A Ship Called Dignity

There's an old man who lives just up the road from us and he takes great pride in the front and back of his house. Nothing unusual there then. He also takes great pride in the train embankment wall which is visable from the front of his house. Again nothing too unusual there, afterall he is being quite community spirited by removing overhanging branches and weeds. How does he do all of this? Well, he appears to have fashioned himself a weed cutting pole out of a bit of bamboo and a bread knife. He looks like he's been using this particular "tool" for a long time, and it has variations including what looks like a butter knife cellotaped to a ruler. I applaud all of this, he's showing great initiatve. I'm sorely tempted to buy him some proper tools but I suspect he would be offended, afterall it would probably be a slight on his tool making abilities.