Bonneys in Buckets

[Bolster]

Went to a swap meet near Huntington Beach last weekend and was shocked to see these new Bonney metrics in buckets...started salivating...usually large numbers mean cheap prices. As I'm picking out a set I ask how much. "Teen dollars." I asked "Ten dollars for how many?" He said "Teen dollars por each won." I said "I don't think I can afford a set, at those prices." He shrugged his shoulders and said, "Si, I paid too motch for them, Senor."

Meh, I don't like or need DOEs. Still a thrill to see them. Wonder where these things come from...did they "fall off the truck" from nearby Long Beach harbor?

 

[Kirbot]

Sigh...

It's always disappointing when something great like that turns up, and there ridiculously overpriced.

$10 for 1 double open ended wrench?
Good luck with that... especially at a flea market.

 

[fordbroncodave]

a set of like 5 or 8 wrenches for $50-80 isn't bad especially if its a set and they are large *** sizes

 

[PowderKeg]

Shoot Bolster, he might have the few I need to fill out my set, but you're right, "teen dollars" apiece is gettin' up there, considering I got my eight for tweelve dollars total.

 

[bonneyman]

Oh, man! What a find!
$10 each isn't too bad - if you only need one or two. A whole set would get prohibitive.

Were there any angle metrics in there?

There was a used tool distributor in San Leandro (San Fran area) that had a boatload of NOS Bonney tools he had acquired from the closing Navy shipyard in Alameada. Then the website just disappeared, and no one would answer the phone. Perhaps the inventory got split up and sold around the state? There were alot of DOE's in that stash.

 

[american lockpicker]

Whats wrong with DOE?

 

[Bolster]

... considering I got my eight for tweelve dollars total.

Doce Pesos por ocho...Now that's the price I'm lookin' for, Vato!...

Were there any angle metrics in there?

You can rest easy my man...nothing exotic like that was to be seen. I wonder if this is your San Leandro shipyard here...? Wouldn't that be interesting.

Whats wrong with DOE?

Well...nothing...they just seem to multiply like rabbits in my toolbox drawers.

 

[Packard V8]

"Si, I paid too motch for them, Senor."

Translation - "been on the internet and knows what he's got." I stood behind two guys in a line at the post office. They had a dolly loaded with Flat Rate Boxes. My espanol is limited, but I could pick up enough, especially when every other sentence contained "e-bay", "ofertas" or "pujando."

jack vines

 

[kc-steve]

He-he, you guys crack me up! I showed my mechanic Bolster's poll and NOW he wants to sell half his tools he has in his tool box. We looked through them and found Proto Los Angeles, Lectrolite, S-K Lectrolite, etc. . . . He's afraid he even has a few he mangled for special purposes that might have been "valuable."


Steve

 

[Toolhorder]

I really don't get why you guys have a hard on for these wrenches. I only can use one at a time anyway and I own the best so why buy others?

 

[Packard V8]

I showed my mechanic Bolster's poll and NOW he wants to sell half his tools he has in his tool box. We looked through them and found Proto Los Angeles, Lectrolite, S-K Lectrolite, etc.

Tell your mechanic it was a false alarm. Having sold a bunch of obsolete stuff here and on eBay, I guarantee, he's not gonna retire off that collection. There are two, maybe three guys in the whole world who collect Proto Los Angeles. I've never met anyone who specifically sought and paid big bucks for Lectrolite. Unless he's got mint condition complete sets, the lesser known stuff just doesn't sell.

No experience here or in flea markets leads me to believe there is a market for $10 single Bonney OEs, unless your name is Epstein.

jack vines

 

[kc-steve]

Tell your mechanic it was a false alarm. . . .

No experience here or in flea markets leads me to believe there is a market for $10 single Bonney OEs, unless your name is Epstein.

jack vines

I gotta agree on the open-end wrenches and I have never been to a flea market but that is gonna change soon. For the most part, I don't think a wrench or two is going to fetch high prices as is the case with my mechanic. He doesn't have any complete sets, except for Snap-On. And most are well worn.

HOWEVER, in case you haven't been in Harbor Freight lately as I have, you will often find the stores packed with "unwashed" future tool hoarders and collectors. It takes time for these new guys to polish up those Pittsburgh wrenches before they realize that there are better out there.

Steve

 

[TheGrooveking]

I really don't get why you guys have a hard on for these wrenches. I only can use one at a time anyway and I own the best so why buy others?

So you have Bonney wrenches?

TheGrooveking

 

[Bolster]

There are two, maybe three guys in the whole world who collect Proto Los Angeles

And I'm one of them...and I'm persnickety enough to only buy items that'll basically look new, and I expect to buy wrenches $2-3 each. I know the other guy who collects Proto LA, he's in San Diego. Who's the third?

No, I don't see me funding anybody's retirement for Proto LA's. I'm already funding the retirement of all the high school teachers and politicians (but not my own retirement, sadly enough).

 

[kc-steve]

And I'm one of them...and I'm persnickety enough to only buy items that'll basically look new, and I expect to buy wrenches $2-3 each. I know the other guy who collects Proto LA, he's in San Diego. Who's the third? . . . .

Just to clarify it a little more, my main point above is that the "vintage tool market" is dynamic, not static. It will always be changing, and I strongly suspect there will be greater demand for vintage U.S. made tools in the future, maybe even Proto LA. Yet the SUPPLY remains relatively fixed. The fact we are discussing it here might inspire new collectors for as long as this thread exists on the Internet.

BTW, Bolster, did you notice I didn't hit you up to buy my mechanic's Proto LA tool? I figured if you wanted it you would have said something. The tools in his tool box are really in use and it doesn't make a lot of sense for him to sell something cheap he might have to replace at new prices.

Steve

 

[Bolster]

... suspect there will be greater demand for vintage U.S. made tools in the future, maybe even Proto LA. The fact we are discussing it here might inspire new collectors for as long as this thread exists on the Internet.

NO! No, that's not good at all. You buzzards stay away from my Proto LA. You have it on good authority it is worthless. No go back to your Snap-on, Plomb, Bonney, Mac, and Matco.

Kidding aside, Proto LA is too plentiful, actually, to attract much attention. It's everywhere. I can hardly avoid it at the local markets, and when it comes up, it comes up cheap. Which is why GJ members haven't had much success selling me Proto LA stuff...generally I already have one in better condition, and I probably got it for $2. At this point I'm only hunting the rare stuff: big wrenches, long wrenches, flare nuts, pullers, specialty items. And even then, I know it can be had at bargain basement prices.

 

[kc-steve]

I'd say that's good for you they are plentiful, but maybe that is in SoCal right? I never heard of them and my mechanic never heard of them. He found it in his toolbox AFTER your survey. To give him the benefit of the doubt he has family in SoCal and might have bought it there. I sure wouldn't try to predict the future of vintage tools though. Imagine baseball cards being expensive, I couldn't, and then practically worthless now.

At least vintage tools have intrinsic value as well as collectible value.

Steve

 

[Toolhorder]

So you have Bonney wrenches?

TheGrooveking

Set myself up for that one huh? Nah I own Snap-On

 

[camarotoolman]

Too baD THEY WEREN'T CRAPSMAN YOU COULD BREAK EM AND GET NEW!

 

[bonneyman]

I just came back to the thread to look at those buckets of Bonney tools again!

Now, if they were DBE metrics, I'd be making a trip to S. Cal "to visit family"!

 

[thesilverone]

yeah DOE wrenches don't sell. I lost money selling a set.

 

[Bolster]

Now, if they were DBE metrics, I'd be making a trip to S. Cal "to visit family"!

If they was DBE metrics, you'd be coming to visit me, because I'd own 'em by now! Heck yeah, you're family, you're from Arizona. I spent some of the best years of my life in AZ. Next time I have a full stock of DBE metric Bonneys, you're welcome to come visit your Uncle Delmar in wayward California.

 

[Old Donn]

The price will likely come down when he gets tired of shlepping them back & forth to swap meets.