Purchasing and Restoring Hand ToolsÂ
with Logan Wittmer
Bring Classic Hand Tools Back to Life.
SIGN UP NOWBring neglected hand tools back to life in this restoration video. Follow along as we clean, repair, and tune vintage bench planes, chisels, and moulding planes, with practical techniques for removing rust, sharpening edges, and returning vintage tools to reliable, workshop-ready condition.
In this comprehensive restoration course, you'll learn how to shop for vintage tools online, at flea markets, antique stores, and tool sales, including what to look for before you buy and how to spot quality tools worth restoring. From there, follow step-by-step techniques for cleaning away grime and rust, restoring metal surfaces, flattening, and tuning bench planes, and sharpening chisels and plane irons for peak performance. You'll also see how to revive wooden-bodied moulding planes, repair and refresh their wooden components, and even turn custom replacement chisel handles on the lathe. Whether you're restoring your first flea market find or adding another classic tool to your collection, this video covers the essential skills to bring vintage hand tools back to working order.
What You'll Learn:
- How to shop for vintage tools, including what brands and styles hold their value best for resale
- The things to look out for when purchasing, including what can and can’t be easily repaired.
- How to clean metal-body planes, including removing rust and stuck screws
- The process of spiffing up wooden planes, removing decades of grime and fixing small cracks
- How to turn new handles for chisels, and attach them to last for years
- The way to sharpen and true all your metal components, including curved moulding irons
About Your InstructorÂ
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Logan’s true love, apart from his family, is the craft of woodworking. Having caught the woodworking bug in middle school, Logan attended the University of Northern Iowa studying Graphic Communications with the intent of, one day, working at a woodworking magazine. After spending a portion of his career in the print industry, Logan became an assistant editor at Woodsmith magazine before taking the reins at Popular Woodworking. During the spring and fall, Logan’s often found on the water or in the woods hunting and fishing. When summer rolls around, Logan’s often found outside, late into the evenings, covered in sweat and sawdust, running his sawmill.
