after retirement...what does a lineman do with his belt/ect.

[reppy007]

First of all ,I havent climbed in a few years,not that I cant,and Im able to climb if needed.But I wanted to ask how you guys felt,Im assuming that most lineman never get rid of his belt/hooks....guess its becomes a part of us,a part that we save....So what becomes of your tools when you decide to hang them up....I think selling them to a youngster would be great,whats your take?

[Rob]

I don't think the stuff you have would be good today Rep. I know I have some old stuff in tramp bags but most of it is outdated and dry rotted. The Newer stuff is pretty plush

[reppy007]

Ill be honest Rob,there have been times when I have seen a belt or two and hooks in a pawnshop,and wondered what type of lineman had to pawn them....was he worth a crap...or did he need the cash/ect...mine are in good shape,even my safety....do they even use them anymore?beats me....with the squeeze and all.

[bren guzzi]

Never owned a belt ... Or spikes.
We use the ones supplied by the company. Also they supply all tools. I've a few personal tools that I have had awhile . ( not supposed too have them on site )
So I've nothing to take .... When the old linemen used to leave the National grid..we used to present them with a golden wrench mounted on a plaque with thier years service start and finish date...

( it wasn't real gold... We used to spray them ). :)

[BigClive]

If you don't keep it as a memento of your career then there's always a market for stuff like that on ebay, even in wrecked condition. It can find an application as a prop in a TV show or movie, industrial decor or even just as a collectable for a geek. I'm not sure I'd recommend selling a used item as being fit for work, since it opens up a level of liability of someone tries to use it and falls.

[reppy007]

You did sharpen the gaffs or did the company do that for you guys....kidding Bren....I guess a golden wrench even if its spray painted beats a yellow banana anyday unless it has Poots name on the top of a pole in Scotland.....ever drive buy that site and see if its still tied in?:D

[lewy]

We get supplied everything and when I retire I will be taking it with me, not sure what I am going to do with not a big demand for it.

[Pootnaigle]

Ummm I gave all mine to an apprentice at the local. No point in him spending his bux on sumpin I had n didnt need. sides it wuz kinda like givin sumpin back to the trade.

[reppy007]

Thats true Poot,no need for him to buy them if a person isnt going to use them anymore....I once bought some tree hooks/gaffs from a customer for 15 bucks,buckingham....they are really long and Ive never used them on a tree.Hell I still have them.:(

[loodvig]

All my gear is upstairs in my garage. A while back I was up there and noticed there was a hole in my drag-bag. I opened it up to find some kind of nest, 100's of nut shells, and critter poop! It's a mouse or chipmonk or red squirrel! I get them all because I have black walnut trees. Anyway all the leather was rotted and cracked. I took the belt and hooks and hung em up, then threw out the old bag.

[BigClive]

Well lets see what this sort of stuff sells for on ebay using it's "completed listings" function. The ones in red didn't sell, the ones in green did....

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_sacat=0&_from=R40&_nkw=linemans+belt+used&LH_Complete=1&rt=nc

[bluestreak]

I uncovered mine this summer it's been sitting in the basement for three years had mold on it, set it in the sun a few hot days and brushed the hell out of it, now it's hanging in the garage. As far as passing it on I had it forty years and it was a used belt when I got it, still good leather but I don't know if it would pass new standards.

[Old Line Dog]

I always thought it would be cool arrange my belt and hooks and have em Bronzed and attached to a Flat stone on my Grave. Then I checked out what it would cost to Bronze them.....

Gave my stuff to a Good App. when I retired.