Vin
Imperial Masterpiece
Proof, I’m a greenhorn. Here’s the story (it’s kind of long but I have to tell it and it does have to do with Bonsai):
As a child in the mid 60’s Pittsburgh, PA was my home. I remember visiting my grandparents nearly every weekend. I idolized my grandfather. He was a quiet man, didn’t have a high school diploma but he was very very wise. His cellar was full of tools and gadgets. You could more often than not find me there with my grandfather guiding me through the use of his many treasures.
My grandparents lived right next to place called Dookers Hollow. Occasionally, my grandfather would take my brother and me on an "adventure" in the hollow to a fresh water spring that flowed right out of the rocks. The hollow was undeveloped and my grandfather found many arrow heads interesting rocks and other artifacts there through the years. When we went on these adventures he would always carry three things; 1) knife, 2) magnet, 3) folding saw (pictured).
Sadly, my grandfather passed away in 1979 while I was stationed overseas and I never got to say my final goodbye. But, I do have both his magnet and folding saw as keepsakes. From Pennsylvania the saw has been on a long journey. It made a trip to England, then to New Mexico, Miami, back to England and now Panama City. Through that journey I never used it much because it didn’t “saw” well. My grandfather didn’t seem to have any trouble using it but I couldn’t cut even the smallest branch with it. So, it has sat quietly in my toolbox next to three others that I use all the time. Every time I open the drawer on my toolbox I look for it as a reminder of my grandfather and those many adventures to Dookers Hollow.
And now the bonsai link: Being new to bonsai, the other day I was sawing a branch and the saw I was using didn’t seem to be working. So, I decided to try my grandfather’s saw to finish the job because the blade is thinner. I opened the saw and for the first time in nearly 50 years I took a close look at the teeth. To my surprise it has Japanese style pull teeth! I was dumbfounded to say the least. I was always pushing to cut when I should have been pulling. I guess I should have asked how to use it... One thing for sure, the saw has kind of made it “Full Circle” and will be used in the coming years many times to cut the branches of my work.
I just had to tell this story and if you read it in its entirety, THANK YOU and THANK YOU Grandpap for teaching me about so many things in life when I didn’t even know it.
As a child in the mid 60’s Pittsburgh, PA was my home. I remember visiting my grandparents nearly every weekend. I idolized my grandfather. He was a quiet man, didn’t have a high school diploma but he was very very wise. His cellar was full of tools and gadgets. You could more often than not find me there with my grandfather guiding me through the use of his many treasures.
My grandparents lived right next to place called Dookers Hollow. Occasionally, my grandfather would take my brother and me on an "adventure" in the hollow to a fresh water spring that flowed right out of the rocks. The hollow was undeveloped and my grandfather found many arrow heads interesting rocks and other artifacts there through the years. When we went on these adventures he would always carry three things; 1) knife, 2) magnet, 3) folding saw (pictured).
Sadly, my grandfather passed away in 1979 while I was stationed overseas and I never got to say my final goodbye. But, I do have both his magnet and folding saw as keepsakes. From Pennsylvania the saw has been on a long journey. It made a trip to England, then to New Mexico, Miami, back to England and now Panama City. Through that journey I never used it much because it didn’t “saw” well. My grandfather didn’t seem to have any trouble using it but I couldn’t cut even the smallest branch with it. So, it has sat quietly in my toolbox next to three others that I use all the time. Every time I open the drawer on my toolbox I look for it as a reminder of my grandfather and those many adventures to Dookers Hollow.
And now the bonsai link: Being new to bonsai, the other day I was sawing a branch and the saw I was using didn’t seem to be working. So, I decided to try my grandfather’s saw to finish the job because the blade is thinner. I opened the saw and for the first time in nearly 50 years I took a close look at the teeth. To my surprise it has Japanese style pull teeth! I was dumbfounded to say the least. I was always pushing to cut when I should have been pulling. I guess I should have asked how to use it... One thing for sure, the saw has kind of made it “Full Circle” and will be used in the coming years many times to cut the branches of my work.
I just had to tell this story and if you read it in its entirety, THANK YOU and THANK YOU Grandpap for teaching me about so many things in life when I didn’t even know it.
