*Excerpted from Man Stuff: Things a Young Man Needs to Know by H. Douglas Knust
I never had decent tools until I was forty years old. I had a hand-me-down toolbox full of orphaned tools that I had accumulated over the years. Nothing matched. My 1/2” socket was from a different set than my 3/4” socket. My straight screwdriver was different than my Phillips screwdriver. Every job that required tools was frustrating because it seemed like I never had the right tool or because my tools were cheap, they’d break.
So, when I got a gift certificate for Lowe’s, I decided I was going to use it to finally upgrade my tools. I bought some high-quality tools. Since then, every home repair or handyman task is so much easier. I actually enjoy some of them!
Parents and grandparents always struggle to find a good gift for a young man. Young men aren’t very good at offering suggestions other than the latest video game or tech gadget, both of which are likely to be obsolete within a year.
Tools are a timeless gift or purchase that can be used again and again either to assist someone or to fix something for yourself. Maybe your love interest needs help assembling some furniture. What a great way to impress that important someone in your life - breaking out a set of quality tools to help her with the job!
Owning a well-equipped toolbox is something that many young men leave to their dads. Then when you have a project, you have to either borrow tools or enlist help. A man should be self-reliant. He should have the tools and know-how to tackle basic projects around the house.
