Best / Most expensive tool you've lost / found.

[Tom2]

Doing tons of junkyard runs, I've lost a few things.

Probably the worst was a 1/2in drive Craftsman ratchet.. That was a heartbreaker when I realized I couldn't find it. The lucky SOB who found that must have been happy!

Also lost a crow bar. A few sockets..


I've found a nice pair of channel locks, some weird old wrench (must have been part of a tool kit), 1/4in ratchet and a few sockets, screwdrivers..That's basically about it. Have probably lost more than found.
Oh, and I found an old Estwing hammer in the middle of the street once. That was pretty cool..
Actually, haven't lost or found anything in quite a while.

 

[Farmrod]

I personally have never lost anything but a guy I worked with at thermoking lost 2 snap on 3/8 cordless impacts then lost a 1/2 snap on cordless impact he decided he wasn't going to buy anymore after the third one... Found a set of mastercool gauges when I opened the door on a refer once a few screwdrivers and misc. sockets

 

[rsanter]

found a rigid pipe threader

bob

 

[warmpancakes]

Lost snap on 3/8 drive cordless impact

found snap on ratchet screw driver

 

[BlindViper]

Lost snap on 13mm deep 3/8 drive impact
found snap on 1/4 drive soft handle ratchet in the road

 

[classic70]

Found a pair of snap on side cutters in a motorcycle.

 

[paramedic]

"lost" a 18v makita drill. last place i remember it was in my hand when i through wood in my friends woodstove, he found a bunch of metal in there not to long after so ithink its safe to assume whats left of it was found. then one time i was driving along in the ambulance with my partner and we came across a boat pulled over and lures all over the road. his tackle box had blown out we offered to help him, he sad F it and drove off it was to dangerous, we ran around avoiding cars for 1/2 hour there were lures hung on our shirts and pants so we didnt have to keep running back to the ambulance. it was one hell of a score.

 

[greenreese]

Found a 4x torque multiplier. Things been sittin in my box forever.

 

[Mr.Nutcase]

lost 1/2 craftsman at the junkyard a few years ago, lost also a 10mm(twice)
Had snap on prybar stuck in the bumber and consensor...

 

[IndyGarage]

I had a friend who used to find all kinds of stuff. He seemed to know all the spots where stuff falls off of trucks.

I've loaned stuff out and forgotten to ask for it back.

I left a brand new fiberglass 6 foot ladder and a couple other things with my neighbor several years ago - I didn't really need them, but he got cancer and died, and I didn't feel like asking for it back right away. A year later his wife died in a tragic accident, so then it was really gone.

 

[mkdive]

Although probably not classified as a tool like some of the posts in this thread. I lost my very fist pocket knife I was given to by my dad. I had it for about 20 years or so.

I left it on a folding shelf in a laundry mat about 8 years ago. It was just a Buck "Gent" model folder. My dad actually had my name inscribed on it. I carried it every day for about 20 years. Well my washer broke one night, and I had to wash a load of clothes so I headed down to the local laundry mat to do a load, (I was forced to use a laundry mat until the weekend when I could go washer machine shopping).

I found the knife in a pocket...and set it on the counter. For the life of me I don't know why I just didn't stick it into my pocket right then and there. Well somehow I got busy, finished my laundry and took off (with out my knife). Even to this day I still kick myself over it.

I hate losing stuff....Im a bit OCD. Not to mention that knife meant a lot to me. I have lost ratchets, wrenches, dewalt 18v drill, bag full of $1,200 worth of tools stolen, hell I even had a small 26" top box full of tools stolen. Nothing bothers as much as loosing that little $20 pocket knife.

 

[FoMoCoPower]

I had a room-mate for 4 -years,all kinds of stuff came up missing. He`s gone now,and guess what...not a single thing has come up missing since.

 

[selohssa]

I have found a few things but the best (even though it was not my score) was when I was in the junkyard with a buddy. This junkyard didn't go through their cars much before they went into the yard. We were going through the new arrivals, there was a car that was rear ended and you couldn't open the trunk. My buddy spent a half an hour prying that trunk open, I gave up after two seconds. It had a carry around toolbox FULL of good tools. Most were Snap-On but everything was nice. That day we also found a car that had been in a collision after they bought groceries. We had a food fight with rotten food. My buddy threw a full bag of flour at me and it exploded when it hit me. The people at the counter looked at me funny when we left but I didn't want to shake it off as we had driven there in his car.

 

[Sterff]

I bought an F80 flex head ratchet about a month ago and two days later I laid it on my truck bumper and forgot about it. Im assuming its on the side of the road somewhere with a nice 5/16 hex bit on it . I guess my Matco ratchets didn't like the competition and wanted it gone.

 

[Michael]

Lost a file that I am sure I left on a trailer I was working on. Also lost a Hazet 13mm combo wrench that I think was left on a finishing mower. Didn't really care about the file but the wrench still aggravates me.

 

[Salem747]

Lost countless sockets. Found toolbox on side of road with misc tools and a Fluke 76 digital Multimeter.

 

[wormwood]

Amongst all the **** in the trunk of a beater 1978 MB 240D I bought in about 2002, I found 3 Snap-On screwdrivers.

 

[Teken]

Although probably not classified as a tool like some of the posts in this thread. I lost my very fist pocket knife I was given to by my dad. I had it for about 20 years or so.

I left it on a folding shelf in a laundry mat about 8 years ago. It was just a Buck "Gent" model folder. My dad actually had my name inscribed on it. I carried it every day for about 20 years. Well my washer broke one night, and I had to wash a load of clothes so I headed down to the local laundry mat to do a load, (I was forced to use a laundry mat until the weekend when I could go washer machine shopping).

I found the knife in a pocket...and set it on the counter. For the life of me I don't know why I just didn't stick it into my pocket right then and there. Well somehow I got busy, finished my laundry and took off (with out my knife). Even to this day I still kick myself over it.

I hate losing stuff....Im a bit OCD. Not to mention that knife meant a lot to me. I have lost ratchets, wrenches, dewalt 18v drill, bag full of $1,200 worth of tools stolen, hell I even had a small 26" top box full of tools stolen. Nothing bothers as much as loosing that little $20 pocket knife.

I don't think there is anything else in this world that can match that to be honest.

Items given from family member and lost / stolen can't simply be replaced or forgotten!

Feel your pain, but I am sure your Dad knows what it means to you, because its always in your thoughts!

 

[Teken]

I bought an F80 flex head ratchet about a month ago and two days later I laid it on my truck bumper and forgot about it. Im assuming its on the side of the road somewhere with a nice 5/16 hex bit on it . I guess my Matco ratchets didn't like the competition and wanted it gone.

The Armstrong Gods were trying to tell you something about co-mingling with the leader of the pack!

 

[Mickey O]

I can't recall ever losing a tool except once, it was an Imp tubing cutter, the old super small style that they don't make anymore (as far as I know). One of my favorites, I left it at a house in Rogers Park (didn't know it at the time) where I was running a 1/4" water line and some other work, when I was done for the day I realized it was gone I tore apart the van looking for it, no luck, I figured it was gone for good. A few days later the homeowner called and said one of the other trade guys found it and gave it to him, the other guy also complimented my work (maybe why I got it back), anyhow I went and picked it up and still have it as well as a few more I've picked up along the way.

I have had plenty of tools stolen and a van with my tools in it stolen, the cops found the van parked in front of a known criminals house (down the street from the Cabrini Green Projects), said they knew that he most likely was the guy that stole but there was nothing they could do, the tools were already gone.

Thought of one more I lost a 1/4" ratchet for a long time and found it in the trunk of the car.

 

[Sterff]

The Armstrong Gods were trying to tell you something about co-mingling with the leader of the pack!

Probably, It will have some Armstrong replacements soon.

 

[SS5150]

Lost a red snap on hard handled T20 a few weeks ago.....

I've lost numerous sockets
stubby screwdrivers
3/8 snap on impact (that one hurt to lose)
Mac flexible spark plug socket
10mm flank drive plus wrenches (2)
Mac locking extension (2)

I've found:
industrial finish snap on ratchet (off a new Jeep at PDI)
cornwell 12" extension
snap on 12" wobble extension
craftsman line wrench
bag of weed in a customer car last week, laying right next to the seat

 

[moparmuscle88]

ive lost a few impact sockets at the jy and soem wrenches, but nothing really expensive, i always find tools on stuff in the jy, but i know all the guys real well at the yard so i give them their tools that they left behind and they remeber me because of that

 

[20-100]

Almost lost... A Streamlight Stinger HP XT flashlight... in the dasboard of a Peterbilt... after installing a GPS tracking system... last install of the day, tired, hungry, daylight gone... I have closed the dash, tested the GPS... and forgot the flashlight inside... switched on...

When I realised it, the truck was on it's way to the other coast...

I was able to get it back two weeks after... had to replace the battery, NiMH does not like deep deep discharge...

Found: A nice swiss army knife, in a sport climbing spot.

 

[TireTracks]

My grandpa found a 1 7/16" snap on combo on the side of the road.

 

[Garage_Mahal]

Found an almost new mini-maglite in the trunk of a used car I bought.

 

[Coach James]

Never lost more than some cheapo screwdrivers.

I found a Cornwell 3/8 ratchet in the driveway of a church a few years ago.

I found a set of task Force combo wrenches driving across Ft Bragg last year. They were still in the Lowes bag.

Found a folding knife with a four inch blade at the recycling center last summer or last year, Iforget which.

Found a 3.5" anti tank round(Super bazooka) while hunting on Ft Bragg when I was in elementary school. My dad had spent 20+ years in armament maintenance and identified it as a training round by the color of the bands on the warhead. I took it to school for show and tell. The other boys thought it was major cool. Afterward, I kept it next to my desk until the end of the day then carried it home. Times sure have changed.

Coach

 

[bradleykd]

I work in Operation Support Maintenance at Toyota Manufacturing in KY, and I find ALL KINDS of good tools sittin around. I usually only pick up the Snap-On stuff I dont have, and leave the rest of it for others... lol.

I dont lose tools. the only thing I ever lost was a screwdriver, but i found it when I moved. I keep my box locked at work, and put everything up after I use it, and I have never had a problem

 

[bsaint]

I left behind an entire Cman 3/8" ratchet and socket set in Texas when I was down there doing work. 8 months later I happened to be back at the customer and the maintenance guy who quit took it with him figuring Id never be back to get it.

Best thing I found was an almost complete MAC 1/4" SAE deep socket set.

 

[Spareparts]

Lost a 7mm SO wrench in 2001 when we were putting our 1962 220 SE Mercades in a Conex container for storage. Found it yesterday when we moved it to the new shop, on the brake bleeder.

 

[Dust]

Lost a number of trim sticks, usually by just overlooking them when finishing up a trim job. Left a couple pairs of pliers under some hoods.

Once even left a funnel in the fill tube of a Hemi for a Ram 1500, simply because I got distracted by a coworker, and when the hood's closed there's still about a foot of clearance between the engine and the hood. That one got called back, though. I have to watch myself when I get in a good groove, because I tend to overlook stuff if something else distracts me.

Best one I ever found was my coworker's flat-blade Snap-On screwdriver on the cowl of a Grand Cherokee. Sounds innocent enough, right? Well, when I asked him if he wanted it back, he said he hadn't seen that one since he worked at another dealer, probably four or five years prior, and which has since gone out of business.

 

[kornjulio]

It was just a Buck "Gent" model folder.

Love the Buck Gent. Been my work pocket knife for years. Simple, understated, and comfortable. No reason for anything else.

 

[HTGTS350]

Just lost a 10mm combination wrench from my first toolkit I was given when I started my apprenticeship, the only piece of the kit that is missing, I bought a new one but of course after all these years the pattern has changed. Last place I saw it was when I was doing the 100000km plug change on my Landcruiser, I look under the hood every second day to see if has shaken down somewhere, not yet but I live in hope.

 

[TheDukeofDeere]

Just recently lost a fairly new Milwaukee M18 battery......I'm still trying to remember where it could have went. Hopefully it will turn up.

 

[JSBriggs]

Lost: Wiss M3R

Found: Snap on 7/16 socket w/ 4" extension

-Jeff

 

[tonydanzah]

I left a snap on automatic wire stripper and 60 led cordless trouble light at different customers.

 

[engineer2]

The cost is insignificant, but when I'm doing a construction projects around the house I always lose my pencils. I sharpen a half a dozen or so and put them in my tool pouch, sawzall box, behind my ear, in several pockets and within half an hour they're all gone.

My former employer was closing a warehouse and you could buy stuff cheap. I got storage shelves, 3 huge fire extinguishers, and a nice workbench. Not a "find", but when I went to pay, my co-workers in charge said "don't worry about it, just take it."

 

[Strouty]

I work on cellular towers. One time I was on top of a mountain in Northern Vermont and I was just doing some work inside the building. I needed a short step ladder but didn't have one. I did have a storage bucket that was full of stainless steel hardware and copper ground lugs. It was the perfect height to stand on so I could reach what I was doing. Later that night I realized that I hadn't loaded it in my truck, of course by this time I was all ready back in Maine. I called the tower owner the next day and they said that they would check and see if it was there. Of course they said it was gone! That bucket was worth well over $1000.00 with all the stuff in it. Now before I leave a site, everything is always double checked!

 

[Tom2]

Yea..I do a good once over, pat all my pockets, make sure my wallet is there, etc.. Because you know, once you leave - it's gone.

 

[crewchief888]

ive lost more tools over the last 30 years than i can count.
ive moved many times, and have been a field serv tech many times.
my best find was in a junkyard, i was looking a an old station wagon that was wrecked pretty bad.
the engine was all chromed out, new intake, carb, MSD,headers, exhaust ect. the stereo head unit was gone, but i started follwing wires back, and found where the amps had been mounted. no body ever lifted up the rear floor, but i did. everybody else just wanted the stereo, nobody had even pulled anything off the engine.
i grabbed the tool bag that was there, and headed on my way.
got a MAC tool bag, a MAC pliers set, MAC screwdrivers, an SK 1/4" drive std & MM set, a small hammer, and couple pairs of wire strippers.