would you want a surgeon or a dentist to have dull instruments? if you agree with me, then your response is a ‘no’. like any other crafter, having quality tools is important. inday tibo and i had great fun gathering tools from hida tool inc., based in berkeley, california (right across the street from REI). it was even more fun as inday shared the same excitement as i do about bangka journey and building with our hands in relation to as my friend, juno, simplified it as ‘healing ancestral wounds through the creation of a community honoring the sacredness of the spiritual warrior way of life expressed through bangka building.’ inday showed how fun it could be to shop at hida, gently caressing the quality made tools, honoring the stones, the wood, the feel of the coldness of the steel and the warmth of the wooden handles, honoring the crafter. hida’s helpful staff helped make it a wonderful experience. and more, it was wonderful because everything was 10% off! i am so excited to get my first basic carving kit. as she mentioned, it’s a disney kind of  fun (just note though that i’ve never been to disneyland so i cannot compare). but also prepare for cuts, bring bandaids for fingers (the ones that are like finger gloves) and emergency kits. be prepared and don’t forget the work gloves.