Don't you hate it when you damage/dirty a new tool?

[socalbodydude]

So, today I went in for a second job at a body shop and the guy asked me to do some work for him on a couple cars. I used my brand new gearwrench ratcheting screwdriver set to take off a bumper and remove a door panel. I had the case sitting open next to a door I was body working and I noticed a little bondo dust from sanding had fallen onto my tools and I was like "oops" and closed the case.... well I got back into my work, finished the panel and primed the area. When I got ready to leave I grabbed the box and saw that not only was it dusty as hell, there were specks of overspray all over it.

Now I'm just sad.... I vow to never have my regular hand tools anywhere near where I am doing any kind of body work or painting of any kind. I hope I can clean up the case and have it look new again.

 

[rayh91]

Of course but life goes on.

 

[V70R]

I am the same way. Daily after every job and or clean up I have to allow time to clean all tools used. Cannot stand having dirty tools in the box for future use!

 

[shampoop]

Should have made a poll with 4 answers, whether or not you feel the same way, and if you do or don't wrench for a living.

 

[ImportTuner]

A little WD 40 will clean it up in no time ...

 

[wreckercologist]

If you don't want them to get dirty or beat up, leave them at home. JMO.

 

[blue dog]

Last year some time i ordered and received a nepros adjustable wrench, after opening it up, i realized it was industrial art and had a chrome finish that was like no other. To this day it resides in the rollaway unused, i believe it is a sickness.

 

[Wrenches of Death]

Now I'm just sad.... I vow to never have my regular hand tools anywhere near where I am doing any kind of body work or painting of any kind. I hope I can clean up the case and have it look new again.

I lucked into one of those "almost free" Amazon deals on a new ~3 pound Proto brass hammer with the strange (but very comfortable) rubber over fiberglass handle earlier this year.

It's a work of art. Or rather, it was. After carefully stamping my name in 1/16" high letters in the "PROTO" recess on the side of the head, I headed out to my anvil and carefully beat both faces of the hammer several times along one of the sharp upper edges of the anvil, disfiguring them with hideously deep grooves running across their innocent little faces.

After that there was no reason to worry about it getting kicked across the concrete floor, etc. "Hey, slide me that hammer!"

It's a hammer. Granted, it's a nice hammer, but still a hammer. And, unless I keel over dead, in a few years it'll look like my other two copper/brass hammers. There were once nice hammers too.

WoD

 

[route246]

My sentiments exactly. If you covet tools that much then you are more of a collector than a user. Overspray can be cleaned off. It's part of being in a work environment. I don't wrench for a living but everything around me that I use for work looks used. My desk and work area in my office is pretty messy but I know where everything is. A clean desk is the sign of a sick mind.

If you don't want them to get dirty or beat up, leave them at home. JMO.

 

[BrokewrenchLS1]

Nope. Tools are tools. They're made to be used, not polished. I won't put tools away wet or greasy, but I don't worry about regular wear.

Still amazes me that some people treat their tools better than the things they use their tools on.

 

[soob]

Tools are like shoes: you want them to look well cared for, but well used. Or maybe like a CCW with honest wear.

 

[Monte]

tools are for working

 

[Singlecut]

Last year some time i ordered and received a nepros adjustable wrench, after opening it up, i realized it was industrial art and had a chrome finish that was like no other. To this day it resides in the rollaway unused, i believe it is a sickness.

Right?! I've wanted this thing since it hit this board in Nov/December!

For me, I love the look of used tools and actually don't want my box to look spotless. I'll rub off the dirt/grime/shmuck at the end of the day, and make things lined up and organized, but I love the look of scuffs and nicks. I love it when Rust turns Black after a long time.... Oooh and I love how industrial tools or black metal parts like ratchet drive ends/ selector switches turn gun metal grey...

Oh man and do I love how 36 teeth ratchets feel when you break them in. Go to the back of your box or to a buddies shop and pick up his Craftsman or Gearwrench.. they feel like talking to war torn heroes.

 

[woody 73]

Tools are like shoes: you want them to look well cared for, but well used. Or maybe like a CCW with honest wear.

I like that

 

[fabrk8r]

I buy tools to use. That's why I like tools that have lifetime warranties. They don't care how dirty it is when I return it as long as most of the pieces are there.

Why pay for a good tool with a warranty if it's just going to be a display piece. I can buy real art for display.

Take a picture of it when it's new, like you do with all your toys, so you can look at pictures and reminisce about that first day...before you took it into the sandbox and broke it.

 

[route246]

Couldn't agree more. You want them to be so good that you use them to the point of wearing them out. If you can resole them, so much the better. That's why ratchets have rebuild kits. Sometimes the comfort of an old pair of shoes with new soles is better than a replacement pair. The comfort of an old ratchet handle is often much better than a new one.

Tools are like shoes: you want them to look well cared for, but well used. Or maybe like a CCW with honest wear.

 

[TozziWelding]

Nope, I buy them to use them. All part of a days work, if I thrash a new tool it gets replaced.

 

[Underdog]

Another good argument for buying used tools. Let the first owner take the guilt trip, scratching them up.

 

[Vinny]

I buy tools when I need them. If the tool isn't covered in grease and dirt seconds after I take it out of the box I'm doing it wrong.

 

[diesel research]

It's a bunch of chinese plastic/metal of only average finish. Nothing to get worked up about.

Not exactly some "pompous" nepros/beta/pb swiss...

 

[canuckian]

can't say overspray would bother me much but that first skid across a concrete floor of a new $150 ratchet pisses me off for about 2 seconds. it happens.

 

[Wrenches of Death]

can't say overspray would bother me much but that first skid across a concrete floor of a new $150 ratchet pisses me off for about 2 seconds. it happens.

That's why you go ahead and do it when you first get the tool. Once the deflowering is out of the way, you can get back to making money instead of worrying about it.

It's kind of like a new car. You're careful as hell with it when you first get it. Parking it waaaaaay out in the empty area of the parking lot to decrease the chance of some inconsiderate subhuman piece of filth from opening his door into it.

But after a year or so later and after it getting showered with gravel from a truck with a leaking tailgate and a demon child in the neighborhood crashing his bike into the drivers door in your driveway, the newness is gone.

Soon, you're leaving it parked out on the street. It gets sideswiped by a maggot infested garbage truck. Twice in one week! The demon child has grown and smashes the window to steal your cellphone sitting on the console. A week later, he steals the car and turns it into a crack rental.

The next step in the progression is going down to collect it from the impound yard after the local police recover it upside down in a ditch. The two bodies that were found in it been removed, but the two dozen bullet holes all along the left side remain.

It turns out that it was all a lost cause from the gitgo.

WoD

 

[G1GRANDEUR]

Nothing worse then tools damaged by someone else.

 

[tjmonsen5]

Tools are supposed to get dirty. I hate seeing all of the guys toolboxes with shiny clean tools. Why buy all those tools if you dont use them!

 

[Moose-LandTran]

Last year some time i ordered and received a nepros adjustable wrench, after opening it up, i realized it was industrial art and had a chrome finish that was like no other. To this day it resides in the rollaway unused, i believe it is a sickness.

Is it the one with the round handle? I want one as a piece of sculpture for my house.

 

[wave180]

It only means that I'am using them as they intended. Also scratches and marks add character to my tools.

 

[Ratchet.]

I do admit i don't like my tools being left dirty, nothing worse than going into your box and picking up something covered in grease, so i tend to clean up at the end of the job/day depending how busy i am.

scratches and damage tho, well it adds to character, and they are for working with, as long as its not damaged by someone else through misuse particularly when new (that really gets my goat people misusing tools that aren't theres...... also borrowing stuff and returning it like its been left in a pool of sump oil/ covered in grease, you got it clean, please return it that way)

The first scratch is always the worst though, once that's done you tend to quit babying stuff

 

[demographic]

Once you get over the initial disappointment of the tool getting scratched or whatever you get to the point where you enjoy the tool for its real merits as opposed to just how shiny the chrome is.

That's when you really like them.
Those well used and scabbled tools that don't owe you a penny are the best ones, not the brand new gear that owes you a fortune.

There's a secondhand tool sales place near me that's very cheap. I'm getting a decent (but old) set of pliers for about a pound a set, they have paid the original owner back many times over and at a quid a set it doesn't take long before they pay me back also.

 

[Moose-LandTran]

I do admit i don't like my tools being left dirty, nothing worse than going into your box and picking up something covered in grease, so i tend to clean up at the end of the job/day depending how busy i am.

scratches and damage tho, well it adds to character, and they are for working with, as long as its not damaged by someone else through misuse particularly when new (that really gets my goat people misusing tools that aren't theres...... also borrowing stuff and returning it like its been left in a pool of sump oil/ covered in grease, you got it clean, please return it that way)

The first scratch is always the worst though, once that's done you tend to quit babying stuff

I agree. I clean up everything at the end of the day. If i'm not busy i clean up after the job. Everything's put back in its place nice and clean, ready for the new job.

Most of my stuff has some level of wear. A couple ratchets that've been arc'd when changing starters, having forgotten to disconnect the battery. Stuff with chipped chrome, scuffs, damage, etc.

I got over it eventually.

 

[Ratchet.]

Most of my stuff has some level of wear. A couple ratchets that've been arc'd when changing starters, having forgotten to disconnect the battery.

I got over it eventually.

did that with my (then a few months old) snap on ratchet, i was pissed at the time, but well it happens, besides patina is cool

 

[countrytech]

Damage like nicks, scratches or marks is one thing, but dirty is another entirely. I hate dirty tools.

Dents and scratches means you are likely using it for it's intended purpose as opposed to simply polishing your tool set... dirty means you're just a slob and likely going to smear up and otherwise leave a layer of crud or slime on any project that you work on next... (ask me how I know )

 

[Moose-LandTran]

did that with my (then a few months old) snap on ratchet, i was pissed at the time, but well it happens, besides patina is cool

I've done it to three Snap-on ratchets, so far.

 

[crewchief888]

the only thing that bothers me is a ding or scratch on my toolboxes.

my garage boxes get dusty,
my shop boxes get dusty,
boxes in my service truck get downright nasty, oily & greasy.

i havent bought a new "off the truck" tool box since '94, and no new boxes since '99, so they are all a little worse for wear...

 

[ibedayank]

its a tool not a rolex....wash em off and knock the dents out and use em again

you want to stay clean...get a desk job where you sit on your **** all day and do nothing

 

[Hammer1963]

I understand your thoughts on the overspray. I have on occassion found myself getting overspray on my tools, it doesn't happen often but it does. You'll learn to accept it as part of the territory and be more careful.

There is nothing wrong with taking pride in your tools, after all, you did buy them and you did make the mistake, so not being happy about it is natural. Normal wear and tear is normal, but that's a different subject all together

I do not put my tools away dirty. I take the time to clean them up and put them away on a bi-daily basis or daily if time permits. Yea, I'm on of those guys that the shop slob hates to have around. It's called pride guys. I set the example in the shop and I urge my younger Techs to develope this habit

 

[RKSpeed]

Nope.

Scratches, dings and pits on chrome ratchets and wrenches give a better grip than brand new shiny ones.

 

[Mad40er]

My wife used the handle of my new matco ratchet to close a paint lid... Left nicks in the green handle

I was mad at first, but at least now I can use it for it's intended purpose and not worry about scratching it up.

 

[Intel]

thats how I know my power tools are mine when that bright milwaukee red gets some grease on it.

 

[DrkMtnDew]

the easiest way not to damage or dirty a new tool is to buy a used tool. works for me.

 

[Greatbear]

I let my tools get dirty. Not abused or neglected, but used properly. I expect certain stuff to get dirty when in use, it's inevitable. Some things, like diagnostic scanners/meters/scopes and the like I will take steps to keep clean, and promptly clean off any marks or smudges. But I expect my hand tools to get greasy when I am working on engines, my saws and drills to get covered in sawdust, etc. After the work is complete, I clean things up as they get put away. A patina of use is expected if the tools get used, even carefully. Likewise, if tools get strewn about, kicked around and lay about in puddles of coolant, grease and rust too often, they will eventually look like **** and perform not much better.

If a new tool (or well-cared-for older one for that matter) becomes damaged for whatever reason, like accidents and misuse, well, yeah, it's disheartening. But life goes on, as does the work.