Daddy's Tools

My daddy was always using his hands, he was a craftsman, skilled and detailed. He always kept his things very organized and clean. Our home was small but he made sure that it never fell into disrepair. In the summer he would meticulously mow the lawn, keeping the grass soft like carpet under my bare feet. He is still one of my greatest hero's though he's no longer with us. In 1994, at the age of 54, he passed away, one of the most challenging years of my life.


As a metalsmith, now I'm a craftsman and I love having that in common with my daddy. My husband and I took on the task of cleaning out daddy's tool shed for my mother about 10 years ago. And I feel that my daddy is always with me when I use his tools. I've been looking for hammers that can produce unusual textures and just last night my husband was reviving one of daddy's old hammers. It was perfect! A drywall hammer with round and checkered head, wedge shape polished steel blade and a hickory handle. There was a bit of rust on it so I cleaned it up and polished the checkered face. Daddy always marked his tools with an engraver and you can still faintly make out his name in the metal of the steel blade. I can't wait to make something new with my daddy's hammer!