Friday, August 25, 2017

Tools of the trade

Rusty pair of tin snips lying in the dirt
Rusty tin snips found in the field
I have found yet another tool in the field, I was closing the gate from one pasture to the other when I looked down and there it was lying partially buried in the dirt, a completely rusted out and frozen into place forever set of tin snips.

It is becoming a habit of mine to find things out in the field, I'm not nearly as consistent in finding things of value as my blogging buddy Val over at Unbagging the Cats  is with her pennies from heaven, and I shudder to think of tools falling from the sky, I am very happy for Val's pennies to continue coming from heaven, I just pray no tools are thrown my way when I am out standing in my field.

Old tape measure lying on the ground
You remember Steve the tape measure?
You all remember my last find,  I wrote about the little tape measure I found while mowing the field in Where is Steve, and reaching back a ways The Forgotten Tool even though this one was under the house and not in the field at all, it was on the same property so that counts...Right?

Round medallion with Daisy Manufacturing Company 1938 1988 and impression of Red Ryder and indian boy on the front
Daisy Mfg Company Red Ryder medallion
Just the other day I found a medallion with Red Ryder of the Daisy BB gun fame, and a little Indian boy on the front with the dates 1938 and 1988 lying in the dirt at the edge of the field when I was opening the gate from the blacktop to the side pasture, although it is not a tool I thought it was nice anyways.

What are the tools of your trade?

There is a tool for most anything that we do. Before I retired from the water company I had a lot of tools that I depended on. Probably the most used tool was my meter key, this tool was used to open the water meter boxes, this simple tool was custom made, it was simply a railroad spike shaped piece of metal (sometimes we used an actual railroad spike, I can hear the gasps from the railroad as I write this) that had been cut and filed down to make a handle, this was welded to a rod to attain the length that you wanted, then the key was welded to the other end, "Voila" a custom made meter key like no one elses, a one of a kind tool.

The handle was then wrapped in electrical tape, isn't it amazing the different things you can use electrical tape for? Duct tape this is a whole story in itself, but no duct tape was used here. I completely wrapped the handle with electrical tape for comfort in the days I was a meter reader, this kind of padded the handle and also made it easier to use repeatedly opening meter boxes all day long to record the readings.

Custom made water meter key lying on a red tool box
My custom water meter key I kept when I retired
It also made it easy to hold onto when that rogue dog snuck up on me when I was bent over reading a meter, and forced me into playing Zorro with the attacking dog, no dogs were ever hurt but a lot of swashbuckling and Zees were swished through the air until either the dog or I decided to run, most times we either ran from each other in opposite directions or the dog became my friend and followed me for the rest of the day.

This was just one simple tool from my days at the water company, I could bore you with many more from my meter shop or the tools in back of my truck, but no matter which job I did at the water company this simple meter key was always one of the tools I needed the most.

No matter what you do there are tools to help you along, even things you use for healthcare, for me a glucometer is a tool that I use several times a day, it tests my blood sugar to help me adjust my insulin dose, and without this tool my insulin doses would be just a guess, and anyone who is Diabetic knows that this doesn't work, so with this said healthcare items and anything used in the house is an important tool, yes guys I'm afraid that broom and mop are not just items the ladies torture us into using, they are actually tools of the trade called housework.

Now for an update on a tool I wrote about when I asked Will Cubby Survive  last week,  I want you to know Cubby Survived, I took a suggestion from our good buddy Arkansas Patti over at The New Sixty and skipped hauling Cubby all the way down to the Cub Cadet Service Center.

I took Cubby to "the vague guy who may or may not fix mowers" and found out he definitely fixes mowers. Daniel is a nice young man who has opened his own shop within the last six months, and is only about four miles from us, he gave me a very reasonable estimate, ordered the parts and stuck to the price he quoted, he only had my tractor one day and it runs and works better than it has in a long time, needless to say Daniel is my go to lawnmower guy now.

Cub Cadet garden tractor with push blade on front
Cubby sporting his blade ready to move mountains
As soon as I got the tractor home there were mountains to be moved courtesy of the horse, so Cubby grabbed his blade and we moved mountains, now instead of mountains we have a nicely scraped area for Flash to fill back in and some well needed fertilizer for a few areas that I pushed it to.

Cub Cadet Garden Tractor with mowing deck
Cubby ready to get back to cutting the mustard
The next day the deck was installed and the field opposite of the homestead was mowed, I tell you what the minute I pulled that PTO switch I thought a jet engine had fired, it is so nice when the equipment works like it is supposed to.

So I suppose Cubby just may be a tool of the trade of me being retired, because it is up to he and I to keep this place in shape.

Doctors and nurses have stethoscopes, surgeons have scaples, artists have brushes, and painters do too ( just bigger and broader), carpenters have their hammers, and I better stop right there because I know that I am likely to miss a whole lot of trades and tools. So I will just ask.

Whats in your...toolbox?

44 comments:

  1. Seems my only tool now, is my computer. My other tools are waiting for me to decide to give them up. My paints and brushes, the scroll saw and other tools to numerous to mention, even my bread maker sits in disuse - waiting. Maybe after we get the deck done, I'll have big sale and finally let it go.

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    1. Hey Sharon, A computer is an important tool for a lot of us these days, your other tools can sit on the back burner so to say for a while, you never know you may want to use one sometimes.

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  2. That Red Ryder medallion would probably bring you $25-$40 on e-Bay. Nice Piece! I think your field must be changing under ground, pushing things to the surface.

    For twenty years my main work tool was a pair of clippers for cutting flowers. I still have three pair floating around the house. They are still my go-to-tool for cutting heavier stuff.

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    1. Hi Jean, I haven't researched that medallion yet, but from the looks of it I'm thinking a 50th anniversary issue possibly, not sure but I like the looks of it.

      The clippers you used to cut flowers with for twenty years are now used for cutting other things, isn't it funny how we hold onto things like this and make them useful for other things, I have a couple of tools from my construction days that I used for many other things than what they were intended, but they work and like you they are my go to tool a lot of times.

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  3. Great news on Chubby. I hope he runs like a champ for years to come.

    Have a fabulous day. ☺

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    1. Hello Sandee, I was really impressed with how well Cubby is running now, I think he is going to be with us for a while yet.

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  4. Well first of all Jimmy, I'm sure you ARE and WERE outstanding in your field lol. Tools of my trade? Gee golly, what does a grandma need? Um...oven mitts, tongs, a supply of Kinder Eggs, knitting needles......that kind of stuff I guess.

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    1. Hello Delores, Your tools are very important indeed, I am sure a lot of happiness is spread at the hands of your Grandma skills :)

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  5. A fun post. I like the medallion find! My tool of choice is my hot glue gun. Mostly because my husband teases me about it. I love to use it and will try my darnedest to fix everything with it. It's now a joke that whenever something needs fixing, mom runs to find the glue gun!

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    1. I can see you now Bijoux, running to the rescue with hot glue gun in hand. It's funny they tease you but just how many things have you and your hot glue gun fixed, the running joke is actually a badge of honor in my opinion.

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  6. My husband Is the one with the tools. But I suppose my own tool of trade is a crochet hook and sometimes a paint brush.
    That coin is a really cool find. You live on treasure island!
    Lisa

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    1. Hey Lisa, I have seen some of the results of your crochet hook that you posted on your blog, I agree that is definitely an important tool for you and you use it well my friend.

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  7. I have a bunch of rusty tools, too! I enjoyed the post and was surprised to see that the medallion wasn't that old (was that around the time the movie, "A Christmas Story" came out?)

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    1. Hello Sage, It is so easy to collect the old rusty tools, I like finding them like this because they make wonder about where they came from, there is always a history behind them that we will never know.

      I agree with you on the medallion, I don't think it was buried in the dirt like the other tools I found, from the dates on it would be 1988 at the oldest, I have a feeling it was lost by someone passing by, we have a lot of people horseback riding past the area that I found it, I am sure that is where it came from.

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  8. That Red Ryder medallion is really cool. I reeeeeally wanted a BB gun when I was a kid, but had to settle for taking turns with my cousin's when he was in a mood to share.

    My hubby is the tool king, but I have quite a few, too, and they vary, depending on what I'm doing. I'm a cooking and baking fool, so that involves one set of tools, and then there's the musical tools, the gardening tools, the cleaning tools, the writing tools, the painting tools, the sewing and craftwork tools... I reckon just about the only tool I have that is indispensable is my brain. That comes in rather handy, no matter what I'm doing. :)

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    1. Hey Susan, Like the movie Sage mentioned your parents probably said "You'll shoot your eye out kid" ha ha.

      You do have quite the assortment of tools there Lady, but I really like what you said about your brain being the most indispensable tool of them all, that would definitely come in handy for each of us.

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  9. I guess my tool was a computer (CRT) in the early days.

    I have a friend who turned a RR spike into a very nice bottle opener.

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    1. Hello Joe, Isn't it amazing at how much the computers have advanced over the years and how important they are to so many people now.

      A lot of things have been done with rail road spikes, I don't think I have seen a bottle opener made from one, I bet it was nice.

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  10. I learned a few things today. We have a tool box with the usual things, nothing fancy but they get the job done :) I love the look of your field finds.

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    1. Hello Denise, I'm really amazed at what I have found out there so far, it really makes me wonder what is left to find now, a lot of history so far.

      Good to see you my friend.

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  11. Cubby's lookin' good, Jimmy!
    Like hats, I guess I have many tools. I guess, overall, I'd be lost (literally) without my eyeglasses.

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    1. Thank you Abby, I like the way Cubby turned out, and I found a new lawnmower guy too.

      Eyeglasses, yes these are very important tools for a lot of us, I am glad you brought this one up Thank you.

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  12. I never find interesting stuff like you do. Of course, I never poke around in fields like you do.

    My tool at work? A computer. My tool in my free time? My walking shoes and my camera.

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    1. Hello Lady, I like your free time tools, a lot of enjoyment can be found with a pair of walking shoes and a camera, the pictures you post show that you really enjoy them too.

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  13. I wish I had a zero turn lawn mower in my toolbox but those things are expensive

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    1. Hey Adam, One of those zero turn mowers would be a nice tool to own, I know you have been wanting one and hopefully you will have one soon.

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  14. I am very glad to hear that Cubby survived.
    My tools of trade? My brain. Both tired cells.

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    1. Hello EC, I am really glad Cubby survived also, a new one would be nice but I am happy with Cubby.

      Both tired brain cells, I can so relate to that statement ha ha.

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  15. When I saw that first picture, I thought, "OH! Tools are Jimmy's pennies!" Yeah, I'm glad they don't fall out of the sky on you.

    My tools were pens and pencils and note cards and rulers and old red gradebooks and White-Out and chalk...and then dry-erase markers...and then a computer. Sometimes, I miss the good old days. Nothing gets my blood pumping like a back-to-school sale!

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    1. Hello Val, With the tools of your trade just look at how many minds you helped to shape, as a teacher the number of kids that remember you and actually appreciate what you did for them is greater than you realize. You stating that a back to school sale gets your blood pumping tells me what kind of teacher you were and are.

      Thank you my friend.

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  16. That medallion is quite a cool find.

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    1. Hey Stephen, I thought so too, this is the first I have ever seen.

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  17. Its cool how you find things out and about and what great things you find! My tools are a computer, computer screen, ear phones, and a foot pedal :) Oh, and also a chair so I can sit in front of said computer/screen :)

    betty

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    1. Hello Betty, Yes a chair is a very important tool when it comes to using a computer, we tend to not think about things like where we sit ;)

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  18. I think it's always neat to find unexpected treasured in unexpected places, so kudos to you. In my pink toolbox, I have a lot of fishing supplies, which are spotless because they're never used. (lol) When we go fishing, I normally use everyone else's supplies so I don't get mine dirty. Happy Saturday! Hugs...

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    1. Hey RO, I would say that you have a great system worked out to keep your fishing supplies looking new, a lot of different things go into a good fishing trip and with your system, you will look good doing it no matter what. A great weekend to you.

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  19. I'm not much of a worker, so don't think I have regular tool-of-my-trade. I have a favourite smallish cleaver that I use for chopping or slicing vegetables and it's bigger brother for slicing pumpkins or pizza. I have my sewing machine for running up an occasional curtain or taking up hems on pants and my laptop for writing my WFW stories. When I worked in the shoe factory I loved the spray guns and had a favourite blunt edge hot knife, used to smooth off excess glue around the edges of soles or to melt on tiny amounts of wax crayon to fill in tiny nicks in the leather before spraying on the final coat of polish.

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    1. Hello River, The small cleaver does sound like a great tool of your trade along with the lager one for the bigger jobs, a sewing machine I have never had the nerve to try, I could only imagine the damage that I could do to myself with that tool, so anyone who can work a sewing machine I have total respect for, my hat is off to you my friend.

      Your job in the shoe factory sounds interesting, the techniques and tools used to create a pair of leather shoes are something most people never realize, a lot of work goes into making common items we use and wear everyday.

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  20. Now I know why workmen bind the handles of tools. I thought it was because the tool was falling to bits! I do still have a lot of tools because I was the one that got things done in my house. I had the knack, you see, and Joe didn't. Nothing gets used now though, not even my craft stuff.

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    1. Hello Valerie, Having your tools handy I imagine nothing goes without being taken care of, most times our tools just sit in the toolbox waiting, but when a job needs to be done they are at the ready.

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  21. Yea!! So glad the vague guy is no longer vague but now a valuable go to guy. I too was a meter reader for a while but for the power co. It was a fun time except for being a chew toy for dogs. Good to know you were armed.

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    1. Hey Patti, The only lawnmower guy we had in town is such a crook no one wants to use him, I wont even go to him anymore to even buy parts. Now that Daniel has opened his shop and the way he treated us and as well as he fixed the tractor, I have been passing his cards out all around, it's good to have a go to lawn mower guy.

      Meter reading was a fun job for me, I should write a post on my dog experiences ha ha.

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  22. My husband was a general contractor, who could build a house from scratch. He left a shed here full of tools, even though I gave all those related to the business to my BIL, his partner. The other day, I decided to buy a toolbox just for me and fill it with only the tools that I really would need and use. And learn to use because I don't know much. On finding stuff, I find things all the time here too. Finally, I am now coveting a Cubby.

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    1. Hello Inger, That is such a good idea to fill a toolbox with the tools that you may need, it sure saves time looking for one when you need it.

      I am sure your Brother in law appreciated the tools you gave him, tools are not a cheap item to purchase and those with a little history already built into them are priceless.

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