Warning: My dismissal of thrift store tools ended when a rusty saw became my favorite woodworking asset.

Honestly, restoring that old handsaw taught me more about craftsmanship than any new purchase.

3 comments

3 Comments

This speaks to a larger societal blind spot where we equate new with better, ignoring the history and durability embedded in older tools. Our throwaway culture often dismisses the patience and skill required to restore something, which is where real understanding develops. That rusty saw isn't just a tool, it's a direct lesson in metallurgy, wood grain, and the sweat equity of past craftsmen. We're losing that hands-on education when we default to buying sealed plastic boxes from big box stores. It's a quiet rebellion against planned obsolescence and a return to valuing substance over shine. Frankly, that kind of tangible connection to our work feels increasingly rare and necessary.

phoenix_barnes5h ago

Totally get this. I once tried to restore an old hand plane. Sanded right through the patina and into regret. My rebellion lasted about an afternoon.

burns.kelly3h ago

That point about patience in restoration rings true. My friend Carl found a vintage typewriter at a flea market, convinced he could get it clicking again. He spent weeks cleaning rusted keys, only to realize the ribbon mechanism was fused shut with decades-old ink. The whole project taught him more about mechanical patience than any manual ever could, and now it sits on his shelf as a very heavy paperweight. He says it was worth it for the education, even if the thing never types a letter.