The "Old School slate school" is now in session

No telling what was in their minds, assuming they had minds! :unsure:>>>

"How come you had to do this? did the flat roof guys try to pull up the slates to install their roof? the white roof didn't look new."

They didn't use a ripper Mike. They just broke them out of there. I see it often. >>>

Not knocking you, btw. I like what you're doing. The past week, I've been on 3 slate roofs with hooks. The slate were nailed so tightly, the hooks chipped the bottom center of every slate they held in place. The spot would chip out when sliding them in. Seldom see one done correctly.

Just before dark, my current client called from his rooftop, 40' up. I had left the ladder tied off, and all the hook ladders up there. He was inspecting my work and the chimney guy's work. Wowser! At least he complimented my repair work and was happy that my description of his roof matched what was there too. The call really had me worried he'd fall. You know I lighten my hook ladders. And a rookie can dislodge one easily.>>>

I use the hooks on occasion, but mostly just nail and bib. Hard hat? No. OSHA and I went around on that back in '72 or'73. They finally agreed with me and decided I was right. If a plane, or the sky fell on me when I was the high spot, the hard hat wouldn't really be a help. They rewrote that rule. They did close the site down for 4 hours while 'deciding'!

BTW, I got a Rent-a-Roofer client with a slate roof about the same pitch. I told him to use a hook ladder. After I taugh him how to use a cutter and a hammer, etc, he owned up that he alwasy sent his 80# daughter up there after school to do all the work! No scaffold, no hook ladder either!>>>

It's the same stuff I see all over Va, OS. "Some of the slates are chipped and broken, but it is 45 feet down to the ground and I have to pull everything up by hand. I am going to use what I have on the roof before I haul up anymore. Sorry about that!" I do that at times also. I couldn't tell in the pic, but I would have bibbed above that 4th' slate because the chip gets pretty close to the keyway. Nice work, BTW.>>>