Warm Gear
If you weren’t an English speaker and muddled a Pottery Barn catalog or an article in Architectural Digest, you might mistakenly think that “patina” means beloved. And, in a way, it does. Similarly, if you delve deep into the craftsperson space, you may think that “handmade” is part of a religious ritual. And again, in a way, it is. When you combine those two things, its hard to resist the appeal. Some of my very favorite gear has the pull of age and thoughtful creation.
In Japanese there is a term that, among other things, covers these two notions. Wabi-sabi is the appreciation of the transient imperfect nature of things. Interestingly, in Japanese culture, wabi-sabi represents the same conceptual space as “beauty” does in Ancient Greek thinking. Ironically, we in the West speak of “timeless beauty” but in Japan how things look when aged really matters. That makes sense, when you think through it. Things that work, are simple, and durable, last a long time and get used a lot. So it is natural that they would acquire signs of wear and imperfection over time. Look at a cherished stuffed animal from childhood and if it is still around it probably looks a bit worn.
Truly great gear has that worn in feeling, too. But unlike that stuffed animal, great gear can keep on working for ages, which is why I think of this kind of stuff, like a great baseball glove, is worn in, not out. Here are some of my very favorite items that have that warm, inviting, handmade, worn in feel.
The charm comes from how their materials change and in many instances mellow out over time. The perfect example of this is the Chris Reeve Sebenza. The initial blasted finish is so textured it almost feels chalky or dusty. But it is not. As that dusty finish goes away it is replaced with a titanium finish that eventually becomes naturally pocket worn and stonewashed. The lead picture in this article is of my oft-carried three year old Sebenza 31. It is fully stonewashed at this point.
Edges ease, parts flow smoothly, and the good gear becomes something that is personally connected to you. The wear on the Ti Mini Turbo Mk. 3 is something that comes from riding in my jeans coin pocket regularly. That blue band has wear in places—one where the clip contacts the body and the second where the light rubs up against the materials in my pocket. In other words, it’s my light.
All of this aging and warmth has extra meaning after an uncomfortable few weeks after a surgery where age has become front of mind, at least for now. Gear that is obviously used tells a story—it is used because it is useful. There are drawers of pristine gear out there, warehouses of safe queens that, in the end, did not merit use over collector value. When I was younger that seemed like a good idea. Now it seems sad. Do you want stuff that works or stuff that may or may not retain value?
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