrench, metal/plastic watch hammer, link-pin remover, double-head pin pusher, (3) pin-punches, small needle-nose pliers, and a watchband holding block. Just changing bands and batteries? Get these tools to make it a lot easier, and order a brand-new pack of 30 popular-size button batteries-(6) AG1, (6) AG3, (6) AG4, (3) AG5, (3) AG12, and (6) AG13.

Look, Ma, one hand! These 10" Powerbuilt® wrenches have spring-loaded, self-adjusting jaws made to bite, hold and turn virtually anything--round, flat, hex or oddly shaped--that will fit. The jaws open to 2-3/8" apart and remain parallel. Designed so the jaws will generate 4X the clamping power of the ANSI pliers standard. Unlike you, its jaws have hardened steel teeth. Good to have a few in the garage, workshop and camper.

Then better check your bore. This tiny bore light, made for looking into barrels or other tight spots, measures 3-1/4" long x approx 5/8” dia with a single white LED. Includes a slide on right-angle fiber-optic head and a pocket clip. Take off the head and it’s a nice mini flashlight. You add (1) “AAA” battery.

You say your ex locked your bike to a fence just to be cruel? We’ve been there. Worry no more. From Tolsen Tools, this 8" long mini bolt cutter is compact and ready to slice through steel. Has a CRV steel blade which opens to 1/4" max., a steel-plated handle with a soft grip and a wire lock to keep them closed. Tolsen makes good stuff. After you free your bike, go find something else to cut.

This Stansport product is called the Finger-Tip Saw (although all you really need to cut off fingertips is a good garden pruner). This is actually a survival/hunter's wire saw, a 20" long, thin and sharp serrated wire with a 1-1/8" slip-ring at each end (for your fingertips). Coil it up and you can store it in a shirt pocket. Cuts "wood, plastic, bone, etc." and includes instructions for making a one-handed saw with a short tree branch.

Everything from Tolsen Tools is solid, and that includes this 8" long end cutting pincer tool with 1-3/16" jaws. It’s made of chrome vanadium steel, and you should get one for that reason alone. Not to mention the soft and grippy rubber-coated handles. Damn, we love quality tools.

There are plain ol’ planes and there’s the 42000 Plane from Tolsen Tools. This hand-held, steel-bodied wood plane has a carefully sharpened, adjustable blade that can be used for smoothing and removing soft or hard wood. Also has an anti-slip comfort PVC grip and knob. Blade is 1-3/4” wide x 3-1/8" long, and the whole shebang measures a compact 9-1/4” long. Though not numbered, we believe this is a No. 3 bench plane despite being a smidge longer than normal. Tolsen means quality, which sounds like an ad slogan, but it’s true. 

Silent movie star—came to a bad end. Also this 38-piece stubby handled driver and bit set in an easy-to-tote case. Forward, reverse and lock settings. Includes 3mm, 4mm, 4.5mm, 5mm, 6mm, 7mm slotted; #0, #1(2), #2(2), #3(2) Phillips; #0, #1(2), #2(2), #3(2) Pozi; T8, T10, T15, T20, T25, T30, T35, T40 torx; 3mm, 4mm, 5mm, 6mm hex; and #0, #1, #2, #3 square. Whole shebang in a 3.5" x 6.5"x 1.25" case. Get ratcheting.

See saw, buy saw. Then go on a camping trip and saw some firewood so you don’t freeze your tuchas off in the woods. This folding steel crosscut saw opens to 10-1/2" long with a 5” blade, but folds to a tote-able 6-1/4” long. Has an easy-grip contoured handle and a locking blade with teeth designed to cut through tree bark.

On a stick. This 6-draw telescoping tool has a 1" steel alligator clip on the business end. Extends from 8-1/2" (with a pocket clip) to 36" long. Use it to light pilot lights and over-primed grills, to hold a magnet and grab lost screws, to fish wires, or to deliver stuff to the guy in the next cell. Unscrew the gator and it's a simple pointer, or you can put anything else with a 5/32"-36 thread on the end.

This 6” long wire stripper/crimping tool has (7) positions to strip wire between 10 and 22 AWG, with a 3/8” cutting edge, serrated ends and a lock. Also has plastic-coated handles. Pat says they’re better quality than your average pair.

Nice 9-piece, 1/4"- drive chrome vanadium steel socket set has 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 & 13mm sockets all in a little red rubber holder so you don't lose 'em in the bottom of your toolbox.

This little handheld tubing cutter is made for cutting thin-wall brass, copper, aluminum and the like. Adjusts from 1/8” to 7/8” via a thumbscrew and has dual slotted 7/16” x 1/4” dia rollers, and an 11/16” cutting wheel. The whole shebang measures 1-3/4" x 4-1/2" x 3/4".

Our 5" long glass cutter comes in a package that says it’s 6” long, and who cares. (Surplus is our surname.) Has a heat-treated 3/16” dia cutting wheel, and 1/8” and 3/16” slots for breaking thin strips of glass. And like all glass cutters, it works best with a little light oil. Instructions on the back.

These 10" Tolsen Tools chrome-moly beauties are aviation snips, right-cutters with a compound action and 1-1/2” long fine saw-tooth cutting blades. Will cut up to 1.5mm cold-rolled steel, 1.8mm aluminum, or 1.0mm stainless steel. Coated handles and a blade lock. Our Whs manager John, uses them around the shop to cut steel banding cable on pallets. If they’re Tolsen, you know they’re tough.

The flying saucer meets the screwdriver in this compact driver set. The 2-7/8" dia x 1" thick gray-plastic case with a pocket clip holds #3 and #4 flathead, #2 and #3 Phillips, #1 and #2 pozi, and #2 and #3 hex bits, plus a 2-1/4" long driver. The driver fits into a port in the housing for leverage. At this price, they're perfect for replacement bits, glove compartment, desk drawer, etc. Do handle them carefully, because the cases break easily.

For practically nothing. This little home tile installation and repair kit has a 5-3/4" grout saw with a 1-1/8" business end, a 4-3/4" long spreader/scraper/squeegee, a 4-3/4” long trowel with square and v-notched sides, and a sponge for grout cleanup. Best for working with tiles 8” square or smaller. Don’t go into the bathroom without it.