Old Tools

Sorry about the lack of blog posts as my job has been a bit stupid recently and so I’ve been too tired to build. No building means no blogging either, or at least nothing particularly new to blog about.
The other thing that has chewed up my time has been working on disposing of the modelling equipment that belonged to a late friend. Over a lifetimes building he amassed a huge selection of tools and models. The railway kits are fairly easy to deal with, the tools less so.
Many of the tools are worn. Not in a bad way but in a way that indicates much careful use. You look at a handle where the varnish has rubbed away and think of the many hours of (hopefully) pleasurable use the tool has seen. It’s a bit like smooth bark on a tree that has seen the backsides of many childish tree climbers – a nice smoothness that should never be restored.
Of course I have been proud to add to my toolkit from this. I quite like second hand tools because of the history attached to them. I have some that belonged to my Granddad as well. He was an engineer and I like to think that he would approve of my work even though it is in an amateur capacity. Using inherited tools makes me think that the original owner is helping out. Sometimes I need all the help I can get !