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Inherited Gramps's Tools - Help me Identify & Value

Colin Len

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Joined
Jan 30, 2013
Messages
1,234
Location
Long Beach CA
Well, like the title says, I inherited my grandfather's tools. He was a hardhat diver by trade and biplane pilot by hobby. Long story short, I was hoping to get a little guidance from tool collectors here. This will likely end up being 2 posts - this first one with sort of "normal" tools that should be fairly typical. [EDIT: here's a link to the airplane tools thread) Some of this stuff I've already learned about via google searches and some I have no idea what it is.

So I'm clear about my goal with this post:
- I'd like to identify anything rare/valuable so I don't toss it out or sell it for $1
- I'd like to learn about anything here which is odd, not commonly known, interesting, can provide more understanding than me just reading the name printed on the side.
- I don't plan on keeping anything posted here unless I find out it's valuable, special, odd or just maybe for novelty value...
- This is NOT a for sale thread, although, I will almost certainly post this stuff here on GJ eventually. I'd prefer that over eBay for the ease of it. With that said, if there's something you are really interested in, feel free to PM me to discuss.

OK, on to the tools!!!
Entire photo album here, includes more pics than you see below: https://www.flickr.com/photos/clen/albums/72157714109599206

Greenfield Screw Plate No. B-8



Greenfield Screw Plate BA Type



Yankee Handyman No. 133h Screwdriver



Knu-Vise



Roxco pipe wrench
Lakeside 10" pipe/monkey wrench
Ridgid 10" pipe/monkey wrench



Cee-Tee Adjustable pliers
Unknown Lineman Pliers
Cresent 4-6in adjustable wrench



Unknown Tools (13 pcs)



Craftsman 10-piece Ignition Combination Wrench Set
Craftsman 1/4" combination wrench
Craftsman Box End Combination wrench
Craftsman Open End Combination wrench



Wilde USA Ignition Wrenches
The Superwrench Ignition Wrenches



Mac S22 1/2" Distributor wrench



Lectrolite Tru-Fit Wrenches (2 pcs)
S-K 9/16 Combination End wrench



Bonney Combination Wrench
Bonney Zenel Combination Wrench
Bonney Zenel Single Offset Wrench
Bonney 11/16 Combination End Wrench
Bonney 5/8 Combination End Wrench
Bonney 9/16 Combination End Wrench
Bonney Combination Wrench



Herbrand Box End Offset Wrench
Herbrand Box End Offset Wrench
Herbrand Box End Offset Wrench
Herbrand Open End Wrench



Arch Punches



Ken Tool 18" Drop Center Tire Mount/Demount Spoon



Albertson & Co Valve Seat Cutter



Blue Point / Snap-On Stuff - some of this is VERY old!
Blue Point 1 1/8 Combination End Wrench
Blue Point 1 1/16 Combination End Wrench
Blue Point 1 Combination End Wrench
Blue Point 15/16 Combination End Wrench
Blue Point 7/8 Combination End Wrench
Blue Point Offset Wrench
Snap-On Offset Wrench
Blue Point Screwdriver
Blue Point 3/4 Combination End Wrench
Blue Point 9/16 Combination End Wrench
Blue Point 1/2 Combination End Wrench
Snap-On 7/16 Combination End Wrench
Snap-On 3/8 Combination End Wrench
Snap-On 1 1/16 Crows Foot Wrench
Snap-On Speeder Handle



Craftsman 1/4" flex head Breaker Bar (2 pcs)



Wrap Lock



Craftsman 1/4 Drive Socket Set



Craftsman 1/4 Drive 12pt Sockets
Craftsman 1/4 Drive 9pt Sockets



Unknown (3pcs)



Unknown



Starrett Speed Indicator



K-D No.725 Rethreader Dies



Goodell-Pratt Feeler Gauge



Mac Sabrina 0



Mabo Tape Measure
 
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Mohawk Dave

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Oct 7, 2012
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Location
SoCal
Unknown Tools (13 pcs) are punches for a pnuematic chisel/hammer

Thank you! Those things had me complete baffled. So are some of them bent (damaged) then? I assume these were for sheet metal work?

They are rivet sets. For doing solid rivets in aviation stuff usually. They are supposed to be bent, or straight, or offset. Use them with a bucking bar and a 2x, 3x, 4x, etc air hammer.
 

ooba tooba

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Jan 13, 2014
Messages
747
I’m guessing 1930s long C Craftsman socket box. There are collectors here.
 
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Colin Len

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 30, 2013
Messages
1,234
Location
Long Beach CA
They are rivet sets. For doing solid rivets in aviation stuff usually. They are supposed to be bent, or straight, or offset. Use them with a bucking bar and a 2x, 3x, 4x, etc air hammer.
Thank you for that clarification - very helpful!

I’m guessing 1930s long C Craftsman socket box. There are collectors here.
Neat little piece for sure, I just wish it was complete :( I do actually have the ratchet, but it was given to my brother.

Ease is the plan, as I've gathered from you wanting to sell here instead of ebay, sell them as a lot.

I don't think you have $200 retail there on a good day.

Donate and write off if ease is the plan.

The guys here will pick at it, but the pickings are slim. And you'll wind up with the dregs you'll have to donate anyway.

That's double what I'd guess anyone here would be willing to offer.
Just to be clear, I assumed there was not a lot of value here and my intention isn't to make $. If there was something valuable I didn't want to throw it away or sell for nothing - but like I said, I didn't think this was likely. Mainly I want to first know what I have and second, get it out of my hands and into the hands of someone who can use them or appreciate them. I'd hate to throw them away.

Thanks everyone!
 
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Colin Len

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Joined
Jan 30, 2013
Messages
1,234
Location
Long Beach CA
I would be pretty interested in buying his dive stuff.
Flashlight to helmet and all in between.
You'll be surprised what I'll pay for the right busted up old dive knife.
So if you have access to what looks like bent up old ****, post it up.
I don't have any of his diving stuff. Each of his daughters received one of his helmets and basically everything else went elsewhere. I'm not privy to all of the details but a LOT (if not all) was donated to the Los Angeles Maritime Museum.

He worked with the museum to put this display together years before his death and I think most of the equipment in it was his. When he died I believe it was all donated to the museum.
https://www.lamaritimemuseum.org/exhibit/diving-exhibit/
 
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Colin Len

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 30, 2013
Messages
1,234
Location
Long Beach CA
I would be pretty interested in buying his dive stuff.
Flashlight to helmet and all in between.
You'll be surprised what I'll pay for the right busted up old dive knife.
So if you have access to what looks like bent up old ****, post it up.

It's where a lot of mine will wind up.
Thanks for the follow up.
I just wanted to make sure it went somewhere to be appreciated and not cut up to be a table lamp.

Good for him to think so far ahead.
He was really big on diving and diving history - he even wrote two books about the subject:
20,000 Jobs Under the Sea
20,000 Divers Under the Sea

That's exactly my goal with going through is stuff. I just don't want anything of value (whether it be monetary, historical, nostalgic...etc) to be tossed. I knew it was possible there were some of these sorts of gems in his stuff. That's partly why it took me so long to go through all of this stuff - the thought of sorting and not knowing what was what was daunting. I did a handful of preliminary sorting but finally I'm diving in deeper as I'm ready to get this stuff out of the garage so I can take that space back. Gonna go through his airplane tools this morning and post those up later.
 

Tostal

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Joined
Feb 1, 2020
Messages
893
Location
The Emerald Isle
I'd be interested in his 2 tap and die sets, especially the "BA" ones... I'm trying to rebuild my BA/Whitworth tool set...

If 'Colin Len' doesn't have what you're looking for, (and also for future reference :) ), you might check out:- www.tracytools.com

and see what's still available new. They carry an amazing array of taps, dies and lots of other useful stuff at affordable prices (even when carriage to the U.S. is added on?).

Many old car/bike repairers, on this side of the pond, recommend them highly.

T~
 
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