march of the tools

  • “For Your Pleasant Life”

    ByHeather Bailey

    March_of_the_tools470

    Japanese_Cut_Off_Saw
    Woodworking projects sometimes call for a dowel or rod to be cut off at surface level.  Power saws aren't usually up to the task and most hand saws, on top of too inflexible to stay flush with the surface, would damage the surface with their offset teeth. 

    Enter the Japanese Flush-Cut Saw.  This handy saw is not only rigid enough to make fine cuts in thin material, but also flexible enough to press tightly against the surface of your project — imagine a long, metal spatula with sharp, toothy edges.  The teeth curl back toward the handle and do not offset each other which means two things:  one, the bottom of the saw is smooth and will not marr up your project; and two, it only cuts on the pull stroke.

    There really is no other saw that can do this job.  Sure, perhaps only a handful of you will find need for such a device in the near future, but I love this thing, so there you are.  And if you are in a family full of men, you now have a new topic to bring up at dinner.  And there are birthdays and Father's Day to consider.  Isaac calls this simple tool a "revelation." 

    Funny — I just noticed this — ours has a stamp on the blade that reads, "For your pleasant life."  How about that!?

  • The Pen is Mightier than the Spatula

    ByHeather Bailey

    CooksIllustratedCvr
    Isaac loves to cook.  His sister, Evie, gave him a subscription to Cooks Illustrated magazine
    for Christmas one year and now we're hooked.  I'm pretty sure I would
    never have picked up this magazine from the shelf of a bookstore.  But
    it's great! 

    Cooks Illustrated covers the science of
    cooking in a fun, easy-to-follow format.  In any given issue, you might
    learn how to best hard-boil an egg so the yolk stays centered (helpful
    for deviled eggs), or which brand of stone-ground mustard is the most
    flavorful, or the science behind aged cheese.  Who knows — all kinds
    of interesting things. Their test-kitchen cooks tirelessly compare
    techniques and recipes to arrive at the best methods and flavors.  Then
    they quickly outline their test results and make suggestions in the
    magazine.  Even better, their research and info is completely unbiased
    – like Consumer Reports
    for cooking techniques, food, & recipes.  The magazine doesn't have
    any ads and is illustrated in old-fashioned pen-and-ink-drawings, which
    I love.

    Anyhow.  Yes, I'm recommending a cooking magazine as a favorite tool for March of the Tools.  Next time you're out shopping, stop by the magazine row and take a peek through Cooks Illustrated.  I love knowing the 'why' behind a good recommendation.  And Cooks Illustrated is full of 'whys' — and good recommendations.