Ahand tool is anytool that is poweredby hand rather than a motor.[1] Categories of hand tools includewrenches,pliers,cutters,files,striking tools,struck or hammered tools,screwdrivers,vises,clamps,snips,hacksaws,drills, andknives.
Outdoor tools such asgarden forks,pruning shears, andrakes are additional forms of hand tools. Portablepower tools are not hand tools.
Hand tools have been used by humans since theStone Age, whenstone tools were used for hammering and cutting. During theBronze Age, tools were made bycastingalloys ofcopper andtin. Bronze tools were sharper and harder than those made of stone. During theIron Ageiron replaced bronze, and tools became even stronger and more durable. TheRomans developed tools during this period which are similar to those being produced today. After theIndustrial Revolution, most tools were made in factories rather than by craftspeople.[2]: 2
A large collection of British hand tools dating from 1700 to 1950 is held bySt Albans Museum. Most of the tools were collected byRaphael Salaman (1906–1993), who wrote two classic works on the subject:Dictionary of Woodworking Tools[3] andDictionary of Leather-working Tools.[4]David Russell's vast collection of Western hand tools from the Stone Age to the twentieth century led to the publication of his bookAntique Woodworking Tools.[5]
TheAmerican Industrial Hygiene Association gives the following categories of hand tools:[2]wrenches,pliers,cutters,striking tools,struck or hammered tools,screwdrivers,vises,clamps,snips,saws,drills andknives.
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