What Is Your Favorite Philatelic Tool?

I would have to say the most invaluable tool in my stamp collecting arsenal is this website.

My trusty blowtorch..To get those hinges off those
nasty CTO stamps

Whichever catalogue is applicable at the time.

With the eyes getting older, I would have to say the magnifying glass.

Steve

My 10X loupe.

For a more traditional tool I would say a catalog to id my stamps.

I'd be lost without my tongs (and keep a spare).

I would have to say my magnifier and my tongs I would be lost without either one

i would say the stamp catalogs !!

Oh may gosh I have to choose

Well then I would say this site and the couple of scotts catalogues that I have.

Dianne

It would have to be the new 4x/10x magnifier with miniature spotlight. It does a beautiful job of illuminating the entire stamp while I look over it.


Outlaw 1-3

Modern said:






I concur. I would say my dealer tongs.

David

First and foremost is my desire to learn......second is my tongs.

Today my new set of tongs came, kind of bitter sweet though. I have had my other set for 30 years. Forgot and left the office door open and my original set just happened to disappear about 3 weeks ago.
This can happen with a 4 year old little girl in the house.
New ones do not feel right yet so will have to get to mounting some stamps to break them in.

First, yes knowledge is great.
Secondly, I really miss my old tongs.

If they're in the house, they might still show up. Unless there
was an "Uh-Oh" moment like in those State Farm commercials last
year or so where the watch went down the toilet. (My son-in-law
never did find his watch.)

I, unfortunately do not even attempt to sort or mount my stamps if my 2 year old is awake. He will want to help and is still too young to understand that my stamps are not his stickers. LOL

I tried sorting precancels by state one day and he kept reaching closer & closer across the table until he was laying on it and grabbing at a handfull. The "NO, NO, NO's" was not working.