Tell me about it. Historic stuff always has hidden problems. That old lead is a nightmare.

Yeah I had that happen with a cheap socket set last year... the ratchet just gave out on the third use. Ended up borrowing my neighbor's nicer set to finish the job and it was a night and day difference. Now I just buy the mid-range stuff for tools I know I'll use more than once. Saves the headache of stuff breaking when you're halfway through a project.

What kind of pad did you end up getting after that cold night? I started with a basic foam one but switched to an inflatable for more cushion on rocky spots. Some of those thin foam pads just don't cut it when the ground is really frozen.