Grandpa’s ratchets and other tools

[CarolinaWilly]

Hey everyone, like many of you I have tools that once belonged to my father, grandfathers, and even a great-grandfather. These are not display tools or shelf displays but tools in my collection for use. I feel like it is honoring my family by keeping them in use. Every time I use a vintage tool, I feel connected to my family.

That said, I also like restoring things and maintaining things including my tools. Granted it is not a collectible or super old, I just rebuilt a Craftsman ratchet model VH-44811. The reverse switch looked like **** so I filed and polished it. I also polished the cover plate under the snap ring. Now I am feeling guilty for changing its patina—and erasing history. I am torn because I love smoothing and polishing metal tools and parts. It is rewarding to make something better than it was before. And a polished tool is much easier to clean.

Do any of you polish your hand tools?

Here is the ratchet I rebuilt.

 

[four.cycle]

^ depends upon whether it's a user or a "collectible".

"collectible" stuff gets left as is.

stuff I actually use is fair game for any sort of modification I see fit to make, including cleaning, refinishing, and/or polishing.

just finished this beauty last night:

 

[toolmiser]

I would rather have someone use and appreciate a tool than use it as a museum piece. I have a quite a few old tools, and very few of them would be off limits to use.

 

[Farmer J.]

Hey everyone, like many of you I have tools that once belonged to my father, grandfathers, and even a great-grandfather. These are not display tools or shelf displays but tools in my collection for use. I feel like it is honoring my family by keeping them in use. Every time I use a vintage tool, I feel connected to my family.

That said, I also like restoring things and maintaining things including my tools. I just rebuilt a Craftsman ratchet model 44811. The reverse switch looked like **** so I filed and polished it. I also polished the cover plate under the snap ring. Now I am feeling guilty for changing its patina—and erasing history. I am torn because I love smoothing and polishing metal tools and parts. It is rewarding to make something better than it was before. And a polished tool is much easier to clean.

Do any of you polish your hand tools?

Here is the ratchet I rebuilt.

Your ancestors are probably smiling down upon you, saying "Look at that, what a laugh, how nice, he's polished my old Craftsman ratchet!"

I have many things passed down through family, a few of them from many generations over 200 years. I still use almost of them but don't misuse them.
I now categorise preservation of heirloom objects on a scale of importance, so as I don't drown under them! Least important is manufactured items just casually bought by someone and left behind. Most important is something actually made by an ancestor, or at least an item used by them for something noteworthy which has a story behind it.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Now I am feeling guilty for changing its patina—and erasing history.

I don't collect Craftsman past 1940's, so I don't know exactly what era that "-VH-" production is from, but it's fairly modern, and not a valuable piece of history to have anxiety about ruining.

Do any of you polish your hand tools?

I don't. Rust is not patina, though. I remove all rust and wipe down with a preservative.

 

[esben57]

Memsahibs Great Grandfather was Abraham Ashton a sawmaker.
We have one saw, the etched lettering is now very feint.

 

[four.cycle]

don't know exactly what era that "-VH-" production is from

VH = Danaher, ca. 1994 - 1997

 

[Private Lugnutz]

i.e., "fairly modern"

 

[Nofries]

I have the same wratchet, I bought it and still use it. My son (23) uses it too. My father (86) won't let go of his dad's or grandfather's tools. Even though he hasn't used most or any in decades. When that time comes I will go through them and chose the functioning ones and get rid of the imports, probably not many though since many of them pre date 1960.

 

[RTM]

VH = Danaher, ca. 1994 - 1997

i.e., "fairly modern"

Exactly. I try to look for tools older than me, not older than my kids.

 

[Beerhippie]

Exact. I try to look for tools older than me, not older than my kids.

The Venn diagram for that doesn't overlap.

 

[Patrick Eubanks]

I have the same wratchet, I bought it and still use it. My son (23) uses it too. My father (86) won't let go of his dad's or grandfather's tools. Even though he hasn't used most or any in decades. When that time comes I will go through them and chose the functioning ones and get rid of the imports, probably not many though since many of them pre date 1960.

Imports pre 1960 are cool too

 

[AC-WC]

I do keep them clean but have not 'polished' many tools unless they're really crusty, usually from auctions.
You're fortunate to have access to your family's tools. The only one I have been able to find of my dad's is an old Craftsman slotted screwdriver that was all rusted up and the tip was garbage. I really should toss it, it's that bad. Thanks to an EX BIL who left tools in the rain and never put anything away at mom's farm.
Grandpa gave me a JH Williams crescent wrench, ball pein hammer, handmade mini anvil made from factory 'train' tracks and old hatchet that I still have. I might have been 10 so that was huge for a little kid. Some of my most sentimental tools that I still use on occasion. He was a machinist, it was amazing the things he made out of nothing.
I did unintentionally inherit my uncle's tools (dad's oldest brother). Back in the 70's he had his own gas station/garage and used his tools daily. Most were Craftsman. Asked my cousin if he wanted me to send them to him and he was OK for me to take them. Those tools are now at mom's so I can fix things over there. NO ONE touches them except me.

 

[WisJim]

I have tools from my great grandfather (who died before I was born) and my grandfather. They both were carpenters so I have saws, planes, drills, auger bits and handles, Yankee drills, etc., from the 1880s through the 1940s, and I use some of them often. Others are on display in my shop. Many of them were given to me by my dad who rescued them from the remnants of the old tool chests or back corners of grandpa's sheds over the years.

 

[MovingAlong]

Hey everyone, like many of you I have tools that once belonged to my father, grandfathers, and even a great-grandfather. These are not display tools or shelf displays but tools in my collection for use. I feel like it is honoring my family by keeping them in use. Every time I use a vintage tool, I feel connected to my family.

That said, I also like restoring things and maintaining things including my tools. I just rebuilt a Craftsman ratchet model 44811. The reverse switch looked like **** so I filed and polished it. I also polished the cover plate under the snap ring. Now I am feeling guilty for changing its patina—and erasing history. I am torn because I love smoothing and polishing metal tools and parts. It is rewarding to make something better than it was before. And a polished tool is much easier to clean.

Do any of you polish your hand tools?

Here is the ratchet I rebuilt.

Once found out that my son was hanging on to a broken Leatherman I'd given him a decade earlier when he was in school. He was conflicted about getting it fixed. Reminded him that the original gift was a working tool meant to be useful. If I'd known he was going to let it gather dust in a drawer I'd never have given it to him in the first place. He sent it in for repair the next day.

The stories of our fathers & grandfathers are what we remember, old tools just remind us of those stories.

We often wonder why the next generation doesn't value similar gifts or things like we did. In my opinion - it's because we gave them the "things" but never took the time to create new stories (or memories) with them...

They're your tools now. Create & tell your story.

 

[CarolinaWilly]

Your ancestors are probably smiling down upon you, saying "Look at that, what a laugh, how nice, he's polished my old Craftsman ratchet!"

I have many things passed down through family, a few of them from many generations over 200 years. I still use almost of them but don't misuse them.
I now categorise preservation of heirloom objects on a scale of importance, so as I don't drown under them! Least important is manufactured items just casually bought by someone and left behind. Most important is something actually made by an ancestor, or at least an item used by them for something noteworthy which has a story behind it.

The oldest I have is an adjustable wrench from the early 1900's that belonged to a great-grandfather. This ratchet is not super old, probably from the 1990's.

 

[CarolinaWilly]

Memsahibs Great Grandfather was Abraham Ashton a sawmaker.
We have one saw, the etched lettering is now very feint.

That is beautiful. I would not do anything out of fear of losing the engraving.

 

[MovingAlong]

Most important is something actually made by an ancestor, or at least an item used by them for something noteworthy which has a story behind it.

Story is everything.

 

[Nofries]

Imports pre 1960 are cool too

Honestly I haven't seen them in over 30 years. They are in a counter/cabinet in my father's garage. The grocery counter was my Grandfather's in the 60s all made of wood, it was moved to the back when they opened a western store in The 70s to the tack room. I helped move it all in the late 80s when the store was closed but never went through it in detail. There are a few hundred pounds of tools , just in large drawers, one each for wrenches, screwdrivers, etc. Next time I visit I may take a peek. But I'm sure my father will still say I can have him when we bury him. Lol