Essential Tools for Carpenters | The Family Handyman
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Diagonal Cutting Pliers
These are a mainstay for electricians, but I use mine all the time for removing nails when something goes wrong, repairing cords or on demo work. I use them to grab a nail and work it back and forth until it breaks off, or to just cut a stubborn nail off. They should be eight inches long. Don’t be disappointed — spend the money for a good pair, such as this pair from Klein Tools.
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Nail Set
You almost have to buy these in a set, but the one I carry is 3/32 inch, included in this DeWalt three-piece set. Everyone uses nail guns today, but they aren’t perfect — sometimes you still must set a nail into the wood. I also use it to pop up hinge pins and to mark the starting point for a drill bit. I’ve even used mine to punch a nail through wood on demo work.
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Pry Bar
No one is perfect so occasionally I have to take something apart, and of course there’s always demo work. Most of my work is trim carpentry, so I carry a small, flat bar all the time. The thin edge helps me remove trim with minimal damage. The Red Devil pry bar works pretty well as a scraper, which can be sharpened with a belt sander, and as a putty knife, too.
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