Lost Art Press

Under the above title a writer in one of the English building papers presents some rather caustic remarks concerning status of the carpenter in the country named and the way in which his tools are used by mechanics in other branches of the trade:

Of all mechanics, none seems to be so little regarded as the carpenter. No one can fail to notice that all the other trades expect everything to be made ready and convenient for them by the carpenter, no matter at all what inconvenience and extra work it is to do so for the carpenter. Make things convenient for the carpenter? Not on your cabinet.

In fact, the carpenter is considered legitimate prey for every other human being. Many a time have I had plasterers take a pair of trestles away from me when my back was turned for a moment, although it was plainly evident that I would need them myself in a little while. Plasterers and bricklayers seem to regard it as their rightful prerogative to help themselves to our timber and nails without so much as a thank you.

A saw can be picked out of our hand box and run on a nail just for the humor of it. The plumbers think they confer a signal favor on us by taking our 2-inch chisels and cutting them on nails until they resemble dung forks, or take a level and let it fall 10 feet, thus permanently disabling it.
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     You never should attack a foe
Until his arms and strength you know:
     And this we’ll clearly shew in
The tale that we shall here relate,
Of the catastrophe and fate
     Of Mistress Bridgit Bruin.

One day, a saw-mill she came near,
Just at the time the sawyer’s cheer
     Was brought him for his dinner;
It smells right sweetly, quoth the beast,
I’m hungry, and I’ll have a feast,
     As sure as I’m a sinner.

Sawyer, do you be off, said she.
And leave your saw-mill here to me,
     To learn the art of sawing;
And do you lay that dinner down
Upon the log there, or, you clown,
     Your carcase I’ll be pawing.
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The saying “A workman is known by his tools” is probably as old as “A workman is known by his chips,” and, while generally speaking it is true, there are exceptions to it. I have seen many excellent workmen who carried very complete sets of tools kept in excellent condition, and I have seen other men with sets just as complete and in as good condition who were not able to do a fairly good piece of turning in an engine lathe.

I have had in my employ men who hadn’t as much as a scale or a monkey-wrench, yet who could work all around some of the boys who had a chest full of the most modern tools. That is, they could for about three weeks out of the month; the other week they were either drunk or getting over it. They had sense enough to keep away from the shop, and the evening before they were ready to come to work they would come sneaking around to the house to see if they could “come in to-morrow morning.” promising all sorts of things if they were given just one more chance, and up to a limit this class generally succeed in getting the chance.
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