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Musing about nice things, useful beauty and shabby function.

The ad in "American Woodturner" re special commemorative gouges for AAW's 20th anniversary got me musing about our perceptions of 'useful beauty'. I would love to own one of those gouges. They look great, well designed and nicely made. A sure and certain pleasure to use, but would I use mine? Probably not for a while. I'd keep on using my old beat up gouges, hesitant to scatch the handle or facet the bevels of such a nice tool.

I didn't get much of its intended usage out of my '05 pick up until the fenders and bumper got dinged, the bed scarred and the upholstery a bit greasy. Then I truly enjoyed using it as a truck, not coddled as a good looking shiny new car altho kept in good running condition. Is there a certain satisfaction and pleasure in using unsightly even ugly, things that work. Are things really ugly if they function well?

I wonder how many of you, almost deliberately and not thinking yourself a slob, make rough tool handles, festoon headstocks with glue, varnish and wax and litter bed & bench with unfinished work and extraneous tools and supplies...ok, your cup with its cold coffee and floating chips & dust might be a bit too much. :)

You might _not be a slob If your workshop is a mess, but it's safe and all working parts are lubed and protected, your turning tools are sharp and purpose formed and your finished pieces are acceptable in most turner's sight for their intended purpose, whether for use or admiration (not necessarily mutually exclusive terms).

Is there a guilt free satisfaction for some of us to enjoy a deliberate combination of shabby disorder with things that work or is it impossible to do good work without handsome equipment and a neat orderly workshop, not to mention a pristine lathe? IIRC, my Jet mini was originally white.

Regardless of all that and whatever else I seem to imply, I'm lusting in my heart for one of those commemorative gouges. Until then, I'll clean up my shop and shine up my lathe, but just you don't bet on it, Mr. Clean. :)

Turn to Safety, Arch Fortiter

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Arch
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A cowboy hat isn't a real cowboy hat 'til you've watered your horse out of it - or at least topped off the radiator.

A pickup truck isn't a real pickup truck 'til it's carried a load of "compost" or drain rock.

A tool isn't a tool 'til it's been used well though not abused.

And a rose ain't a rose 'til the aphids arrive. (ironic that the big really pretty ones hardly have a smell, if at all - but the little tea roses sure do)

I've got a G.N.T. Gordon ebony and brass spoke shave that, though it works extremely well, is seldom used because it looks so nice and works so well.

Then there are the tools that look really nice but seem too scary to try - just yet - an inch and a half oval skew with the BIG, LONG handle that screams - There's a reason this handle is this size! A long fingernail grind that just seems to be made to catch big time if not used exactly right.

The first scratch analogy is a very good one.

charlie b

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charlie b

Hi charlie, your usual good post, well put. I guess making that first scratch is like making that last cut ...scary, but we can profit by risking both.

Turn to Safety, Arch Fortiter

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Arch

I can skip the gouge. I don't have much use for pretty tools. The only pretty things, hopefully, are the finished products.

I like the truck story too. Years ago I loaned my new pickup to a friend who was moving. He scratched the bed up. It bothered me for about 5 seconds then I remembered - its a truck. Joe Fleming

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Joe Fleming

With everyone owning pickups, regardless of occupation, I have a hunch average pickup load being hauled is less than 100 pounds.

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Derek Hartzell

With winter still around , I carry more than that over the wheels. No sense buying sand - I use firewood.

Reply to
George

: And a rose ain't a rose 'til the aphids : arrive. (ironic that the big really : pretty ones hardly have a smell, if : at all - but the little tea roses sure do)

Try Mr. Lincoln roses -- big, gorgeous and really fragrant.

-- Andy barss

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Andrew Barss

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