justanengineer
Well-known member
Well fellas, I havent been to an auction in a few weeks bc of the holidays, but being a new year I thought we should start it off right.......and oh boy did we. This morning's auction/estate sale had quite the assortment of truly old items, including an early Blackhawk box. My first thought upon seeing the auction flyer was cool box, too bad I collect other brands. My second thought, dam, that SOB looks to be in pretty good shape and is loaded with early Blackhawk tools, maybe itll have something extra thats from a brand I actually do collect. Thrid thought, if its cheap I can always flip it here.
Arriving a bit late, I saw the box's contents mixed with others in flats on a big table, and the box separate, tools already selling. I gotta admit to being a bit saddened, it was a mostly (if not entirely) complete "kit" set sold originally as the box + tools that was being broken up. Dam, dam, triple dam, Id have given a nut to have that box with its original contents at least mostly complete (or any original early "kit" like that).
The only Blackhawk tools I ended up buying. I have an odd assortment/collection of vintage drive tools, so I picked up all of the 3/8 and 1/2 drive tools, spent all of $12. Theres a few odd non-Blackhawks in there, but most of that drawer including the extensions are early Bhawk. Unfortunately, the early Blackhawk 3/4 drive tools were a bit crusty, so I passed on them after the bidding got above my $20 cheapness, kinda regretting it now. Unfortunately, I also had to pass on the wrenches, sockets, and odd Blackhawk items as they too commanded a bit of a premium.....$2-3 per for common small wrenches (1/4-7/8) and more for the bigger wrenches, sockets were just as crazy.
I ended up buying the box for my opening bid of $5. Why the hell other bidders paid so much for common tools but passed on an early top box in decent shape for $5 I dont know, but they did. FWIW, this is one of the heaviest small boxes Ive ever had, my guess is its 75 lbs empty. I might have to pull the drawers later and make sure there isnt a lead plate in the bottom somewhere!
In the process of buying other tools I thought to myself, why not load the toolbox back up for security and easy transporting? Well, in the process of doing so I discovered how much of a gift $5 really was for this box. Upon opening the lid to load, I noticed the original badge from the front cover inside, but it wasnt a Blackhawk badge........it was a freakin Caterpillar Serviceman's badge!!!! Holy mother of holy grails, Ive wanted a Cat box for years but never could afford a modern one, nevermind the few early boxes Ive seen through ACMOC and the collector sales.
Needless to say, that changed it from a "flip" to a "keep" box. Luckily, SWMBO loves it and agrees we should keep it. Since I dont have room or need for it, she's going to treat the surface rust, repaint, and generally "restore" the outside (the inside just needs a bit of cleaning), then use it for her tools. She has several small portable boxes that sit on our main bench, this will replace them.
The original badge and where it will be reattached to the front hinged lid.
Inside the lid.
A few other tools I bought today....
A Slocomb mic set I picked up for $5.
A 1/2 hp Walker Turner grinder, missing some of the guards, but for $4 I could care less as I will make/find them. Its definitely a big heavy ******* and will be replacing one of the more modern ones I have that measure Chinese/Taiwanese hp. 1/2 hp is definitely not 1/2 hp anymore. This pretty easily outweighs both of my "Buffalo" grinders and my Cman combined, 50+ lbs is my guess.
Arriving a bit late, I saw the box's contents mixed with others in flats on a big table, and the box separate, tools already selling. I gotta admit to being a bit saddened, it was a mostly (if not entirely) complete "kit" set sold originally as the box + tools that was being broken up. Dam, dam, triple dam, Id have given a nut to have that box with its original contents at least mostly complete (or any original early "kit" like that).
The only Blackhawk tools I ended up buying. I have an odd assortment/collection of vintage drive tools, so I picked up all of the 3/8 and 1/2 drive tools, spent all of $12. Theres a few odd non-Blackhawks in there, but most of that drawer including the extensions are early Bhawk. Unfortunately, the early Blackhawk 3/4 drive tools were a bit crusty, so I passed on them after the bidding got above my $20 cheapness, kinda regretting it now. Unfortunately, I also had to pass on the wrenches, sockets, and odd Blackhawk items as they too commanded a bit of a premium.....$2-3 per for common small wrenches (1/4-7/8) and more for the bigger wrenches, sockets were just as crazy.
I ended up buying the box for my opening bid of $5. Why the hell other bidders paid so much for common tools but passed on an early top box in decent shape for $5 I dont know, but they did. FWIW, this is one of the heaviest small boxes Ive ever had, my guess is its 75 lbs empty. I might have to pull the drawers later and make sure there isnt a lead plate in the bottom somewhere!
In the process of buying other tools I thought to myself, why not load the toolbox back up for security and easy transporting? Well, in the process of doing so I discovered how much of a gift $5 really was for this box. Upon opening the lid to load, I noticed the original badge from the front cover inside, but it wasnt a Blackhawk badge........it was a freakin Caterpillar Serviceman's badge!!!! Holy mother of holy grails, Ive wanted a Cat box for years but never could afford a modern one, nevermind the few early boxes Ive seen through ACMOC and the collector sales.
Needless to say, that changed it from a "flip" to a "keep" box. Luckily, SWMBO loves it and agrees we should keep it. Since I dont have room or need for it, she's going to treat the surface rust, repaint, and generally "restore" the outside (the inside just needs a bit of cleaning), then use it for her tools. She has several small portable boxes that sit on our main bench, this will replace them.
The original badge and where it will be reattached to the front hinged lid.
Inside the lid.
A few other tools I bought today....
A Slocomb mic set I picked up for $5.
A 1/2 hp Walker Turner grinder, missing some of the guards, but for $4 I could care less as I will make/find them. Its definitely a big heavy ******* and will be replacing one of the more modern ones I have that measure Chinese/Taiwanese hp. 1/2 hp is definitely not 1/2 hp anymore. This pretty easily outweighs both of my "Buffalo" grinders and my Cman combined, 50+ lbs is my guess.
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. There doesn't seem to be any evidence of red paint, but the back of the small drawers are grayish. I need to see if the strips on the front are chrome like yours. I don't think mine has the mystery piece, but I'll take a look.
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