Looking for a good socket and wrench tool price thread

[7th Kahuna]

On Sunday I was out of town and happened to stop in at a swap meet my dad had told me about. Didn't expect to find much but had some time to kill and went looking for a gear puller. No luck there, but while digging around in the boxes I discovered something interesting. While all the Craftsman, Snap On, and Mac tools had clearly been picked out, I found an assortment of Williams, Armstrong, and Bonney sockets and wrenches.

I've been kicking around these threads long enough to know those are potentially good tools but have no idea as to reasonable prices. Can anyone point me to a thread or offer some good general rules for pricing these tools. As you can imagine, searching used tool prices on this board gets more than a handful of results. Still, no need to reinvent the wheel.

Before you ask, I left all but empty handed, having picked up a single Armstrong open ended wrench as part of a deal for two other old British made whitworth wrenches for my Dad ($5 combined). Consider my eyes opened. I plan to return again, properly prepared and with a list of the tools I'm missing.

 

[toolstools]

50% of retail, or as much as they are worth to you. No real way to price used tool. To my knowledge no thread exist.

 

[RAYJAY]

e-bay see whats selling price is not listing price of Williams, Armstrong, and Bonney sockets and wrenches.

 

[CNGsaves]

Depends on supply in your area . . . . and of course Demand!!

I've seen GJ threads where guys who hound all the used sources (ie CL, garage sales, estate sales, pawn shops, etc) they have target price for bundle price for sockets as low as 25 cents each for the little ones and no more that $1 for big ones. These would be used but good working condition USA made like Craftsman, etc. High-end brands like SnapOn or Proto would be less than 50% but condition must be excellent.

Wrenches they have similar target like $1 or $2 per wrench average, unless a real big one. Of course top brands would be more.

Good luck . . . best way is to immerse yourself in market information. Search anything you're interested on Ebay ; also look at Ebay Completed Sales to get actual Sold price. Can use Google to search CL as well like:
. . . . . Craftsman sockets site:craigslist.org
. . . . . . SnapOn ratchet site:craigslist.org

 

[7th Kahuna]

Thanks for the responses. I remember a thread with several guys discussing swap meet and tool prices in southern California. I just can't find it again. Should have subscribed.

CNGsaves, thanks, that was kind of what I was getting at.

 

[JasonW]

I remember seeing that. Maybe I can find it.

 

[mrborohachi]

come out east to the San Bernardino Swap meet, from what i have heard there are tons of tools to be had. I would personally buy specialty sockets/wrenches crows foot and flare nut.