Kitchen Tools or "Mechanic's Tools Found in the Kitchen"

Since we have finally figured out the mystery of the kitchen sink, I think it is time to move on to all the handy tools that our "mechanics" seem to have. We all know that tool of the trade, (whatever that trade may be), are important. Without them working is much more difficult to downright impossible.

We have all be to kitchen shops, auto parts stores, Big Box Stores, the mall, and yes, even to the old faithful WalMart in the search for tools. So why is it then that our kitchens seem to be the preferred shopping spot for all those "speciality tools" that our "super mechanics" need? When one of you figure out why this is please let me know. In the meantime, I thought I would share with you my list of "tools" that seem to always end up covered in grease, gas, GOJO, oil, RTV gasket gunk, and other foreign, toxic substances that are readily found in the garage.

Warning ladies - Lock your cabinets and drawers, hide the good silver and the countertop appliances...you'll be glad you did!

The List

1. French Rolling Pin - Handy to beat out small pins and screws with out damaging them. Never mind that the rolling pin looks like an UZI worked it over.

2. good kitchen towels - Excellent for wiping off grease, oil, and gunk from larger parts and sopping up minor spills from oil changes and brake fluid refills. They are much more absorbent than Bounty and have better grease grabbing qualities! (And they are washable and resuable....not that I would reuse one after this!)

3. China Gravy Boat - so handy for pouring solvent and cleaners down into crevices, and keeps the spills to a minimum, thus reducing the need to use more good kitchen towels. See #2 Above.

4. Kitchen Aide Hand Mixer - All purpose paint mixer, epoxy/bondo stirrer and drywall mud mixr. (Kitchen Aide believes in horsepower, Dewalt and Kobalt obviously do not!)

5. Kitchen Aide Food Processor - Good for grinding up dried out axle grease with goo grease to extend the useful shelf life of the grease. (Does anyone actually KNOW the shelf life of axle grease?)

6. Butter Dish with really nice cover - Excellent for small part storage. It helps keep the dust and dirt of those screws that hold the oil pan on. the cover can easily be converted to a small parts washer as well. Very hand 2 in 1 tool!

7. Wire Whisks - Very very handy! Not only do they mix part cleaning solutions quite well, those hand wires make excellent olders for hose ends, gaskets, and nots on what parts store has the best deals. (kinda like a huge paper clip with a handle).

8. Spatulas - Wonderful RTV gasket spreading tool. The handle is long enough to reach into tight spaces and with all the different sizes available, there is one for just about any job. (The cheap plastic ones don't work nearly as good as the ones bought at FoodNetwork.com!) Note to self: Time to buy more spatulas - they are having a SALE!

9. Rubbermaid Leftover storage containers - Those left over parts will stay fresh, clean, bug free and organized in these nice babies. And gee, they all have lids, how nice!

10. Nutcrackers - makeshift vice grips only with nice padded handles and bigger teeth. Good for those stubborn bolts and holding that tubing to cut for the radiator!

11. Kitchen Knives - Probabl one of the most versatile mechanics tools you have. Cutting and stripping wires, cutting hoses, opening car part packages, prying off old gasket material and scribing metal parts for later identification are just a few of the many uses. A pocket knife would work in any of these instances, but nothing feels better in the hand than Fine German Steel and a Full Metal Tang encased in an Oak Handle! Balance in a knife is everything you know!

12. Nesting metal measuring cups - Handy, handy, handy. Grease scoops, oil dry, and solvent scoops. (Also nice if you want to figure out exactly how many cups of oil are in that quart bottle.)

13. Napkin holders - part propper-uppers, nothing fancy here.

14. Cutting boards - (any variety, but usually good grade butcher block style works best) Useful in preventing most unnecessary dent and dings to the Kitchen table (and that is a whole nother chapter!). Usually paired with the rollling pin. Also spares damage to whatever the rolling pin is beating...oops, I mean tapping on.

15. Corn Cob Holders - Yes, corn cob holders. Who woulda thunk it? These are oh so nice to use when holding wire our hoses out of the way. They easily push into the firewall and have nice grippy ends. (So good for greasy fingers!)

16. Tongs (of all sorts - Another hand grabber type tool! Good for reaching down through the engine compartment for that socket that feel on the ground (Requires more steps than just going under the vehicle but is sooo much more macho. Hate to get grease on that good work shirt.) Also excellent for fishin out parts from the cleaning solvent/parts washer - aka butter dish lid.

17. Electric Carving Knife - Not just for turkey and roast anymore! Hoses are a breeze to cut to size with this type of tool! And it is also very good to use for cutting the new carpet that covers the dirty floorboards! How decorative!

18. Collander - Best part catcher on the market. Always used in the old oil pan to catch that oil plug that always seems to slip right out of the socket! No digging around in dirty oil for that sweet little part.

19. Potato peeler - In the absence of a knife, this little tool is a good wire stripper. Caution is to be used because too much can be stripped and cause irreversable damage to the wire which now will invoke another trip to the parts store. Honey, don't forget the milk please.

20. Deviled Egg Tray - Small part sorter/organizer. Such a hand way to keep all those little parts seperated and organized. Makes repairs a breeze! (Lid covers tighty as well so that no dirt or grease gets on those freshly cleaned carb needles!)


This is a short list. I am sure as time goes on, there will be more of my kitchen things found in the garage. Not that Mark will ever tell me exactly what he used them for but I am a good detective and can usually figure it out! I don't say too much because in the grand scheme of things it just means I can go shopping to get new stuff....And every girl likes new stuff!