I've seen that more at auctions rather than any ES around here. I look at the price I would pay for the item(s) I might want, any value in the rest, before I go down that path.
Most of my my best finds came from estate sales. It was my #1 hobby for years. Scouring newspapers and websites, Mapquesting in advance, driving all over, waiting in the freezing cold, competing with tons of other regulars. It was a “thing”. Much work and many disappointments in search of those good sales and good deals. Sometimes it pays off and you find those gems. Had a blast digging and hunting way more times than I can count.
What’s the amber handle flex 1/4 drive spinner? If it’s long c craftsman, you did good. Those don’t come up oftenI stopped by my parents’ neighbor’s house the other day to check out some things before the estate she was having. Her late husband had a Triumph and a Harley and apparently most of the tools had been taken by relatives already but this box of tools caught my eye and I threw out a fair number and she didn’t quarrel. A set of Craftsman -V- in 1/2” drive, SAE and metric with a few -V- ratchets. Some older metric M/M -V- sockets, but I think the coolest kit is the SK(?) 1/2” drive hex socket and ratchet kit. The ratchet is marked “105” and it looks like this is SK, but I can’t find it anywhere on the tool holder. It’s in pretty good shape and just maybe some surface rust. I might clean it some. The 7/8” socket is cracked, but 3/8”-3/4” are still in good shape. It looks like this set might be 30s from quick research, but open to what others might say. If so, this would be my new oldest tool, passing my 1941 F-70 ratchet with 7/16” socket.
Had to go see for myself and it’s true. There was one vendor set up and another selling things out of his truck. Hard to believe, since last month was incredible. Apparently ended due to sale of the property from what I heard.
Nicely done! The spring is straight and not twisted into a bent angle which is a bonus!Yes it’s a long C
Agree completely on the YouTube videos, and my guess is most of them underreport what they actually paid. I think many of us have similar experiences with silly pricing. I think the price escalation started when *Bay became ubiquitous. People, including professional resellers, look and find similar items with high asking prices (not SOLD prices). That said, I live in ‘Crescent territory,’ and the deals are still out there … you go to one sale and see a Crescent adjustable for $10 and the next one has some at the bottom of the 50-cent bin!!
I thought it was a leftover prop from the I, Robot movie!
I found one just like it last year and gave it to the prodigal son (LTC/M.D.) for Xmas!
Nice GMTK find.
I really like that C'man screwdriver second from top in your pic. Flathead stubby with full size handle. My buddy had one, it's great for tighten and loosen hose clamps. I gotta find one someday.I spotted a sale less than 10 minutes from home. We waited till an hour after opening as this sale company usually has long lines. The lines were gone by the time we arrived and we said hi to a guy I knew from back in my working days. He had bought vintage stereo components and left the tools to me. There was quite a large pile of wrenches, and quite of few of them were Plombpire Vlchek almost all of which I left behind. Here is what we brought home. Quite a few various Lectrolite wrenches, a few Cal-Van flare nut wrenches, a P&C and Thorsen combo. Several Craftsman tools and an obligatory Barcalo DOE.
Thorsen 5/8” combo wrench.
P&C little combo.
Metric Lectrolite DOE wrenches.
Craftsman screwdrivers.
Barcalo DOE
Shockingly these Sears marked locking pliers were faintly marked China!
-Don
I started looking for good tools for my set in '02-'03. Mostly Craftsman. I think back to all the basements that were just loaded with table after table of tools. If I had a dollar for every time some bozo said "Guy must have been a machinist.". That, and "They sure were hoarders.". As others have said on this site, some homes you can tell people LIVED. Other places looked the complete opposite. I can tell you which were the great sales though.
Another guy made a funny remark about "all that pushing and shoving".So long as we're on the topic, I have to tell my favorite story (well one of them) that I've told a dozen times before.
Dead of winter, but a calm, sunny, frigid morning. Professional sale, but what they did calling #'s was unprofessional. Everyone was piled in the hallway of this apartment building for a first floor apartment sale. People lined the stairs going up to floor 2 and everything, and there was a lot of grumbling. I got there early, was like #6 on the list IIRC.
They called my number and I couldn't get to the door, it was so crowded. While I got the couple feet to the door, there was commotion from the direction of the stairwell as an old guy they called after me attempted to cut me off. He started pushing his way through everybody and we were shoulder to shoulder entering the apartment. We literally popped through the doorway together like some cartoon characters. It was a funny moment I'll never forget.
Somehow I turned into the correct room and found the shelving unit full of tools. That's where I found my nice green heritage box that I would carry in the car for many years. I quickly swept the set of vintage Craftsman combos off the shelf, and another guy was like "Oh, must be something good.". Of course the tools were priced out separate from the box, but the lady worked with me a little bit that day because it was so crazy and so cold out.
Agreed.
BEST screwdriver on the planet for working on carburetors. Especially adjusting floats on Holleys.
Your state, eh? And that would be??
I just find few tools in general at the upscale estate sales, and I agree, the few I see there are generally used, misused and abused.
Y'ever try to get paid for work done on said million-plus houses?I just find few tools in general at the upscale estate sales, and I agree, the few I see there are generally used, misused and abused.
And they're usually some of the cheapest brands you can find. Million plus dollar houses, and $2 tools.
Fortunately, I haven't had to deal with those folks personally, I always worked with the companies that they owned, and only dealt with their chosen management folks, people like myself, who had to work for a living.
Back when I was doing a lot of remodel and landscape work, I loved it when I pulled into a potential customer's drive and saw a beat-up F150. Not so much when it was a BMW or Merc. I knew who was gonna pay on time without a hassle.
I went to one estate sale for a gazillionaire. He was a hoarder of the utmost level. You know something's up when you're issued a wheelbarrow at the gate! I filled mine twice that day.... and emptied my wallet.
