The knife is the tool with which more articles can be made than with any other, hence a greater number of exercises can be performed with it. It is also more universally known and used than any other tool.

If any one makes an article with a knife, he can claim that the work was solely his own, for the tool was held and guided by his own hand, and the eye was exercised in judging of surfaces and curves; but when he makes an article, using the plane where a knife could have been used, he can claim but part of the work as his own, for the cutting blade of the plane was held and guided to a great extent by the stock of the plane. This is why the knife is the fundamental tool in Sloyd work.

Messrs. Chandler and Barber, 17 Eliot St., Boston, Mass., have with great care prepared a bench and a full list of tools, which are recognized by all teachers as the best that can be had and arc sold at a very small profit.

Never use a poor tool, and always keep tools in excellent cutting condition. Never attempt to teach the use of them until you have learned to do it readily yourself.

Use tools of common size; for boys who are old enough to do the work are able to handle the ordinary tools, and they are more steady in the hands than smaller ones.

The following tools should be kept at every bench: a knife, a jack-plane, a smoothing-plane, a marking-gauge, a tri-square, a two foot rule (in one piece), a pair of steel compasses and a pencil.

All the other tools except the cross-cut and splitting-saws should be kept in a cabinet with a glass front, with slanting shelves and apartments for each tool. The cross-cut and splitting-saws should be hung on a rack near where the sawing is done, and all tools that are not at the benches should be given out by the teacher or some pupil appointed for the office. The grindstone, chopping-block and saw-horses should be in a place where they will be out of the way of the benches.

For the drawing the Milton Bradley kit is the best in the market and serves the purpose very well.

Six sets of good drawing instruments are enough for a class of twenty-five. They should be given out by the teacher and kept with the paper at his desk. Sand-paper should be used as sparingly as possible and should be given out by the teacher. Grades No. 1 1-2 and 1-2 are the best for the purpose.

After the general instruction has been given to the class, individual teaching should be given in the sharpening, care, and use of the tools.

Seats for the class should be arranged in front of the teacher's bench and drawing board, where he can perform exercises that can be as well taught in class as with individual instruction.

All tools should be kept dry, no rust being allowed to corrode them. During the vacation months they should be wiped with oiled waste, wrapped in oiled paper, packed in cases, and put in a dry place.

Any first class carpenter or cabinet-maker can give to a teacher all necessary instruction in the sharpening, use and care of the tools.