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Adam Old tool users
September 23rd, 2005 12:35 AM
September 22, 2005 Old tool users


I think most posters here know I work for Sears as a Preventative Maintenance Technician (PMT), that among other duties, rebuilds ratchets returned to the store.

I like to spend some time every day in stuartship to the old Craftsman tools (mostly ratchets), helping to invigorate them for their next user.

Now, I know most of us are fond of saying "They don't make them like that anymore".

There was even the post about the old steel and iron tools not rusting like today‛s tools do.

But, as I was evaluating the latest batch of returned ratchets, I came upon a personal epiphany.

I am taking apart basically a very narrow model number range of old Craftsman ratchets, of only three different drive sizes.

Yet, some tools either look brand new or have had their finish uniformly worn off the way that only constant, respectful, hard use generates.

While, a few tragic others have hammered handles, their selector levers beaten and banged up (used as hammers!) and to a one they are all devoid of lubrication.

I opened up one shiny ½ inch drive, chrome levered ratchet that just needed its lubrication flushed and re-applied.

Another ratchet, identical size and model number, had "liquid rust" inside of it, teeth shards floating in the soupy mess around the drive gear and pawl, with the ball "welded" to the spring with ugly white oxidation (like the stuff around a car battery post).

The same model, size and within a few years of manufacturing dates.

Why the difference in condition?

The two different users.

What was a marginal tool to one user, was probably an old friend to the other.

I'll bet you could tell which user owned which ratchet by spending just a few hours of observing each individual's shop practices.

Before moving on to power tools, my vocational training instructor(s) required hand tool practices be experienced first (including maintenance and basic sharpening techniques).

What may have been the "good old tool days", was also probably the good old users too.
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