A visit to the old hardware store on Main Street made me think about tools

I was in Branson, Missouri last month and stopped by a family owned place that's been there since the 80s. What got me was the wall of wooden handled hammers and hand saws, stuff you just don't see on the truck anymore. The owner said he still sells a few to older guys who refuse to switch. Made me remember learning to drive nails with my grandpa's Estwing. Do any of you still use or keep any of those old school tools around?

3 comments

3 Comments

danielb431mo ago

Ever try using an old hand saw? The weight and feel is totally different, it forces you to slow down and get the cut right. I still have my dad's in the garage for that reason.

betty_price141mo ago

Read an article about how those old tools were built to last generations, not just until the next model comes out. My neighbor still uses his grandfather's metal level, says the bubble is truer than anything you can buy now. There's a reason people held onto them, they just worked right. Makes you wonder what we're giving up for a bit of convenience.

charlienelson1mo ago

Man that hits home lol. I see it everywhere now, like how my coffee maker from two years ago just quit but my mom's old percolator still works perfect. We're trading real quality for stuff that's just good enough to sell again next year. It feels cheap, like we're surrounded by things that are meant to be thrown out.