Having used 36 inch/900mm blades in my two bow saws all my life, I now can't find them on several web sites. Does anyone know where I can buy them (Raker tooth variety)?
Ten years ago, I was horrified to see our builders throwing their saws and other tools in the skip when they wore out or, because of the poor quality, broke.
I have chisels that my uncle bought for his woodworking hobby in the early 1960s. They are stored in a canvas case and are still razor sharp even though I rarely use them.
I have hammers and screwdrivers that belonged to my dad and I can remember them from the 1950s.
I still have my old ma’s border fork and spade, both worn thin and sharp but still in everyday use. “Made in Sheffield” still visible on the metal parts. The factories where they were made are long gone now but they carry on.
Yes I noticed the same as you. Our big extension was built over 15 years ago and the carpenter then said he bought saws in packs of six. He did fine work when they were new, then they gradually went down the grade till, as he put it, that someone on site would "borrow it " to cut something like plasterboard so then he threw them away. Like you I have tools that I inherited that are not only serviceable but the best for certain jobs. Some weren't new when my father had them, I have a Brades brand potato fork and a sickle ( grass hook) that must be over 100 years old and are a pleasure to use.
Yes, I echo all your comments BUT it's the expendables that aren't made any more. When I first worked with my Dad and Grandfather in the woods in 1955, we all used 36 inch bow saws to allow us (all six footers) to make good length strokes at the sawing horse. Saws have lasted - but no blades. It's like an old hammer with no nails! I've yet to get a response from Pansyface's suggested firm.
I remember being shocked when a painter friend of mine used paint rollers for a single job then chucked them. They said they were cheap enough and too much faff to wash.
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
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Like you I have tools that I inherited that are not only serviceable but the best for certain jobs. Some weren't new when my father had them, I have a Brades brand potato fork and a sickle ( grass hook) that must be over 100 years old and are a pleasure to use.