I call these superhero tools—I don’t use them everyday, but they’re there when I need them most.
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We all have tools in our kits that are absolute necessities. You use them every day in constant rotation. These are tools you buy without batting an eye at paying full price. If you’ve been at this for a while, you also have some luxury tools—by that I mean pieces you own just because they make jobs easier. There are also emergency tools; the specialized superheroes sitting in your drawer that you may not need them right now, but the day you do, you need them immediately to finish the job.
Anyway, enough meditating on the different classes of tools in your arsenal. When it comes to the non-essentials you just might need someday, you should always buy them when they’re on sale, and I’ve found deals on three of my favorites right now.
First, the singular of tweezers, like scissors or pliers, is a pair of tweezers. I looked it up. Most people have some scattered around the house. A pair in the kitchen utility drawer, another pair in the bathroom, and maybe a pair in the toolbox. They’re good for removing splinters, fixing delicate necklaces, and yanking out unwanted hair. But sometimes you need them for working on small machines, so it’s nice to have a set dedicated just to clean work. I’ve had this particular set a couple of years and have used them more than I thought I would. Normally $19, you can snag them for $10.
Having different shapes and sizes has proven invaluable for everything from building a plastic SR-71 with my son to taking apart small electronics. These also have an anti-static coating that also helps your fingertips grip them. Each pair has a plastic guard that slides over the tips and it comes in a zippered case so every time I pull them out I feel like Michael Cain in the middle of a heist.
Have you seen mine? I’ve had a few sets of nice T-handles throughout the years, but they always seem to disappear. I may have to buy this set and chain it down. I have an entire drawer in my toolbox devoted to Allen key—I’ve got loose sets, I’ve got fold outs, I’ve got ¼” and ⅜” drive bits. I have ball-end Allens. I have a driver set that includes swappable torx, security, and tamper proof bits, but I’m missing these T-handles. I think it’s time to remedy that and this 8-piece, 2-10mm set from Klein Tools might be just the key. See what I did there? The long blade has a ball-end while the handle end is a standard flat-sided allen. I have a few Klein Tools already and I’ve always been impressed with the quality, so I’m confident you can count on these. These are normally $63 but on sale for $52 right now.
When I worked in machine shops, I had access to huge, complete sets of thread-cutting tools. Every tap had a corresponding drill. We had clutch-drive collets for the mill, it was great. Now, I have a modest tap and die set, but when I need it, it’s a lifesaver. This set is similar to what I have now, just bigger, and it’s marked down from $140 to $99. I think I just might upgrade.
It includes both SAE and Metric sizing, a ratcheting T-handle, pitch gages, and more, all packed up in a nice case. Mine are rolling around in a drawer organizer in my toolbox. So yeah, this is better.
