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My first hammer versus the one I use now is like night and day
I started out three years ago with a cheap 2.5 pound cross peen from a hardware store. The handle was this awful, slick plastic that gave me blisters after an hour, and the face was so poorly dressed it left marks on everything. I stuck with it for way too long, thinking a hammer was just a hammer. Then, about six months back, I saved up and bought a nice, hand-forged one from a toolmaker in Pennsylvania. The difference is crazy. The hickory handle fits my grip perfectly, and the polished face moves metal so much smoother. I don't fight the tool anymore. It just feels like an extension of my arm. How long did it take you all to realize your starter tools were holding you back?
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thompson.christopher1mo agoMost Upvoted
Ever try to sharpen a chisel with a cheap hardware store stone? That was my wake up call. Couldn't get an edge to save my life. Switched to a decent water stone and it was like a light went on. Same with my first saw. Thing wandered like it was drunk. Good tools don't do the work for you, but they stop fighting you every step of the way.
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iris4411mo ago
Tell me about it. My first set of screwdrivers were these awful things that came in a plastic pouch. The tips were so soft they'd strip a screw head just by looking at it wrong. Upgraded to some decent ones and suddenly I wasn't sweating and cursing over every little fastener. You don't know how bad your gear is until you use something that actually works right.
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