And there it is!
When I was packing tools to visit the kids in Massachusetts, I couldn’t find our favorite flexible putty knife. After checking all the places it could be, I concluded I left it at the Habitat house. Sigh. It’s not about the money — replacing it would be about $5 — it’s about having a “comfortable” tool with a familiar “feel” in use. Many cooks feel that way about their kitchen knives and utensils.
So I emailed the two lead carpenters on the Habitat project:
“This may seem petty perhaps, but I cannot find my red-handled 1½" flexible putty knife that I fetched when Dan was scraping out the frame of the back door at the Habitat house Monday. Getting a new $5 putty knife isn’t a problem of course, but I’m familiar with the ‘feel’ of that particular one. Plus, it drives me crazy when I can’t keep track of my stuff! I rather remember Jim handing it back to me, but maybe my memory is faulty? I’m packing my tools to visit my kids out east and I know there are a couple of ‘dad’ projects for which that tool will be useful.
“I’ll have to get a new one in the meantime and I can reclaim the red-handled tool when we return if it turns up, but I’m just annoyed I’ve lost track of it. If you see it or come across it, could you let me know.”
I received a response a couple days later that it was on the kitchen counter at the house, and here it is. Especially with their power tools, many of the other volunteers have put their name or initials on their tools. Good idea. I have started to do that with some of my tools that are not five-dollar putty knives!
February edit. This is Clare’s favorite putty knife, too, so for Christmas I bought a new one and wrapped it up for her. When she opened it, I explained that the new one would be mine and the old, familiar one would stay home and not venture out to a Habitat project again.
February 2023 edit. This is this putty knife’s second appearance on 365: “Whew!”.
Retired economics professor (“dismal scientist”). Married 40+ years to the love of my life; we have two grown daughters, both married, two granddaughters and a...
I'm glad you found it and I'm glad you keep up with them. I used to have a great tool box - full of various and useful items... Previous men, workers, friends either walked off with them, damaged them or said they lost them. Right. So now NO ONE touches my tool box but me. =)
![Finally figured out a repair strategy [Filler]](https://media.365project.org/1/9512971_befiknou17_sq.jpg "Finally figured out a repair strategy [Filler]")
