Can You Recognize These Hardware Tools From an Image?

By: Cameron Cobb
Estimated Completion Time
4 min
Can You Recognize These Hardware Tools From an Image?
Image: Photography by Bobi / Moment / Getty Images

About This Quiz

THIS IS NOT A DRILL — it's a hammer! No, wait, a screwdriver! Or maybe...?

Regardless of whatever the gadget or gizmo is called, it's no doubt that tools have simplified our existence and even have helped us advance as a species. But how did it all begin? Mankind's relationship with tools may have made us who we are today, as our history of tool creation and usage is one of the first pieces of evidence of human evolution. Our intricate use of tools is even a major aspect that differentiates us from other species. Some animals will use tools to get food, such as chimpanzees who have been known to break open nuts by using stone or wood as a simple hammer. Though as humans, we have learned to alter how we create tools overtime in order to make them more efficient.

Some of the earliest tools used by humans were made from stone and discovered in Ethiopia. Such findings date back more than 2.5 million years ago! These utensils (called "Oldowan tools") were some of the first known manufactured stone tools, and they were shaped by a process called "knapping," which involved hitting the stones against a harder surface that could withstand the impact (such as quartz or obsidian).

We've certainly come a long way since simple stone hammers, and today there are hundreds of different types of tools in a single hardware shop alone! If you find yourself hammering away when it comes to tools, then this is the quiz for you. Think you tool-tally have what it takes? We will give you every tool you need, and you just finish the job by naming all 40. Bet you can NAIL it!

8-saw
Rouzes / E+ / Getty Images
You wouldn't want to get bit with any teeth like this tool has! What's it called?
Needle-nose pliers
Saw
Chisel
File
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In the past, saws were made to have either "rip" teeth or "crosscut" teeth, with the two different types depending on how wood needed to be cut. Today, manufacturers have essentially eliminated the purpose for either a rip saw or crosscut saw, as they now more commonly make saws that are able to universally cut wood.

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10-Hammer
xxmmxx / E+ / Getty Images
Bet you can nail this question! What's this tool called?
Hammer
Sledgehammer
Mallet
Jackhammer
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Did you know that the hammer may be the oldest tool humans are credited with creating and using? A hammer's archaeological record shows that in its most basic form, it may date back as long as 3.3 million years!

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7-sandpaper
wwing / E+ / Getty Images
Hopefully this question isn't too rough to answer. What's this tool?
File
Belt sander
Sandpaper
Angle grinder
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Some of the very first uses of sandpaper occurred during the 13th century in China, with natural gum "gluing" bits of seeds, crushed shells and sand to parchment paper. In Japan, the rough horsetail plant can be boiled and dried and then used as a way to polish material (think like an all-natural sandpaper).

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15-Clamp
bagi1998 / E+ / Getty Images
Here's a tool that's great when you're having trouble keeping a hold on things! What is it?
Clamp
Pliers
Rivet gun
Needle-nose pliers
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Did you know there are many different types of clamps, with purposes ranging from temporary or permanent usage, and even some being used in the medical field? For instance, a Foerster clamp is a surgical clamp used during thoracic surgery to remove lung tissue.

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16-Level
the_burtons / Moment / Getty Images
If you've ever hung a picture, you've likely relied on this tool. Can you guess what it's called?
Measuring tape
Ruler
Sandpaper
Level
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Alcohol is typically used inside a level due to it having lower viscosity and surface tension in comparison to water (which helps the bubble travel inside the tube more quickly and settling more evenly). For something to be even horizontally, it's known as "level," though for vertical purposes, it's known as "plumb."

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18-Hot-Glue-Gun
Helpful DIY via Youtube
If you love crafts, you probably frequently use this tool. What's the name?
Drill
Hot glue gun
Jackhammer
Heat gun
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In order to preheat, hot glue guns need to be turned on five to 10 minutes before using, and then the stick of glue turns into a thick, liquid-like substance used to bind materials together. One uncommon hack for hot glue guns is their ability to make your shoes nonslip (simply glue a few lines to the bottom of your shoes and you're good to go!).

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19-Air-Compressor
Chris Duke via Youtube
If you need to think on this one, go outside and get some fresh air. Now can you tell us the name?
Angle grinder
Air compressor
Heat gun
Belt sander
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

An air compressor works by converting power into the energy stored in pressurized air. There are different types of air compressors depending on the amount of pressure being delivered, including low-pressure (150 psi or less), medium-pressure (151 to 1,000 psi) and high-pressure (greater than 1,000 psi) air compressors.

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6-hole-saw
Ales-A / E+ / Getty Images
This tool is great for making perfect circles. Can you guess it?
Hole saw
Bradawl
Chisel
Allen key
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A hole saw is used to cut holes, with the different makes and models producing depths that vary anywhere from typically 7/8 of an inch to a whopping 14 inches. If you use an arbor extension (a long, steel rod) in combination with a hole saw, you can cut much deeper.

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12-phillips-screwdriver
JohnGollop / E+ / Getty Images
What's the name of this common tool, which is named after the man who invented it?
Phillips screwdriver
Tester screwdriver
Bradawl
Chisel
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Phillips screwdriver was invented by Henry Phillips in the early 1930s in the U.S. Did you know that one hack for using a screwdriver to get out stripped screws is by using a rubber band over the screwdriver's head to remove it? (It helps with grip!)

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2-circular-saw
apomares / E+ / Getty Images
What hardware tool do you SEE here?
Angle grinder
Shears
Riveter
Circular saw
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Did you know that a woman named Tabitha Babbitt is credited with creating the first circular saw in 1810? In order to make consistent, precise cuts with every movement of the saw, she thought to attach a circular blade to a spinning wheel.

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4-belt-sander
Difydave / E+ / Getty Images
I'll belt you know this tool! Tell us the name?
Lathe
Drill
Belt sander
Cultivator
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Did you know people use belt sanders as more than just tools? These tools even have their own competitive sport called "belt-sander racing," where contestants race one another by riding belt sanders!

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24-Rivet
P_Wei / E+ / Getty Images
It may just sound like something frogs say, but this little tool is quite handy. Can you guess it?
Nut
Rivet
Bolt
Screw
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Did you know that the Eiffel Tower has more than one million rivets in its structure? By August in 1889, 22,000 riveters were being placed every week by 20 teams of riveters (with each team comprised of four people).

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25-tape-measure
JoKMedia / E+ / Getty Images
To see how your tool knowledge is measuring up, can you tell us the name of this tool?
Tape measure
Level
Ruler
Hammer
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

There are two main types of tape measures: long and spring return pocket. Long tape measures typically range from 25 to 500 feet in length and are primarily used by builders and engineers, while spring return pocket tape measures are much shorter and usually fit in pocket-sized cases.

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28-wheelbarrow
capecodphoto / E+ / Getty Images
We wheely hope you can guess this one! What do you see here?
Wheelbarrow
Lawn mower
Weed eater
Pressure washer
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The wheelbarrow we know and love today came from China, with speculations as early as 100 B.C. These early versions of the wheelbarrow were intended for carrying big loads of material over long distances.

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11-Crescent-Wrench
muratkoc / E+ / Getty Images
This tool has something in common with the moon. What's it known as?
Ring spanner
Monkey wrench
Crescent wrench
Pipe wrench
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The crescent wrench (or its other names, "adjustable spanner" and "adjustable wrench") was invented by Edwin Beard Budding in the early 1800s. Edwin Beard Budding is also credited with inventing the lawnmower.

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21-Hacksaw
Ultimate Handyman via Youtube
This tool was primarily used to slice through metal. What's it known as?
Bow saw
Circular saw
Hacksaw
Jigsaw
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Though hacksaws were created to cut through metal, these tools are also able to cut through a multitude of other materials (even plastic). A hacksaw with a half-sized blade is known as a "junior hacksaw."

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27-Chisel
Obradovic / E+ / Getty Images
You'd need a hammer to use this tool. Do you know the name?
Nail
Chisel
Mallet
Screwdriver
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Chisels are often used by construction workers to shape wood and stone for building purposes. These tools are also popular in the sculpting community, with chisels being used by artists to alter the shape of stone, wood or marble to make statues.

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23-socket-wrench
RASimon / E+ / Getty Images
You may recognize the most popular kind of these tools as a "ratchet." What's the name?
Lug wrench
Tuning wrench
T-handle
Socket wrench
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

There are a variety of different kinds of socket wrenches, with a racketing socket wrench (or just ratchet) being the most common type. One of the benefits socket wrenches have is the ability to just swap out interchangeable sockets rather than having a bunch of different wrenches.

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29-box cutter
UntitledImages / E+ / Getty Images
Think outside the box for this one. What tool is this?
Pliers
Bolt cutter
Box cutter
Saw
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A box cutter is a type of utility knife with a retractable blade that is able to be adjusted and replaced when needed. The first kind of utility knife was a fixed-blade, and it was made from stone upward of 500,000 years ago.

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22-Hex-Key
Anton Petrus / Moment / Getty Images
This tool even has its own "human" name (Allen!). What is it also known by?
Hex key
Adjustable wrench
Bolt
Nail
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

If you've ever gotten furniture from IKEA, you've likely found one of these in the tool kit. This tool is known for being easy to use, lightweight and inexpensive to make, which makes it perfect for including in build-it-yourself furniture kits. If one side of a hex key becomes worn, simply saw off the tip to reveal a practically new tool.

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30-Shears
ArtistGNDphotography / E+ / Getty Images
Find out if you're a cut above the rest and tell us what this tool is!
Scissors
Hacksaw
Wire cutters
Shears
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

One of the main differences between scissors and shears is length, with scissors typically being less than six inches long and shears measuring more in length. Shears are made for more heavy-duty cutting jobs compared to scissors.

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26-Caliper
akrp / E+ / Getty Images
This tool is used to measure certain distance points of an object. What is it?
Adjustable wrench
Monkey wrench
Ruler
Caliper
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

There are many different types of calipers, including micrometer, dial, vernier, divider and even digital. The assumed first caliper was discovered off the coast of Italy in the remains of a shipwreck dated during the 6th century B.C.

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32-Chainsaw
vitranc / E+ / Getty Images
If you've ever been to a haunted house, then you might know the fear of being chased by one of these! What is it?
Jackhammer
Circular saw
Jigsaw
Chain saw
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Did you know that certain chain saws are able to cut through materials like concrete and brick, and some of these tools have even been made to work underwater? The very first chain saw was created by a German physician to help with childbirth. Talk about going into tough labor!

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33-JackHammer
BirdofPrey / E+ / Getty Images
You'd know this tool if you heard it. What's it called?
Drill
Lawn mower
Jackhammer
Pressure washer
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A jackhammer is a electro-mechanical tool that is essentially a hammer combined with a chisel, and the tool is used to break apart concrete, pavement and other rock-like materials. The jackhammer was invented in 1892.

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3-Angle-Grinder
inakiantonana / E+ / Getty Images
If you don't know this one, be sure to polish up your hardware knowledge. What is it?
Angle grinder
Sandpaper
Belt sander
Circular saw
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Angle grinders are often used for construction jobs and in metalworking, with this tool's main purposes being to polish and remove excess material from something. Other names for an angle grinder include disc grinder and side grinder.

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20-sledgehammer
4x6 / E+ / Getty Images
You might also recognize this tool as the title of a Peter Gabriel song. Know what it's called?
Mallet
Sledgehammer
Ax
Hammer
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Sledgehammers are designed to put out more force than regular hammers, with the weighted head of a sledgehammer combined with its long, slender handle allowing it to gain more momentum with each swing. The word "sledgehammer" comes from the word "slægan," which is the Anglo-Saxon word meaning "to strike violently."

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39-screwdriver
macida / E+ / Getty Images
This tool is also the name of a popular cocktail! Do you know it?
Screwdriver
Bradawl
File
Allen key
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Did you know that the earliest documented use of a screwdriver dates as far back as the late 1400s? This first documentation of its use is written in the Medieval Housebook of Wolfegg Castle.

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9-_lineman's_pliers
Wiki Commons by J.C. Fields
These tools are known for withstanding high voltages. What are they called?
Rivet gun
Needle-nose pliers
Wire cutters
Lineman's pliers
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Unlike other pliers, Lineman's pliers are special for their ability to withstand high voltages (some even up to 1,000 volts!). This makes this tool an asset with electrical work, where it is used to cut, straighten, bend and twist wires for splicing.

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37-Nail-Gun
Obradovic / E+ / Getty Images
Just a few more questions and you've NAILED this quiz! What tool do you see here?
Nail gun
Heat gun
Drill
Hot glue gun
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Nail guns are a popular choice for builders, as they are much quicker than nailing by hand with a hammer. Though nail guns are convenient tools, they are still dangerous, with roughly 42,000 people having to go to the emergency room for nail gun-related injuries in the U.S. alone!

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31-Locking_pliers
Wiki Commons by Duk
Commonly known as Vise-Grips, what's the name of this tool?
Bit brace
Locking pliers
Vice
Clamps
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In the U.S., locking pliers are usually referred to as "Vise-Grips," but in the U.K., you may more likely hear them called "Mole grips," with the differences connected to the main brands that sell this tool. In 1924, the first "Vise-Grips" were invented in Nebraska.

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34-diamond-tool
Wiki Commons by Mark Hunter
You wouldn't find this tool in any jewelry store. Can you guess the name?
Diamond tool
Steel wool
Belt sander
Bodkin
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A diamond tool is a tool used for cutting, with — you guessed it — diamonds engraved into the tool's blade. Being one of the hardest materials on the face of the planet, diamond can be a much better alternative for these types of tools compared to other abrasives.

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36-Sander
Obradovic / E+ / Getty Images
What's the name of this abrasive power tool?
Angle grinder
Sander
Circular saw
Diamond tool
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Sanders are primarily used in auto shops for body repair (with these types of sanders typically working by using compressed air) and woodworking (which are usually electrically powered). Some different types of woodworking sanders include flap sanders, belt sanders, disc sanders and many more.

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40-Plane
Robert Lowdon / Moment / Getty Images
You wouldn't find this tool anywhere in the sky, but you might in your toolshed. What's the name?
Angle grinder
Rivet gun
Lathe
Plane
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The most common types of planes are hand planes and power planes. Hand planes rely on human force to cut wood, and the power planes are motorized and made for larger jobs. There are even Japanese planes (or "kannas"), which work by being pulled toward the body instead of being pushed away like with standard planes.

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1-Drill
Spiderstock / E+ / Getty Images
If you miss this one, we won't hole-d it against you. Can you guess the name?
Heat gun
Drill
Jackhammer
Hot glue gun
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The differences in drills vary by size, speed and power, and there are even special drills for medicinal items, miniature objects and outer space purposes. The world's first portable handheld drill was created in Germany in 1895 by two brothers (Carl and Wilhem Fein).

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35-Lathe
Martinns / E+ / Getty Images
It's no wonder how this multipurpose tool got the nickname "Mother of Machine Tools." Do you know it?
Pulley
Ratchet
Bit brace
Lathe
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Early versions of the modern-day lathes were first seen during the 13th/14th century B.C. timeframe in Ancient Greece, though these tools were much more basic back then. Lathes can be used in woodworking, and ones designed to do so can turn at up to 1,400 revolutions per minute.

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5-Heat_Gun
Wiki Commons by Jmdestefanis
Time to turn up the heat with this question! What's this tool called?
Hot glue gun
Blowtorch
Soldering iron
Heat gun
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Typically, the hot air produced by a handheld heat gun reaches between 200 to 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit, though some devices are known to reach as high as 1,400 degrees! Other names for heat guns include hot air stations or hot air guns.

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14-Cultivator-2
Wiki Commons by Eugene Zelenko
Be sure to weed out the wrong answers before making your guess! What's the name of the tool you see here?
Hoe
Rake
Cultivator
Lawnmower
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Cultivators are used to get rid of weeds between rows of crops, making them vital to farming. During the 1850s, there were hundreds of different types of cultivators that were designed to be drawn by horses.

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13-Pair_of_unibits_aka_step_bits
Wiki Commons by Junkyardsparkle
If you don't know this one, perhaps uneed to expand your toolbox. What is it?
Screwdriver
Hole saw
Twist drill bit
Unibit
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

As a fairly recent invention, Harry C. Oakes first created and patented the unibit in 1973, where at first it was exclusively sold by the Unibit Corporation. Another name for the unibit is the "step drill bit."

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38-Ring-Spanner
Calvin Thomas via Youtube
This tool isn't to wear on your fingers, though it's still handy! What's the name?
Monkey wrench
Allen key
Ring spanner
Ratchet
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Ring spanners have heads on both sides of the tool, and they are great for removing nuts or bolts that have been tightened too much. Bi-hex (or 12-point) headed ring spanners are the most common type of these tools.

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17-Monkey-Wrench
sdart / E+ / Getty Images
Any handyman would go bananas for this tool. Can you guess the name?
Pipe wrench
Ring spanner
Plane
Monkey wrench
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A monkey wrench is also known as a "Ford wrench," as this tool is included in the tool kits for every Ford Model A vehicle (produced from 1927 to 1931). Though monkey wrenches are not too commonly used now, they are known for being a treasure among the antique collecting community.

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You Got:
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Photography by Bobi / Moment / Getty Images