I suspect every man who considers himself manly in the Tim Allen Tim the Toolman sort of way has a favourite tool.
I have two, one hand tool and one power tool.
Now, if you can’t figure out why a man would have a favourite tool, stop reading, because you’re never going to get it. It is likely beyond your capability of comprehension. But if you drool while wandering the tool crib at Home Depot, read on.
The hand tool is a Canadian Tire Mastercraft 45 degree bent needle-nose pliers. I probably got it 17 years ago or so, and I have never seen one like it since. Trust me, I’ve looked. I’ve even searched online for a similar one, just in case I should lose this one. I can’t find it.
What makes these needle-nose pliers so special is that they are thin – really thin. Every other needle-nose pliers I’ve found are usually thick, like the fingers on a kid who’s been raised on slushies. These are more like the fingers of a concert pianist who teaches yoga on the side.
In almost any application where I’ve needed pliers in tight applications, they have come out supreme. The other day I was trying to take the fuel line off a generator to drain off some old gas. I pulled out long needle-nose pliers, long 90 degree bent needle nose pliers and normal needle-nose pliers. Nothing worked. But my magic pliers got in that really tight spot and worked.
They’re really handy when doing wiring, bending loops, inserting ground wires into junction boxes … ah, it’s just bliss, thinking about it.
The other tool is my Dewalt reciprocating saw. No, it’s not rechargeable. I generally despise rechargeable power tools because I want full power, all the time, and I don’t want to be left hanging near the end of a project.
When we bought our first house, in North Battleford, it was immediately evident that the deck was in dire need of replacement. We simply didn’t have the money to do so.
A few years later, after having put my foot through the deck three times, something had to be done. It just happened to be that the Battleford Pool elevator was being demolished. Many, many moons ago my late grandfather, Ed, salvaged a bunch of wood from a grain elevator, so I figured this would be the perfect time to get some free wood.
With my friend, Jon, in tow, a borrowed generator from our neighbour, Jim, a chain, my van and a borrowed trailer, we began. Jon and I set to work dragging away cribs from the demolition and cutting them apart at the corners, using my brand new Dewalt reciprocating saw.
In a couple of days of back-breaking work, we got a huge pile of lumber. Unfortunately, the idea of prying it all apart did not pan out well, and it all ended up getting burned in our wood stove. Thankfully, Jon still speaks to me on a regular basis.
But it was that experience with this saw that began my love affair with it. Every time it came out of the case, I had to cut everything in sight. One tree branch need trimming? Why stop at one? Need to demolish a deck? Have at ’er!
In my current project of deck demolition it again never let me down. I tried my step-dad’s similar saw, with a brand new blade, and there was no comparison. Give me my Dewalt.
My great-uncle, Paul Marnovich, was a carpenter. He lived with us in his final days when I was very young, and when he passed, his tools came into our possession. I recall he had one of those wooden tool boxes with a saw, hammer, level, tape measure, hand cranked brace and bit. There wasn’t much else. If he could see what I do now with my tools now, he’d be amazed.
This year I started a new family tradition. In addition to the usual birthday gifts, each of the kids are getting tools. In fact, I’ve stopped waiting for special occasions, as I can’t resist sales. Each kid now has the start of a decent tool box.
I’m hoping that they will also learn to love and appreciate tools, and be able to build and fix things for themselves, essential skills that are becoming more rare by the day.
Maybe some day, I’ll ask them what their favourite tool is. I’m leaning toward pliers.
Brian Zinchuk is editor of Pipeline News. He can be reached at brian.zinchuk@sasktel.net.
