Why I Like Old Things
Recently, I've starting acquiring some old hand tools to start building furniture from scratch. The feeling of holding sturdy, well-made jack plane fills me with a sense of joy. There's something to be said for the weight and heft of a hand tool built to last. But I don't just feel this way about old tools. I also have quite a few old film cameras and an old chore coat that I absolutely adore because of their fit and finish. To hold an object or wear a garment that was constructed to last is a feeling that I find extremely satisfying. It's a tangible connection to the past and to the person that owned it before me. The knowledge that I am a tick-mark on the timeline of that object is comforting and helps me to keep my ego in check and to stay "right-sized."
But, an having object for the object's sake isn't the end goal. The end goal is to use the object to do something. I choose old, well-constructed things because that with proper care and maintenance, I shouldn't need to buy another one. There are 100 year-old hand tools that will last easily another 100 years with regular sharpening and oiling. They will be used and used hard, not just restored and set on shelf to look at and collect dust. I buy old things to help reduce my consumption and break the cycle of consumerism that dominates our modern life. My tools will build workbenches, tables, shelves, beds, and other things that will outlast anything that I could buy at IKEA. Plus, they'll look and feel better that that cheap press-board junk.
Old objects do fascinate me. Whether it's a classic car, or a simple tool, there is beauty in the utility and design language of things from yesteryear. The connection to the past I spoke of earlier is more than likely nostalgia for a time I was not alive for. However, I don't want to go back and live in that time. Despite the issues we have in the present, I would not want to live at any other time in history. I use the tools and lessons learned from years past coupled with the access to knowledge we have today through things like the internet, to build a better present and future for myself and for those around me. This is why I love these old things. The through line from past to the future is being drawn by these objects in the hands of someone living and existing in the present, and I think that's a pretty awesome story in which I am happy to play a small part.