Old tools

I'm hearing two things here Rick. 1 - Nostalgia for things past, particularly family connections; 2 - Lost skills and a sadness for all those people whose tools, photos and posessions we see for sale and all the lost stories that go with them. I have a friend who prowls second hand shops looking for old photos of servicemen and women, because he can't stand the fact that after their service, they are abandoned in second hand shops because those who cared are gone.

But, what happens to any of our stuff, tools, models, prized possesions when we die. We hope they find their way to like minded people and I'm sure with your encouragement, your boys will understand the emotional and historical value of their heritage, particularly if you talk to them about your grandad.

I hope I've not been out of line with my comments.

I have a few things left over from my Father.  For a time he would repair watches as either a hobby or a way to bring in a little extra money.  I have his old tool box which I have passed on to my kid, but I kept a small magnifying lens and a pair of his tweezers that I have used many times over the years.

There were ither things that I would have loved to have gotten my hands on like his high altitude flying gear, flight coveralls, service hat, and his K-Bar from WWII.  Alas, my oldest brother got rid of these but I did manage to get his patches, medals, dog tags and other uniform pieces my brother had on his wall but sent me after they fell down and he didn't want to mess with them again. 

Eventually I will pass down my Father's pieces of the Hindenberg and his very limited edition baseball bat that he received for participating in a game against some MLB players before heading across the Atlantic with his squadron. 

Over several years I've put together a complete WWII GMTK (General mechanics tool kit). The thing is massively heavy, I can't imagine humping it at a trot across rough terrain like some of the recruitment posters show. I frequently find myself using some tool or another out of it because it's just a better tool and it's neat using something from that era.

i also think about who the original owner might have been and the story behind the tool.

I Hear You !

      My Foster Father was a Tool and Die maker. I was lucky in that he taught me the use of his tools. He was as good to me as my real father had been. I know, that's rare!

 I knew the use of these tools BEFORE going to a Trade School/High School combination school supported by the Labor Unions! The teachers were very surprised that I knew how to use these tools. So I got the unloved job of teacher's "assistant"

 This was like being an Apprentice. Added ten points yearly to my overall performance score in school too! The highlights was when they found out besides carving molds I could run a machinists class lathe! These were at that time the old belt drive machines. With the belts hanging from overhead. And the machines having transmissions! Yup. Our school had been the old Pierce-Arrow Auto Assembly Plant in Buffalo N.Y.!!

      When I look back and in my tool boxes I get transported to some very good times with both men. Father ( real Dad) taught me everything I knew about boats to be considered an senior Apprentice BoatBuilder and Dad( Tom, My Foster) taught me about Tool and Die making. Enought to be considered an Ordinary level Apprentice. All this BEFORE my Navy time. Great Memories when I still use these very High qualitiy Tools!( They were made to last back then.) I still have Dad Tom's Slide Rule.!

Being an average Joe, (Yes it is my real name), and always short of money, I build my tool collection slowly, over the years. My table saw is over 25 years old and it was, and still is a cheap saw, but, that was all I could afford.

I have some tools that are very old, and they still work fine, because I do take care of them, oiling them when needed etc. Of lately I have purchased new tools, but, I try to buy more quality if it is of a reasonable price, after all, I want the tool to work.

Joe

There was a company in town that we would sometimes use to finish projects that we had no machine for.  One day I was picking up a job and noticed a old tool box sitting by a die cutter.  I went over to it and upon taking a closer look saw that it was marked as belonging to the U.S.S. Arizona.  It had been taken from the ship and had been used to work on different other ships as they were being repaired.  How it eventually made its way to Orlando, I never asked.  Eventually the owner died and one day I was driving by during work and noticed that the building was closed up.  I never saw the box again.