Tool Tuesday; recycled tools

[johan_steele]

Most who know me understand that I dislike wasting things. I have never really been a wealthy man and understand that using something until it is no longer functional is the only way to save coin. Being able to take a worn out item and turn it into something useful again is priceless.
This chisel started life as a file and a blacksmith used it until the teeth were all but gone. Then with a few minutes on a saw and whet stone he created a useful chisel. I picked it up for a song and added it to my small but expanding collection of tools created from cast off files. It has seen hard use and will continue to see more for some time to come.

Simple function over form is my ideal. That said it is a simple beauty in my eye. If an artisan chooses to embellish the tool who am I to fault him such a small pleasure? I am much like this simple recycled tool. I am a man who has been and seen much, not all of it good and proper. But it has shaped me, forged me into the man I have become. Much like this file that is now a chisel I hope I still have something to add to this world. Alexandre Dumas may have said it best when he said that we are always in a hurry to be happy for when we have suffered greatly we have difficulty believing in good fortune. Is that my future, like this chisel? To be used hard and reshaped into something to soldier on? Perhaps, perhaps… I am a good bartender with many a happy customer. I like those who come to drink in my tavern and by most accounts those who frequent the place like me and mine.

 

[UCVRelics]

View attachment 432350
Most who know me understand that I dislike wasting things. I have never really been a wealthy man and understand that using something until it is no longer functional is the only way to save coin. Being able to take a worn out item and turn it into something useful again is priceless.
This chisel started life as a file and a blacksmith used it until the teeth were all but gone. Then with a few minutes on a saw and whet stone he created a useful chisel. I picked it up for a song and added it to my small but expanding collection of tools created from cast off files. It has seen hard use and will continue to see more for some time to come.

Simple function over form is my ideal. That said it is a simple beauty in my eye. If an artisan chooses to embellish the tool who am I to fault him such a small pleasure? I am much like this simple recycled tool. I am a man who has been and seen much, not all of it good and proper. But it has shaped me, forged me into the man I have become. Much like this file that is now a chisel I hope I still have something to add to this world. Alexandre Dumas may have said it best when he said that we are always in a hurry to be happy for when we have suffered greatly we have difficulty believing in good fortune. Is that my future, like this chisel? To be used hard and reshaped into something to soldier on? Perhaps, perhaps… I am a good bartender with many a happy customer. I like those who come to drink in my tavern and by most accounts those who frequent the place like me and mine.

Very Nice as you see the same use of files that blacksmith made CS D guard with. I have seen ad in CW period news papers looking for old farm files.

 

[1867crete]

I have several file and rasp knifes. They make excellent knifes!! The blade holds a edge very well, I use one to skin my deer. Great post thanks!

 

[Seduzal]

Thank for sharing this awesome article. An old saying: We have done so much with so little that we are now qualified to do anything with nothing.

 

[MRB1863]

Some or the knives made from files are beautifully crafted. To look at them, it is not evident they are recycled from another tool.

 

[1867crete]

Being able to take a worn out item and turn it into something useful again is priceless

I had to share this with you then! Most likely just a farm knife but again made out of a file and the handle was reused I believe for this knife! The workmen ship on the handle is amazing and may date close to the CW! Got it in a tool box at a farm sale here in good ol' Nebraska

 

[1867crete]

Here is a few more pics the hash marks are barley visible

 

[johan_steele]

I have a variety of tools made from used files to include a draw knife. Below is a scribe and a race knife both made from used files. The race knife caught my eye because of the interesting handle.

 

[Waterloo50]

I have a variety of tools made from used files to include a draw knife. Below is a scribe and a race knife both made from used files. The race knife caught my eye because of the interesting handle.
View attachment 432477View attachment 432478

Forgive my ignorance but what is a race knife used for?

 

[johan_steele]

Forgive my ignorance but what is a race knife used for?

It's another name for a marking knife, typically for cut or saw points, joints grooves etc on wood.