Old(vintage)tools...another obsession.

[knife7knut]

Let me start by saying that I am(among other things)an old tool addict...but I can quit...anytime.How I started collecting is relatively simple:I collected old tool boxes;mostly to paint up and antique and auction off for various charities I'm affiliated with.A lot of times these old tool boxes would contain(surprise;surprise)TOOLS! I became fascinated with some of the older tool designs and another addiction(obsession) was born.
I guess the one that got me really hooked on tools was a huge heavy box I nearly tripped over going into a friend's shop one day.Looking almost home made with it's squared corners and 14 ga steel construction,it was filled with a bunch of rusted old tools to the point that I had to have him lift it into the back of my car.
When I asked what he wanted for it he said,"If you just want the box it's $7;but if you want the tools it's another $7." Thinking there might be something worth salvaging I bought the whole thing.The front panel was missing but I figured I could make one with relative ease.I forgot how difficult steel is to cold bend.
Getting it home I emptied it's contents on a table in my shop and dragged the still heavy box from the car. Sorting through the contents I found all manner of interesting things. From a couple of huge old manual soldering irons to cold chisels and the largest drift punch I'd ever seen(it barely fit in the box)to some really strange looking socket wrenches.The ratchets had a hole in them rather than the more familiar square stub and one of the ratchets had a hex drive.Also the sockets were of many odd sizes:19/32;25/32;31/32 and there was even a set of 4 point(square)sockets.
Doing some research I found that this particular set was from around 1920 and except for some rust(that readily cleaned up)in very good shape.A session with a fine wire wheel and some Break-Free and I had a nice functioning antique tool box.
My next one was a vintage Craftsman box with tools that cost me $60 in an antique shop.I really just wanted the box but the lady wouldn't break it up.The set was kind of unique in that I had never seen this particular style of Craftsman logo.More research turned up the fact that it was used for about 1929 to 1948.These tools needed only de-greasing to be perfect.One down side was that one socket in the set was cracked.This set now resides in my 1955 Pontiac wagon.
I started looking for tools now at yard sales in addition to everything else.My next find was a box that looked for all the world like a Model T Ford hood.Imagine my surprise to find a bunch of Ford branded tools inside! And the price was great! $5!Another heavy gauge monster.
My most recent find was last Sunday.Went to the opening of the flea market across from my house and a friend had a set of old tools displayed that I had never heard of.The name was Hinsdale.For $20 I bought the box full.Both the box and the tools needed cleaning which I readily accomplished and the research found that this particular set(G-20)was a popular addition to Model T Fords in the early 1920's.The site(Alloy Artifacts)had a description but no picture of the set. In the set was a single most unusual socket made by Walden-Worcester;another firm unknown to me.The drive;instead of being square or hex was an oval shape and there was an Allen screw in the side to hold the socket to the wrench..Reading about it I learned that they were only made for a short time in the early 1920's as the style didn't catch on.
Anyway that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

[Iron Hoarder]

MMMMWaaaaHAHAHA!!!

[Iron Hoarder]

I've posted most of these in the miscellaneous thread but what the heck. I'll try and get more tomorrow.

[Iron Hoarder]

[Iron Hoarder]

[orvet]

Neat stuff guys!
Looks like things laying around my place.
I have a wood lathe too with a motor, just no good place to set it up, so it is covered with a tarp.

Does anyone else tend to collect old gardening tools?
I seem to find them at estate sales & I just can't pass up a good deal!

[Iron Hoarder]

Those long wooden boxes in the picture are packed with gardening tools.

[orvet]

I gotta tell you Robert, I really like that old post vise you have up there.
Those things are almost like hen's teeth.


Here is a pic of my big vise. It belonged to my granddad. He got it from a blacksmith shop.
I will have to find a pic of the anvil I got from him as well.
The anvil is a Hay Buddon, which I am told is one of the most sought after collectible anvils.
It still has good action too!

[Iron Hoarder]

That's the saddest thing here. Leg vices and other great old tools are piled up rusting away. Loads of them all over the place. It's unbelievable.

[orvet]

That's the saddest thing here. Leg vices and other great old tools are piled up rusting away. Loads of them all over the place. It's unbelievable.

It is a sad commentary on our times, political climate & culture; that the tools of industry that built nations and even an empire (in the case of Great Britain) lay in heaps rusting away. Many of the people who do know what they are, have no clue as how to use them. We have the tools to be great nations once again; sadly I don’t think we have the will to be great again.
We have drank too much of the Kool-Aid of liberalism.



Rant off.

[Iron Hoarder]

Hay Buddon anvils are the best. They usually start the bidding at $4 per pound when auctioned.

[orvet]

Hay Buddon anvils are the best. They usually start the bidding at $4 per pound when auctioned.

I bet this anvil is 75 lbs or more.
I know a good anvil is expensive.
I am glad I didn't have to buy it!

[jerryd6818]

Dale - What are the dimensions on your vise?

[orvet]

Dale - What are the dimensions on your vise?

The jaws are 5" wide.
Front to back is aout 19-20".
I think the jaws will open up close to 12".

[Bret888]

Dale that is a great vise! Is that from the same company as Prentiss knives?

[orvet]

Dale that is a great vise! Is that from the same company as Prentiss knives?

I don't know.
I suppose it could be, both were from NY.

[Iron Hoarder]

Since most of this weeks flea market pickings are tools I'll post them here.Well it's been three weeks of webbed toe and gill growing weather but I finally got out this week. WAAAAAHAHAHAHA!!! I'm going out again in the morning.

[Miller Bro's]

What is that big bone handle knife I see

[Iron Hoarder]

That is STAG! I'll put it up in finds of the day. You have an ivory scaled corn knife by the same maker. More rare than I thought. Apparently they were plane blade makers more than anything else. It's a Pearson Norwich.

[AREMINGTONSEDGE]

Awesome thread Fellas! Feels like I'm back in my Dad's old shop!! Love it IH !

[jerryd6818]

Dale - What are the dimensions on your vise?

The jaws are 5" wide.
Front to back is aout 19-20".
I think the jaws will open up close to 12".

That's about the same size as my Armstrong.
Jaws = 6"
Capacity = ~11"
Height = 15-1/2"
Bar = 18"

[jerryd6818]

I don't know how old this Montgomery Wards table saw is. I would suspect 1950s. It's very solid with a strong fence. I built a cradle with it just before my granddaughter was born and several other projects after that, before I got my Delta contractors saw. Perfect for a small shop. It belonged to my dad.

[FRJ]

Oh, this is my kind of stuff. I guess I'll have to break out the camera and start diggin for some nice old stuff I haven't shown yet. Thanks guys.
I really like looking at this stuff and I am really glad there are guys out there like me that appreciates these old important tools.

[FRJ]

I got a chance to take some pictures. I couldn't get to my files. Maybe later.

[FRJ]

Some more stuff. Thanks.