palm55
09-04-2006, 11:58 AM
FWIW... Those of you who have either used, or have followed the development of, Henry's Cigar Tools might get a quick hoot out of this.
I was down at Henry's place last night for a "herf-on-the-porch." After a couple of well-iced bourbons, he rose from his rocking chair and motioned for me to follow him back to his tool shed.
He clicked on the bare-bulb, illuminating his tool bench, a pot-belly stove, and a confusing array of old hand tools.
"Here's the steel!" he barked, pointing a pile of steel rod in the corner. "There's the handle stock!" he said, picking a few wooden handles out of a huge wire-mesh bin. "Up there's the glue... And Down there's the varnish... The drill is up there in the cabinet!" he said.
"You c'mon down tomorrow at 4... I'm 'gonna get you learned up on how to make a set of tools."
As we walked back to the porch, it occurred to me that Henry (in his own hateable/loveable way) had elevated me to the status of "apprentice." I have a couple of college degrees under my belt, perfunctory diplomas sitting in dusty frames on the office wall. But it's funny... For all the sweat it took to earn those degrees, they pale by comparison with the opportunity to make up a set of Henry's Tools!
I asked him "why" he wanted me to get involved. He said, "You're the one SELLING the God'dam tools! You damn well better know how they're made! 'Ya don't go out selling some poor sucker a car if 'ya don't know how to drive, do 'ya!!??"
And so... In a few hours, I'll be heading down to get "ejukated."
What a trip!!!
I was down at Henry's place last night for a "herf-on-the-porch." After a couple of well-iced bourbons, he rose from his rocking chair and motioned for me to follow him back to his tool shed.
He clicked on the bare-bulb, illuminating his tool bench, a pot-belly stove, and a confusing array of old hand tools.
"Here's the steel!" he barked, pointing a pile of steel rod in the corner. "There's the handle stock!" he said, picking a few wooden handles out of a huge wire-mesh bin. "Up there's the glue... And Down there's the varnish... The drill is up there in the cabinet!" he said.
"You c'mon down tomorrow at 4... I'm 'gonna get you learned up on how to make a set of tools."
As we walked back to the porch, it occurred to me that Henry (in his own hateable/loveable way) had elevated me to the status of "apprentice." I have a couple of college degrees under my belt, perfunctory diplomas sitting in dusty frames on the office wall. But it's funny... For all the sweat it took to earn those degrees, they pale by comparison with the opportunity to make up a set of Henry's Tools!
I asked him "why" he wanted me to get involved. He said, "You're the one SELLING the God'dam tools! You damn well better know how they're made! 'Ya don't go out selling some poor sucker a car if 'ya don't know how to drive, do 'ya!!??"
And so... In a few hours, I'll be heading down to get "ejukated."
What a trip!!!