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I encountered the following line in volume 2 of ハクメイとミコチ:

鋭い目付きの男は、年季の入った道具を携え卓越した技術を振るった。

How does 年季の入った characterize the tools the man used? Does it mean that they are reliable tools that stood the test of time, or just old worn-out tools?

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  • Is 年季の入った{{道具を携え卓越した}技術} a possible interpretation? dictionary.goo.ne.jp/jn/170895/meaning/m0u
    – Eversome
    Aug 20, 2018 at 0:32
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    ^ ううん。。「年季(年期?)の入った道具」ですね。。 『年期の入った ... 一般的には「年季の入った」と書く。「年季の入った」とは、物が良く使い込まれているさま、あるいは非常に腕が熟練しているさまなどを意味する表現。』 weblio.jp/content/…
    – Chocolate
    Aug 20, 2018 at 4:58

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年季の入った道具 means it's an old and well-used tool. That is, the tool has worked sufficiently for a long time at least for this man, but this phrase does not directly say it's a high-quality tool in a general sense. For example, even a very cheap hammer can be 年季の入ったハンマー if someone used it for a long time.

EDIT: To clarify, when 年季の入った modifies a person or an action, it tends to have a positive connotation similar to 円熟/熟練. But when 年季の入った modifies an inanimate object, I think it just refers to something that has been used for a long time and is showing its age, but is still perfectly usable. Depending on the context, it may have a value as a vintage, though. See this thesaurus entry, too.

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  • (なにが悪いのかさっぱり分からない…「年季の入った投球」とかならいわゆる熟練の技のことかもしれませんが、「年季の入ったグローブ」「年季の入った財布」は別に高級品である必要はないですよね…?)
    – naruto
    Aug 21, 2018 at 16:35

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