Misprinted Tools in the Wild- A Rarity?

[outofbounds]

I'm curious if there is any particular collecting lane dedicated to tools with noticeable errors that have found their way to market.....

 

[CoogarXR]

I recently bought a lot of Xcelite tools to fill some gaps in my sets. I planned on just selling off the surplus that came with the lot that I didn't need. There was probably 10 misprinted screwdrivers in the lot (they had the wrong model numbers on the handle, or the model printed in the wrong place. I bought the lot from a guy who lived in Orchard Park, NY, the original home of the Xcelite factory. It just made me wonder if maybe they came from an employee who took mistakes home? Or maybe they had an outlet store where they sold rejects cheap? I don't know. Interesting stuff though.

To answer your question, I listed them for the normal price, stating their misprinted condition, and they sold. So either somebody didn't care, or they did, lol. But I got the going rate for them.

 

[woody 73]

I don't think you should give up your day job just yet...

I never understood all the craze about error (you fill in the blank) items but to each their own I guess.

 

[outofbounds]

I don't think you should give up your day job just yet...

I never understood all the craze about error (you fill in the blank) items but to each their own I guess.

Believe me, Woody, I think I learned that with the second tool sale I ever made!!

 

[scottybk]

I have a Harbor Freight combination wrench in 5/8 SAE size that is labelled "Poopberg" instead of "Pittsburgh." Is this is misprint or were they originally called "Poopberg" ?

 

[outofbounds]

I have a Harbor Freight combination wrench in 5/8 SAE size that is labelled "Poopberg" instead of "Pittsburgh." Is this is misprint or were they originally called "Poopberg" ?

 

[slowtwitch73]

Obviously a rarity.

Then there's always the rub of proving it's a misprint in the case of wrong model #'s, incorrect placement, etc.

"Poopburg" would be incontrovertible. I would like to see a picture.

 

[LNKMK8]

I have a Harbor Freight combination wrench in 5/8 SAE size that is labelled "Poopberg" instead of "Pittsburgh." Is this is misprint or were they originally called "Poopberg" ?

Sounds like a disgruntled employee

 

[handmadeMI]

Honestly I would pay a premium for a “poopberg” branded set of HF tools.


Sent from my iPhone using Garage Journal

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Honestly I would pay a premium for a “poopberg” branded set of HF tools.

Get in friggin' line. Stocking stuffers for every annoying Steelers fan I have to call my friend.

 

[JoCoSawdust]

Get in friggin' line. Stocking stuffers for every annoying Steelers fan I have to call my friend.

That made me laugh out loud. I needed that today!

 

[Plombob]

I found one mis-marked Plomb tool in all the years of collecting. It's easy to see how this could happen. It's labeled 5/8 but it's 11/16. A correct 5/8 is on the left.

View media item 109673
View media item 109673
View media item 109674

 

[Gear Wolf]

Regarding the OP, it seems that people buy these more as a curiosity over them being a diehard collectable.

You know what? For a laugh, I might pay a few more bucks for a hilarious typo like "Poopberg".

 

[DD T/A]

That plomb mistake is rather serious! lol

 

[steaks&anvils]

3baygarage has a good thread along these lines:

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=237358

 

[d42jeep]

I don’t think this is exactly how it should have come out.
-Don

 

[leg17]

Plomb error looks like an assembly error. Someone found a loose 11/16 and tossed into the wrong bin.

 

[BonzoHansen]

somewhere i have a chrome craftsman 3/8" drive 1/2" swivel (like above) marked 9/16. i had to get it warrantied and they let me keep as I had to go through warranty service because no sears store carried the single socket.

 

[Plombob]

Plomb error looks like an assembly error. Someone found a loose 11/16 and tossed into the wrong bin.

Probably right, or the the bottom end got in the wrong bin. Friday afternoon production.

 

[d42jeep]

I was given this unique Dunlap socket set. This may have been a prototype set because they never appeared in any catalog. I would have been more amused if some sockets had been mis-marked “Donlap” rather than “Danlap”. Maybe that’s why they were never picked up by Sears.
-Don

 

[Stillgottimefor1]

WOW!....wondering who got blamed and who got fired?


Sent from my iPhone using Garage Journal

 

[ooba tooba]

These tools stink

 

[MShaw]

Before I went to work for New Britain they used to sell mismarks and other cosmetically damaged tools to the employees at a minimal price. The problem was that the employees would take these tools to the appropriate dealer and get them replaced under warranty. They marked a few wrenches and they went around three or more times. They started scrapping these tools and stopped the sale. These wrenches were taken to the scrap, yard with guards and dumped in the middle of a gondola load of scrap headed for the mill.

 

[outofbounds]

I was given this unique Dunlap socket set. This may have been a prototype set because they never appeared in any catalog. I would have been more amused if some sockets had been mis-marked “Donlap” rather than “Danlap”. Maybe that’s why they were never picked up by Sears.
-Don

That's a crazy one there, Don!

 

[CoogarXR]

I was given this unique Dunlap socket set. This may have been a prototype set because they never appeared in any catalog. I would have been more amused if some sockets had been mis-marked “Donlap” rather than “Danlap”. Maybe that’s why they were never picked up by Sears.
-Don

Maybe they were destined for the Boston stores? Daaanlaap Saaackhets?

 

[d42jeep]

This Thorsen socket came with a Plomb set that arrived today. They missed a little on the stamping.
-Don

 

[thefraze_1020]

I have an old (circa-1930's) Williams open-ended "Superwrench" with an error. It's 7/8" on one end and 1-1/8" on the other. However, they originally stamped 1-1/16, scratched out the "16" and stamped an oversized 8 below it.

 

[southalabama]

Another thread has NASA wrenches. I saw the thread title and was certain it was a misprint and was NAPA wrenches. Nope. I was wrong. There were NASA wrenches.

In school I worked at the grocery store. It was always interesting to see mislabeled canned goods. The same factory made them for various retailers. Winn Dixie wasn’t amused to get A&P branded canned goods. Reduced for quick sale.