I do woodworking as a hobby and I’ve been using hand tools for a few years for most of my work. One of the trends in that hobby has been an increase in the quality and quantity of hand tools available, as well as more instruction in the ‘old ways’.
Blacksmithing also interests me, and I wonder if it is some gut feeling amongst many of us to re-learn some of these manual trades, either for “just-in-case” or because we feel something terrible is coming.
My interest in these manual trades started before I consciously thought any kind of global meltdown was coming.
Last year I took ten weeks of cabinetry and woodworking classes with my best friend, and we took a welding class starting a few weeks ago. We wanted to take blacksmithing, but it was cancelled as there weren’t enough enrolled.
I think there is definitely some divine inspiration, herd mentality, call it what you will going on. I’m going to try making soap this year. I have been interested in doing things hands on for a long time. I thought about buying a laundry drying rack this year, but decided that for the same cost I could build one myself, to my specific needs. It’s great to be able to do things on your own. I often envy the knowledge (not necessarily lifestyle) of our forefathers in maintaining what they had. While I’m no eco-greeny, I do agree that our society has decayed a bit into a consumer fanatical mess. I like good quality items, and I like to do things myself. I’ve never had, not will own an ipad gizmo do-hicky that I’d have to replace each time a new one comes out. To each his own. Unfortunatly though, when everyone else wants low quality, easily replacable and cheap, you have to really look hard or really fork out to get the quality tools etc. that you need/want. And, for me, hopefully not from China (I’m working on this).
Look for old steel tools — they do not rust.