If I only had one hour to cut down a tree, I would spend the first forty-five minutes sharpening my axe.
The above quote is commonly attributed to Abraham Lincoln and demonstrates the importance of valuing preparation and training over raw force of will. After all, nobody would argue with the comparative difficulty of hacking down an oak tree with the equivalent of a shovel versus the ease of doing so with a finely honed tool. Using the right tools for the job is essential, but even the right tools don’t always work all of the time. Those tools need to be cared for, and sharpened, and fine-tuned for us to get the most out of them.
I’ve spent a lot of time working with tools over the last year of my life as I’ve taught myself woodworking. I’ve broken down and refined tools that are made of hundreds of components including a motor and electrical systems - such as a table saw. I’ve done the same with tools that include only a few pieces and no electrical parts - like a chisel or a handplane - and somehow these simpler tools are much more complex.
The calling card of a good woodworker is they have as many tools that do not use electricity as those that do. When I first began collecting tools everything on my shopping list had a power cord or a battery pack. I couldn’t fathom why any aspiring craftsman living in the 21st century would spend hundreds of dollars on the same tools they used to build an early 1600s rocking chairs with. Especially when you can spend an equal amount on a spinning death saw that slices through wood (and fingers) faster than any pilgrim would have believed.
I mean, just look at the prices of some of these seemingly antique tools:
The reason these tools are important is they can accomplish something that a power tool cannot. They can be precise. They can take .001 inches off the shoulder of a joint so that it fits seamlessly into the desired spot. If that was attempted with a power tool you’d destroy all of your hard work.
When I first recognized the importance of the above fact I purchased the cheapest set of Chisels I could find on Amazon and was absolutely shocked when right out of the package they were as dull as 3rd grade English class. It was like trying to cut through wood with a screwdriver.
To get to the effectiveness I had come to expect from all of the Youtube videos I watched I had to sharpen them. Sharpening is a complex process using all sorts of whetstones and honing solutions that I won’t cover completely here, but it took me weeks to master. I also spend a few hours a week resharpening and rehoning my tools. But it’s time well spent because I can slice through wood in a way that would make Abe Lincoln proud.
Woodworking is a pretty on-the-nose example of keeping your tools sharp but it applies to all sorts of crafts. If you’re a painter it’s important that you keep your brushes clean. Keeping your tools sharp can apply to non-physical tools as well. A writer should constantly read the writing of others and practice their craft, a programmer should continuously test themselves solving problems.
Whatever you do, your tools are important. Make sure they stay sharp enough to get the job done.