That old tool store down the road...

[Trucky]

Going back tomorrow morning. I'll snag a picture of the pipe wrenches... any other requests?

They have a case of Case (the knife maker) scissors.. and I mean high quality forged scissors that are like 50$ from Gingher or other high-quality brands. I'll snap a pic of that as well. I love this store

Jeff and Metal, I should be able to fudge some cash to pay for the screwdrivers you two wanted. I'll PM you when I get a hold of them, and we'll go from there.

 

[nine4gmc]

yes, im an upholsterer by trade and would love to see some closeups on the scissors. keep those pics rolling, nice find!

 

[Gregg33]

Some neat stuff, like the hacksaws and the American made Vice-Grips especially!

 

[Trucky]

Well I was running realllllly late when I got there, so I only managed a half-*** picture of the pipe wrenches. They're pricy as well... I'll probably put it up tomorrow morning.

Jeff, I got your Vaco reversible sd. Metal, I have your Channellock stuff as well. I'll send PMs tomorrow morning after I've had a little rest, lol. I also got one of the green multi-bit Petrosky's drivers as well. I'll pick a few more up for the rest of you, I didn't have the cash on me at the time to get more than that.

 

[PECVD2]

Wow, I would buy out all the RotoZip bits at 5 for $11 bucks. They sell for about $9 each around here.

Love to have that set of Curtis automotive parts cabinets as well.

 

[osborn.ozzy]

Have you tried to bargin on tthe prices?

 

[Trucky]

PECVD, if you want me to pick some of them up or anything else let me know.

And yes, I've bargained him down a wee bit. Maybe 10%, and that's stretching it. I don't really argue too much. Most of the things are reasonably priced given the age and quality of the stuff there.

 

[Trucky]

The only update until I go back there today is this lonesome picture.

There were only a few pair, but almost all of them are US made.

 

[jeffmoss26]

I spot a few Great Neck pipe wrenches

 

[Trucky]

I wonder if any of those are US made?

Maybe I'm just stretching my hope a bit too far, this store has already surpassed any expectation I had about it... you bet your **** that I power walked up and down those isles 10 times before I settled down ... and spent a paltry $100. Woops!

 

[JSBriggs]

Does he have complimentary coffee with styrofoam cups to enjoy while you shop.

Be careful, coming in day after day, taking all of the pics, and not buying anything, he is going to think you are casing the place.

-Jeff

 

[hakatan]

I was thinking of this thread as I drove past an old hardware store a few towns from my home. I made a quick U-turn and stopped in....but all they had was a bunch of cheesy "Do It Best" branded hand tools from China. Oh well.

Congratulations on discovering your treasure trove.

 

[Trucky]

Does he have complimentary coffee with styrofoam cups to enjoy while you shop.

Be careful, coming in day after day, taking all of the pics, and not buying anything, he is going to think you are casing the place.

-Jeff

I've never come into the store and bought less than 20$ worth of tools at any point.

I already told him why I'm taking pictures, because I did happen to realize, after the 20th picture, that I just might appear to be doing just that.

Also, I'm fairly certain he carries. And to add to that deterrent, The whole store is solid walls, except for the door, which is barred just like the window above it. I was actually thinking that was why there was so much NOS in there! Someone forgot the keys inside and they couldn't get back in for a few years

 

[Gregster]

Watch out the prices might go up!

 

[HandyManny]

Seeing those picture brings back a lot of fond memories of my early years. At one time hardware stores like that dotted the American landscape from small farming community townships all the way to your local neighborhood stores in the larger cities, and everywhere in between. Back then when it came to tools and hardware stores (even automotive stores) there were few monopolies and many tool makers held a foot in one market or another. With the advent of franchises and co-ops and then later the big-box store, all those privately owned and locally runned hardware stores, auto parts stores, and lumber yards slowly began to dissapear. Few like that exists anymore, the few that do only exist and manage to survive in smaller communities where the big-box corporations haven't infiltrated yet. I sure wish this county would get back to allowing shops like that to be profitable again, but I doubt that will ever exist again.

The closest thing I had to my house was a local Ace Hardware that was family run and carried a lot of good old USA made tools, they carried other things too that were impossible to find anhywhere else and the owner and workers knew where everything in that store was located. Suddenly about 3 years ago they sold half of their store space to another business then liquidated all their old inventory on clearnce and began socking cheap junk instead. Even the service has gone down hill.

 

[Trucky]

Picked up some Vise Grips.. well.. more of them. A cute little 4SP. I'll be getting another tomorrow..

Quality tools, especially those made in America (for us Americans), are a true addiction to those who can grasp just exactly what a quality tool is, that is for sure.

Manny, I really hate when smaller shops get "converted" into their bigger brethren, thus losing almost all the tools I actually want to buy.

Nine4, I keep forgetting, but I'll snap that photo of the Case scissors when ... well, when I remember to

 

[jeffmoss26]

I want to see Case knives!

 

[glenng]

What was the price on the Vaco drivers?

i live in manhattan and the best part about it is the fact that there are a million mom and pop hardware stores on every other block, with only 2 home depots on the borough. Anyway, it has been my mission to buy a screwdriver (as well as other tools) from every hardware store in manhattan. A handful of hardware stores carry those vacos ranging in price from $7 to $15. I found this gem of a hardware store that has them for 2 bucks each for the fixed drivers, and 5 bucks for the reversible 2 way drivers and 2 bucks each for the stubby nutdrivers. needless to say, i grabbed a bunch. if you live in manhattan, please dont ask which store, as i havent finished cleaning their inventory out

 

[jeffmoss26]

I try to buy one of those mini screwdrivers with the store name on it from every hardware store I go to!

 

[Trucky]

I want to see Case knives!

You'll get to see em soon! I kinda slept in this morning... and by kinda, I mean I had to kick some *** going to work to not be late

I try to buy one of those mini screwdrivers with the store name on it from every hardware store I go to!

Only places round here that do that are Petrosky's and the local True value, also a NOS filled store.

Picking up more vise grips tomorrow.. or a nice tape measure! US made of course. I get paid in 2 weeks, 3 days, 13 hours, 47 minutes, and 5 seconds.

Trust me, I've been counting for a while now

 

[jeffmoss26]

I enjoy getting paid every week!!

 

[Trucky]

I could file for a two week advance but it isn't worth the effort. FYI, everyone's tools are being shipped tomorrow.. if I get up early enough. Night shift is kicking my **** big time, but I should get there just fine.

 

[Danglerb]

I think the main factor in these old stores is they likely own the land and building. Here in SoCal we have too many people "investing" in real estate, so huge older buildings sit vacant for years, and nobody is far from current market average cost per sq ft on a lease, so every sq ft has to make money.

Could be too the owner is a savvy person and has been buying up NOS, so its not just his old inventory, but old inventory from many places.

 

[jeffmoss26]

Any more pics?!

 

[nine4gmc]

i feel im fiending for some scissor **** maaaaaan!

 

[AgencyLife]

I wish we had stores like this in FL.

 

[Trucky]

i feel im fiending for some scissor **** maaaaaan!

Any more pics?!

Calm down you two! I've been very... occupied as of late, but I'll get back there soon, I promiseeeeee.

Jeff, your sd is in the mail.

 

[Trucky]

Okay, I got a few pics of the scissors. There aren't too many of them, but I think there was a small case above that I missed. Most of these are in the 40-70 dollar range.. not too shabby for top notch scissors and shears.

Whoever wanted the needle files and countersink, i got that too.

 

[nine4gmc]

You're the man!! thanks for posting, I am interested in a pair, just not sure which ones yet. No rush, but next time you think about it, can you find out the length of the two black handle pairs and the chrome ones next to the black handle pair in the 3rd pic? Those look like the longer of the ones in that case. Thanks again for the pics!!

 

[stratman977]

I just came back from there. Spent $111 on 5 pairs of vice grips and a vaco reversible. I had the smaller red vaco reversible that I inherited from my grandfather so I figured I'd pick up the bigger one too. I thought the vise grips were fair but $15 for 1 screwdriver is a little out there. Those green screwdrivers with Petrosky's hardware on them were 6 in 1 bit drivers and were $8 didn't get one cause they weren't really that vintage. I'm glad they only take cash cause you could run up a fortune in there in no time at all. I was like a kid in a candy store. The 2 guys working there were really nice and I stayed to bs with them for a little while. I'm glad they are 45 minutes from me cause any closer would be trouble.

 

[metaldad]

imma NOT going to start a scissors/shears drawer. nope. no way. no how.

 

[nine4gmc]

imma NOT going to start a scissors/shears drawer. nope. no way. no how.

you tellin me you dont have a scissor drawer already?

j/k

 

[jeffmoss26]

Wow! Very nice Vise-grips!

 

[AgencyLife]

I just came back from there. Spent $111 on 5 pairs of vice grips and a vaco reversible. I had the smaller red vaco reversible that I inherited from my grandfather so I figured I'd pick up the bigger one too. I thought the vise grips were fair but $15 for 1 screwdriver is a little out there. Those green screwdrivers with Petrosky's hardware on them were 6 in 1 bit drivers and were $8 didn't get one cause they weren't really that vintage. I'm glad they only take cash cause you could run up a fortune in there in no time at all. I was like a kid in a candy store. The 2 guys working there were really nice and I stayed to bs with them for a little while. I'm glad they are 45 minutes from me cause any closer would be trouble.

 

[Trucky]

You're the man!! thanks for posting, I am interested in a pair, just not sure which ones yet. No rush, but next time you think about it, can you find out the length of the two black handle pairs and the chrome ones next to the black handle pair in the 3rd pic? Those look like the longer of the ones in that case. Thanks again for the pics!!

Will do.

Whomever bought all the vise grips, good on ya! If the guy working there was wearing a collared shirt, pretty proper lookin, that's the owner. And you can use your card there... I just did this morning. And yesterday.. and a few days before that.

 

[stratman977]

I didn't see a card reader but I wish you wouldn't have told me that. There's plenty of vice grips left to go around. I only bought what I will use. Surprisingly they have alot of stock on this stuff unlike most stores I have been in where they have one of each if you are lucky.

You can tell that they re-priced everything pretty recently. It would have been nice to be in there before that happened. Either way I can see what your addicition with going in that store. Theres alot more neat stuff other than tools in there as well but you need an afternoon to go browse through there.

 

[Trucky]

I went in and the owners brother asked me if I put his store on some "garage...eh.. yada yada yada" website thing. Well yes, I did! He was just happy he was getting free advertising.

The largest black handle scissors are right around 8.5-9". The shorter group is right at about 7".

Interesting find: There's a ton of US made Masterlock stuff in the back. Very cheesy packaging... I would have bought a few locks but they were priced in half or full tanks of gas so I said forget it for now.

 

[jeffmoss26]

I collect locks too, but not at those prices

 

[Trucky]

Well a tank for me is about 30 some pesos, so take that with a grain of salt. I know some of you guys have 1000 gallon diesel trucks and throw half a paycheck into there to fill it up.

 

[jeffmoss26]

Costs me between 30 and 40 to fill up too...