Poll do you buy tools with owners marks?

[56FordGuy]

I buy my tools to use, not look at. I don't care if they have some marking on them. I bought a lot of stuff from a gentleman that was retiring, he had engraved his name on everything. Nothing has chipped, rusted, etc at the engraving.

I don't mark my current tools, just because I don't think it would make a difference. I work solo out of a truck, if I have tools disappearing either I'm losing them or a customer is helping themselves. Can't see where an engraving would matter there, it's just as easy to ask why someone in a retail store or other non mechanical job would be walking around with nice mechanics tools.

When the time comes to sell my stuff, I figure I will probably have gotten my use out of it (the whole reason I bought it to start with) and taking a little less for it is no big deal. Or maybe it'll go to someone else that doesn't care about some marks.

 

[Babbinated]

I don't care, as long as the tool does the job. Hell, most of mine have been marked.

 

[RedRabbit]

I hate obvious, poorly done marks. I will buy ones if they are really cheap but only if the marks are neat and don't look like a chicken with knives on its feet waled over the tool. Thats why if I need to mark a tool, I spray a thin red line on it. Easily identifiable, looks pretty cool, and can take it off when I want.

 

[upndown]

Never gave it much thought. Hell of it's a killer deal I might change my name.

 

[Jure]

one of very few engraved tools i have,its facom ratchet i have bought week ago at flea market for $3...and hand style isnt that bad...

 

[Jure]

did someone else found a tool with multiple names engraved on them?? (dont count your own engraving) like dr clyde found 3 different guys names engraved.

 

[Gmonkee]

I have a 1/4" Proto wrench so scribbled up its not a clean surface left. Doesn't matter a bit in using it.

 

[WNYflyer]

Many years ago, I bought some tools off of a lady customer of mine that had belonged to her late husband. They were deeply engraved with the name HAM on each one because his last name was Hamilton. Although I never met him, I'd heard throughout the years from different people what a great guy he was and a helluva mechanic. When I use one, I feel like I'm holding a little piece of history about one of the town's past citizens.

I hear you. I have bought some tools at local garage sales with last names on them and many times I recognize the family names. When using some of those tools I wonder what the guy did for a living, etc.. I also like seeing my grandfather's initials on many of my tools. I have picked up some nice tools that folks over look because the owner had painted them. A little acetone takes care of the that and often they look almost brand new all be it 40-50 years old or so usually

At the price points I am looking to buy the tools at and if I need it or don't have it owners marks don't bother me at all unless really butchered up.

 

[atomicpunk]

Looks like 27% of the members here are going to pissed after I'm dead and buried.

 

[devoncoolman]

I buy engraved tools frequently but typically at below market prices because the people couldn't sell them to anyone else. It doesn't bother me at all i buy my tools to use not stare at all day. I have purchased a few tools that were ground on but they were specialty tools i got stupid cheap so a cheap quality tool is better to me then a shiny expensive tool thats exactly the same. But generally anything that somebody marked very stupidly or took a grinder to it i put back down.

 

[cludwin]

I find this thread fascinating and I hope other will find value in it as well.
I really like the thought of owners marks as a little piece of history on each tool.
That right there may convince me to get over my OCD.