Quite so. There will come a time when there are very few good and proper tools left. The shears I use are, like many here, old. People generally comment upon them when they see them and say something along the lines of: "I haven't seen a pair of scissors like those in ages.." The massive iron is another object eliciting similar responses.
Fixing things has been going downhill for ages now. In the Netherlands it is often difficult to just get someone to fix a fault on an industrial sewing machine. There are a few companies, but they appear much more eager to sell machines than to fix them, despite insisting that they do so and have x-years experience. One I was referred to said this: "What make is it?" I said it ought not to matter if they had wide experience of straight-stitch machines. Then he asked: "What's wrong with it?". I said: If I knew that I wouldn't need to phone you!"
Getting proper parts is a damned nuisance. E.g. buying a good, solid V-belt is near impossible. Often they have them on their websites, but you can't just order one, they want you to fill-in a form and 'enquire' about the price. I don't have time for that sort of nonsense just for a simple belt. Furthermore, the belts often turn out to be too thin or they are round rubber belts! The name 'v-belt' ought to be a clue that it isn't round.
That's my rant (part of it anyway).
