Category: The Anarchist’s Tool Chest

When I wrote “The Anarchist’s Tool Chest,” I stayed away from mentioning brand names when I discussed the tools that make up the core kit in the book. Instead of saying, “Buy these brands, and here are their item numbers,” I tried to give readers the information needed to evaluate tools on their own.

Despite this approach, several people have requested a list of all the brand names of tools in my chest and for my reasoning why I chose each tool.

I resisted these requests at first, but then I decided there was no harm in supplying the information. After all, these are my tools, purchased with my own money. And if you read enough of my blather then you probably could assemble the list on your own.

So we shot a 60-minute DVD titled “Inside the Anarchist’s Tool Chest.” Here’s what’s on it.

• A 55-minute movie where I discuss each tool in the chest, tell you who made it and discuss what I like about it.

• A 5-minute slideshow of 66 step photos of the construction of the chest that were not included in the book.

• An 11-page supplies list of the tools in my chest with direct web links to all of the suppliers of the tools – plus more notes on why I chose particular tools (and I offer a few alternate brands as well).

• A SketchUp drawing of the tool chest from the book.

Here’s a short trailer from the DVD:

As a special introductory offer, we will sell this DVD for $10 plus free shipping in the United States. This offer ensures that those readers who have already purchased the book won’t be punished for buying the book early.

After Aug. 31, the price will go up to its regular price of $12, plus media mail shipping.

To save on costs, the DVD ships in a paper sleeve – no fancy plastic case I’m afraid. We find those cases a waste of money and a hog of shelf space.

To order the DVD at this special price, click here.

— Christopher Schwarz

“But whenever we clutter up our houses with things we could quite well do without, buying them only because they please a passing fancy, or because our neighbours have them, or because they have become customary, then junk they are.

“For although the industrial world has by this time acquired some rudimentary ideas as to the fittingness of things, its output is continually increasing and its sales propaganda is increasingly directed towards representing non-essentials as necessary to our comfort and well-being.

“And these things can destroy beauty in its very essence by destroying the simplicity of our surroundings.”

— Charles Hayward, The Woodworker, January 1939

I have never solicited reviews of my work, which is why you’ll never see a blurb on a Lost Art Press Book that reads, “It’s better than ‘Cats!’ I’ll read it again and again.” — Abraham Lincoln.

In this business we have an extremely crude but accurate expression for this sort of marketing tactic – ask me about it over a beer some day. The more polite term is “logrolling.”

Because we don’t roll logs, reviews of our books are more idiosyncratic – they are from readers who bought the book or traded us some cheese for it. But you can bet that the reviews are genuine.

This week, Luke Townsley at the Unplugged Shop wrote a nice review on his site. A brief excerpt:

“Until now, I have been unable to find a discussion on building traditional tool chests that was sufficiently detailed so one could actually adapt it for personal use. Chris Schwarz’ book does just that. And that is really, really important.”

You can read the full review here. The book “The Anarchist’s Tool Chest” is available in our store, as is the T-shirt that goes with the book. It sports the same square debossed on the book’s cover. My wife, Lucy, actually asked to have one of these shirts – a first!

— Christopher Schwarz

When you write a book, people criticize you.

I’m OK with that. After 21 years in the writing business I can take a sledgehammer blow to my bathing suit area every so often.

But today was a good day.

Why? Carl Bilderback gave me a call to discuss “The Anarchist’s Tool Chest.” If you have followed my blog for the last seven years, then you know that Carl and I go back even further than this blog. In fact, he first called me when I was a young cub at Popular Woodworking to set me straight on some issues of Norris handplane adjusters vs. Bailey adjusters.

And I have never forgotten his lesson.

For those of you who don’t know him, Carl is an extraordinary man. He’s a semi-retired carpenter with immense hand and machine skills. He has an impressive tool collection of planes and saws. He’s an officer of the Mid-West Tool Collectors Assn. He has the voice of an angel. And he is deeply – deeply – passionate about the craft.

But most of all, Carl is equal parts generous and honest. On the generous part: Though he is a tool collector, he probably has given away more tools than he has collected. If you like frame saws, he will send you some frame saws. Etc. etc.

On the honest part: When I’ve messed up in print or on the blog, Carl is always the first to tell me. He is blunt and to the point. The world needs about 300 million more people like him, with his enormous body of knowledge, his even more enormous heart and his willingness to share everything.

So Carl called today. And he had finished reading “The Anarchist’s Tool Chest.” He’s an accomplished editor (ask Megan) and had noted every typo, grammar and factual error in the 480 pages. After he detailed all those errors (which we are cleaning up for the second printing) I felt small and stupid.

But then he said something that I will carry to my grave.

“It is the best thing you have ever written,” he said. “There are things in there that I would want to try if I were 10 years younger.”

I almost burst into tears. After that conversation, I don’t care if The New York Times reviews this book. If Carl says it’s OK, then dammit (sorry for the language!), it’s not a piece of crap.

– Christopher Schwarz