have you spoken at length to the elderly gent? i think you need to feel him out for his reasoning. if this is an older person who is really attached to the saw as a connection to something he used to enjoy doing, i would not do an end-run to the family just to get my hands on the saw. leave him be and let him hang on to his memories. maybe you can offer to come help with some sawing for him. i know that as my dad aged and became unable to do the physical activities he had enjoyed all of his life, he still liked to hang-out and watch and give advice as he saw fit. these things have a way of working out for the better.
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No, I have not talked to the old man, I have been talking to his son, and grandson who is a good friend of mine. The old man is about 90, but has real bad dementia (sp?) and he thinks he is 20. As far as I know the last time he ran it he got his hand caught in the chain and did a number on his hand. And I am guessing that is the same time he straight gassed it.
Funny story, my friend is the one who always has to go out with him when he cuts wood and the old man is so particular about the size of the logs, and I guess if my friend is going to make a cut and it is not in the exact spot he will reach down, grab the bar while in the wood and move the bar to were he wants the cut to be made. (no wonder he got his hand wrapped around a chain)
Around my area,"the old guy" is the one who spent "his" money to buy the saw in the first place.You call him selfish,I call him sensible.His kids, most likely, will take the money for their own use (new tattoo,cell phone minutes,beer,any number of the new "essentials") and he gets nothing out of the deal.I've seen this happen a few times now,it really burns me up.
In a case like this,I would deal with the actual owner of the saw.Leave the others out of it.
No, I know that is not the case, I know the family very very well, they are nothing like that. The old man just has dementia and thinks he is younger than what he is. He still lives on the farm with his wife who has worst dementia than he does. It is actually very sad. Thankfully all his kids live within a mile from him so someone stays with them 24-7. I go to church with all of them, the old man and all his kids and their familys. I think it is more the kids that dont want to sell it because they know how much that saw ment to their father.
My position is "Deal directly with the owner" and leave the others out of it.
I would rather deal with the kids, I know they have the best interest of their father in mind, and I also know the old man does not know who I am. I grew up with his grandson and was great friends with him growing up so by that I got to know his parents. But it was just in the past 5 years that I joined the church and met the rest of the family and the old man. So being he has bad dementia as far as he knows I am just someone wanting to buy his "pride-and-joy" So I would rather deal with his family.