"A good tool becomes an extension of your hand and mind – transforming labor into a trade."
A little more than 10 years ago, editor Clayton DeKorne wrote those eloquent words in the premiere issue of a brand new magazine called Tools of the Trade. Tools, as everyone has always called it, was the first and only magazine in the building industry devoted entirely to professional tools and the pros who use them. It still is. First published by another great magazine, The Journal of Light Construction (which, like Tools, is now owned by Hanley Wood, LLC), Tools set a standard in our industry for honest, objective, and reliable field-test reviews and product coverage that we still respect and strive for today. In issue after issue, we treat the trust you've placed in our work like a code of honor. It guided Clayton back then and it guides us today.
For 10 years we've helped you make informed choices from among thousands of new tools, advised you on their safe and efficient operation, and tipped you off to every major change in tool technology and product development over a decade that witnessed unprecedented change. That's because in addition to gaining your confidence as readers, we've also gained and nurtured the trust of tool industry leaders so that we can bring you an insider's view of emerging technologies and our perspective on what they hold in store for you.
In launching our 10th Year Celebration, we renew our commitment to uphold the high standards of performance we've achieved in our first decade, and to continue the legacy of bold, accurate, and trustworthy editorial excellence that you've come to expect from us. As you can see from our new cover design, we're starting the New Year with a new and exciting look and layout. Not only does this refresh the design of our magazine, but it allows us to increase the amount of tool news and information we can pack into every issue.
In July, our official 10th Anniversary Issue, we'll commemorate 10 Years of Pure Tools and take an in-depth look at the most important changes we've seen in the industry over the past decade. In addition, we'll select the 10 best tools of the past 10 years.
This is also going to be the year of performance standards for Tools of the Trade. The lack of performance-based industry standards for testing and reporting tool specifications still really bothers us, so we're jumping back into the middle of this critical issue. Look for a major feature article on standards in the November/December issue.
On behalf of everyone who has ever worked to bring you this great magazine, from the editors, designers, contributors, and production staff to our terrific sales and publishing team, I want to thank you for making our first decade so exciting and rewarding. We are downright proud of what we've accomplished, but we are even more excited about what we can do with the next 10 years!
Rick Schwolsky, Editor-In Chief [email protected]
