I have a lot of tools.  You name it and I have it.  I have a lot of screwdrivers, pliers, wrenches, and lots of other tools.  When I was young my father told me “the difference between someone you hire to do work for you and yourself, is they have the tools.”  He then added the important part “if you have a job to do just go ahead and buy the tools you need to do the job.”  “On top of being able to do the work, you will wind up owing the tools for less then you would have paid to have someone else.” 

So with those words firmly in my mind I have spent my life accumulating lots of tools.  It turns out that my father was right.  I have been able to do things during my life that amaze me today.  There has never been anything around the house that I couldn’t do. 

My only problem now is I can’t always find the tool I want because I have so many tools.  Now and then I make a great effort to get them organized.  But the tools are still a mess.  However, as soon as the weather cools off this fall, I am going to really organize the tools.

Not too long ago I realized that I didn’t have an electric grinder.   I couldn’t believe that I didn’t own a grinder.  So about two weeks ago I bought a grinder.  I set it up on a small metal file cabinet.  Then I realized that I had to be sure and wear old clothes when I was grinding things because the sparks can burn holes in your clothes.  However, the sparks are really cool.  It’s like the sparklers I had when I was a kid around the 4^th of July.  It’s probably really hard to buy sparklers now.  I imaging the environmental nuts have banned them.  So now I’m in the market for a good work apron. 

I decided I wanted to be able to sharpen knifes with my new grinder so I went to the local hardware store.  I asked them if they had a “paper knife wheel” for a grinder.   He asked me what that was and I proudly displayed some of my vast knowledge “a paper wheel is impregnated with grease and sharpens knifes.”  He suggested I try the knife sharpener he had on the counter.  Since I didn’t have one with me he sharpened his knife in about a minute.    He impressed me so much that I forgot about the knife wheel and bought three of the knife sharpeners.  So I had to find some other things to use the grinder on.

I have started sharpening all my chisels with my new grinder.  You can’t have too many of them either.  Dull chisels aren’t much good.  But sharp chisels are really nice.    Dull chisels are a bit like empty guns.  That’s something else my father taught me.  He said a nice rock is better than an empty gun.  “Rocks are easier to throw then empty guns.”  I grew up in a house with loaded guns in it.  My son’s grew up in a house with loaded guns in it.  We had no problems because we were instructed how to handle the guns at a young age.   Now I live in a city where it’s a felony to shoot a BBQ Gun.

Copyright 2001
Ray Basso

Past Comments from Ray:
My BYC
Review on the Grand Barbecue book and companion video
My Grandfather and his watch 
Top Secret Rib Rub Review
The Lake
The 100,000 message to the BBQ Forum
Some things I like
Dreaming
Follow up to "Dreaming"
BBQ Book Review

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