Category: Anarchist’s Gift Guide

This is the final installment of the Anarchist’s Gift Guide 2023 – tomorrow, it’s back to our regular programming.

Buffing Kit for Wax
From the automotive world comes this incredibly useful buffing kit. I put the pads on my random-orbit sander to buff out wax on tabletops and the like, and the pads makes life so much easier. These have hook-and-loop backing so they go right on the sander. I use the tool at a slow speed and buff out Renaissance wax and our Soft Wax. Sad part: I couldn’t find a good local source, so I had to go to Amazon for this one.

Knipex Mini-Pliers
Until this year I resisted the call of the Knipex. But after talking to Jason Thigpen of Texas Heritage at Handworks about his mini-pliers, his tone of voice was enough to convince me to give them a try.

The Knipex set of XS Pliers is not cheap, but the tools are head and shoulders above the stuff at the home center. I have ours hanging on the tool wall behind my bench and grab them constantly for dealing with stubborn fasteners or gripping something odd.

These mini-pliers have an enormous grip and grab really well. You won’t be sorry.

Dearborn Denim Carpenters Jeans
I’m always looking for USA-made jeans that aren’t for the mustache-and-too-tall-bicycle set. This year I tried a pair of Chicago-made Dearborn Denim jeans. The denim is 10 ounce, so it’s not terribly heavy. The cut is roomy so you can move. And the pockets and loop are handy.

For $79 – not bad.

My biggest concern with them is – as always – the front pockets. I blow mine out after a year of use and have to get them repaired. These have pockets that are made of lightweight material, so it’s only a matter of time.

But I am hard on clothes. You might not have abrasive leg hair like mine.

Klein Zippered Canvas Tool Pouches
Keeping small tools organized is a big deal for this woodworker. My mind has always been calmer when I have everything put away and easy to find. One of my favorite crutches are the Klein zippered pouches. These are inexpensive, widely available and durable. I keep all my drafting tools in one. A second pouch holds all my spare blades, lead for my pencils, replacement parts for tools, coping saw blades and etc.

Klein makes a lot other great tool bags. But these are my favorites.

And a Happy Thanksgiving to those of you in the United States!

2 Two Tool Bags
I love our Thread-Line tool bag. It has been an almost daily companion in working on the Anthe building. But they are hard to come by (at least for me). If you can get one, I recommend it. It is tough and lightweight and has lots of pockets.

A second excellent choice is the Steele Canvas utility tote. We got ours in waxed canvas. It has the same number of pockets as the Thread-Line and has the added bonus of a shoulder strap. These are made in the USA and made to order. But they are fast.

Both are fairly expensive compared to the crap at the home center. These will last you. The stitching and materials are excellent.