The quandary... Reos are in fact tools, and it's a given that tools get scars in use. But there is also a strong sense of pride of ownership of a Reo as well as it is among the best tools you will ever own. I've had lots of nice tools in my life for many, many different interest areas, those considered the best for their use, others the best but also custom made with the best of everything. And I still have many of them that I've had since I was quite young. Most saw daily use, with others it was a special day for a special project when they were used. Then I realized that the scars some wore were actually memories. I could recognize individual marks and remember back to when they occurred, often decades before and what i was doing, what caused the mishap. IOW they told a story of the life we had shared together, the good and the bad, and what we probably would have in our future. That made them even more special than the ones I had kept squirreled away and seldom used. I had put way too much importance on perfection when I myself was anything but perfect. We had a history together, the others were just acquaintances. I take good care of my things and most are as good as new. But they don't tell a story, so in the end they will never be my favorite tools because of that.
I finally dropped one of my Reos, a favorite, the LP Grand TRA. It bounced off a steel leg brace on the way down to the carpeted floor. So now it wears a very small nick in the side edge right next to the doors squonk cutout that I feel almost every time I squonk it. But the nick makes for a great reminder that I am not perfect either, have my own rough edges to be aware of when around other people. That's a good thing, so the nick is also a good thing because of that.
Long way of saying I probably wouldn't repair that black wrinkle Reo (I will not try to repair my LPG TRA). However, I would also make a pact with yourself that if you ever do drop a Reo again it will only be that one.
