The
instruments of some famous or professional musicians gather a bit of
attention themselves. I remember that Stevie Ray Vaughan and Willie
Nelson both had guitars that they addressed by name (but cannot remember
their names at the moment). Musicians bond with their instruments - to
make a glorious sound, for a bit of time, the instrument and the
musician become as one.
This is an introduction paragraph to
what I was thinking about - the relationship of hand tools to carpenters
and mechanics and weekend puttlers. The hand learns the precise weight
and shape of the hammer or wrench or saw. The hand changes to meet the
tool - smooth pain free callouses in the contact areas. The tools
gradually change as well. There is something special about using a
hammer someone has worked with for twenty years. The wood handle has
grown smoothed - you won't get any splinters. Like the violins and
banjos of musicians, one's tools carry with them the history of years of
good use.
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