It is at this time that, after posting many items and artifacts, I feel the need to explain why I’m posting things that are seemingly boring and mundane. These are a pair of ordinary pliers; I do not know of any history to them neither am I aware of any associated stories. What I do know, however, is that these came from a “magical”, oft-looked at, box of things that came from Ontario, California, along with my ailing great-grandfather Harold Houchen, whom I called “Granddad”. In his last days, as he merged his household into the home of his son and wife, Hoyt and Doris, he brought a handful of things that must have been important to him. He soon passed away and years later Hoyt and Doris ultimately merged their household into my parents’ home, bringing with them things that held importance, too. These pliers made the cut. Did Hoyt remember his father using these pliers? Had he himself used them to tinker with a vehicle or toy? That history is lost. But the pliers remain, years later now passed on to me, a grown man who remembers very little of his Granddad, but who, as a young, curious boy, would always go into the basement of his grandparents’ and open the wooden secretary desk and look at the tools.
Some might look at that box and see old, rusted, useless, junk tools and they’d be right. But I looked (and look) at those same items and feel history. I feel the hardship they must have seen. The late nights with a light hanging from a hood so that these pliers could reach the oil drain plug. These pliers tell stories – not ones that I can factually prove, but the fact that these physical pliers remain, after everything they’ve probably seen and done, is the real story.
Heirloom Disclaimer – I have done my best to identify either the owner or purpose of an artifact based upon either direct knowledge, notes, or context. If unable to identify, I will provide as much information about the item as I am able.
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