The Hammer

• 1). Probably no hand tool is as useful around the house as the claw hammer. The claw hammer has the familiar double prong at the back of the head, used for prying out nails. Select the claw hammer for most jobs: its cousin, the ball-peen hammer, is designed for specialized metalwork, and lacks the useful prying claw.
  
  
• 2). To use the claw hammer, grip the handle comfortably in your dominant hand, near the bottom of the handle. When you swing the hammer to drive a nail, allow the weight of the hammer to do most of the work. Don't attempt to force the nail in by pushing the hammer forward with your arm.
  
  
• 3). It's a good idea to "set" a nail before driving it. Grip the hammer about midway up the handle. Pinch a nail with your non-dominant hand near the tip, and gently tap the head of the nail with the hammer until it is firmly set. Tap lightly--you will have better control and reduce the likelihood of hammering your finger.
  
  
• 4). When using the claw hammer to remove a nail, simply use the claw as a lever to force the nail out. If you are working on a wall or another publicly visible surface, use a piece of folded paper or cardboard to protect the surface from the hammer claw. Hammers can leave dents or marks on a wall during nail removal.
  
  

Other Tools

• 1). Screwdrivers are fairly straightforward tools. Pay attention to whether the screw you are using is "Phillips-head" (cross-shaped) or "flat-head" (a single slot in the head of the screw). Always use the appropriate screwdriver for the screw you are using. An exception to this is removal of "stripped" Phillips-head screws-if the crossed notches are too worn out for a Phillips-head screwdriver to grip, try wedging a flat-head screwdriver into the screw at an angle.
  
  
• 2). Hand saws are equally simple to operate. To cut a board, first make a notch where the cut should be--lightly score the wood with the saw a few times, until there is at least a quarter-inch cut. Place the saw in the notch, and saw evenly in both directions. Remember to support both ends of the board as you finish the cut, to avoid splintering the wood.
  
  
• 3). For a more precise cut, use a miter box with your hand saw. Place the board to be cut inside the box, and line up the saw in the pre-cut notches in the box, according to the angle you would like to cut. It's still a good idea to notch the wood before you begin sawing in earnest. It will make operation of the saw more stable.