Looking cool back in the day, for the older guys

[Pete999]

Back in the days before poncy tool belts and work trousers with more ockets than there were trousers, many Sparkies including me would stick one handle of a pair of pliers or side cutters in the back pocket of our Levi 501s. Looked the Dogs doobries I can tell you, made you stand out on site as an Electrician, trouble was when you went to the boozer after work, if you weren't careful you could, or possibly do yourself a mischief when you tried to sit down. Where do you store your hand tools when they are not needed all the time, and please don't say in my posh tool bag that cost more than all your tool put together.

 

[Rpa07]

As I read that post @Pete999 the music for the first 501 advert with nick camen was playing - remember the launderette advert - that's you that is!

 

[Pete999]

As I read that post @Pete999 the music for the first 501 advert with nick camen was playing - remember the launderette advert - that's you that is!

I wish

 

[Leesparkykent]

In my tool roll....

 

[Rpa07]

I actually meant to say, 'playing in my head'. My post made it sound like a prophesy or something!

 

[Rpa07]

As I was 'bench bound' when I started electrical tool mechanic at age 18, my tools lived in my Sykes pickavent 'snapon' lookalike tool box. When I went out on site it was a blue cantilever.

 

[Toneyz]

Tool belt then back in tool box /bag end of day. I thought you would be a overall man Pete.

 

[Squid]

I changed in to a boiler suit and had a cantilevered blue tool box, was a bugger lugging that up 6 flights of stairs before they attached the cage lift to the outside of the building.

Pete weren't you still working with gas lighting then?

 

[The Ghost]

Cool? Never even heard of it back then. But yeh come to think of it I did pick up some nice pliers a few times and always wondered how they just got there lying on the pavement outside the pub-now I think I understand.

 

[LankyWill]

In my overpriced, over engineered tool bag which is sat next to my spare pair of over pocketed work trousers.. My dad has an old pair of 501's that he uses to clean the windows.

 

[Rpa07]

Microfibre cloths for windows now @LankyWill - tell your dad that 501s will leave streaks.

 

[LankyWill]

Microfibre cloths for windows now @LankyWill - tell your dad that 501s will leave streaks.

Its all bravado i thought it might hit Pete where it hurts

 

[telectrix]

Microfibre cloths for windows now @LankyWill - tell your dad that 501s will leave streaks.

only if the 501s have skid marks in them.

 

[Rpa07]

only if the 501s have skid marks in them.

Eeeewww! Bad Telectrix - back in your basket!
How Bianco by the by?

 

[Rpa07]

Its all bravado i thought it might hit Pete where it hurts

So I read it wrong - he's not a hipster window washer? he actually washes the windows with old 501s (said to wind up Pete!?) I get it and I'll shut up now!

 

[Devonchris]

Steadfast screwdriver in one hand (electricians one with black insulation on shaft) sidecutters in the other and penknife in pocket. As pete says, the one that wasn't being used was in the back pocket. That's all was needed for a second fix back in the 60s. Occasionally may have get the battery and bell out if the bang test failed.

 

[telectrix]

Eeeewww! Bad Telectrix - back in your basket!
How Bianco by the by?

she's great. loads of fun, but totally mischievous, keeps digging holes in garden, picks up anything she can, thinking it's a chew toy. drives 'er indoors mad. can't think of any bad points.

 

[Rpa07]

If I'm not mistaken Chris, that was what the 'rockers' were wearing )and using) in the movie Quadrophenia!

Steadfast screwdriver in one hand (electricians one with black insulation on shaft) sidecutters in the other and penknife in pocket. As pete says, the one that wasn't being used was in the back pocket. That's all was needed for a second fix back in the 60s. Occasionally may have get the battery and bell out if the bang test failed.

 

[Devonchris]

I'm not sure about that but track 6 on the album is Bell Boy.

 

[Baker1988]

I have only been in the game 7 years but my first 2 weeks i wore a old pair of faded levi's and i use to put the side cutters in my back pocket when not used haha then i bought some henry lloyd work trousers with holster pockets and about 10 other pockets with my first wages.

 

[littlespark]

I still pop the handtools into whatever pocket is available... Nowadays have to watch which pocket stores the iPhone - don't want to scratch the screen...
And my bodyshape has changed since 1996. Too much weight in the jeans pockets, and I'm hiking them back up every 20 minutes.
I had the metal cantilever toolbox... now I carry a plastic bucket onto jobs with whatever tools and materials I think I need... Come back out with same tools hopefully and the rubbish.

Back then, our choice of radio stations was radio 1 for the young-uns... radio 2 for the oldies and one local radio station if we could pick it up.
On a lucky day, we were allowed to play a cassette tape of your own favourite tunes.... and pray the dust filled, paint covered cassette player didn't chew up the tape.

 

[Des 56]

In the coal mine,my first tool holder was a made up piece of felt with some screws and nuts holding it together and a fold for threading your belt through

It contained a pair of pliers and nothing more, but once it became a part of your dress code,it made the statement to others "I am an electrician"as an apprentice it was a matter of pride to wear it more so than a matter of usefulness

Whats all the talk about back pocket tools,the front pockets are where I have always hooked a pair of cutters,with one half of the handle outside and one inside so that its convenient and it makes you quick on the draw

 

[ipf]

Whats all the talk about back pocket tools,the front pockets are where I have always hooked a pair of cutters,with one half of the handle outside and one inside so that its convenient and it makes you quick on the draw[/QUOTE]

I'm with you there Des.......but I dropped and lost a pair of pretty new un's last month.

 

[Pete999]

Tool belt then back in tool box /bag end of day. I thought you would be a overall man Pete.

BIB and BRACE sometimes

 

[Midwest]

Where do you store your hand tools when they are not needed all the time, and please don't say in my posh tool bag that cost more than all your tool put together.

This is a rather embarrassing admission, but I've just succumbed and bought a new tool bag, just 'cos it had a light on top, so you can see your tools in the dark. Except I don't work when its dark, save when there's a total eclipse, which is not till 2026 and I won't be needed it then.

What a idiot

 

[Pete999]

This is a rather embarrassing admission, but I've just succumbed and bought a new tool bag, just 'cos it had a light on top, so you can see your tools in the dark. Except I don't work when its dark, save when there's a total eclipse, which is not till 2026 and I won't be needed it then.

What a idiot

No Mate not an idiot, a tool tart, or in your case a tool bag tart, it's a bit like a women's passion for anything handbag related. You know what will come next don't you? Louis Vuitton tool bags, if they ever did, sure as eggs are eggs some clown would buy one.

 

[Midwest]

Thinking back, I wore as did the other sparks, boiler suits. Have no idea where we put our side cutters/snips. Last job in the car factory at Oxford circa 1984, was in the paint shop, where you could only wear paper overalls, to prevent dust build up. They didn't even have pockets, and if you moved too quick, you'd rip the arse out of them. Guess we must of stored 'em handle wise, in our shreddies

 

[Midwest]

No Mate not an idiot, a tool tart, or in your case a tool bag tart, it's a bit like a women's passion for anything handbag related. You know what will come next don't you? Louis Vuitton tool bags, if they ever did, sure as eggs are eggs some clown would buy one.

Its alright, had time to think about over the weekend. I could tell her indoors, its the latest fashion in handbags and got it for her for Xmas. She might go for it.

 

[Pete999]

Its alright, had time to think about over the weekend. I could tell her indoors, its the latest fashion in handbags and got it for her for Xmas. She might go for it.

You have two hopes of that happening, Bob Hope and No Hope

 

[Midwest]

You have two hopes of that happening, Bob Hope and No Hope

Dunno, its black & yellow, got lovely little light for finding you lip stick in the bottom of the bag and its got a shoulder strap. It's full of pockets & compartments, what more could she want

 

[Pete999]

Dunno, its black & yellow, got lovely little light for finding you lip stick in the bottom of the bag and its got a shoulder strap. It's full of pockets & compartments, what more could she want

Sounds like you have bought a Klein Bag, yes? you could tell her it's a Calvin Klein bag

 

[Wilko]

I've bought a new tool bag as it had a light on top so you can see your tools when its dark and when there's a total eclipse in 2026

Just edited that a bit for you MW
Awesome ! Can we see a pic of it?

 

[Wilko]

Duplicate deleted ...

 

[Midwest]

Just edited that a bit for you MW
Awesome ! Can we see a pic of it?

Get stoooffed, and have the P taken, embarrassed enough as it is.

 

[Pete999]

Get stoooffed, and have the P taken, embarrassed enough as it is.

Damage done already Mate, may as well show us a pic, otherwise people will keep ob about you and your new bag, come on be a Man get yer camera out ,it'll soon forgotten honest.

 

[Midwest]

Alright then.

She wouldn't have it, so I'm stuck with it.

Unfortunately, I bought it off Amazon, and in my hot headiness I didn't note it was coming from the US (along with extra taxes & shipping)

So here's a library picture;

Just needs some tools to go in it now.

 

[Pete999]

Alright then.

She wouldn't have it, so I'm stuck with it.

Unfortunately, I bought it off Amazon, and in my hot headiness I didn't note it was coming from the US (along with extra taxes & shipping)

So here's a library picture;
View attachment 37975
Just needs some tools to go in it now.

So the Calvin Klein tack is out of the question, where do you go from here Mate? never seen a Womens hand bag with De Walt plastered all over it, could be the start of a new trend His and Hers matching handbags and tool bags.

 

[Midwest]

So the Calvin Klein tack is out of the question, where do you go from here Mate? never seen a Womens hand bag with De Walt plastered all over it, could be the start of a new trend His and Hers matching handbags and tool bags.

See you making me feel bad now. Its even got a space for me business card, the one with the wrong email address on

PS his was better than those others.

PPS is that Rod

 

[Pete999]

See you making me feel bad now. Its even got a space for me business card, the one with the wrong email address on

PS his was better than those others.

PPS is that Rod

Yep

 

[sparkdog]

I don't remember having enough tools to stick anywhere. I think they usually lived in an old plywood case.

 

[Pete999]

I don't remember having enough tools to stick anywhere. I think they usually lived in an old plywood case.

 

[sparkdog]

Elliot Lucas pliers and cutters non insulated handles of course, all that pansy VDE stuff hadn't been invented.

 

[Pete999]

Elliot Lucas pliers and cutters non insulated handles of course, all that pansy VDE stuff hadn't been invented.

Plastic insulation on tools hadn't reached down your way then Sparkdog? I recall stripping some 7/.036 and use the outer covering as insulation, back in the day.

 

[sparkdog]

Top marks for initiative.

 

[telectrix]

Back in the day, when electricians were Gods, no grubby overalls; 3 piece suit, gold watch on a chain in waistcoat, other trades did all the dirty work, we came in clean, respected, and obeyed. chippies drilled our holes, plasterers were vermin, . what's the trade come to?

 

[Midwest]

It all went wrong when they started using that itchy stuff in lofts.

 

[telectrix]

was OK when it was logically rolled between the joists, 3" thick. now it's 2ft. thick, deeper than snow on everest. loft tendered unusable, but saving a household a few quid a year on heating seems to override common sense. and where's the training for these insulation monkeys to teach them that they are causing cables to overload, maybe cause a fire, time to get the london fire brigae to insist that all insulation is made of steel, min 3mm thick.

 

[Midwest]

Dunno why we have lofts anyway. Just gets filled with junk, and leaves the danger of 50 gallons of water splashing everywhere.

 

[telectrix]

Dunno why we have lofts anyway. Just gets filled with junk, and leaves the danger of 50 gallons of water splashing everywhere.

saves the expense of fitting a shower then?

 

[Midwest]

saves the expense of fitting a shower then?

Better than one of those electric ones, saves running around to get wet.