This list includes 47 Tools that start with F, from “F-clamp” to “Fret saw”. They are mostly handheld, versatile items for cutting, clamping, measuring, fastening and finishing in DIY and trade projects.

Tools that start with F are handheld or powered instruments you use to shape, secure, measure, or finish materials. A notable example, the F-clamp, traces back to early woodworking and remains a workshop staple worldwide.

Below you’ll find the table with Tool, Purpose, Primary materials, and Typical users.

Tool: The tool name lets you find specific items and common synonyms quickly when researching or shopping.

Purpose: A concise one-line use description shows why the tool matters and which tasks you can perform with it.

Primary materials: Lists metals, plastics or wood common in the tool’s construction, helping you judge durability and maintenance needs.

Typical users: Identifies trades, hobbies or professions that commonly use the tool so you can assess relevance to your work.

Tools that start with F

Name Primary function Typical materials Typical size/weight Description
File Shaping or smoothing material High-carbon steel, hardened tool steel 20–30 cm (8–12 in) General-purpose metal or wood shaping tool with abrasive teeth, used for deburring, fitting and finishing.
Flat file Flat surface shaping and smoothing Hardened steel 20–30 cm (8–12 in) Flat-sided file for leveling and sharpening edges on metal and wood; common in workshops for general filing.
Flathead screwdriver Driving slotted screws Steel shaft, plastic or wood handle 10–30 cm (4–12 in) Classic screwdriver with flat blade for slotted screws; comes in many sizes for household and trade use.
F-clamp Holding workpieces firmly in place Steel bar, cast iron jaws 15–150 cm (6–60 in) Bar clamp with fixed and sliding jaw, used for gluing, assembly and woodworking clamping tasks.
Folding rule Measuring short distances and angles Wood, plastic or metal About 1 m folded (39 in) Hinged wooden or metal ruler that folds small for pockets, useful for quick on-site measurements.
Feeler gauge Measuring small gaps or clearances Steel blades Blades 1–150 mm (0.04–6 in) pack Set of thin metal blades of varying thickness used to measure gaps in engines, valves and machinery.
Flow meter Measuring fluid flow rate Stainless steel, plastic internals Handheld to pipe-mounted sizes Instrument for measuring liquid or gas flow; common types include turbine, ultrasonic and rotameter styles.
Framing hammer Driving large nails in framing Steel head, wood or fiberglass handle 45–55 cm (18–22 in) Heavy hammer with milled face and long handle for carpentry framing and rough construction work.
Finish nailer Driving finish nails quickly Steel body, composite handles 15–30 cm; 1–4 kg (3–9 lb) Pneumatic or cordless nail gun for trim and finish carpentry; places small nails cleanly and fast.
Forstner bit Drilling flat-bottomed holes in wood High-speed steel or carbide 6–50 mm (1/4–2 in) diameters Drill bit that produces clean, flat-bottom holes used for hardware mounting and cabinetry.
Flush cutter Cutting wires and leads flush Hardened steel 12–18 cm (5–7 in) Pliers-like tool that trims excess wire or component leads cleanly at surface level.
Flaring tool Forming flares on tubing ends Steel Handheld, 20–30 cm (8–12 in) Plumbing and automotive tool to flare brake or fuel lines for leak-free fittings.
Floor sander Sanding large floor surfaces Steel housing, sanding discs 40–60 cm wide; 30–60 kg (66–132 lb) Heavy-duty power tool for sanding hardwood floors; available as drum or orbital sanders.
Framing square Laying out right angles and rafter cuts Steel 24 in or 12 in common L-shaped steel square used in carpentry for measuring and marking 90-degree angles and stair layout.
Folding hex key Driving hex (Allen) fasteners Steel Pocket-sized, 5–15 cm (2–6 in) Multi-size Allen wrench set in a fold-up handle for tight spaces and portability.
Flashlight Portable illumination Plastic or aluminum body 10–30 cm; 0.1–1 kg Handheld light source useful in workshops, garages and emergencies; comes LED or incandescent.
Fret saw Cutting intricate curves in thin material Steel frame, hardwood handle 30–40 cm frame Deep-framed saw with fine blade, favored by luthiers and scrollworkers for delicate cuts.
Finish sander Fine sanding and smoothing surfaces Plastic and steel housing Palm to 25 cm; 0.5–3 kg Small orbital or palm sander used for final sanding before finishing painted or varnished surfaces.
Framing nailer Driving large nails for framing Steel body 30–50 cm; 2–6 kg Powerful pneumatic or cordless nail gun designed for structural carpentry and framing tasks.
Fish tape Pulling wire through walls and conduits Steel, fiberglass or nylon tape 15–50 m (50–165 ft) Long, flexible tape used by electricians to route cables through enclosed spaces.
Faucet wrench Removing and installing faucet nuts Steel 15–30 cm (6–12 in) Plumber’s tool with a slim head to reach tight faucet locknuts under sinks.
Floor jack Lifting vehicles for maintenance Steel 50–100 cm; 10–40 kg Hydraulic jack used to raise cars or equipment safely for repairs or wheel changes.
Fly cutter Light-duty metal cutting on mills Tool steel cutter, carbide tips Toolpost-mounted, variable Single-point milling cutter used to face large metal surfaces on a milling machine.
Foam cutter Cutting polystyrene and foam materials Heated wire or hot knife assemblies Handheld to table units Hot-wire or hot-knife tool for cleanly slicing foam used in model making and insulation.
Folding saw Portable cutting of wood and branches Steel blade, folding handle Blade 15–30 cm (6–12 in) Pocketable saw for camping, pruning and rough carpentry; blade folds into handle for safety.
Face mill Removing material from metal surfaces Alloy steel body, carbide inserts 50–200 mm diameters Multi-tooth milling cutter used to produce flat surfaces on metal workpieces.
Floor buffer Polishing and cleaning hard floors Steel body, foam pads 40–60 cm wide; 30–50 kg Commercial power tool for buffing, cleaning and polishing large floor areas.
Flange spreader Separating flanged joints safely Steel 15–30 cm Automotive and industrial tool to pry apart pipe or gearbox flanges for maintenance.
Force gauge Measuring push/pull force Metal body, digital electronics Handheld 10–30 cm Instrument for measuring tension or compression forces in testing and QC tasks.
Frequency counter Measuring signal frequency Electronic components, plastic housing Handheld or benchtop sizes Electronic instrument used to measure frequency of electrical signals in hertz; common in labs.
Fiber stripper Removing jacket from optical fiber Hardened steel blades, plastic handles 10–15 cm Precision tool for stripping coating from fiber optic cables without nicking the glass fiber.
Fiber cleaver Cutting optical fiber for splicing Hardened steel and ceramic blades Palm-sized 10–15 cm Precision tool that scores and cleaves fiber for low-loss splices in telecommunications.
Finger plane Shaping and trimming wood in tight spots Steel blade, wooden body 5–10 cm Small block plane used for detailed trimming and fitting in woodworking and finishing.
Fillet weld gauge Measuring weld sizes and fillets Steel or plastic Pocket-sized 10–20 cm Hand tool that checks fillet weld throat and leg sizes to ensure weld quality to standards.
Fluxmeter Measuring magnetic flux density Electronic components Handheld probe sizes Instrument used in labs and industry to measure magnetic flux; specialized for electronics and magnetics.
Filter wrench Removing cylindrical filters Metal or rubber 5–15 cm, adjustable Wrench designed to grip oil or cartridge filters for removal during maintenance.
File card Cleaning files and rasps Wire brush, wooden handle 10–20 cm Small wire brush tool used to clean filings and debris from file teeth to restore cutting action.
Finishing trowel Smoothing plaster, concrete or mortar Stainless steel blade, wood handle 20–30 cm blade (8–12 in) Flat-bladed hand tool used to level and smooth finishes on plaster, concrete or tile mortar.
Fiberscope Inspecting hard-to-reach spaces visually Flexible fiber-optic bundle, camera tip Probe lengths vary, 1–10 m Flexible optical inspection tool for looking inside engines, ducts or walls using fiber optics.
Fastener extractor Removing broken screws or bolts Hardened steel 5–20 cm sets Tapered, reverse-threaded bits used with a drill to remove snapped or damaged fasteners.
Folding knife Cutting materials for general use Steel blade, aluminum or plastic handle 10–25 cm folded/open Pocket tool with folding blade used for cutting, scoring or general-purpose tasks.
Featherboard Holding workpiece against fence for safety Plastic or wood 10–30 cm Safety accessory on table saws that presses wood to the fence to prevent kickback and ensure clean cuts.
Flywheel puller Removing flywheels from shafts Steel 10–25 cm Automotive and small-engine tool that threads into a flywheel and pulls it off the crankshaft.
Frame clamp Aligning and clamping frames during assembly Steel 30–120 cm Heavy-duty clamp used to hold bicycle, picture or welded frames square during glue-up or assembly.
Fettling knife Trimming excess casting material Steel blade, hardwood handle Blade 10–20 cm Sharp knife used to remove flash and smooth rough edges on castings or ceramics.
Foam gun Applying spray foam sealant Metal body, plastic components 20–30 cm Dispensing tool for polyurethane foam used for insulation and sealing gaps around doors and windows.
Flush trim bit Trimming edges flush to a template Carbide or HSS 1–6 cm diameter Router bit with bearing guide that trims material flush to a pattern or edge.

Descriptions

File
Flat file
Flathead screwdriver
F-clamp
Folding rule
Feeler gauge
Flow meter
Framing hammer
Finish nailer
Forstner bit
Flush cutter
Flaring tool
Floor sander
Framing square
Folding hex key
Flashlight
Fret saw
Finish sander
Framing nailer
Fish tape
Faucet wrench
Floor jack
Fly cutter
Foam cutter
Folding saw
Face mill
Floor buffer
Flange spreader
Force gauge
Frequency counter
Fiber stripper
Fiber cleaver
Finger plane
Fillet weld gauge
Fluxmeter
Filter wrench
File card
Finishing trowel
Fiberscope
Fastener extractor
Folding knife
Featherboard
Flywheel puller
Frame clamp
Fettling knife
Foam gun
Flush trim bit
If you think there is a missing term, let us know using the contact form.