Estwing Estwing Framing Hammer

The X27's handle is injection-molded FiberComp — a fiberglass and resin composite that is stronger than wood grain-for-grain and will not warp, split, or absorb water. The head is drop-forged steel hardened to a full convex profile that forces wood fibers apart efficiently rather than cutting through them. The proprietary convex edge geometry is more effective than flat-ground axes at splitting wood because it drives the crack through the grain rather than cutting it. Fiskars backs the X27 with a lifetime warranty covering defects and breakage. The material literally cannot rot or warp — the handle will outlast any owner.

Drop-forged from US steel and induction-hardened at the cutting edge — the jaw faces are hardened to a different rockwell than the body, giving you a tool that cuts hardened copper wire while maintaining a shock-resistant body that won't crack. Klein has been the standard-issue pliers for US electricians since 1857 and is still made in Mansfield, Illinois. The 9-inch model handles up to 6-gauge solid and 8-gauge stranded wire in its side cutter. The insulated handle versions are ASTM and UL tested to 1,000V AC — real working electrical safety rating, not decorative rubber.

Starrett squares are precision-machined in Athol, Massachusetts to tolerances of ±0.0001 inch. The blade is hardened and ground stainless steel with graduations engraved and filled (not printed) — they cannot wear off. The cast iron head is machined flat and square to within fractions of a thousandth of an inch. Unlike the Chinese-made squares sold at hardware stores, a Starrett square is accurate enough to use for precision machining setups. The center-finding and protractor heads are interchangeable on the same blade. These tools are passed from machinist to machinist across careers; Starrett has made them since 1880.