Two old hand saws in a tintype photo. One of my Winter projects is to capture some of my old tools in wet plate collodion. This 5×7 tintype is an image of my two old handsaws. I have no idea when I purchased either one of them. But do know that I have had them each for decades.

I wonder how many projects these saws have been part of? I have been an active handyman for my whole life – home remodeling projects, furniture building, cutting down trees, building all sorts of wood objects… and these saws have been there for much of it. They have a great patina and more than a little of my sweat and a bit of blood when I was not careful.

So are they objects of art? Well, I like the tintype image and I think it is art. Will they have meaning to anyone when I am gone or will they just be junked? Does it matter?

My father in law was a stone mason his whole life. He helped to build hundreds of wonderful buildings in his life, and the people who use them every day have no idea who he was. When he passed I made sure and get his two levels. They hang in my garage right now and I use them on occasion. He was a stickler for doing it right so when I use his levels I feel some pressure to make sure and do my job as perfectly as I can. The levels are worn and dirty and have seen a lot of use. I sometimes think about refinishing one of them to hang on my wall but maybe they are better left in their current state…

Just a handsaw tintype? No, I don’t think so!

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