Anvils & Vises Galore
- Thread starter twertsy
- Start date
dkroth
Well-known member
Twertsy,
Clearly this guy doesn't care about what he has in the barn and despite being convinced a month ago, he doesn't really want to be involved with liquidating the lot.
Time to make him an offer on the whole lot and resell it yourself.
Clearly this guy doesn't care about what he has in the barn and despite being convinced a month ago, he doesn't really want to be involved with liquidating the lot.
Time to make him an offer on the whole lot and resell it yourself.
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bczygan
Well-known member
An offer and an acceptance is never a ripoff in my book, unless one party isn't mentally capable. Stupid and desperate don't count.
I've given away things of value. My choice and my reasons. The person getting them need not feel guilty.
One mans treasure, is another man's trash.
bulletpruf
Well-known member
^^^This.
bulletpruf
Well-known member
Keeping my fingers crossed for you Todd, but this sounds like one of those deals that is too good to be true. If he's a good old country boy, he knows how much scrap is bringing, and he should know that anvils and vises bring more than scrap value.
Scott
Scott
va.grouseman
Well-known member
Rarely does an opportunity like this come along.---All the stars have to be aligned just right.---I to don't want to rip an elderly gentleman off, or someone that just don't know what he has.---But I've learned through the school of hard knocks that the next person will have no problem with it at all.---So the happy medium I've adopted is to jump on the offer before he can draw his next breath, fork out the cash immediately, ask for a receipt for the transaction, gather my treasures up, and then give the person a whopping big tip.---This makes everybody more than happy.
Give a person time to think, and Check Mate.---Game over.
---But again 20-20.
Give a person time to think, and Check Mate.---Game over.
---But again 20-20.
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bczygan
Well-known member
One last thing.
When I buy things at a great bargain, I don't need to know the reason the price is low when I make the purchase.
After the transaction though, I often ask the seller the reason he is selling. Heck, sometimes I ask before. And if the seller is clueless, many times afterwards, I will educate them, so next time they will know. Sometimes people don't even know what it is that they are selling. That was true last weekend, with a saw vise. He still wanted good money for it though. But this revelation could also make them feel bad, so maybe it's better to just keep mum.
When I buy things at a great bargain, I don't need to know the reason the price is low when I make the purchase.
After the transaction though, I often ask the seller the reason he is selling. Heck, sometimes I ask before. And if the seller is clueless, many times afterwards, I will educate them, so next time they will know. Sometimes people don't even know what it is that they are selling. That was true last weekend, with a saw vise. He still wanted good money for it though. But this revelation could also make them feel bad, so maybe it's better to just keep mum.
Maui
Well-known member
And that was where you went wrong unfortunately. I would've told him that his price was a little on the low side, given him $250.00 sight unseen, and showed up with my trailer and loaded everything up that day. But that's me.
Maui
jlh92
Well-known member
If I were in your shoes I would have bought the lot the minute he mentioned it for $200. If I ended up selling a good chunk of it for a profit I would have gotten in contact with him again and given him some of the money I made off of them.
I've had deals go south by trying to pay more than they were asking as some people think you know how much it's worth and are trying to lowball them even if you offer over their asking
I've had deals go south by trying to pay more than they were asking as some people think you know how much it's worth and are trying to lowball them even if you offer over their asking
drivesitfar
Well-known member
Twertsy: just to say what others haven't said is that i agree with your original decision. even if the seller was trying to pass on a good deal you gave him time to think about it and saved the vises and anvils from the scrap pile where the scrap guy would be maybe selling them or just throwing them around. if he really has a bunch of kids he can use the money later even if his business is doing ok today.
I might have asked to see the pile before turning down his offer because he might have a bunch of broken stuff that we are sitting here talking about. and if not maybe VA's offer to pay his price and get them loaded and add a couple Benjamins then or a few in a Paypal later is another idea.
I've given nice things away knowing they had value, but at the time i needed the space and didn't want to wait. one way to get decent stuff going to the right person is the FREE section on Craigslist that I've used a lot. i usually get the thrift store guys having their guys email first, but i usually wait until i get a real person that needs it and sometimes i'll get many emails with nice stories so i can pass it on to a good home most of the time.
I might have asked to see the pile before turning down his offer because he might have a bunch of broken stuff that we are sitting here talking about. and if not maybe VA's offer to pay his price and get them loaded and add a couple Benjamins then or a few in a Paypal later is another idea.
I've given nice things away knowing they had value, but at the time i needed the space and didn't want to wait. one way to get decent stuff going to the right person is the FREE section on Craigslist that I've used a lot. i usually get the thrift store guys having their guys email first, but i usually wait until i get a real person that needs it and sometimes i'll get many emails with nice stories so i can pass it on to a good home most of the time.
1320stang
Well-known member
Man, I'd love to have a 100#-200# anvil, problem is, most are asking $5-$6/lb and the ones they have aren't exactly in pristine condition.
bulletpruf
Well-known member
Leaving here on 1 July. Flying directly to Naples, IT. Need to re-energize my search for something vintage, reasonably affordable, and somewhat exotic.
Just recovering from malaria; better now, but sucked for a few weeks.
Scott
I'm going to text him again here in a minute and see what happens.
He didn't seem like the type that'd be interested. Like I said, just a good ole boy workin hard. More of a user than a gawker like me.
Dang Scott, glad I never caught that over there. Glad you're on the mend!
fred d
Well-known member
Ok I think this is a pretty cool thread
And I would have told him I'll take them-lets load them up-here's your $200
Now I am about to get real flamed here for the next part.
Unless your a blacksmith, why would you want a anvil?
I love tools and really only need a half reason to buy something I don't already have.
I know where a new one is on sale.
I will check the weight tomorrow, but price is $200
And I would have told him I'll take them-lets load them up-here's your $200
Now I am about to get real flamed here for the next part.
Unless your a blacksmith, why would you want a anvil?
I love tools and really only need a half reason to buy something I don't already have.
I know where a new one is on sale.
I will check the weight tomorrow, but price is $200
De-troit Debbie
Member
- Joined
- Apr 29, 2015
- Messages
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instant street cred.
Zeke
Well-known member
Might make them feel bad?
Here in SoCal CL is a matter of minutes. I've called on deals 30 minutes after the post and been told someone is on his way. I've mentioned that the price seemed low and why? I get back, "What should I be selling it for?"
That's the tricky part. So I just tell them that if the guy doesn't show or wants to haggle even more, call me and I'm good for the price and maybe a bit more if needed.
1950mercury
Well-known member
I think
You think?
Ok, so here's the update, and it *****, cuz I'm an idiot for not just ****** the guy for $200. He offered after all! Lesson learned.
Last Thursday I texted him saying I had an anvil collector coming to my shop and we'd like to come down and take a look in his barn sometime Friday. To my surprise, I actually got a response, just not the one I wanted. I don't have it in front of me but it went something like: "I'll be in [insert far away town here] tomorrow. I will message you when I have time and if I decide to get rid of them."
Personally, I read into that: "Thanks for informing me about what I have and you ain't gettin' them."
My plan is to bug him once a month from now and until he comes up and shoots me.
Ok, so here's the update, and it *****, cuz I'm an idiot for not just ****** the guy for $200. He offered after all! Lesson learned.
Last Thursday I texted him saying I had an anvil collector coming to my shop and we'd like to come down and take a look in his barn sometime Friday. To my surprise, I actually got a response, just not the one I wanted. I don't have it in front of me but it went something like: "I'll be in [insert far away town here] tomorrow. I will message you when I have time and if I decide to get rid of them."
Personally, I read into that: "Thanks for informing me about what I have and you ain't gettin' them."
My plan is to bug him once a month from now and until he comes up and shoots me.
cowboy73
Well-known member
Ya messed up by not getting them in first place! You could have bought the lot of them, sold off the ones you didn't want to keep and gave the guy part of the money. You would have a clear conscience and he would made a little extra AND you coulda scored some anvils and vises!
Fretters
Well-known member
Just chalk it down to experience twertsy. We've likely all been in similar situations in the past. It's like when you get screwed over by some ********. As irksome as situations like this may be at the time, learn from them and just make sure you don't drop the same bollock again. Experience is earned, not given, and it can be a royal pain on occasion.
I kinda doubt he would have sold them to you in the first place. People like that talk and talk and talk, but when it comes time to do the deal they are conveniently unavailable. They just lack the courage to tell you the truth. I've had it happen to me a number of times. Still infuriates me.
Well said Fretters.
Well said Fretters.
drivesitfar
Well-known member
Twertsy: i bet they weren't his to sell outright so leave the guy alone he made a mistake mentioning them in the first place.
move on to the next deal and i still think you did the right thing. i just might have asked to see them if possible because we still could be talking about broken vises and anvils.
just an FYI to you and others if you do happen to find a anvil in an old barn or shed and it's dirt cheap remember it could just be a hunk of steel if it was in a fire or is cracked. just know that when you start pulling out the Benjamins to pay for one.
move on to the next deal and i still think you did the right thing. i just might have asked to see them if possible because we still could be talking about broken vises and anvils.
just an FYI to you and others if you do happen to find a anvil in an old barn or shed and it's dirt cheap remember it could just be a hunk of steel if it was in a fire or is cracked. just know that when you start pulling out the Benjamins to pay for one.
thebeekeeper1
Well-known member
So Ann Margaret really isn't coming? 
dkroth
Well-known member
So Ann Margaret really isn't coming?
Hahahah. Very good beekeeper!
bczygan
Well-known member
First off, I NEVER would have told him how I valued what he had. Let him value it for himself.
But that is water under the bridge.
Secondly, I would never give up on this.
I wouldn't assume anything from his response.
I would hunt the guy down by any available means.
I would do whatever it took to keep the possibility of a deal open.
You never know, things can change.
He could die. He could suddenly need some cash. They could be someone else's, and you find out who that is.
You just don't know.
You never know.
Search his email address.
Any other clues?
Any other basis you can contact him on?
But that is water under the bridge.
Secondly, I would never give up on this.
I wouldn't assume anything from his response.
I would hunt the guy down by any available means.
I would do whatever it took to keep the possibility of a deal open.
You never know, things can change.
He could die. He could suddenly need some cash. They could be someone else's, and you find out who that is.
You just don't know.
You never know.
Search his email address.
Any other clues?
Any other basis you can contact him on?
Fretters
Well-known member
IMHO, that type of behaviour would be likely to lead to their being no chance whatsoever of ever buying the stuff, if it was a legitimate offer originally. No disrespect intended, but what you describe above comes across as being borderline stalker territory. It needs to be kept in perspective that these are merely vices and anvils. The world isn't going to end for lack of them, and there's definitely no need to hound someone excessively for them, especially when they've already expressed disinterest in a deal.
A simple message to the chap from twertsy asking him to keep twertsy in mind if he does ever decide to sell is all that's needed. He'll probably never hear from the "seller" again, but at least he knows he won't come across as, (again, this is meant with no disrespect, but I honestly can't think of any other way to phrase it), creepy, hence may stand a chance of being considered in future, if the occasion ever arises.
CwazyWabbit
Well-known member
I know where you are coming from with your comments Fretters and this side of the pond they would be the best advice ...... however it may be that things are done differently on the other side, in fact I imagine they vary greatly from state to state with some being fairly laid back negotiations/hunting and others being quite aggressive. I'm sure Twertsy will do what he feels comfortable with and treat the seller how he himself would wish to be treated himself.
Fretters
Well-known member
Remind me never to go across the pond if it's the norm over there.
Edit: You've put the thought/sound of the duelling banjo's in my head now CW.
Edit: You've put the thought/sound of the duelling banjo's in my head now CW.
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CwazyWabbit
Well-known member
Remind me never to go across the pond if it's the norm over there.
Lol, it probably isn't ..... I never got into negotiations for anything when I went over for a conference a few years ago but there were quite a few differences. Even between the other attendees that were from all over the states, let alone the ones from other countries.
Like I said, I'm going to send him a note, letting him know I'm still here, and interested about once a month. I know where they are, I tracked him down via knowing what his biz is and the town he lives in. Perhaps I could have him build me one of his specialties in the near future after we find our next home/property. I'm not going to hound the guy beyond that.
Maui
Well-known member
I'd just throw in the towel at this point. He doesn't seem very motivated to unload them now that he realizes they are worth a lot more than just scrap value. Lesson learned.
Maui
Maui