One never knows what can come from conversation. Last week, I caught up with a dear friend who owns and operates an antique shop in Allen, Michigan; the likes of which I’ve never seen or set foot in. She used to sell beads and necklaces to Ralph Lauren vintage buyers: her photos and stories from those days are quite memorable. She and her husband used to travel to Mexico and the Southwest, passionately hiking and off-roading. He passed over years ago, but she still makes the trek for the Whitehawk and SWAIA shows every year. During the Michigan winters, she resides at the adobe that she and her husband built in Mexico.
Yesterday, an envelope from her containing this old chevron punch arrived. She’d noted that she picked it up while visiting friends near Fort Defiance in the 80’s. I love the barely visible pattern indicating that it was crafted from a file, and the mushroomed striking end tells stories of heavy use. 
Speaking of repurposed files, I also wanted to share an old wooden pump drill that utilizes one for its drill bit. This one came from Taos, NM.
