What Is The Most Useful Tool You Own?

[43Hobson]

Good call on the Leatherman. I'd have to agree, along with my Milwaukee Sawzall, which is indestructible.

[FL Buckeye]

I think my wood clamps are my most used tools anymore. I haven't had much time or room for normal woodworking lately. I have been converting a covered porch to a 3 season room and tore down a wood deck with plans to rebuild and enlarge it. My friends and family don't live close and my neighbors seem to have more ailments than I do so its hard to get much needed help. I have found that my wood clamps work great as another set of hands to hold a floor joist, furring strip, plywood etc, so that I can do things by myself. The hard part anymore is getting my body in motion.

[pierhogunn2]

I will say it again, just like the last time this question was answered, my little orange speed square. It freaken rocks! when I need to measure / mark / cut a perpindicular line, or get someting a specific distance from the edge, I couldn't ask for a more repeatable device, now, if it just had finer demarcations

[billwmeyer]

I have several indespensible tools. For non woodworking jobs, as a former farmer, slip joint pliers. I never used to go anywhere without them and I have a pair in each vehicle. My Makita cordless drill and speed squares are right there in the mix. UC mentioned ball pein hammer. It is funny that I don't even own one. I used them on the farm for rivits, but have never had a use for one non-farm.

Bill

[messmaker]

I would have to think it's a pocketknife, although I would have to consider a pencil to be right up there.

[Charlie]

Deleted by me.

[Andrew LB]

My most useful tool would be either my Surefire LED E2D Defender flashlight or my trusty Spyderco Endura 4" folding knife.... whichever I'm carrying at the particular time. Both are excellent tools and are also incredibly useful when I find myself in a shady part of town at night. (Long Beach, CA).

120 lumens in a highly focused beam. http://www.surefire.com/surefire/con...DLED_large.jpg

A great all around blade. http://www.spyderco.com/catalog/details.php?product=211

[herb fellows]

I'm not sure what is my most useful tool, but after 28 years of marriage, I can tell you what my most unused tool is.

Probably plus way too many, unfortunately! Great line though!

[herb fellows]

Let's hear it for the round toothpick! I keep them in a baby food jar on a shelf above my bench and use one or more almost daily. They're great for stirring small amounts of epoxy, adding a drop of oil in just the right place, tightening a loose wood screw, and other uses that don't spring to mind just now. True, you can't open a paint can with one of them, or remove an oil filter. But you can't use a flat-bladed screwdriver to get that bothersome bit of meat out from between your teeth without risking an emergency visit to your dentist.
Jack

Think bigger! Popsickle sticks and tongue depressors! used as paint stirrers, shims, scrapers, measuring devices. Right up there with duct tape, IMHO!

[jking]

Versatility: The Fein Multimaster. I don't use it much but it sure has been handy for the widest variety of uses with professional looking results - no dust in grout removal, SQUARE cuts for wall outlets, door jamb flush cuts, cast removal, great in sanding in tight corners.

Are you branching out from WW??

[leehljp]

cast removal

Are you branching out from WW??

That aspect just goes with the territory of home repair and falling off a ladder! That happened to me in 2001 about 5 days before returning to Japan. With great foresight of knowing it would be difficult explaining the whole thing to a doctor on this side of the ocean, I packed my Fein in my suitcase and brought it back with me.

A funny thing happened though. I am accustomed to starting and carrying on conversations with people in general over here, but there is a higher percentage that will not speak - Particularly women to men who don't know each other. That is accepted. However, with the cast, women at sales and checkout counters - all had sympathy and started conversations easily. I kept the cast on for 8 weeks instead of 6 weeks, then cut the cast off.

The cast started conversations partly because it was blue, and anything but white casts over here are unusual and attract attention.