For many years I have held a strong view about the waste caused by the disposable age and the planet’s ability to continue this wasteful trend. It’s a fact that poor-quality goods do not stand the test of time and fashion influences trends, whereas quality unique products are usually timeless. This is probably due to my age where people like myself remember the days when scarcity was real and having to mend and make do was normal in many households.
Whether we believe all this climate emergency propaganda or not it seems that the establishment is determined to bring in what will be draconian rules for us all to follow into our lives. Carbon reduction is the theme that will eventually reduce everyone’s consumption controlled by CBDCs and carbon allowances, etc. I could go into depth on this subject but it’s clear from what I have researched what is in the pipeline and we will need to adapt to the new carbon-controlled world.
I appreciate there will be doubters and enthusiasts of the Climate emergency agenda. Still, I think central planners have already committed themselves and planted their flags and technology will be the enforcer.
So why are Vintage Hand tools important in meeting Net Zero Targets and how will it benefit those who can use and maintain them?
For the past 30+ years, many people have either adopted disposable tools for ease or have relied upon them from the beginning, especially in the DIY market. Cheap tools are suitable for limited basic brutal use and have been the root cause in the decline of tool maintenance skills, where many tradesmen replaced them when they no longer worked, and by not working, this includes blunt tools. Just think how many woodworkers rely upon disposable saws for example.
Yes, those vintage quality tools were made by toolmakers who were craftsmen in their own right, they had a deeper understanding of methods required for the different qualities of steel, tempering, lamination, and how these tools felt in the hand, learned through the generations. The toolmaker’s stamps of old regularly had & Sons to prove my point.
Tool replacement is far less frequent with vintage tools because of the qualities they possess, they have already been produced and don’t cause further C02 to be released into the atmosphere, unlike new tools.
I also believe that there is something special about owning a collection of well-maintained vintage tools that require your care and attention. If there is a far better connection between the user and the tools and that care goes into using them for something they are creating. It is a special gift when using our skills and tools not for financial gain but to bring joy to those around us to improve their lives.
With spring in the air, it’s a great time to start thinking about how to produce something Net Zero or get those other jobs done before we become accountable for our own Net Zero.
We will see some major changes in the next few years and those well-equipped for this future will have an advantage that’s for sure, not only for their well-being but also for the local community because there are likely to be limitations on the abundance of imports we have seen over the past 30+ years.
