We use our hand tools everyday here at the Yardstead.  Because we are a small scale urban homestead, we don't really need to use power tools that often.  Sure we use a small tractor to till the garden and power tools such as drills and circular saws for construction projects, but most of the daily business gets done with hand tools.  Many of our hand tools have been around for years now and their handles are worn smooth from use.  We have also disposed of a lot of tools which seemed like good bargains when they were purchased, but failed shortly after being put to use.  Over the years I've learned a few things about selecting tools, and these days our tools fail a lot less often.  I love my trusted, reliable tools and I will share with you a few things I've learned about selecting quality tools.  
One of the most common gardening tools is the garden hoe.  Used mostly to eliminate weeds in the garden,  the simple hoe design has been around for a long time.  As with many hand tools there are no moving parts and the design is sturdy enough that even the cheapest models will usually be sufficient for its intended purpose.  I have never broken a hoe while cutting down weeds in the garden, but because of the useful design of this tool, it frequently gets used beyond the garden.