Why does nobody talk about the right way to use a chalk line anymore?

I was helping a friend's kid on a deck project last week and watched him snap a line three times to get a faint mark. He was holding the line down with his foot and pulling it straight up. I had to stop him. My old boss in Tacoma back in the 90s drilled into us: you pin the line down at the end with your finger, lift it straight up about six inches, and let it snap down hard, once. That single, sharp snap gives you a perfect, dark line every time. These days, I see so many guys, even experienced ones, just kinda dabbing it or pulling it sideways. It seems small, but a clear line saves so much time and prevents errors when you're cutting a stack of joists or laying out sheathing. It's one of those basic skills that I guess just doesn't get passed down like it used to. Has anyone else noticed this, or am I just being a grumpy old timer about it?

2 comments

2 Comments

jesse_craig266d ago

Maybe it's just me but I've never had a problem with the dab method. Still get a line I can see. Feels like one of those things where everyone thinks their way is the only right way.

adams.vera6d ago

Yeah, the "everyone thinks their way is the only right way" part is so true, jesse_craig26. I see it with how people load a dishwasher (which is a shockingly heated topic) or even make a simple cup of coffee. It's like once a method works for us, our brain just decides it's the universal rule.