Well, I can't make carving tools for some reason (guess I'm not skilled enough?), and a hatchet requires a wooden shaft. Well, in order to get a wooden shaft, you need to cut down a tree for some branches. In order to cut down a tree for some branches, you need a hatchet.
I've found an NPC who will sell simple tools like that, but it's rather expensive. I bought some scissors from him, and it cost me more than a quarter of my total coin supply.
He's also up near another mine some guild representative was kind enough to show me. As usual, he was trying to get a recruit, but I declined as politely as I could. He also gave me a rabbit stew of some sort, which is quite helpful for keeping up strength during mining.
I've completed most of a shield, but I'll need leather to make the backing/straps. No clue where or how to get it, but I'll see if I can't find something. For now, I'm just heading out to that mine so I can stockpile coal. There's an iron and copper mine which is much closer, but it doesn't have any coal. We can just switch between the two and try to haul back as much as we can, and drop it off at our personal depots (apparently, not even roleplaying enthusiasts {Gestapo?} will refrain from placing 'shifting chests of infinity' in their major cities).
If you really want to find me, just keep an eye out for some crazy dwarf who goes around humming. Yes, I really do that.