Three years of work at The Place convinced me that hand tool options and manual labor gear are both invaluable and underrated. Let’s take a look at three different examples of hand tools to illustrate the point.
Hand Tool Example 1: The hand drawn utility wagon
If you’re looking towards doing chore work outside when you can’t just pull up the pickup or tractor… you want one of these wagons.
You especially want one with the dump back and big pneumatic tires that let it roll surprisingly easily over even uncut prairie.
Wagon with pneumatic tires hauling tree-planting items
Hand Tool Example 2: The rotary post hole digger
In case you’re looking to improve your manual hand tool collection for food production…
Post hole digger
Look for this style of hole digger. I have planted many, many trees with one of these, and while it is a lot of work to use, it works every single time, it doesn’t make enough noise to raise the dead, and it is nearly maintenance free.
Here’s a picture of the post-hole digger in use.
Hand Tool Example 3: A butane lighter? Really?
Not all tools are “obvious”, but one of the most important and easily obtainable ones may already be in your pocket… the ubiquitous disposable lighter.
Flick me, baby!
As I read the contents of people’s bags, I’m puzzled. So many times I see waterproof matches, magnesium/steel striker set, etc. … much less commonly do I just see a disposable lighter. I know it’s not as Tacticool and all, but disposable lighters — I usually pack them by twos because, Backups — I find easier to use than magnesium/steel, less likely to break or degrade than matches, and more reliable than either one. Plus, cheaper per use than either, and more uses per set. So what’s up with the shunning of the Bic?