[TheForge] The mind 1st to go

[Andrew Vida]

For me the bottom line has always been this: good tools are well worth 
paying for.  When one looks at the economics of it, the seemingly high 
prices really are a bargain.  I have found that many people focus on 
price without considering it circumspectly.  Always think in terms of 
cost v. benefit.  One will find that in the vast and overwhelming number 
of cases, the price of tooling turns out to be trivial in the grander 
scheme of things.  Therefore, my recommendation is to forget about hand 
wringing over tool expenses.  If you need it and can get it, buy it.  If 
your working it right and pricing your product correctly, it will pay 
for itself many times.

Jerry Frost wrote:
> Tools are a comodity as is a person's time. My first "real" anvil cost me 
> almost $10.00/lb and my third $3.00/lb. and I was pretty darned happy to 
> find either. If you think the Pac NW is a hard place to find smithing tools 
> you aught to try Alaska. Even so a person occasionally runs into a real deal 
> even here. When I was on the hunt in a serious way I used to spend about 3/4 
> of my vacation time hitting every lead I could find in the lower 48. I 
> could've gotten a minimum wage job and bought all new tools with a smaller 
> investment. I had a huge smile pasted on my old mug last summer when I found 
> a 50lb. Little Giant locally for only $4,000!
> 
> All I'm saying is new guys are in the same boat as anyone wanting to break 
> into a craft, no matter what it is. Want to paint landscapes? Any idea what 
> a Bob Ross, "Joy of Painting" minimum tool list costs? You're doing good to 
> find what you'll need for under $40000 not counting lessons of course. I've 
> taught a number of young folk the basics and continue to show anyone who 
> wants to visit whatever I can. The ONLY free tool any of them have left my 
> place with is those they made as part of learning the craft. Richard took a 
> cold chisel, a wood gouge, a straight wood chisel, a punch and a drift, all 
> part of his tool steel identifying and heat treating instruction. Lindsey on 
> the other hand took a really nice sheath knife with her with was her tool 
> steel and heat treating lessons. I didn't take a penny from them or anyone 
> I've taught though some have helped with chores or chipped in for propane.
> 
> I feel honored and priveledged to have had the opportunity to show these 
> youngsters the basics of the craft. Richard is a nuke in the Navy right now 
> but hunted till he found an affordable deal on a pretty darned nice smithing 
> kit, that was bout a 4 year hunt. Lindsey on the other hand found a living 
> history site with a blacksmith shop and after talking to the "master" smith, 
> showing her work, landed a job as THE master smith herself, the person she 
> replaced retired with bad shoulders.
> 
> Of all the things I showed these two I think maybe the best thing was the 
> spirit of doing it yourself. If it's important enough you'll find a way. I 
> can't tell you how it makes me feel when I get a pic or E-mail from a former 
> student. On the other hand I talk to LOTS of people of all ages who want to 
> do IT in the traditional way, believe someone should offer apprenticeships, 
> sell tools and equipment for 19th. cent. prices but pay 21st. cent. prices 
> for their first efforts. Even though experience has taught me what to expect 
> I still offer my time, shop and tools but not ONE has bothered to show up in 
> the last 15 years. Not ONE.
> 
> I'm not trying to prolong the thread in particular and didn't miss the 
> original joke. I think most of us here have made the same joke more than 
> once, I did maybe yesterday or the day before. Frankly, it was the whole 
> "fair price" argument that almost got me going. No, even as windy as this 
> post is it's nothing compared to when I get going. <grin>
> 
> So, don't sweat it Jason, Pete isn't any more likely to take out a contract 
> on you for disagreeing with him than he is to leave you anything in his 
> will. Hmmmmm. Actually, Pete's, (more likely Phe if it'll get it out of the 
> yard) a lot more likely to leave you something (probably unmentionable) in 
> his will for a good disagreement than put out a hit on ya.
> 
> Anywho, anything worth doing will cost one way or another. Best to you all.
> Jer 
> 
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