For the last 35 years, Dale Penney has been collecting hammers and by his count, he has at least 6,000 of them. “I started collecting tools because I didn’t want to see all these hammers thrown away with modernization,” Penney said. “I love cleaning up hammers.” Penney, who lives in Pinehurst, N.S., said a friend once gave him a hammer that needed a handle. He fixed it and decided to find more tools that needed repairs. “I have spent hours and hours cleaning up tools,” he said. “Some people give me hammers, I go to yard sales, I have friends pick them up for me. “It’s a great hobby.” Penney said some friends have suggested he could have a world record for hammer collections. “My wife used to call me hammerhead,” he said. “You never throw anything away. You fix it and clean it.” For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page