Tool ethics

[MikeF2316]

This was in one of our local newspapers last weekend. I thought some folks here would find it interesting.

http://www.thestar.com/life/2013/08...ence_and_a_beautiful_fleamarket_tool_too.html

 

[G_P]

He's been restoring tools for the dead guy for 6 years and has zero contact info??? Not even the guys phone number?

Something dosent add up.

Sent via carrier pigeon.

 

[onewaydave]

Protocol or Ethics?


Ethically, should one "restore" and old Stanley plane with the purpose of milking more money from a hapless customer?

And then there is Caveat emptor.

Dave.

 

[CNGsaves]

He's been restoring tools for the dead guy for 6 years and has zero contact info??? Not even the guys phone number?

Something doesn't add up.

^ ^ ^ This. If the flea market guy was there for 6 yrs, it would be a piece-of-cake to locate information on who he was. Neighboring booth members at flea market will most certainly know the guy's identity.

The "restorer" must be trying to get free exposure / advertising or something.

Smells like ****.

 

[devoncoolman]

The guy didn't have contact info for next of kin. Or the estate executor. Nor did he know where the guy lived so kinda hard to get a hold of anyone. Im a fairly upstanding human being but if i couldn't find the next of kin thats as far as i would go. Just keep it because im sure they wouldn't want it anyway.

 

[MikeF2316]

He's been restoring tools for the dead guy for 6 years and has zero contact info??? Not even the guys phone number?

Something dosent add up.

Sent via carrier pigeon.

Yes, probably not getting the whole story. What I take away from this story - restoration guy really wants to keep the plane, but knows it's stealing, so he "adjusts" some facts to get ethics guy to say it's OK.

Ethics guy has a good point though - when someone dies, getting rid of their stuff is a lot of work. If this plane would have been in the owner's possession when he died, it probably would have been in a huge lot that was sold for pennies on the dollar.

 

[Mavawreck]

I believe he is saying for six years they've worked together and just recently he passed on.

And it depends on the plane, if it is an early bedrock or something it is worth some scratch.

 

[bluebolt]

I guess I see the world through rose colored glasses. The tool restorer made a reasonable effort to find the guy's family for a Stanley plane tht was probably not that valuable. He asked the simple question if it was OK to donate it to Salvation Army. No where did he indicate he wanted to keep the tool.

The ethics guy made it sound bad by offering other "solutions". A simple yes it was OK to donate it would have been fine.

Some of you are a lot more paranoid than me. Sometimes a guy trying to do the right thing is just that without a hidden agenda.

 

[d.mcfarland]

Ethics is a topic that is soley determined by the individual that is judging. Myself, if I didn't want it, I would sell online and then do something beneficial to the community with the proceeds. Much bigger impact than donating to the thrift store.

 

[garthg]

The article author doesn't know anything about planes.

 

[joe_padavano]

The article author doesn't know anything about planes.

What? You're saying that a mass media reporter is pontificating on a topic that he knows nothing about? I'm shocked, SHOCKED I say.

 

[Chaznsc]

Seems like an honest story to me. If he was seeking fame, seems like if he was seeking attention, he wouldn't use an anonymous forum to do so. Personally, sounds like he made an effort to locate the guy. Maybe he didn't hire a private investigator, but the effort was made. Dave could be a drifter of sorts, eking out a living at the flea market. I'd think if they did that much work together, Dave would just whisper to him to keep the plane.