Finally, we have had a little sunshine and I’ve been able to catch up on some essential outside jobs that have been neglected over the winter months. This has temporarily taken me away from refurbishing tools but I will start again on Monday with a sense of relief these nagging jobs have been done. I’ve also had a little time to reorganise things in the workshop so I can get a good start.
It’s been 10 years since I restarted Tooltique after my father’s retirement on this website which was registered on 18-Sep-2013, and I’ve been so busy I forgot to celebrate we have been refurbishing old tools and selling them online for that long. I have worked mostly 7 days a week during that time because there is always something to do, something new to learn or improve upon.
It’s been a real transition and a fascinating journey which started when my father sold old tools on a Sunday market in 1977. Had I not grown up with these old tools I wouldn’t be here writing this article, also had I not had my career working with tools I wouldn’t have been able to build what Tooltique is today.
Expertise takes time and lots of hard yards in any topic, and that deeper understanding usually comes with a willingness to learn the subject in every detail and develop the methods to achieve the best results. A passion for the subject is equally important, as are the reasons why.
The reason why I do this influenced where I am today and why I’m happy to put in the effort needed to ensure the standards needed to meet customers’ needs with their purchases. Believe me, it’s sometimes a labour of love to breathe new life into some tools that often require the exact replacement parts and effort beyond their retail value.
I have ten years until I hit the retirement age of 67, hopefully, I will be in good health and can go beyond that age. I’ve instilled five years of training into two of my sons during the last 10 years whilst they were young. Patience is critical to what I do here, perhaps with wiser heads they will appreciate the skills and knowledge learned thus far and come back to refine them at a later date for the next generation of craftsmen, who will undoubtedly be living in a world where natural resources will be used more sparingly.
It’s so important and more than ever people put in the effort to learn skills of preservation to enhance their lives without the dependency on cheap imported tools from the East. This is because the durability and quality of the hand tools you own will become a major factor with the carbon credits the establishment plans to introduce. I will write an article about this but waste is going to play a big part in future climate change policies.
So, 10 years have passed, dedicated to bringing back to life so many neglected hand tools that possess qualities most modern manufacturers have failed to replicate. We have restored many thousands of old vintage tools, often beyond their original capabilities, and have made them period-correct and complete. We have also pulled many unfit tools off the market to build up the spares needed here and to help reduce these unfit tools being traded as ‘used, sold as seen’ deceptive online auction listings.
Ten years selling online with very few minor issues which have always been satisfactorily rectified when they did occur and many compliments for our service along the way. I’m proud of what we have achieved here over the years and what drives me on is knowing our customers are pleased with their purchases.
Many thanks to our customers who are the reason ‘why’ we constantly try our very best.
