Tools you forgot/can’t remeber if you own.

[JBradley500]

There’s a 1-1/16” flare socket on eBay right now that I almost bid on but I just remembered that I THINK that I have a snap-on one that I bought for the same job a couple of years ago. I can not remember for sure though and I’m not around my tools. I do seem to remember something about buying one and not enjoying that it was only laser etched.

Now that’s not a very funny story, but I figured you guys had some good ones to tell.

 

[ssdave]

I do that all the time. I've got about 550 sockets in my top drawer. Believe it or not, there are some that are missing that I'm still looking for. I don't have a list; should make one. I often go out and dig in my box and see if I need a socket; almost every time I buy a large box of tools, I get a socket or two that I'm still looking for.

Same with Snap-on XV DBE wrenches. There were a lot of combinations of different ends on those. I think I have 4 that I'm missing, but don't remember which. I do have a list of those. Also the same with the Proto long DBE's.

Sometimes I buy a tool being pretty sure that I don't own it, only to find it's in my box, and when I put it in the spares, I already have a surplus one too.

Might be a sign of "too many tools"?

 

[Tallpilot]

Sometimes I buy a tool being pretty sure that I don't own it, only to find it's in my box, and when I put it in the spares, I already have a surplus one too.

This happens to me occasionally with both tools and consumables. :/

 

[Knotgoalie]

I always end up buying one of whatever to complete a job because I can't find the one I already have and by the time the job is done, I've discovered where I put the one I already owned.

 

[Jeremy77]

Bought a set of post hole diggers a while back. I remembered having a set previously but was unable to find them. My brother moved to St. Louis this last December and while cleaning out his garage, he found my original pair. Said I’d lent him them a few years back but I didn’t remember doing it.

 

[Elvie84]

Just the other day I bought some extension bars then realised I had some in the bottom of my tool box I forgot about.

 

[davethorik]

Because I have a lot of tools scattered all over the place (dad's garage, BIL's garage, multiple places in house, storage unit, car tool set, and work) it has been a problem for me.

I'm about 95% done with a full inventory, but the last 5%...just can't find em. Lol

 

[EdT]

Yes, but I can't remember what they are much less where they are.

 

[Parrothead]

This is EXACTLY why I am about to pare down. I have too much ****! Time to clean up!

 

[Musicinabottle]

Had a very large set of Wiiliam's Plyers. Gone now and never have spotted another pair. Yet.

 

[Danglerb]

My rule is that if I can't find it or remember if I have it, I need another one.

Worst case, I was missing one of the smaller sizes in a SK socket set. Poking around at the swap meet (this was around the time SK was in trouble and about to be bought) I found a pile of misc tools dumped on a blanket with SK sockets mixed in and they all looked new. Always looking for a deal I made the guy an offer for all the sockets in the pile before digging around too much in it attracting attention. He accepted and we quickly gathered up all the sockets in a plastic bag, something like 47 if I remember right, and I headed off.

I get home and start sorting them out and its not a socket set, its inventory from some store closing out the SK sockets, so none of some sizes, 9 of some others, and none of the size I was looking for. One of my posts actually lists all the sockets as trading stock for other sizes.

 

[ken w.]

I bought a coil spring compressor last year. While cleaning out a corner of my garage that that hasn't been gone through in 10 + years , I found another one new in the box.

 

[Tonyuk]

Or sometimes you know you have it you just think you've left it in a car, with someone else etc..

I have plenty of of the same sized sockets down to stuff like that.

 

[Maui]

I've been looking for used 1 1/8" and 1 1/4" sockets for a restoration project, but didn't run across any at the sales I've been to recently. The other day I discovered that I actually had both already stored in my tool cabinet. It had been so many years since I bought them that I completely forgot they were even in there!

As a side note, since I moved to my current house in 2014 I still haven't been able to find my Milwaukee Sawzall. I know it's got to be here somewhere.

Maui

 

[jmarkwolf]

I've owned a contour gauge for years (pic below). Couldn't find it recently. Looked everywhere.

Bought a new one.

The very NEXT DAY, I was cleaning out the cubby holes in the doors of my Jeep, and found my original.

The missus had apparently stashed it get get it off her side of the seat!

 

[Robinson1]

I do that with fasteners. I could open my own hardware store today! haha

Also to a lesser extent with oddsized drills. Especially forstner bits and hole saws that I only need maybe once a year. I've got a couple drawers full of this stuff with many duplicates of obscure sizes that have been used one time each!

I've also got about a dozen cheap voltage detectors(the kind with 2 leads and a light on the end) because I keep misplacing them and buying more then finding the old ones.