Watching a movie got the poster from this thread thinking about woodworker's tools, and what happens when a woodworker can no longer use them. The responses were both sentimental and practical. - Editor

"I watched the movie Gran Torino, and Clint Eastwood's character said to a young man, 'You don't just get your tools in a day, it takes a life time to acquire them.' Just thinking, what happens when our sons don't have any interest in our woodworking tools, do they just sell them like the old family car?" - Daniel, Columbus, Ohio

Some respondents told tales of their own experiences at tool auctions. - Editor

"Reminds me of an auction I attended several years ago. I was walking around the flatbed wagons covered with tools, hardware etc. ... I saw an old gentleman sitting on the porch with his wife. I walked over and asked him if the tools were his. He said they were. I asked him if it was hard to part with them. He said it was, but that he was too old to work anymore. He said he wanted to see who bought his tools. I doubt many folks knew he was there or that the tools were his. ... All I bought was an old Disston crosscut, but I made sure to let him know that it would be cared for. I could tell he appreciated hearing that." - Thomas S.

"As a young man, I loved the deals at auctions. That was how I built my collection of necessary tools. Last summer I went to an auction of an old friend who had passed away. I saw his last unfinished projects thrown into cardboard boxes that had trouble bringing a dollar each... Now that I'm close to 60, it was the saddest auction I had ever gone to." - Dick C.

Others thought about what would happen to their own tool collection. - Editor

"My collection of tools is modest, and while I appreciate what my power tools have done for me, they don't occupy the same place in my heart as my hand tools. Many of my hand tools have come to me with a history of their own from my father and grandfather. I would hate like hell for them to be broken up, but my kids don't have the same interest, so lacking heirs those tools become so much garage sale fodder. The only thing I hope is that they go to someone who will use them and not some eBay scavenger." - Bruce

One respondent had a different point of view on the "eBay scavenger" – and a suggestion for documenting some personal tool history. - Editor

"With regard to the eBay scavenger... the purchaser is likely to have the same reverence you do. The devotees are the ones that scavenge eBay for just such a buy....For you folks with tools that have family, or other special history, why not write up the story, short and sweet, along with a picture of the tool and maybe of something you made with it. A binder with these stories might incite one of your heirs to keep the collection, or certainly make it more valuable for the next owner. Especially if it is something you made for them!" - Carol R.

Others suggested taking a longer view of the family tree when it comes to tools, or choosing another place with special meaning for a donation. - Editor

"It may not be the next generation that appreciates the tool. So, the idea of hard copy documentation may find its way to a granddaughter/son or great-granddaughter/son that becomes a woodworker, and the in-betweens would just be the caretakers for the tool and documents." - Bill T.

"Bequests are a thoughtful way to distribute tools and materials to crafts schools, community arts centers, clubs, motivated individuals, and so on. It's satisfying to see things end up in appreciative and appropriate hands." David B.

And some woodworkers in this thread were not particularly emotionally attached to their tools. - Editor

"I put a business card for an auctioneer in a tool cabinet where my wife knows about it. My tools don't really mean that much to me. I recognize that I am only their caretaker for a little while." - Moses Y.

"Since my boys are just 7 and 3 years old, I don't know if they will become interested in woodworking for the long haul or not. But when that time comes, if it turns out that they feel obligated to keep my tools around but really have no burning interest in woodworking, I would rather have them sell off my tools if it will help them pursue something that they are really passionate about." - Wilbur

"In the end, tools are just "stuff". What is important is the enjoyment you received as well as the memories related to the tools (both your memories as well as those around you)."- David H.

"I prefer to think of my legacy in terms of what I make, rather than the hammer I use." - Clint S.

Darkening Walnut Sap Wood Question from WoodCentral

A woodworker building a bed for his son has one pesky piece of walnut that has a streak of contrasting color sapwood. He asked for advice from other woodworkers on how to deal with this. - Editor

"I have been working on a walnut bed for my son and daughter-in-law. Some of the boards have a streak of sapwood on the edge. It would be nice to darken it and get the most out of some of the pieces. Seems a shame to rip it down to eliminate a sliver of white wood. I know that some kiln operations steam the wood to darken the sap. Has anyone tried this on an individual piece? Can it be done? How? Does it require redrying the board? Any better ideas? Stain? Ebonizing?" - Barry I.

A couple of the suggestions argued for leaving the wood as is, or replacing it entirely in the project. - Editor

"If you were Sam Maloof, you would leave it white." - Fred D.

"I generally would incorporate the sapwood into the panel without recourse to dye, if it looked good in that situation. If it doesn't, rip it out and incorporate new heartwood within the panel. I have used aniline dye to match the heartwood when necessary, but it can be problematic getting the test pieces of sap wood to conform. Substituting genuine heartwood seems the most desirable direction to take.- George

But a few more had some staining tricks to try. - Editor

"Using an artist's brush (presuming the sap is not very wide), paint on a brown water-soluble stain. Some companies make a brown 'sap stain' for the purpose. Practice on a scrap. If you screw up, sand it off and try again. Learning to deal with this problem will save some wood. I always stain walnut with an oil stain. If I sap stain the sap first, it is barely noticeable as a highlight in a panel."- Bill T.

"I usually leave the sap in and apply a stain or dye or a couple of coats using different colors. I don't particularly try to make the sap look exactly like the heartwood, but I want it to be more interesting than just white. A coat of yellow, then some brown will turn the sap a nice tobacco color which provides an interesting contrast to the rest of the wood." - Jesse C.

"I made a walnut china cupboard for my mother a number of years ago. I ran a bit short of walnut and used a couple of pieces with sapwood for the back. I used a walnut sapwood stain and it matched the existing color exactly. That project was at least 15 years ago, and the color still matches. You can also take the husks of black walnuts and make a stain from them. I don't have the exact formula for doing it, but I've heard that it matches the wood closely and is permanent." - Lee M.