From as early as I can remember, old tools, in the bottom of a drawer or tool box, spoke to me much more than the brand new ones. Each scuff and ding, the patina of old dirt and grease, even their very shape, tells a story that started with someone deciding that a tool must be created to solve some situation.

An old tool tells stories about the hands that wielded it. Whether it is old and worn or lovingly restored to its former glory, it speaks to a history of use and usefulness.

It may be only in my head, but every time I pick one up, I can feel the steady hands of crafts people and trades people who, before me, made their mark on the world with these tools.