Tiny Home Tuesday ~ Tools. It Starts with T

If you like, are drawn to, have obsessive thoughts about or live in a tiny or small home, you probably have a bit of a love affair with tools as well. That can be a problem. Tools take up space. But priorities are priorities, so without much doubt, tools of either the most basic nature or the ones needed to craft your life will have a home. Someplace. 

Mine are usually a bit scattered, though they do have their places when I'm feeling tidy. In another lifetime, I was a vintage tool collector and had plenty of room to keep as many as I was lucky enough to track down. Included in that were kitchen tools. They all got used, shelf beauty is one thing, practical beauty another. I go for practical beauty most of the time.

Old tools just spoke, and still do speak to me. They reveal the character and integrity of another time in our country, a non-throwaway place, where function and design met brilliantly. Or sometimes, just plain function, as in Shaker plain, simple in its beauty. 

Back to the Letter T. T for T square. Compare the modern T square (yes, people still use drafting tables and T squares and compass points, shockingly enough) with an old one. An old, brilliant one I am salivating over. It's embarrassing. 

Photo credit for this is probably less unknown than its origin. Take a wild guess.

But then we have this one, officially named  the Stanley No 36 1/2 Caliper Rule. It's beautiful in every aspect and I want it. 

This is on ebay. No, you can't have the link

I found this same tool pictured on Brett L's flickr page, where, to be honest, I tried to steal the photos for you, but flickr does a good job of protection and even though I got around it, it's better for you to just go see the details of this wonder tool there. 

This, called the Stanley Rule No 84 Brass Bound 2 foot 4 fold Carpenters Rule, is another example of lasting craftsmanship. I've always had an affinity for folding rulers. And Transformer toys, but that's a different subject. And I won't go there. Today. Really.

Stanley was actually called Stanley Rule and Level Co. back in the late 1800's. But they digressed as well.

Those were the days, my friends. Probably plenty of calloused hands and weary arms were glad to see them advance and sometimes end, with the advent of electric tools, but thankfully, there is still an appreciation of well built hand tools. 

Yes, I love my jigsaw and sander and cordless drill. They make life easier. And they come in cute little brightly colored cases. But if the power goes off, they are pretty worthless. Which is one reason I love watching men around here work with machetes. No gasoline needed, no electric, just powered by muscle. It's a beautiful thing to watch an expert with a machete, whether it is a coconut being sliced open with one powerful whack or a field being mowed down. 

Tiny homes. Hand tools. Beautiful objects made with thought and care. That's worth a thought or two today. At least, it's what is on my mind. Along with my bidding watch. 

Speaking of handmade, I got a wonderful package in the mail yesterday from my son. Mother's Day? Or just because. 

Elijah makes and sells these out in California. If you want one, let me know, but this one is mine!

Hand cut, hand sewn. Made with love. Made to write in, by hand, at my tiny desk, in my tiny home, looking at times out the window onto a not at all tiny world.

Now I need to find a really good pen. 

Have a timelessly treasured Tuesday. Do something touchingly.