OldTools Archive

Recent Bios FAQ

102675 DymondDesynR@a... 2002‑02‑02 My bio... (long)
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Good evening all,

    Someone wrote, suggesting that we need to post our bios, if we're to add=
=20
to the discussions on the porch.

   Who are we, what do we do, where are we from, how did we become intereste=
d=20
in old tools?

  My name is Jeff Regan. I live on Cape Cod, Mass., where I spend most of my=
=20
waking hours creating "stuff" with hand tools of all shapes and sizes.=20

    What I create, primarily, is handcrafted, one of a kind jewelry for a=20
wide variety of clientele.=20
    My fascination with the way things worked came at an early age. I used t=
o=20
like to take things apart, and in time, I was actually able to learn how to=20
put some of them back together!   I can remember getting a broken clock for=20
my 7th birthday. It was the best present I could have gotten! I had so much=20
fun taking that clock apart, piece by piece, and studying the tiny gears tha=
t=20
all interlocked perfectly to keep time. (I never did get that one back=20
together...)
    Many years later, in junior high school, I took my first woodworking=20
class.=20
    The first project I made was a wooden padlock, that actually worked. Thi=
s=20
time, I was able to actually make the small parts that, when combined, made=20
up the inner workings of a functional padlock....all out of different types=20
of wood. It was very cool. Although most of the tools we used were p*w*r in=20
that class, I enjoyed the entire process.=20
    Later, I took a metalsmithing class, where we were instructed using ALL=20
hand tools. We were taught to forge steel and brass/bronze into functional=20
wares. Ladles, bowls, knives, choppers, hatchets (imagine them letting the=20
kids do this these days in school!). My woodworking skills that I'd accquire=
d=20
came in to play when I made  the handle for my knife. I used black walnut,=20
with brass bolsters.   We made boxes, handmade hinges and clasps...and if we=
=20
made a mistake, our instructor Mr. Halvorsen ("Halvy") would show us how to=20
turn that defect into a unique feature of the finished piece. He kept us=20
thinking. He ran a very well organized shop, and many of my  good shop=20
keeping habits were picked up from him.
   We used a coal fired forge, with a foot operated bellows. Hammers, anvils=
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and files were about as close as we were allowed to "high tech" tools.=20
   I became hooked.
   In those early days, I learned the basics of working in wood, metal,=20
leather and stone. =20
  We were lucky to have had an instructor that taught us the right way (and=20
that I attended a school, brand new in ' 76 ...with a budget for such=20
programs). No short cuts. A lot of sand paper and oil in successive=20
grits...and lots of elbow grease can create a mirror finish. And it is much=20
more satisfying that obtaining it the "easy" way (with grinding=20
wheels/polishers).
  Once in high school, they brought in a new instructor. She was also a=20
metalsmith, but she specialized in silversmithing. She made silver goblets,=20
squash blossom turquoise jewelry etc.=20
   Initially, I thought that making jewelry was too...I don't know..too=20
delicate, I guess.  I had been forging big, heavy items, and had very little=
=20
interest in making jewelry. I quickly discovered, however, that making=20
jewelry incorporated all of the skills I'd been learning over the past coupl=
e=20
years. It even tied into my childhood fascination of small, intricate parts,=
=20
and how they fit together to make something functional. Laminating the woode=
n=20
shackle for my padlock helped me when I was combining and bending metals for=
=20
a ring I later created. Creating the wooden springs and parts for my lock=20
mechanism tied into making small parts for stone settings, hinges and clasps=
.=20
Everything must fit perfectly together for mechanisms to operate properly. I=
=20
look to craftmanship found in old tools, and old creations created by them,=20
as inspiration to my approach in the design and creation of my pieces.=20
Quality doesn't cost, it pays. Build it the right way. To work. To be=20
beautiful. To last.=20
    I have never lost my love of working in wood, and still do when ever I=20
can find an excuse, but my fist love is metal.
   Today, I can be found....working quietly in my workshop...tucked off the=20
beaten path in the cozy village of Marstons Mills, with my dog Kojin (who=20
mostly sleeps and sheds) hand making jewelry of all types. Some forged, usin=
g=20
hammer and stake. Some fabricated, using pliers, flies and saws. Some cast,=20
utilizing the  age old "lost wax" casting process. Gemstones are set using a=
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wide variety of setting processes.
   Evenings often find me back in the shop...Most nights, I'll be making=20
jewelry ... setting stones, for example, when it's nice and quiet... other=20
nights I'm building shelves or something else (I built my jewelers bench),=20
for my ever-evolving shop. Still other nights will find me inventing some=20
gadget or another.=20

    I got hooked on old tools very early in my career. When setting up my=20
first shop, I bought my first "old tools" from a retiring watch maker. He wa=
s=20
a very interesting old gentleman, and spent hours telling me stories. I got=20
an antique jewelers bench  (made in England), as well as many, many small=20
hand tools, from he and another retired jeweler. I loved the way the older=20
tools were made. They were heavy, sturdy, precise...functional, yet smartly=20
designed. They were made with pride, and it showed. They'd all held up so=20
well. They showed wear marks that told stories of a previous life. They'd=20
been burnished smooth from years of calloused hands working them.
I have always felt there was a little of the previous owner's energy trapped=
=20
within each  tool. The tales those tools could tell.
   Since then, I have been fascinated with old tools. I have been collecting=
=20
old jewelers/watchmaker's tools for years now.=20
      Recently, while clearing out my grandfather's basement, my Dad and I=20
came across Grandpa=E2=80=99s old hand tools.  As a kid, I used to call him=20=
a "hand=20
worker". He worked with his hands and could build anything, fix anything you=
=20
could throw his way. He was a patient man, and would always take the time to=
=20
explain to me what he was doing and why. He taught me to play chess. When we=
=20
weren't in his workshop or out working in the yard, we were playing chess.
   Anyway, one of the tools he had was called a "PLIERENCH". I'd never seen=20
one before, so I ran a search on Yahoo!. What I came up with was this old=20
tools list. I posted my question about this tool, and almost immediately=20
received at least a half dozen responses (from as far away as England). I=20
asked about a couple of other items, and have been amazed at the helpful=20
information I have received on each question.=20
  I went to a yard sale and purchased a trunk load of old rusty tools. I=20
again went to the porch to seek advice in removing rust. I'd been using=20
phosphoric acid, with unsatisfactory results.  I was introduced to=20
electrolysis. Now, I view crusty old tools with a totally new curiosity....=20
and respect.
  Since then, I have read hundreds (at least) of posts on a wide variety of=20
issues.  The topics range week to week, day to day, and not all topics=20
interest me, but they have taught me an incredible amount.=20

     There is a wealth of knowledge on this porch, and I feel fortunate to b=
e=20
allowed to sit in on, and participate in conversations here.

  Hopefully, this will give you a glimpse into my world, and give you an ide=
a=20
of where I'm coming from.

My respect and thanks to all who have helped me.
Sincerely,

Jeff Regan
Regan Jewelry
Marstons Mills, MA

**Forever fascinated with prospect of turning dreams into gold...and=20
constantly trying to learn new ways to get there.

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Recent Bios FAQ