Was he even on your side with that sign, or just messing with everyone?

Huh, that's funny because I went the opposite way with mine. I had one of those heavy duty reels and it actually ripped the belt loop right off my work pants after about a month, the tension was so strong. I ended up going back to a cheap lanyard but I wear it so it breaks away if it gets snagged, that way it doesn't yank my neck or my hip at the wrong moment. Guess it depends on how much you're leaning and reaching through tight spots, but I'd rather have it snap off than take my whole belt with it.

That "brick with a handle" line hit home. My buddy Mike found his dad's old hammer in a barn after it sat there for like ten years, head was rusted and the handle was split clean through. He spent a weekend sanding it down, shaped a new hickory handle from a blank, and oiled it up with linseed. Thing works better than any new hammer I've used, and now he won't let anyone touch it.