Tools are supposed to make work easier. When an ape picks up a twig and uses it as a tool to pull bugs out of tree bark, they are said to be intelligent creatures. When the first primitive humans used rocks and clubs as a weapon or tool, they had become evolved.
When my wife needs a tool, and instead bends the heck out of our dinner forks or knives, what does that mean. I have made her custom toolboxes, that are in her craft room, office and car. The tool bench in the garage is next to the kitchen.
Dinnerware seems to have been preferred to screw, chisel, hammer, or… The outcome is eating with silverware that is nicked, bent, broken, or damaged. There are some kitchen tools that can be helpful. Hot dog tongs make great grabbers. Knives cut most things. I also discovered sharp knives, that were used for some tools needed, that are now dull. Maybe they opened staples from an Amazon box, scraped the counter, cut wire, or… Some people are very creative.
Archimedes invented the “Lever and Screw”. He claimed that he could pick up the Earth with a long enough lever. A local King bet him that he could not pick up his galleon. When Archimedes won the bet, the king threw him jail. Who needs a lever when you have an army of slaves to do your work.
Work smarter not harder. The right tool for the right job. You can’t put a square peg in a round hole.
One great tool is the Hammer. Most anything that is hard will work. By adding a handle to the rock, you add leverage and make the rock a better tool. A Fly Rod is a hammer. Used properly, your hand is where the fulcrum is, and the rod is a long lever. The bigger/longer the lever the longer the cast, the bigger the fish, the easier the cast.
If I was in survival mode, camping, or hunting and could have just one tool, it would be an axe. They came in many sizes and act as weapons, cutters, fire starters, skinners, choppers, diggers, or… It was one of the first Leatherman-like tools available.
It is always a great idea to carry some simple tools when afloat or afield. One Leatherman comes with small sockets, edges, files, screwdrivers, scissors and more. It unfolds into a pair of pliers with wire cutters. This compact and lightweight tool has more uses than can be imagined.
As a teacher, I bought every department member a Leatherman tool. They came in a holster, and they were worn by both men and women teachers every day. This tool was always handy. The needle nosed pliers/cutters were the most often used feature followed by the sharp edge.
Tools help solve problems. Intelligent humans can adapt many things to become tools, in a pinch. Just leave the dinnerware alone please.
Montana Grant
