I think its really a personal thing for each person that has found their way here. It seems if asked, everyone has a different story in how they got started with the picking thing we do. For me, it started by chance.. I was cleaning out in my smaller shop and found an old tool box my grand dad had made up me around the age of 12 or so. Looking through it, I remembered a lot of the old tools he had given to me to start me on my way to manhood with my own tools to use as needed down the road. I pull out an old ratchet... its got this really cool looking pebble back ground, and a company logo I had never seen before... PLOMB... Hey that O is swapped with an upside down triangle.... What in the world... Start investigating these Plomb tools.. wow! So much cool information. I knew right then and there I would love to have a full set of these Plomb tools. and it started... Looking at flea markets, estate sales, garage sales... and then I googled them. And it lead me to this place. Whats this.. an entire thread for PLOMB tools?!?! I'm in! I stared with Plomb, and the more I learned the more I loved the hunt for them on weekends. It gave me something fun and exciting to do! And that's when I found the Garage sale thread... and started really learning about all kinds of things that the folks here find. The knowledge these folks have is more valuable than you can imagine. I'm not as heavy a buyer as I once was. But now Its quality stuff I look for. So, thanks Pop for getting me into this years after you made me that tool box! And when I think about it, he did the same thing. He hit sales and bought tools in his later years.You look like the perfect buyer to ask.. I’ve asked before and no one answered seriously. I understand the joy of buying quality USA made tools.
However; what happens with all this stuff after you buy it? Are you making “sets” of “everything “? Selling “everything” on eBay? How do you recover your investment?
Thanks
James
I have a pair but I believe are regular pliers. I posted them here at one point but I cant remember if I ever got any info on them. ill try and find them this week end to see.Two sales today--both with low expectations. First was a bust, while the second produced only a 1960's Craftsman #4395, 3/8" socket wrench set with the plastic blow mold insert and a Herbrand socket subbing in the 7/16 slot. $5.
Then I hemmed and hawed and finally decided to risk $1 on the Packard 7" ignition pliers (don't know what else to call them). I can't find any information one way or the other on them related to the Packard Motor Car Company, so I'm guessing there is none. The name and "Alloy Steel" on either side of each handle are the only markings.
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I have a pair but I believe are regular pliers. I posted them here at one point but I cant remember if I ever got any info on them. ill try and find them this week end to see.

| Snap-on: | The In Between: |
| DS 2422 Ignition wrench (1967) | No Name Wood Handle P1 |
| 2 DEX 110 Ignition wrenches | Penncraft 9875 Needle Nose |
| OXA 100 Ignition wrench | Indestro 4773 Offset Screw Driver |
| AD6 Adjustable (too shiny to use!) (1985) | K-D No. 203 Battery Terminal Pliers |
| OSH 20 5/8 Hex Combo | Camillus 1 Hawkbill Knife (apparently unused) |
| GSOEX 20 12pt Combo | |
| F10LB 3/8 Hinge Handle (1962) | |
| SSED 68B Electricians Screw Driver (OP added wire insulation) | |
| SSD6 Screw Driver |
When you get there at 6am in the dark,most homeowners get angry.Couple of garage sales this morning netted one expensive cup of coffee. First sale local had some old screwdrivers I passed on. Second sale was a 20 min drive away. They advertised "Tools"..... and they had a garden hose. Luckily they had a Dunkins on the corner so a cup of coffee and a couple of gallons of expensive gas burned up driving I returned with nothing. I contemplated running over their garage sale sign on the way out of Dunks.
While looking through my 3/4" reserves I did find a BM marked 1-3/8" ,3/4" drive socket...but the "new " set has a 1-3/8" circleK. I did,based on catalogs pin it down to 1945. Only discrepancy I can find is mine is badged inside the lid.I looked through all the catalogs and never found an exact match.Well done! Nice set. I was wondering if it was the more uncommon BM marked but it’s circle K. Either way, nice set!
Second sale opened early and I was just in time to see the sander I wanted to buy walking down the street. I did get a rusty box of treasures at giveaway prices plus a Proto slide hammer.








Love the Swingspout, but a TOO with a Gerstner?? You ****!
Don nonchalantly does a drive by gloat of a big Gerstner box NiceNext was a TOO we almost missed with tiny signs. I’m really glad we found it. Along with a few other tools was a Gerstner box that I just couldn’t pass on. I just need to glue up one drawer. Okay









Old Radar ***** for the Snap-on adjustable & Hawkbill for 10 bucks & the rest is gravy.Thanks for the assist, RagTop!
Went to two sales yesterday. First was mainly for a buddy interested in a radial arm saw they had for sale. Price was too high and they had almost nothing in the way of hand tools so I headed for the second sale which started an hour later than the first.
The proprietor came out and told us they had spent the last four days pricing items and the house was packed. If something was unpriced, just ask. I was first in the garage. Not a single item was priced--my kind of sale! First I positioned myself in front of a 3-box Stack-On stack that was mostly empty but snagged a couple of Snap-on items. The majority of tools were in a 1x2 foot plastic bin that I went through next--stopping only to mention to the lady overseeing the garage, that exhaust hose from the stand-alone air conditioner she had plugged in was doing more to heat the garage than the vents were to cool it.
Turns out the PO had a few SO items but mostly **** Chinese--with almost nothing in between. I think I came away with most of both the SO and the in between. $10 Total.
Snap-on: The In Between: DS 2422 Ignition wrench (1967) No Name Wood Handle P1 2 DEX 110 Ignition wrenches Penncraft 9875 Needle Nose OXA 100 Ignition wrench Indestro 4773 Offset Screw Driver AD6 Adjustable (too shiny to use!) (1985) K-D No. 203 Battery Terminal Pliers OSH 20 5/8 Hex Combo Camillus 1 Hawkbill Knife (apparently unused) GSOEX 20 12pt Combo F10LB 3/8 Hinge Handle (1962) SSED 68B Electricians Screw Driver (OP added wire insulation) SSD6 Screw Driver
Note on the K-D No. 203--They look roughly forged with a prominent seam down the top and bottom length of both handles. Also, on the inside of the handles, near the pin, one has forged-in X-X with a 1 beneath and the other handle has X-X with a 10 beneath.
The tang stamp is Camillus' last, used from 1989 to bankruptcy in 2007.
Love the Oilzum clock and the flamboyant pontoon fenders on that red pedal car.Here is a portion of the stuff since my last visit.
Nice to "see" you, Rags! (Newcomers should not be fooled by the modest tone - one of our best and most prolific pickers ever!)But now Its quality stuff I look for.


Posted 22 Aug @ 1309Right now, I am in a slowdown period, as I go through my collection/hoardings and see what I really want and need, and what can be "purged" so to speak. But, in time, I will be right back at it, no doubt.
Posted 28 Aug @ 1007So, on Saturday, there were two estate sales that actually looked interesting enough to break my self-imposed slow down.
Nice Gerstner!! Pull out the bottom drawer and front and you might find a date and autograph by the craftsman that built it.I was pretty happy with today’s efforts. My regular copilot slept in so my next door neighbor filled in, expertly operating the Google maps app. First sale had a Swingspout and a couple of unremarkable nutdrivers.Second sale opened early and I was just in time to see the sander I wanted to buy walking down the street. I did get a rusty box of treasures at giveaway prices plus a Proto slide hammer.
Next sale netted a minnow trap
Next was a TOO we almost missed with tiny signs. I’m really glad we found it. Along with a few other tools was a Gerstner box that I just couldn’t pass on. I just need to glue up one drawer.![]()
Well, we only had two players, or four, if you really stretch the normal rules of a pool. And we didn't do too well!Beemer's self imposed slowdown was self unimposed in 5 days, 20 hours and 58 minutes.

I was way over...I give beemer 6 days before he regresses.
Southern83 was over and unspecified.I'll take 13.
ecotec's reply, which was to BB, whose pick was 6, maybe came the closest if one was being very lenient, since "Not even" qualifies as less than 6.My bet is over 6 days.
Not even… estate sales start on Thursday…
Solo trip to Jake’s Flea this morning netted two tommy bars, an MTF 1/2sq socket (I don’t know what MTF is yet); Bonney 209 1-7/8” erection wrench, Zenel H18 doe, early 02 amber screwdriver, 183 dbe, 6’ tape rule, wood handle screwdriver; Pexto nippers, parallel pliers, Imperial clip point knife (I’ll make scales for it), spatula, 6” Westcott S-adj, Lufkin compound square; Bridgeport screwdriver, doe; unproven S-O-looking 31/32” socket, two XceLite nutdrivers, Stanley steel T-bevel, file handle, Dunlap stubby, hole punch, long-C 1/4dr sockets, Sears woodscrew drills, BluePoint prickpunch; Crowntop offset screwdriver, moulding bit set, empty socket tray; heavy hammer handle.Milwaukee Tool & Forge (the other (I know you'll know what I mean...) early Blue-Point suppliers, and pre-Lectrolite True-Fit)an MTF 1/2sq socket (I don’t know what MTF is yet)
Hey now. This is a family thread!erection wrench,
Yeah my heart skipped a beat looking at the pic wondering if it was a 4-incher until I got to the text.6” Westcott S-adj,
Posted 22 Aug @ 1309
Posted 28 Aug @ 1007
Well, it's Official. Beemer's self imposed slowdown was self unimposed in 5 days, 20 hours and 58 minutes. Someone check my math.
Congratulations, Beemer, for holding out as long as you did!
Slowdown does not mean stop.Well, we only had two players, or four, if you really stretch the normal rules of a pool. And we didn't do too well!![]()
I have had longer skunked spells than his slowdown. Like 6 weeks or more was not unusual, especially the last few years when things got so crazy busy.Of course! What makes it funny is we have all had longer spells without declaring a slowdown.![]()




I swear I had that cap gun as a kid. Whats the point of the egg carrier? How often do you take your eggs on a trip?Hmmm, I had something to say about BMW, but anyway:
Today was VERY slow. depute it being "the big day" I self isolated from the "main drag," as its alleys just WAY too crowded and I don't need anything so bad to risk C-19, especially the day before surgery. The side streets are easier to avoid people and concentrations.
Mostly covered yesterday, today I'm kicking myself for passing on a 42 star flag then, and it was gone today - I looked up later - 1890 - I should have realized then it was OLD... NOT common (we were at 42 a very short time) and pristine, looked almost unused. Live and learn.
So jsut a few things today - Aegg carrier - I need a second as I'm constantly looking for the other one...
I got this for hw case, the Notiosn were "free" at $2 for all
Mini "alligator" Wiss Snips for a buck, the knife is a Camilus:
The "Khife guy" had this cap gun, almost 4-1/2 ft long!
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