So I’ve started carving a wooden spoon. I’ve seen several suggestions on how to do this and the ones that always seem to appeal the most to me are the ones that described using hand tools and not power tools. So I’m carving this spoon with a pocket knife from a block of cherry. I’m looking into getting a hook knife to carve the bowl out but I haven’t gotten that far yet.

And this has led me to the decision that I’m going to learn to use hand tools before I move on to power tools. The decision to do this comes from several different reasons.

1) I’ve always been of the philosophy that it’s best to start at the beginning in anything. This may like stating the obvious but to me, jumping right into woodworking while using power tools seems to be starting at the middle.
2) Cost is another factor. Good hand tools are expensive. But good power tools are even more so. As an example, a powered hand sander starts around $30US. A sanding block and a sheet of sandpaper starts around $10US. Other examples can be found with a little bit of looking.
3) Safety. This goes back to the principle of starting at the beginning. I’m a beginner in this. I understand that tools can be dangerous but the danger of a power saw and the danger of a hand saw are completely different. While I’m learning I want something that’s a little more forgiving for errors.
4) Last reason is that I simply like hand tools more. While a table saw or belt sander appeals to me on a level of power, the hand tools speak to me of quiet workmanship and careful consideration.