John Forshee was born about 1883 and died in 1974 at Cincinnatus, NY. He was at least a third generation tinsmith as he is using his grandfather's patented tinsmithing tools.
10 years ago I saw this on RU-vid after a rough move in my new living room. Now I’m setting up my tin shop after thinking about John this whole time. Thank you sir for the inspiration.
People here in the UK would take offence at being called a tinker, but I think it is one of the greatest compliments that can be given, to make something from pretty much anything is a God given skill.
People in the UK will take offence at anything . I'm glad my grandparents didn't live to see the downfall and weakness of Britain , led by mercenaries and fops .
I am so happy this showed up on my list. Loved it. My Grandmother was born in 1896 and I learned a great deal from her about life in general. I recently retired as a 4th generation Tool and Die maker.
This was "tinkering" years ago -- a skilled craft whose products were much in demand, and the craftsmen duly compensated. Today, we use the word to mean doing odd jobs during idle time, on various and sundry things. I wish they would have asked him about a "tinker's dam" -- my only complaint. Otherwise, a great video of a very skilled and admirable craftsman, and an insight into our past. Thanks for posting.
This kind of people built America in a time when being skilled and doing a honest work was very appreciated. They survived war times and depression and they literally built a country with their hands. Their only gain was at the old age when they could appreciate a peaceful life and little things like gardening. This was their reward. Many of them keep working their trade until the end. Was a time in human history when people really take pride of their trade and not they fortune.
The 'American Dream' has long been vaunted with great meaning and purpose for the nation: discouraging a critical view of the pursuit of wealth and fame; whilst more worthy goals are sidelined. When did perusing the American Dream come into the language and take hold? It's a phrase often applied to American immigrants going back to the 19th century but I suspect the phrase did not come into being and take a hold of the nation till the second have of the 20th century
Seems like a good man living a good life we all should strive to be like him still doing still being productive glad to come a ross this vid hope this finds you well and working from Dublin ireland
I love those wonderful hands... I think how many things he handmade in his lifetime. Think of those beautiful everyday useful items he made! The wonder of who uses his work...
I saw a video of an Irish travelling tinker when I was in county Mayo doing this sort of stuff by hand. Wonderful to see a whitesmith at work, sad the way of these craftsman died out.
My dad died in 2017..born in 1935, not super old.. but he told me about the rag man and knife sharpener man, and all kinds of older men that had push carts up & down streets in St. Louis Missouri..when he died I feel like some of the old ways died also. This kinda reminds me of him talking to me.
My father is still with us, but i feel you. its like watching him work in his shed. theres something special about this sort of thing that people just overlook.
There are times that break my heart that the youngsters don't have the time to go to the oldsters to see how it was done and ask the questions. So much knowledge is lost . Once lost it is gone forever.
Amazing skills and a remarkable man- he mentions that he is using his father's patterns- actually made by his father so many years before. I remember seeing a programme about a watchmaker- the father of a reasonably well-known English actor. The watchmaker had knowledge and skills that were so extensive and remarkable it was just so awful to think that when he died- all that knowledge and experience would be lost.
Shame he wouldn’t take someone on to train, that’s one of the two reasons these old trades/skills are being lost. The other reason is automation, mass produced things that get thrown away because there no one around can fix them.
I would've like to have heard more in detail the different things that he was doing and techniques he was using as he constructed the piece he was working on.
I would have enjoyed seeing that grand old fella do the double seam on the bottom of the dipper. This should be in the Library Of Congress . Those tools would really make my projects smoother .
Makes me think how I don't want to hear any petty complaints from people living today. These people helped build nations and gave us the opportunity to be our selfish selves.
you can tinker a robot body, (bots are nearly here!) would be quite a collectors item done in this fashion. (tin man, from the wizard of oz, is the look it would get.)
He said he wouldn't take any help NOW because he's old. He was about 90 when they made this video. Give the guy some slack here. Don't you think he's earned the right to do things the way he likes them, and not to think about how another person would prefer to do things; to tinker for his own joy and entertainment? He said nothing about having taught the craft to others during the years of tinkering when he was not old, did he? There is no information about him or his disciples online, because he died over 40 years ago. So - you just won't know. You don't know if there were other bright-eyed boys standing by him learning the craft when he was 30, 40, 50, 60, do you? Unless you know, don't assume the worst.
@@franciestokes7121 Francie I think you are watching a different video . You done have to be a member of the travelling community to be a tinker there's a big difference between two.
4 years later, and I still don't know why you said "get it" in quotation marks. I don't know what significance it holds that you had to make those words a quote.
@@bobvogel5398 I did my apprenticeship as a coachbuilder. I know what it is, what it is worth and more importantly what to do with it. If you know how to use it the cost isn't that bad. You just happened to look in the wrong places maybe it can be found from people who need it gone yesterday.
The shame is - he's using modern techniques and no ancient ones as they would of hand-hammered that. 2x2 to bend metal? I've laughed people out of the shop for that.
