Guy at the hardware store tried to tell me hand tools are a waste of money

I was at Ace picking up a new tape measure and some dude in the aisle starts going off to his buddy about how nobody needs hand tools anymore, just buy power tools and be done with it. Said he spent $400 on a cordless set last year and tossed all his screwdrivers. I wanted to say something but I bit my tongue. Has anyone else run into people who think basic hand tools are obsolete? What's the weirdest anti-tool rant you've overheard?

3 comments

3 Comments

webb.ben27d ago

Well a cordless drill isn't gonna tighten a tiny screw in a tight spot real quiet like...

elliot_barnes27d ago

Man that guy is missing the whole point. @webb.ben nailed it - you can't get a cordless drill into half the places a manual screwdriver fits. Hand tools are essential for precision work and tight spots. Plus they never run out of battery. I keep a set of old screwdrivers in the drawer just for those small fix-up jobs. Power tools are great but basic hand tools are the backbone of any project.

john6502d ago

Yeah, I was just reading that same thing about guys trying to force a drill into a corner and stripping out the screw head. It's like they forget the manual screwdriver was invented first for a reason. I remember my grandpa had this old saying about taking your time with the small stuff and not rushing with power tools. There's just no substitute for that direct feel you get with a hand tool when you're working on something delicate like a watch or a piece of furniture. Battery life is nice and all, but I'd take a quiet steady hand any day over a loud drill in a tight spot.