1. Give a general or overall description first.
2. List the parts into which the tool can be broken in a separate paragraph.
3. Describe the parts in the order in which you list them in a separate paragraph for each.
4. Stay in third person; don't say "I am going to describe. . . ."
5. Be sure to define the tool properly: "The combination bottle/jar opener is a handy kitchen tool. . . ."
6. Combine sentences to cut wordiness. Instead of saying: "The grater is made of metal and weighs about half a pound. From one end to the other it is about nine and one-half inches," say instead: "The metal grater weighs about half a pound and is nine and one-half inches long."
7. Cut other wordy expressions:
"The handle is cylindrical," not "the handle is of a cylindrical shape."
"The handle is smooth," not "the handle is smooth in texture."
"The silver-colored metal," not "the metal is of a silver color."