Hand tools have been used by humans since the
Stone Age, when
stone tools were used for hammering and cutting. During the
Bronze Age, tools were made by
casting alloys of
copper and
tin. Bronze tools were sharper and harder than those made of stone. During the
Iron Age iron replaced bronze, and tools became even stronger and more durable. The
Romans developed tools during this period which are similar to those being produced today. After the
Industrial Revolution, most tools were made in factories rather than by craftspeople. A large collection of British hand tools dating from 1700 to 1950 is held by
St Albans Museum. Most of the tools were collected by
Raphael Salaman (1906–1993), who wrote two classic works on the subject:
Dictionary of Woodworking Tools and
Dictionary of Leather-working Tools.
David Russell's vast collection of Western hand tools from the Stone Age to the twentieth century led to the publication of his book
Antique Woodworking Tools. ==General categories==