New Bison Tools

Last week I went down to the Utah Art Educators Associations(UAEA) fun in the sun spring conference.  While hanging out with old friends and meeting new ones to discuss teaching techniques and practices a friend of mine said he had to pick up some tools from Las Vegas.  Las Vegas is a little over an hour from St. George so a few of us jumped in our cars and headed down.  We figured we could visit Aardvark Clay  have enough time to run through a couple of gallery's we were hopping to see, and be back before we missed anything important at the conference.  We have Capital Ceramics supply store in Utah but were looking forward to perusing another shop for fun new toy's when our friend gave us a new address to meet him at.  The way to Aardvark was already routed into my Garmin, wondering why were were being taken in the opposite direction we blindly plugged the new address in and diverged from the plan.  We ended up at the home and workshop of Phil Poburka the creator and maker of Bison Tools.  Up to this point I had never heard or Phil Poburka or  Bison tools. . . after coming home and researching him I think I might be the only one.  Phil has been selling bison tools at NCECA for 20 years, his tools are entirely hand made and have a tungsten carbide cutters.  These tools are used by potters to trim the excess clay from the pot in the leather hard stages of development.  Phil pulled out several trays of tools each unique, each made with the pride of a craftsman dedicated to making the best fit for his customers.  My friend Spencer and I were immediately impressed by the quality and craftsmanship, but drawn in by the bold statement that these tools would take years to dull and were made for truly leather-hard ware.  Ignorant of the price tag I decided to purchase 4 tools which Phil Wrapped in colored tissue paper with love and placed in a thick cardboard storage box for transport.  I will not tell you how much these tool cost suffice it to say that when I got the receipt I had a small heart attack.  Again having come home and researched the tools I  know they are worth the price and probably then some as he did give us a substantial discount.  Also in my research I have found it usually takes people years to acquire 4 Bison tools as they are quite coveted tools.  I have to thank my husband for his reaction though. . . his first statement was "did he through in a lock box with them" followed by "your students better never touch those tools" followed by laughter and an "only you" type of statement followed by more laughter finished up with "well there goes that Ipod you wanted".  I think I would have lost it on him if he came home and said "by the way I just bought myself a new set of irons to go with my new golf bag".  I'm surprised continually at how supportive he is with me and my career goals.  I'm so lucky to have a husband who upon seeing these tools commented on how well made they were and then told me I deserved to treat myself to a nice tool now and then, also he is glad I'm not a doctor that could impulse buy a new x-ray machine.   Here are some pics.  By the way we never made it to Aardvark clay.