I’ve been asked this question by my wife ‘why do I need more tools?’ on multiple occasions and wanted to write this post to quantify my passion for tools and thought the best way of doing this was to show how this makes her life better.
As you can appreciate this may well need a liberal amount of humour to also help my cause but i’m going to try my hardest to convince her…
I think the wife has got a cheek to mention it really, especially when I walk into her kitchen where I see all those utensils, pots, pans and other cooking implements, she’s even got a gadget to crush garlic, i’ll have you know. I haven’t even started yet on the big stuff like washing machine, dishwasher and hoover, all tools that free’s her time up so she can work here with us at Tooltique 7 days a week. She will no doubt be kicking me later!
I’m going to have to hide in the shed after that!
Seriously though, as our skills grow it’s impossible not to expand our tool kits and owning specific tools for each task is imperative to ensure we are equipped to carry out any related tasks. Additional skills can come thick & fast when you develop as a craftsman, the ability to adapt and think our way through projects usually results in finding new ground to play on. I’ve never hid away from new challenges so can only explain how I see things. Once I start something I always complete the task, failure is never an option. Belief in your ability and embracing difficult tasks only enhances confidence which gets carried onto the next project or better still to refine and hone those new skills until they are mastered.
As you can see by this website my attention went from what can be done with tools to mastering a better understanding of the tools I and others used, finding ways to get them to work to their optimum performance. It then took me on a journey of gaining a better understanding of the materials and processes used making them and what are the differences between makers and their periods of production. This knowledge is serving Tooltique well with our choices we make when purchasing tools for this website whilst ensuring each part in that tool represents its actual age where possible.
All the best craftsmen master their chosen topic first, it becomes second nature before they move onto new things which compliment their main skill and so it goes on, hence the expansion of tools needed our your kits.
This year Joanne would like (more like needs) a new kitchen and bathroom fitted, everything apart from the plumbing and electrics I will undertake, it’s not something I’ve tackled before and I have new ideals regarding materials I want to use. What she needs isn’t standard (our kitchen is small) and this is not possible without a good range of tools or otherwise hiring the services of a specialist. I’m sure though when it’s completed then the questions regarding my need for tools will abate somewhat and her tools can be properly accommodated in style. (Tongue firmly placed in cheek.)
Looks like its going to be another busy year but what’s new!
