Who else likes old time quality stuff ?

[AussieParticipant 2509]

I am really happy in some ways that I was born in the late sixties. I got to experience a way of life that no longer exists while also watching the new world take shape in all its ugliness and technological wonder.
The ‘good old days’ were not always that good and I often find myself wondering if we have it better now or was it better then? Guess we will never know.

Now I am not referring to the changes in society like the feminist cancer, gender silliness and religious craziness, but more about the crafts and traditions that the modern young men are missing out on.

Things like working on their own car without the need for a computer and a degree in engine diagnostics. How many 30 year olds know what a Holley carbeurettor is let alone know how to adjust one? S~~~, I know of guys who can’t even change a flat tyre without some sort of roadside assistance. Pathetic really.

When was the last time you saw somebody under the age of 50 smoking a beautifully crafted briar pipe? Nobody has the time for the ritual of packing, tamping, lighting and enjoying their favourite blend anymore. In saying this I know there is a huge pipe smoking community in the USA and some of these guys are serious collectors and pipe builders. You never see it down here and the last time I smoked my beloved Astley in public, people thought it was drugs and looked a bit surprised until they saw it was an old bald guy with a big beard smoking it !

Speaking of beards, I am pleased to see that the hipsters have made them acceptable again and the rise of beard products and care is a welcome change. But when it does come time to shave, I bet most of them won’t be indulging in another old tradition of using the evil but effective ‘cut throat’ razor ! I must admit those things scare the s~~~ out of me as well but I love the craftsmanship behind a good one. Which brings me to a long time love of mine and that is knives. For centuries, this simple tool (and weapon) has helped mankind in so many ways. Probably not a dying artform but Blacksmiths have my utmost respect for their abilities, strength, and craftsmanship. There is a big knife show coming up here in Sydney soon and I am worried that if I attend, my credit card will suffer terribly !

Sorry if I sound like I am rambling a bit, indulge me while I remember what I find great in the world and what are mostly MEN’s achievements.

Simple things. Quality things that last a lifetime and were made by men with pride, not a machine really make me smile. A quality hand made custom guitar or a traditional didgeridoo decorated in tribal patterns. Billet engine parts carved from a solid lump of metal, or fantastic airbrushing performed by an artist. Modern tattooing is something that also amazes me. A custom made leather Harley seat crafted by a guru with a workshop and a faithful old dog at his side.

Am I alone in thinking like this ?

" I feel threatened "

[StormtrooperParticipant 1080]

Heck no you’re not alone in that, I love classic stuff, always wanted a cut-throat razor (I’d never shave with that thing, but it would look cool.)

I also prefer media from the sixties instead of the new remakes and garbage on television, I’ll watch Clint Eastwood and the Andy Griffith show over any new reality tv nonsense.

I also miss when people knew what bathroom to use without all this “gender-fluid” nonsense.

Having a girlfriend is like owning a gun, the longer your around it, the more you want to shoot it.

[LosPukeParticipant 514]

Born in ’69 myself. I definitely agree with you on the quality of things in the past being far superior to modern things. I’ve always had an appreciation for antique furniture, although I’m not a collector. I moved a lot of furniture from back in the day. Today’s furniture is pressed particle board made in China. It’s lightweight, and put together with thumbtacks and bubblegum. Cheap and flimsy pieces of s~~~. No innovative designs, no quality.

I’m going to inherit all of my grandmother’s kitchen utensils that are mostly antiques, as well as some cookbooks from the early 1900’s. There are recipes in those books that I seriously doubt any modern woman can follow. I suppose if I am going to have a pie crust made from scratch, I will have to bake it myself. I’m so grateful that my grandmother taught me how to cook 20 years ago. I almost feel sorry for the single mothers that have their baskets full of TV dinners and frozen pizzas when I’m at the grocery store. No Totinos pizzas or Hungry Man TV dinners for this guy!

I’m kind of a knife guy too. My great grandfather worked at the meat packing plant at the Fort Worth Stockyards back in the early 1900’s. I’ll be inheriting his carbon steel knife that he used to cut meat. It is sharp as f~~~ and looks as old as I feel most days. But, quality! The knife will last for many years after I’m gone. I can’t say that about my iPad, 60″ flat screen, car, clothes…etc.

[Anonymous 7]

Aussie wrote:

Am I alone in thinking like this ?

Nope, I’m right there with you, but just a bit younger – born 1974.

The technology today has bred laziness, I believe. The touch of a finger and Mr. Instant Fix It will take care of the problem.

The lack of competent father figures doesn’t help the cause either.

I grew up playing with sticks as guns and dirt clods as grenades. My friends and I built forts, go carts, fixed our own bikes, made skateboard ramps, designed skimboards and surfboards, used tools to tear s~~~ up and put it back together, mowed the lawn, worked on home chore projects, etcetera.

I had a grandfather and father to show me some of the way, and the other knowledge came from pursuing things for myself because of interest, as well as, for necessity.

Sad state of affairs in a lot of ways with how boys are being raised today.

[Anonymous 7]

Oh yeah, forgot to add… everthing on your posted list made me feel good to be a Man.

A lot of interest in the traditional craftsmanship and I actually like to acquire what I can when I can. Working on a deal right now to purchase a forged iron wood burning stove for my porch. Made over 170 years ago.

Working on cars, motorcycles, collecting knives, antique tools and guns, handmade leather saddlebags for the Harley… so much to list.

Men make cool s~~~, and know how to appreciate the work put into it.

[Pedal, run, rowParticipant]

It is a little thing, but it really bugs me. Cars used to have a pull/push knob for headlights. It took less than a second to turn on and off, but sometimes you got out and maybe forgot, and came out the next day and you had a dead battery. So some smart engineer invented a switch that would time out after the engine was turned off, and the headlight would automatically turn off after a brief time. In case you FORGOT to turn them off.

So now people don’t want to waste the energy turning it off manually, and just hop out and leave the headlights on. Maybe a SECOND OF TIME AND A CALORIE BURNED = TOO MUCH EFFORT. (SORRY HIT CAP LOCK AND DON’T FEEL LIKE RE-TYPING) So what was a fail safe, is now the default way to turn off your lights.

That is just systematic to how technology is so misused and promotes laziness. Even good things. Everything is like that. Pure laziness. No one ever wants anything to be hard, and think they should always have comfort etc. It kind of makes me sick. It kind of makes society sick as a whole.

I actually purposefully do things the hard way, many time now, and accept some discomfort like being hot in the summer and cold in the winter, being hungry for a while, running with minimalist shoes. etc.

Now get the f~~~ off my lawn you bearded hipsters!

[Anonymous 7]

Pedal, run, row wrote:

It is a little thing, but it really bugs me. Cars used to have a pull/push knob for headlights.

Now get the f~~~ off my lawn you bearded hipsters!

You just reminded me of my first car I bought at 16 working two summer jobs.

1973 Opel Gt had a lever on the center console you shoved forward to flip the light housing out of the front clip panel. You pulled it back to flip them back down.

I liked the last part of your quote, so I left it.

[Pedal, run, rowParticipant]

Anonymous wrote:

Pedal, run, row wrote:

It is a little thing, but it really bugs me. Cars used to have a pull/push knob for headlights.

Now get the f~~~ off my lawn you bearded hipsters!

You just reminded me of my first car I bought at 16 working two summer jobs.

1973 Opel Gt had a lever on the center console you shoved forward to flip the light housing out of the front clip panel. You pulled it back to flip them back down.

I liked the last part of your quote, so I left it.

Yep, my first car was a 74 vega and it had it. My sisters 78 Malibu had it as well, and I drove it a lot. I think my 74 Datsun 260z had it as well. MY 77 Rabbit had it on the on the lever with the windshield etc. (Maybe not, I don’t remember… great f~~~ing car though!)
But still no timer switch. Even my 86 Taurus didn’t have the timer. I remember telling a woman she had left her lights on and her treating me like some dumbass because I didn’t know they turned off automatically.

Are you still on my lawn?!?!?!??!

[AussieParticipant 2509]

My dad was amazing in what he could create, cook, repair or fabricate. I guess coming here after the war as a poor immigrant shaped how my parents had to improvise a lot. When I think about it, I am not a tenth of the man he was in that regard. Incredible brilliant man he was. Building a house extension? No problem. Remove and replace an engine in the car? Hmm, needs an engine hoist, first he would build the hoist then proceed. Didn’t have the right tool he would just get out the welder and fabricate one. Worked on building sites so no screw or nail that fell on the ground escaped him. I am still fixing things at home with stuff he collected over the years for free. That s~~~ can be expensive to buy. I might be a bit of a hoarder but now I am getting in and doing a few of these things myself and it feels great.

I don’t miss Mum so much but I really wish Dad was not taken by cancer at the age of 67. I still had so much to learn from him. And in a way, I had much to teach him as well…

" I feel threatened "

[bladeParticipant]

Got an old book from 1889 . It covers manu topics . So intresting .

Ps aussie did you know when the first gemeni came out it was going to be the new holden torana . Seen you were a holden man on ya other thread .

THE PLANTATION HAS NOW TURNED INTO THE KILLING FIELDS . WOMAN ARE NOW ROLLING CAMBODIAN STYLE .

[AussieParticipant 2509]

Mate I loved my Geminis. Had a couple of them. Now like all Aussie cars the bloody things are actually worth money !

" I feel threatened "

[bladeParticipant]

Aussie wrote:

Mate I loved my Geminis. Had a couple of them. Now like all Aussie cars the bloody things are actually worth money !

when i was young a mate had one with a 307 chev in it . Little car power to wieght ratio . It was street legal but built for the quater mile . Got to get an engineers certificate and you can regester them in nsw

THE PLANTATION HAS NOW TURNED INTO THE KILLING FIELDS . WOMAN ARE NOW ROLLING CAMBODIAN STYLE .

[AussieParticipant 2509]

Getting the certificate for something like that now would be near impossible now I reckon. But what a weapon. Great old times. 351 into Capris and Cortinas, 308’s into anything that would fit ! Nowadays they just put LS1 into everything and it’s party time.
Got a couple of LS1 VT’s and love ’em.

" I feel threatened "

[AwakenedParticipant 35216]

LosPuke wrote:

I almost feel sorry for the single mothers that have their baskets full of TV dinners and frozen pizzas when I’m at the grocery store.

It’s even WORSE when you take your average dumb ass Women, and she can’t figure out how to heat up some type of pre-made frozen meat in sauce in the oven while making some Ricearoni box of crap on the stove top, and also use the microwave to “steam” a bag of frozen veggies.

“It’s all just to much work, Let’s get Takeout !!” AGAIN……….

In a World of Justin Beibers Be a Johnny Cash

[Anonymous 0]

My first car was a 1956 Buick Roadmaster. A big Rocket 409 engine, I think. Bought it in 1968. Worked All summer to get the money to pay for it. That’s when I found out I would have to work for the rest of my life to run it. That’s when I should have realized that cars and women were the same headache. Loved that car. Great craftsmanship. Power everything.

[AussieParticipant 2509]

The difference between the car and the woman is that once the troublesome car leaves your life you don’t have to pay for it’s problems anymore !

" I feel threatened "

[Anonymous 42]

Gravely 450 lawn tractors, they eat blizzards with their shaft drive front mounted 2 stage snowblowers, part of the Studebaker Corporation, planetary gears deliver the power from the crankshaft to the transmission, pulling load from three different locations off the crankshaft drive gear.

I own 3 that are mechanically restored and running good and 2 for parts, the mower deck is also shaft drive and capable of chopping cord wood the same way the blower eats rocks and spits out gravel. Those machines would cost $10,000 to $15,000 to produce today.

[Pedal, run, rowParticipant]

Anonymous wrote:

Gravely 450 lawn tractors, they eat blizzards with their shaft drive front mounted 2 stage snowblowers, part of the Studebaker Corporation, planetary gears deliver the power from the crankshaft to the transmission, pulling load from three different locations off the crankshaft drive gear.

I own 3 that are mechanically restored and running good and 2 for parts, the mower deck is also shaft drive and capable of chopping cord wood the same way the blower eats rocks and spits out gravel. Those machines would cost $10,000 to $15,000 to produce today.

My Grandfather was a mechanic, also built his own house. Worked at LC Greenwoods Cadillac dealership in Pittsburgh when I was a kid. He had 2 main hobbies at home. Working on his Gravely tractor (he had several of them like you and parted them out etc) and restoring Chevrolet Corvairs. Covairs were his thing. He would buy a wrecked or junked one whenever the opportunity presented itself, and had 3 fully restored. Had them out in his barn, on both levels.

Apparently Corvairs were a mechanics delight, but if you didn’t know how to work on cars you needed to buy something else. lol

Your Gravely comments got me thinking of it all, because I never knew anyone else to own a Gravely tractor.

My dad bought a Massey Ferguson, my friend challenged me to a pulling contest with his Sears tractor, and I pulled him all over the yard… lol

[Anonymous 1]

Aussie wrote:

I am really happy in some ways that I was born in the late sixties. I got to experience a way of life that no longer exists while also watching the new world take shape in all its ugliness and technological wonder.
The ‘good old days’ were not always that good and I often find myself wondering if we have it better now or was it better then? Guess we will never know.

Yeah, sometimes I wish I had been born back then. People tell me the good old days were not always that good. It’s hard for me to believe it, when the quality of the craftsmanship was so much better back then. The quality of EVERYTHING was so much better. I grew up in the cheap throwaway society. Everything is single serving and made to be thrown away when you are done with it. You can’t have any pride in your work with this garbage. Its all just cheap plastic s~~~. Why fix your electronics these days? Just throw it out and get a new one because it is cheaper. F~~~ that. I love collecting old antiques, I do own an old straight razor, and I started smoking an old wooden pipe when I was 19. In fact, the only person my age, who enjoys a nice Cavendish. Thanks for this post!

[Blood AxeParticipant 1179]

Everything is made of plastic now. I know somethings should and have to be made with plastic, but it’s gone to far.

Back off Barbie!

[Author]

Posts