Vintage tool finds. Any other collectors out there?

Seems to be lots of mechanically inclined guys on this site. Wondering if any others out there are like me and love the good estate/garage sale/auction/flea market vintage tool find? I buy vintage tools to use because IMO there’s nothing like the quality of tools from 1900 to the 1970s.

Here’s my latest find. Estate auction. Couldn’t believe it when I looked inside this greasy, rusty steel box.

Vintage S-K 1/2 inch socket set. Tapered sockets with knurled bases. All sockets original and matching, 1-1/8 to 7/16, spark plug socket, 2 extensions, original ratchet, breaker bar, and U joint. Circa 1965, or so said they said.

I just about fell over at the condition. Almost certainly used only for personal use, once I ran everything through the parts washer and got 40 years of grease off of the tools, the condition is just fantastic. I’ve never had a good 1/2 inch socket set, so this set replaces the SAE Taiwan el cheapo set I’ve been making due with for 20 years or so. This must have cost a lot even back in the day.

My other pride and joy is a very large Record bench vise. Not sure how this ended up in the garage in a suburban development, but it was hardly used, pre-1960. At the same sale I got a wrench roll containing a full set of Barcalo wrenches for $10. I also found a set of Diamond Tool & Horseshoe adjustable wrenches 12, 10, and 8 for $10 at a garage sale.

Any other collectors out there? I love this stuff, I love the idea of putting it back to work.

Grouse

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Really don’t know what year, may not even be that old but got all my Gramps tools, this one is my favorite that I use almost everyday. Pulls nails like nothing!

Also got his quartersawn oak machinist box. Felt lining, gauges, etc.

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My wife loves to garage sale and facebook garage sale shop. She is such a sweet heart that every time she sees anything fishing or old tools she texts it to me and ask if I want it. Last month she brought home an 18” all wood hand plan for $5. It still works well and looks better on the shop wall.

Love old tools but don’t want to start being a collector or else I would never stop. I may pick up a antique plumb bob every once in awhile but that’s about it

I can’t resist a garage sale that lists tools! I don’t collect, but if something piques my interest, I will buy. Problem is that too many people think they’re “antiques” are worth too much money. I will pay garage sale prices, but I’m not paying more than I think is fair regardless of what they seller thinks something is worth.

I’m with you guys. I “collect” only to use, so I don’t have multiple sets or overlapping tools. The S-K socket set was a replacement for an el cheapo set that will now become part of the tool kit in the boat.

I agree, Ralph, some people thing old = rare. Wood planes are a good example. I’ve seen common #4 Stanley planes for hundreds over the realistic eBay price because the owner thinks something from 1960 is rare. There were millions of them made.

Grouse

I have a set of screwdrivers that nest like a Russian Doll. A screwdriver inside of a screwdriver inside of a screwdriver inside of a…….The shaft and tips are steel, and the handles are knurled brass. The workmanship is just beautiful.

I found this in an old box along with a tin of Shinola. I know know the difference

S.R.

The FW and I used to have a refurbishing old furniture side business, which required constant estate/garage saleing. I’d wager a good percentage of my tools were purchased this way, none of them were especially cool or old, but I don’t think I paid over $1 for any hand tool, nor over $10 for the few power tools I got this way.

TheFamousGrouse wrote:

because the owner thinks something from 1960 is rare

At least they are reaching back to the 60’s. I have ran into people who think since you can get vintage plates on something 20 years or older that everything 20 years or older is now vintage.

Sad to think the 60’s are vintage, wonder what they call the 50’s?

Dutchboy wrote:

Sad to think the 60’s are vintage, wonder what they call the 50’s?

50s must be the Dark Ages DB.

mxskeeter wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Dutchboy wrote:</div>
Sad to think the 60’s are vintage, wonder what they call the 50’s?

50s must be the Dark Ages DB.

So it would seem.

I picked up this unique little crescent wrench at a garage sale this summer. It has a belt loop leather strap on it. Says FAIRMOUNT on one side and MADE IN THE USA on the other. Handy for adjusting the vents on my smoker. I think I paid $1 for it.

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Have an old fashioned cordless drill comes in handy occasionally. No electricity or far out don’t need to bring the battery drill to drill one hole.

Back when we were in the antique shop we’d hit garage and estate sales religiously. What I learned was you could never know what could pop up. I liked the tools, fishing related stuff and hunting/gun related things. At one estate sale I had to buy a whole box of stuff to get four very clean micrometers and a couple dial indicators plus a couple of inside micrometers. These were all in individual wood boxes with felt lining and hardly used in condition. While sorting thru the remaining stuff at home I came across a wad of oily cloth that had been stuffed into a can about the size of a 2# coffee can that was too heavy to be just cloth. When I unraveled the rag I found a pin-fire revolver [loaded in fact]. The rag had kept the gun in remarkable condition and after taking it in to a gunsmith to get it disarmed and checked out I learned the pin-fire type of priming was the precursor to todays sealed primers used in the mid 1800’s.

Since the revolver was definitely antique and bullets obsoleted by a century or more I was able to display and sell it in a closed. locked case in the shop and it got $400.00. The machinist tools were sold individually but got over $100.00. That box of “junk” cost $8.00 or $9.00 if memory is correct. While we no longer have the antique business we still hit up estate sales and some better garage sales and we still land some unreal buys. Like I mentioned: one never knows what he might find hidden in what looks like junk.

I’m not necessarily a tool collector, but I have quite a few tools I’ve accumulated over the years from Ford Model-A’s and T’s. My favorite is a couple Ford adjustable wrenches. Too bad I can’t use them on the newer Ford vehicles, everything is metric…these are std…

I have several tools made by Diamond Tool & Horseshoe in Duluth and luckily there are enough of these tools out there that I’ve been able to fill in sizes in the range. There is nothing like these tools today as far as steel quality, I have 50 year old slip joint pliers that look and work like new. I’d really like to add an 18 or 24 inch adjustable wrench to the set, but those go for a fair penny.

Grouse