The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Woodworking Handtools, Devices & Instruments is the first volume in Graham Blackburn’s paperback Illustrated Workshop series. It’s a comprehensive pictorial index of the woodworking handtools common in the Western civilization from the eighteenth century to the present. Not only a fascinating record of trades and skills—from cabinetmakers to wheelwrights—in an age before powertools became the norm, The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Woodworking Handtools is also a remarkable tribute to man’s technological ingenuity. More than 600 tools are listed and described, both alphabetically and fully cross-referenced for easy access, from the adze, awl, bevel, and bit to the wrest, yardstick, and zig-zag rule, complete with explicit definitions, interesting etymologies, and fascinating historical information. This classic reference contains more than 570 of Blackburn’s trademark detailed line drawings, accompanied by an expert’s authoritative text. Whether used as a handy guide to identify a tool and its use, or read simply for enjoyment, this book stands alone in capturing the sophisticated beauty and inventiveness of woodworking handtools.