Do young people still buy tools?

Hovannes · Post by **Hovannes** » 14 Jan 2024, 16:25

The last few times I've been to Ace or Harbor Freight, all the customers were old.
I've also noticed that few teens work on cars anymore, and much less eager to earn their driver's license.
My first, highly coveted tool kit was a Craftsman, so I could work on my high school set of wheels.
I still have it.

When my daughter moved out, she asked for a tool kit-not for cars but for fixing stuff around her apartment.
Pliers, tape measure, screw drivers, a crescent wrench and a hammer. In a pink toolbox, of course

I've got plenty of inherited tools from my dad, uncle and grandfathers plus my own purchases. I find it disturbing that I'll occasionally come across a supremely patina old tool and can remember the day I bought it new.

There used to be shop classes to teach kids how to use tools, but those, they tell me, are long gone from the high school curriculums.
What are your thoughts on the subject? If you were presenting a first tool kit to a young man, what tools would you include?

sweetandsour · Post by **sweetandsour** » 14 Jan 2024, 16:32

My kids, and now my grandkids, and a few nephews, don't buy tools, they borrow mine. Some get returned, and some don't. So, I'm the one that ends up buying tools.

coco · Post by **coco** » 15 Jan 2024, 08:21

Back when I taught tenth grade, none of the boys knew how to use a socket wrench.

FredS · Post by **FredS** » 15 Jan 2024, 09:01

Don't blame the kids. Blame their missing fathers.

My grown daughters are the 'handy' ones in their homes. Two of the spouses grew up without fathers in the home and they can't hang a picture. The third grew up on a farm so he at least knows which end of a screwdriver to hold but he's not what I'd call handy.

Also, I guess we were lucky that all my girls were able to take at least 1 year of shop class in Jr High. The one who just graduated with her BS in mech engineering took every shop class she could in HS and at a vo-tech (HVAC and welding) while she was deciding what she wanted to be when she grew up.

JimVH · Post by **JimVH** » 15 Jan 2024, 09:28

sweetandsour wrote: ↑14 Jan 2024, 16:32 So, I'm the one that ends up buying tools.

This. Most of mine know how to use most tools, but only one has taken a serious interest. Grandson #3 has assembled an enviable set of mechanic and woodworking tools - and uses them. He's fearless and dives right into a project whether he has a clue or not. I'm pretty proud of him.

Many of the neighbor kids come to me, too (or used to before they grew-up). I usually just consult and provide tools and make them turn the wrenches. They always seem to walk a little taller when it's done. Truth be told, it's the same for some of my grown, homeowner neighbors, too.

coco · Post by **coco** » 15 Jan 2024, 09:46

FredS wrote: ↑15 Jan 2024, 09:01 Don't blame the kids. Blame their missing fathers....

PRECISELY the problem

FredS · Post by **FredS** » 15 Jan 2024, 10:17

JimVH wrote: ↑15 Jan 2024, 09:28 . . .Many of the neighbor kids come to me, too (or used to before they grew-up). I usually just consult and provide tools and make them turn the wrenches. They always seem to walk a little taller when it's done. Truth be told, it's the same for some of my grown, homeowner neighbors, too.

Boosh! There it is!

When you help the kids you get the satisfaction of impacting the next gen. When you help the adults you get a beer. That's what geezers call a Win-Win sitch-ee-ation. Even if the kids don't take a life-long interest in fixing or building things, they'll at least know how to use a few tools and won't be intimidated by simple projects. Maybe they won't have to knock on their neighbors door, beer in hand, when they're adults.

Del · Post by **Del** » 15 Jan 2024, 15:10

My boys are early 30's. Not exactly "young," but still....

Cigarson has serious tools, and he uses them better than I do.

Pipeson has serious books, and he uses them better than I do.

They both turned out pretty strong, considering what they had to work with.

Post by **Biff** » 15 Jan 2024, 17:26

Del wrote: ↑15 Jan 2024, 15:10 My boys are early 30's. Not exactly "young," but still....

Cigarson has serious tools, and he uses them better than I do.

Pipeson has serious books, and he uses them better than I do.

They both turned out pretty strong, considering what they had to work with.

I dunno, I think Mrs. Del must be a pretty squared away lady.

jmg · Post by **jmg** » 15 Jan 2024, 17:41

No sons for me, but my girls can definitely hand me the right wrench or screwdriver when I tell them to. A few months back my middle daughter said something about the toilet getting stopped up. I thought she meant right then so I said, “What!?” She responded by telling me that it had been the week before. So, I asked her what she did. This was her response (as best I can remember it): “Well, the water was coming up so I just turned the valve off like you taught us. Then I used the plunger until it went down and turned the water back on.”…………I was so freaking proud.

I also made my oldest swap out one of the drum bearings in the dryer when it broke a while back. She did great after watching me do the first one.

I sincerely hope they marry godly, strong men that take care of all the heavy lifting and things that need fixing. However, I want them to be able to do things themselves if they need to.

They will all leave home with a decent set of tools.