There is nothing quite so satisfying as manipulating materials using hand tools. There's a level of connection with the work, and human finesse, that you just can't get using things that plug into the wall.

There's been a bit of a handplane craze in recent years, and a handful of artisans are beautifying them with intricate engravings.

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In "Built to Last: Reviewing a 40-Year-Old Tool," we heard one of the best hand tool stories we'd ever heard, courtesy of David Waelder.

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This year we got a reminder that splines used to be physical objects. Yep, this is how you drew large curves back in the day.

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Just what the heck is this thing? Tool correspondent David Frane came across this cast-iron bamboo-splitting tool from Japan. Click the link to see how it works.

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We spotted this crazy-looking Chinese foot-powered lathe with a centuries-old design. This is another one where you've got to click the linke and check out the video. It's like a cross between a lathe and an elliptical machine!

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Another forgotten tool was this 18th-Century French furniture-polishing object, resurrected by furniture maker Don Williams. Now that you can buy them again, the polissoirs have proven popular.

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This year we saw a rash of unique hammer designs, from old-school Latthammers to Fiskars' modern IsoCores to Estwing's totally newfangled, multi-material deadblow AL-Pro.

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Speaking of hammers, we also saw this pair of hammer-proof gloves. We think they should call them "No More Ouchies" and market them to macho contractors.

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When it comes to hand tool workbenches, vises are a virtue. We took a look at Benchcrafted's drool-worhty, top-of-the-line vise hardware.

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We spotted this insanely dense antique tool storage cabinet. The darn thing was listed for $150,000 (including the tools) at auction.

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Most of us learned to use power tools at ID school, but design schools seem to place little emphasis on hand tools these days. Some of you may have no experience with them at all. In order to fill that gap, this year we brought on two experts in their use. Joel Moskowitz of Gramercy Tools shares his weekly thoughts in his "Tools & Craft" section, while Shannon Rogers, founder of the Hand Tool School, now has a Core77 series that we've cleverly named "Hand Tool School." Check 'em both out!

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