Bob Strawn
05-30-2015, 11:56 AM
I grew up in the era where all the fine woodworking skills where being forgotten. (I was born in 59) There were odd mixes of quality and junk at the time. Most of the common tools of the day would be considered total junk now, but some have rightfully become worthy prizes for hand tool users and collectors.
I have been remembering the items that where on the home tool racks and shelves of that day. The minimum equipment on a shelf would be a tack hammer, a flat head screwdriver, a few nails and screws in baby food jars and a box of cut tacks. Sometimes that rack was mounted on a door. I am not kidding. The cut tack is one of the few items that existed in every store, every house, every kindergarten, art studio, grade school, church and garage. Just about everyone from that era will remember them clearly and exactly what it felt like to have one stuck in their foot.
The were used for picture framing, upholstery repair, attaching leather or fabric to wood and the like. The problem is that practically no one in that age did any of that stuff. What is puzzling me is that the era of plastic and disposable had already started. Why did everyone have these? We had heavy staples and staple guns already. Even people without a nail set for finishing nails would have tons of cut tacks. Frankly if you needed one you could walk down a road and find one amidst the cigarette butts.
Does anyone know why everyone had these things apart from their inevitable use as caltrops for barefoot children?
Bob
I have been remembering the items that where on the home tool racks and shelves of that day. The minimum equipment on a shelf would be a tack hammer, a flat head screwdriver, a few nails and screws in baby food jars and a box of cut tacks. Sometimes that rack was mounted on a door. I am not kidding. The cut tack is one of the few items that existed in every store, every house, every kindergarten, art studio, grade school, church and garage. Just about everyone from that era will remember them clearly and exactly what it felt like to have one stuck in their foot.
The were used for picture framing, upholstery repair, attaching leather or fabric to wood and the like. The problem is that practically no one in that age did any of that stuff. What is puzzling me is that the era of plastic and disposable had already started. Why did everyone have these? We had heavy staples and staple guns already. Even people without a nail set for finishing nails would have tons of cut tacks. Frankly if you needed one you could walk down a road and find one amidst the cigarette butts.
Does anyone know why everyone had these things apart from their inevitable use as caltrops for barefoot children?
Bob