Tools for Children

On this page, we have listed a choice of tools from our shop that we think would be suitable for children to use. Learning to use tools sensibly like adults can help children develop dexterity and a sense of responsibility.

It is a mistake to believe that tools for children must not, or should not, be sharp, so they cannot hurt themselves. On the contrary: dull tools are more dangerous because the child cannot develop a good feel for the correct way to use the tool. Even a dull knife or saw or chisel can cause a nasty wound, and this becomes more likely if the child becomes frustrated and impatient because a cutting tool does not cut, and so uses too much force or loses his concentration. Far better to teach careful, deliberate work habits using tools that work as they should.

All this means that one must think carefully about when children should be taught to use the different kinds of tools. A sharp tool in the hands of a child is always dangerous. Give tools appropriate to the age, but first and foremost, the maturity of the child. One child may well be patient and mature enough to use a carving knife or saw, but another of the same age may not be. This is a bad thing to be overly ambitious or optimistic about. Every child develops at a different rate. So we cannot give good advice about what tools are suitable for children at a certain age. This must be left up to you.

Important!: Children should use tools only under close adult supervision, and when not in use, the tools be kept where the child cannot get at them until one is sure the child will use them responsibly.

It is also a bad idea to buy cheap tools, like those often marketed in "children's tool kits." Bad tools, that break or bend or go dull quickly, are at least as frustrating for children as they are for adults. This makes it very hard to have fun using them, can turn children off working with their hands, and as mentioned above, frustration and too much force can be dangerous. The joy of developing hand skills can be killed from the outset: the opposite to the effect one is normally looking for. This does not mean that one must go out and spend a lot of money. It takes time to learn to use tools, and a few good quality tools will produce better work and more satisfaction, and can cost less, than an elaborate set of cheap ones. Less is very often more in this case.

Drills
Saws
Cutting tools
Chisels
Hammers and Mallets
Vice, Workbench

Clicking on the photos will take you to a page with larger photos. From there you can follow the link "To prices and other tools" if you like and the link will take you to a page with a selection of similar tools. To return to the children's tools page, click on the back button on your browser.

Wheel Brace
from Schroeder in Wuppertal. This drill takes bits up to 6 mm (1/4 inch). It is very practical for all kinds of fine work. It is 235 mm long, with a wooden handle. Don't forget to order the spur point drill bits with it!
Order-Nr. 304044
Price € 16.90

Brad Point Drill Bits
Brad Point Drill Bits for the Wheel Brace
from FAMAG, Series 1590 with centering point, and two edge spurs to cut clean, even holes in softwoods and some European hardwoods. Manufactured from very fine-grained tool steel!
Highly recommended for the hand drill listed above!

Diameter Order-Nr. Price

3 mm 304503 € 3.30

4 mm 304504 € 3.35

5 mm 304505 € 3.50

6 mm 304506 € 3.50

Gimlet with Plastic Grip
These handy and quick-working gimlets are made in Japan. The central screw and the wide handle makes controlling these drills almost child's play. They can also be very useful for adults: they cut fast, require no power, and are compact enough to fit one or two into the smallest tool kits.

Diameter Order-Nr. Price

3 mm 312620 € 5.95

4 mm 312621 € 5.95

5 mm 312622 € 5.95

6 mm 312623 € 5.95

Gimlets with Ring
We were lucky enough to buy the remaining stock from the toolmaker Herberts, based in the Eifel region near Cologne in Germany. These drills are unused, but in some cases have been stored for several decades in their warehouse, so we hesitate to call them "new." There are sometimes a few minor spots of surface rust, but they all cut like they were made yesterday.

You need to stick a piece of dowel through the eye at the top of the shaft, and then they are turned by hand. These very traditional tools are recommended for children because they built to last and easy to control.

Diameter Order-Nr. Price

8 mm 308308 € 6.90

10 mm 308310 € 7.90

Small Japanese Brace "Kuri Kuri"

It is hard to believe how quickly and precisely this small brace cuts. It has an overall length of 225 mm, and takes 6.35 mm (1/4 inch) hexagonal bits. There are five different wood drills (drilling depth 32 mm, 1-1/8 inch) in 3, 4, 5, 6, and 8 mm, along with two slightly conical pilot drills in 3 and 6 mm. Look at other photos and a size comparison with a normal-sized brace.

Other drill bits with a 6.35 mm hexagonal shaft.

Order-Nr. 312200
Preis € 45.90

Japanese Saw Silky MiniMini-2 for Wood
For dry wood (not recommended for gardening). Cuts on pull stroke.
Saw Blade Length 150 mm
Total Length 265 mm
24 teeth in 30 mm
Tooth size 1.25 mm (20 TPI)
Blade Width 0.5 mm
Kerf Width 0.9 mm
Order-Nr.: 309440
Price € 19.80
Spare Blade
Order-Nr.: 309441
Price € 12.90

Silky Pocket Boy

It is hard to go wrong with this multi-use saw. With relatively fine teeth, this saw will be useful in the garden, camping, and in the workshop. Relatively small teeth, compared to other folding saws, makes this the Pocket Boy saw good for grafting fruit trees, where a fine cut is necessary. A customer has told us he has foresworn cutting green wood without this saw, since it makes such short work of the job.

Because of its ergonomic, soft plastic grip, this saw lies easily and comfortably in the hand. The blade locks in two positions, allowing one to adjust it to cut in tight places. The tooth pitch is 1.6 mm/15 TPI. Blade width at the teeth is 0.9 mm, and 0.6 mm at the back. The saw comes in two sizes, and includes an attractive clear sheath.
Pocket Boy with 130 mm blade
Order-Nr. 309436
Price € 34.50
Spare blade 130 mm
Order-Nr. 309437
Price € 20.50

Grobet Fretsaw with Fixed Bow
This fretsaw is made by GROBET in Switzerland and is of the highest quality. Enlargement

Bow Depth: 75 mm
Order-Nr.: 301800
Price: € 22.80
Saw blades not included! DonÕt forget to order saw blades (see below).

Fretsaw blades, small
"Eberle Lightning Wide Tooth"
1 Dozen blades
Order-Nr. 308013
Price € 2.20

Fretsaw blades, large
"Eberle Lightning Wide Tooth"
1 Dozen blades
Order-Nr. 308015
Price € 2.20

Fretsaw blades for curved cuts, small
"Eberle Tornado Round-toothed"
1 Dozen blades
Order-Nr. 308020
Price € 2.50

Fretsaw blades for curved cuts, large
"Eberle Tornado Round-toothed"
1 Dozen blades
Order-Nr. 308023
Price € 2.50

Pebaro Fretsaw Automatic
This fretsaw from Pebaro does away with the fiddly blade installation and tensioning usual in these saws. The handle folds down and relaxes the tension on the blade. The two levers turn 360 degrees to release the old blade, you pop the new one in, and the levers are retightened to clamp it firmly in place. The handle is then pivoted back to tension the blade. You can adjust the position of the levers to keep the saw's throat clear by pulling them straight out, which disengages them from the tensioning screws. Manufactured in Germany! To see the instructions, click on the picture!

Bow depth: 335 mm
For fretsaw blades up to 130 mm long
Delivered without saw blades
Order-Nr.: 301810
Preis: € 20.50

Don't forget to order saw blades with this saw!

Fretsaws with deep or shallow bows?
Fretsaws with a deep bow allow one to work on much larger pieces of wood. It is important to note that for small children, a large bow can make it difficult to maintain the saw's balance when cutting. So we recommend the smaller saws for children.

Thick or thin sawblades?
A thin blade makes a finer cut. But bigger blades will generally last longer because they are thicker.

Fretsaw Table with Two Screw Clamps
made of Beech wood. Very stable because it is held fast with two clamps. 220 x 90 x 15 mm
Max. table-top thickness 40 mm
Order-Nr.: 301812
Price € 7.95

Swedish Carving and Travel Knife Number 73 from Frost
This nice little knife is made of high-carbon steel, and so not stainless. There is a large hand guard, and a relatively small grip, making the knife suitable for people with small hands. Comes with nice, well-made leather sheath.
We advise you to round off the blade tip with a grinding stone before you give this knife to a child. It should be used only under close supervision.
Blade Length 75 mm
Order-Nr.: 307384
Price € 21.90

Short Chisels from Two Cherries
These chisels are only 165 mm long, including the 75 mm handles. They were designed to be used in small spaces, but their size makes them an ideal fit for a child's hand, too.

Blade Width Order-Nr. Price

6 mm 303985 € 18.50

12 mm 303986 € 19.60

20 mm 303987 € 21.20

26 mm 303988 € 23.90

Set of 4
6/12/20/26 mm in paper box 303989 € 76.50

Wooden Mallet
This mallet is the perfect tool for the small Two Cherries chisels mentioned above and other cutting tools. The grip is of ash, and the head of super-hard hornbeam. This elegant little mallet makes chiselling holes a pleasure. The chisels shown in the picture must be ordered separately.
Diameter 80 mm
Total Length 22 cm
Weight 300 g
Order-Nr. 304283
Price € 13.90

Sakikiri - Hammer with sharp point
This hammer is designed to drive nails.
Head Weight 125 g
Total Length 300 mm
Order-Nr. 309741
Price € 24.20

Mallet with Brass Head
This small brass-headed mallet from Veritas can be used like a normal mallet, or for more control over delicate work, nestled entirely into the hand. See picture! The grip receives a final turning and polishing after it is fitted to the brass head, ensuring a perfectly smooth, edgeless fit. This helps it feel more like an extension of one's hand when using it to drive small chisels and woodcarving tools.

Head Diameter 41 mm
Total Length 150 mm
Weight 560 g
Order-Nr.: 307959
Price € 25.90

Mini-Vise

This miniature vice in cast iron is designed for work on relatively small items. Very often vises like this are produced in aluminium or sheet metal, but for a firm grip and good work, cast iron is the best material. One horizontal and one vertical v-groove let into the faces allows this vice to solidly hold round objects. Cheek width 45 mm, Jaw opening 50 mm, weight 0.6 kg, Total length closed only 100 mm. Maximum table thickness, 30 mm! Larger Photos!

Order-Nr. 307770
Price € 27.50

Top of page