Whether you’re tackling a weekend DIY project or starting a career in a professional trade around the Northamptonshire area, getting a gauge of hand tools is key. Most toolboxes are home to an extensive range of equipment, with each piece designed for a specific purpose, helping with different jobs. Ready to learn more about hand tools and their uses? Let’s look at what each tool does to help you save time and money.
Different Types of Hand Tools
Hand Saws and Cutting Tools
Hand saws are effective for tradespeople and DIY enthusiasts who are cutting things like wood, metal, and plastic, along with other materials where power isn’t needed for cutting.
Completing general timber cutting? A panel saw specifically is the option most go to; its finer teeth per inch (TPI) ensure a finer finish. If you’re cutting metal pipe and fixings, a hacksaw will help you do the job, while a junior hacksaw can be used for smaller, and more precise cuts.
Coping saws and manual jigsaws help with curved cuts in wood and thin sheet materials. Scissors and sips are also part of this category of tools, with aviation snips designed for cutting sheet metal both cleanly and safely.
Tiling Tools
You need a dedicated set of tools when it comes to getting tiles to sit straight and actually look professional; tile cutters score and snap tile to size, while tile nippers allow small, curved pieces to be nibbled away for a neat finish round fixtures.
Notched trowels or spreaders apply and comb adhesive evenly across surfaces, ensuring a strong bond, while your grout floats press grout deep into the joints. You can keep gaps consistent with tile spacers while the adhesive sets. This combination makes a difference to the professionalism of a finish, and each individual tool plays an imperative role.
Building Tools
When we refer to building tools, we’re talking about the tools that cover everything from laying the bricks to finishing plaster. Bricklaying trowels scoop and spread mortar, with London pattern trowels perfect for standard bricks and Philadelphia pattern trowels better for larger blocks and stone.
For a weatherproof and tidy finish, pointing trowels are ideal, while plastering trowels spread and smooth plaster across ceilings and walls. Floats achieve a finer texture on the surface, and rub bricks and slab cutting guides also fall under this category.
Electrical Tools
For electrical work, the correct hand tools don’t just keep you safe (which is key), they also keep you accurate. Wire strippers remove insulation cleanly without nicking the copper core underneath. Combination pliers grip, bend, and cut cable, and where live circuits are a risk, look for VDE-rated handles that are insulated to protect against electric shock. Cable rods are used to thread wiring through walls and cavities, while a voltage tester pen is a simple but essential tool that confirms whether a circuit is live before you begin work.
Plumbing Tools
Plumbing hand tools are focused on watertight connections and other pipe work. A pipe cutter gives a cleaner, squarer cut than a hacksaw and leaves no burr on copper and plastic pipe, while pipe benders allow copper to be shaped without kinking, ensuring flow rates stay consistent.
PTFE tape wrapped around threaded joints prevents leaks and adjustable spanners tighten fittings in the tight spaces behind sinks and baths where standard alternatives are unable to reach.
What Are the Basic Hand Tools for Beginners?
If you're just starting, you don't need to spend a fortune. Focus on building a solid foundation with quality basics from trusted brands like Stanley for example.
Your first kit should always include a claw hammer, a set of screwdrivers, an adjustable spanner, a tape measure, a spirit level, combination pliers, and a utility knife. These will handle about 80% of household jobs. As you take on more projects, you'll naturally spot gaps in your collection.
Many beginners make the mistake of buying cheap tools that break quickly. It's worth spending a bit more on decent quality items. A good hammer will last decades, whilst a budget one might need replacing after a few months of regular use. Explore different workwear tools to compare different quality levels and find what suits your budget.
Tools & Advice Available at Joseph Parr Northants
Hand tools can help with a variety of trade jobs. You can find premium options here at Joseph Parr Northants, or contact us for technical advice on which tools would work best for your particular job.