Do you buy engraved tools?

[Exceller8]

I went to the pawn shop again and picked up some engraved tools at a bargain price. The owner told me that they take pictures of the engraved tools and send them to the police department and they put a hold on then for 30 days. After that they can be put up for sale. I feel much better about buying engraved tools even though it doesn't mean 100% that they aren't stolen but at least they are going through the proper channels.

 

[volaredon]

I have had several, most bought at estate auctions and such; it dont change the functionality of the tools any!

 

[Thunderbisciut]

I try not to buy engraved just because they seem more difficult to unload if I need to, and I'd rather not use an engrave tool just out of personal preference. I'm not any more worried about a tool being stolen whether it's engraved or not, that's just silly thinking. I did just end up with a set of Snap On 6pt combos that are engraved. I contemplated using them, but my OCD was telling me that I'd have to swap out the other sizes to match the set, and that just isn't happening. Besides, they'll probably still sell for more than my Sk or Proto sets.

 

[zuk123]

Years ago, I spray painted a bunch of my tools a hot pink! They never got "borrowed" in the shop again....

I've been painting mine pink for years. For some reason, the other carpenters in the shop stopped borrowing them... and when one DID go walkabout, it was easy to spot the pink from across the shop. Then I write my name in marker on the paint, so if someone picks up a random tool, they know who to return it to.

I've engraved most of them too. At least there is a chance of getting them back. No chance at all if not marked. And if you do find one in a coworkers hand, the engraving is undeniable.

As far as the OCD stuff goes, I mask and paint them neatly. I found that the guys that randomly splash whatever paint is around on their entire tool bag usually use one of 2 colors (neon green or orange) and the randomness ends up almost like camo in that it makes it harder to spot the tool.

I buy engraved, and prefer engraved to the butchery some do, like making notches in the edge of wrenches with a grinder. Engravings I just grind and polish. I haven't found a paint yet that will stand up to every solvent, so I just clean other peoples paint off after I buy them. I buy at yard, garage, and estate sales.

For me, tools are a means to an end, not fetish items or totems. Functional, clean, good value for the money. That's what I'm looking for.

zuk

 

[sfriesen]

I couldn't care less personally. I use my tools as tools to build stuff (my hobby)

(could be the same as people use cars to get from point A-B, and to me, cars are the point)

 

[Man of Many Vices]

I bought a SO breaker bar at the flea market for 15 dollars engraved with the initials DS just the other day. It probably belonged to **** Smalls. LOL

I've been looking for that breaker bar for the past month, dammit. Just send it over to me and I will reimburse you for the $15 you spent. (just kidding).

Dan Schmidt

 

[ianguilly]

Back when I was in auto school, all my tools has a lime green stripe on them, never had and issue. Only me and my buddy used my tools.

 

[1950mercury]

I like them....most of the time you can get them for up tohalf the price of non engraved.

 

[jeffmoss26]

I have bought a handful of items at garage sales that were engraved...

 

[jethro29]

i'll buy them in a heart beat if i need or want them and they can help me turn out more jobs and make more money.

 

[Exceller8]

I have a way to grind off most engraving without much change in the look of the tool. I did an old pair of Channellocks today and they were marked with a guys SS# and the year 1949.

Stolen tools are stolen tools no matter if they are marked or not. Thanks for your guys input regarding this subject as I now feel better about buying engraved tools.

 

[eddie1278]

I just recently bought some engraved tools from the flea market and didn't really pay much thought to it. As long as they aren't stolen I don't care. I buy my tools to own for life and don't care about resell value.

 

[Exceller8]

I just recently bought some engraved tools from the flea market and didn't really pay much thought to it. As long as they aren't stolen I don't care. I buy my tools to own for life and don't care about resell value.

I agree, but there is a certain coolness factor about tools and that's why I don't like them engraved. Now that I can cleanly grind off the engraving, who cares?

 

[Bryanthegreat]

A local pawn shop chain in my area wouldn't take some of my items with engravings even though they were my initials. They suggested I go to their other location within 10 miles. Where the city had different rules. I no longer engrave my stuff anymore but I would buy stuff with engraving if the price was right.

 

[silviaboy89]

yea man your thinking to much in to it just buy them

 

[byoungblood]

It depends on the price. If someone wants a like new price, probably not unless it is very discreet. If it is a bargain basement price, sure, particularly if it is going in the road box.

I have run across some rather obnoxious owners marks where someone has taken a cutoff wheel or die grinder to the tool, cutting through the finish, and therefore ensuring that it will rust. They better be about to give it away if I run across something like that.

 

[Singlecut]

Cheap, sure.
Retail, no.

Caveats:
1)If I own a tool that is just too rare
2)if engraving it will degrade the strength or cause a spot for rust to attack.

Examples:
1) USA stamped FLF80. My favorite, go-to tool.
2) A crows foot/ flare wrench. If they get rusty you're asking for it to spread and cause a busted knuckle.

Everything else, fair game!

 

[71Datsun510Wagon]

I like marked tools, it shows they have history. The value of a tool is in it's utility, not what it looks like. Since engraving doesn't affect the utility of a tool they only devalue a tool in the minds of people who don't appreciate their utility.

When I use a tool which has some guy's initials engraved into it I wonder about that person and what they made with it. It's no different than property tags on machine tools or control numbers on metrology equipment. Sometimes I look at the markings and wonder what they made with the machine before it became mine.

I hope one day after I'm gone, somebody cares enough to ask themselves the same questions about my tools. Hopefully, they'll go to people who value their utility.

These are my thoughts exactly. Well written!

Some of my favourite tools have markings or engravings from a previous
owner. I enjoy the thought that a farmer or mechanic might have used them to run their business and feed their families.

Cheers,

Rob

 

[SnappySpaceAce]

If they are SO or equivalent value wise and you get a good deal then yes I would. I would buy for a couple of reasons. First reason is that I can just grind away the engraving. The engraving already voids the warranty on most tools so I don't mind a nasty grind mark. As far as the stolen part of your post I would say not to worry about it. You run the risk of buying stolen tools whenever you purchase used tools. I bought a SO breaker bar at the flea market for 15 dollars engraved with the initials DS just the other day. It probably belonged to **** Smalls. LOL

My grandfather always marked every one of his tools with his initials DS, some of his stuff was stolen, I have a couple wrenches that say DS, can you post a picture of the initials on breaker bar? I know the way he wrote it, it was very distinctive & I'm curious to see if its one of his tools, I'm not asking for it back, its yours now, im just curious haha.

 

[Jrussell86]

Personally I don't buy them unless they are super cheap, but I also don't use them for a living either. I think it depends one what position you are in if you need tools to work with and don't feel comfortable paying new prices for them I think they are fine, they function the same. The thing you have to keep in mind is there will be a limited market for them if you decide to sell them and I doubt anyone will give near as much for them as if they weren't.

 

[Hpozzuoli]

I try to avoid them at all costs. Simply someone else's name on my tools.

 

[NHBandit]

OP I see where you said in the future you won't buy engraved tools but you didn't say if you bought THOSE tools or not. As others have said, when buying tools that have no engraving you don't know if those are stolen either. Me personally ? I'd buy them f I needed them to do my job but not if I was buying them to collect or to resell. Given a choice I'd rather not but I do have a few and I sleep fine.

 

[X1 Mike]

When I started out in the Tool & Die business I used to get a lot of engraved tools or homemade tools like precision ground angle plates with the original owners name and the year of manufacturer date stamped in. I was 18 starting out in the field and had tools that I got from an old Die maker that had got them second hand from another guy when he retired. I had tools that were stamped from the 50's and were still square within 0.0002". I always loved having tools that I know helped build America.

 

[egnorant]

The first tools that were ever MINE were engraved with the name "Odie". 3/8th sockets and ratchet set of SK brand. Old mechanic told me his friend needed money to get married in Denver. I got them 40 years ago and he claimed it was 1956 when he got them.
I sometimes wonder where the rest of "Odies" tools ended up.

Bruce

 

[Rickster]

Here I buy a lot of tools from retirees and estate sales that are engraved. Old guys are being retired by the truck load and they're selling off their tools.

 

[Fordman7795]

Used tools that i am going to use, i dont care.

 

[Exceller8]

OP I see where you said in the future you won't buy engraved tools but you didn't say if you bought THOSE tools or not. As others have said, when buying tools that have no engraving you don't know if those are stolen either. Me personally ? I'd buy them f I needed them to do my job but not if I was buying them to collect or to resell. Given a choice I'd rather not but I do have a few and I sleep fine.

Yes, I did buy them.

I still try and not buy tools that are engraved but I do understand that tools are engraved for many reasons and not all are stolen goods.

The main reason I was worried earlier is because the wrenches were marked: NHBandit

 

[Gmonkee]

I have bought marked tools that I was able to trace the marks back to a man.

The best was I found three wrenches that belonged to the man that employed my boss 25 years ago. When my boss was but a kid himself getting a start in life.

I have five old DOE from the 1930's all marked with three punch marks in a line. I've seen more in the markets all over town. Someone many years ago had quite the toolbox.

I like the marked ones for the history they carry.

 

[BFHtime]

I have the same feeling about pawn shops. I wonder if it was stolen. You never know.

 

[Rickster]

I once had a Snap-on wrench engraved with the name "Mac".

 

[WNYflyer]

I have a ton of old industrial brand hand tools with all kinds of owners marks on them. I enjoy the history of them. Some even have the owners last name on them and sometimes if they were purchased locally within my local town and city I can often recognize the family name. Might be 2 generations removed now but still recognize the family name.

Of course most of those tools originally came from guys that worked in the local plants. Some of my own tools passed down from my grandfather you can pretty much tell were hand-me downs from guys that retired from his plant before him.

If given a choice between marked and un-marked I would of course choose un-marked but in reality I dont really care unless they are Snap-On or Mac or similar. Seems the potential resale value of those are greatly affected by markings and since I like to be able to re-sell those brands markings on those can make a difference to me. On the other hand if I plan on keeping the tool markings make no difference to me.

 

[91bronc300]

I like marked tools, it shows they have history.
When I use a tool which has some guy's initials engraved into it I wonder about that person and what they made with it. It's no different than property tags on machine tools or control numbers on metrology equipment. Sometimes I look at the markings and wonder what they made with the machine before it became mine.

I hope one day after I'm gone, somebody cares enough to ask themselves the same questions about my tools. Hopefully, they'll go to people who value their utility.

Me too. I also like it when old books have owner's marks and scribbled notes.

 

[jkwilson]

My large Snap On wenches have my wife's grandfather's initials on them. Most of the other stuff I have has my grandpa's initials which happen to be the same as mine.

Most of them are more than 40 years old, so I'll be watching them for chrome failure. I suspect they'll all outlast me.

For items that have no serial numbers, you'll never get them back if they are stolen unless they are marked in some way. You can produce a receipt showing you bought the exact item, but if you can't prove that the particular one in question is the one you bought, you are out of luck.

 

[3baygarage]

Here I buy a lot of tools from retirees and estate sales that are engraved. Old guys are being retired by the truck load and they're selling off their tools.

Been to tons of estate sales with old tools and many of the old timers engraved things, lots of them even used Social Security # back in the day.

I once had a Snap-on wrench engraved with the name "Mac".

That a good one Rickster.

I have a ton of old industrial brand hand tools with all kinds of owners marks on them. I enjoy the history of them. Some even have the owners last name on them and sometimes if they were purchased locally within my local town and city I can often recognize the family name. Might be 2 generations removed now but still recognize the family name.

Of course most of those tools originally came from guys that worked in the local plants. Some of my own tools passed down from my grandfather you can pretty much tell were hand-me downs from guys that retired from his plant before him.

If given a choice between marked and un-marked I would of course choose un-marked but in reality I dont really care unless they are Snap-On or Mac or similar. Seems the potential resale value of those are greatly affected by markings and since I like to be able to re-sell those brands markings on those can make a difference to me. On the other hand if I plan on keeping the tool markings make no difference to me.

I agree. I think sometimes engravings and markings add history and character.
I've even come across old tools engraved FORD and other business names that may have been pilfered at some point in time.
On a side note though,there are lots of stories around here of flawed Williams tools picked from the trains in the old days on their way to be steel scrap.

 

[jjjrmx5]

I try to avoid them at all costs. Simply someone else's name on my tools.

Run a tool crib, manage company tool dispersable on a shop or mfg. floor or work with a lot of temperorary or contract workers and your tune will fu^&ing change in a heartbeat once your wallet content drops a few zeros.

You HAVE to engrave/mark in order to maintain inventory.

Your choice not to buy them used. Sure, But smart workers choose to engrave if in environments with shared tools or high theft.
And I don't care if they are kept in a locked box or not. Ya gotta get them out to use them at some point in time. If not, then why hire ya. And then the misplaced/borrowed tool saga begins.

BTDT.

 

[RRmech]

Sure, why nut?
The nut or bolt won't care.

 

[white91formula]

I am just a weekend warrior but i do not like to have someone elses name on my tools in my box. I avoid them unless they came from a family member.

 

[Danglerb]

Unless its something special, I skip anything with engraving "that I notice". If its really light, and kind of mixes in with the scuffing then not so bad, but changes what a pay by maybe half.

 

[Big Gus]

When I was a tech buying tools to use, I didn't care if the tools were engraved. Often times the engraving lowered the price and made the tools more affordable. When you're a young tech trying to increase your tool inventory on a limited budget, minor details like engraving don't matter too much.

 

[ibedayank]

I could care less I buy tools to use not collect or polish. I have never sold any tools but pass them down to my son when I upgrade something.