To restore or not to restore?

[Jaxwagen]

I have recently inherited a bunch of old hand tools. The only ones I have been able to identify are some Vlchek wrenches. My question is, are these the types of wrenches you want to restore, or is the type of rust/patina you want to leave alone? I also don't want to ruin what little is left of the makers marks. I don't see myself really using these as I have their more modern equivalents, but I also don't want to throw them out. Any input or maybe identifications? Thanks

 

[pendragon1998]

I'd leave them alone. Maybe wax them with paste wax to prevent more rust.

 

[Rileysan]

I have recently inherited a bunch of old hand tools. The only ones I have been able to identify are some Vlchek wrenches. My question is, are these the types of wrenches you want to restore, or is the type of rust/patina you want to leave alone? I also don't want to ruin what little is left of the makers marks. I don't see myself really using these as I have their more modern equivalents, but I also don't want to throw them out. Any input or maybe identifications? Thanks

There's very little value in these regardless of what you do. I'd leave them alone

 

[EOC_Jason]

If they aren't worth big money and you want to keep, I might go over with a brass brush to clean off any excessive rust, then oil or paste wax as someone else said and use them.

 

[JMLangford]

I've got a question as far as collectors and collecting goes.......

If the tools are rusty (I don't consider rust a patina! ) but can be cleaned up to nice and shiny.....does that kill the "collectior" value ???

what say ye?


.

 

[EOC_Jason]

Me personally....

Patina = Good
Rust = Bad

I clean off rust, even if it means having to clean the whole tool to get the color even. If there is rust then it will continue to rust and deteriorate the tool...

 

[jd_1138]

Be careful, as some old tools contain dangerous chemicals that can be released while restoring them. Is it lead? Or something else?

 

[dadsEH]

Be careful, as some old tools contain dangerous chemicals that can be released while restoring them. Is it lead? Or something else?

w.t.f...??

 

[dadsEH]

w.t.f...??

Throw em in a tray of vinegar for a few days and hit em with a wire wheel....brand new.

 

[kwoswalt99]

Be careful, as some old tools contain dangerous chemicals that can be released while restoring them. Is it lead? Or something else?

You're thinking of cadmium plating.

Be-Cu non-sparking tools too.

 

[notlob]

Be careful, as some old tools contain dangerous chemicals that can be released while restoring them. Is it lead? Or something else?

You are likely talking about cadmium plating, which, especially during WWII, was used instead of chrome plating as a corrosion-resistant finish for tools (chrome was a strategic material reserved for the war effort). Cadmium finished tools are very common, and typically have a non-glossy whitish-silver appearance, which tends to become mottled with age.

You also might be referring to beryllium, which was, and in a few instances still is, alloyed with copper in tools designed to not create sparks when used. These tools are generally used in explosive and other hazardous environments such as mining, refineries, and grain silos. These tools are fairly uncommon, appear to be made of brass or bronze, and are typically marked Be-Cu (for beryllium-copper). Ampco and Berylco are the most common brands.

Cadmium and beryllium are both toxic, so you should not grind, sand, or wire wheel these tools.

 

[jd_1138]

Yeah that's what I was thinking of. Just wanted to give the OP a heads up if he's new to the classic tool hobby.

 

[pendragon1998]

Rare tools, I would say leave intact for collectors common antique tools, I have no problem personally with a restoration if you plan on using them.

Here's a hand drill I recently sold after doing a full restoration. It's common enough that I wasn't committing a crime against posterity.

 

[vettex2]

i've got a question as far as collectors and collecting goes.......

If the tools are rusty (i don't consider rust a patina! ) but can be cleaned up to nice and shiny.....does that kill the "collectior" value ???

What say ye?


.

Yes !!!

 

[JMLangford]

Yes !!!

Why!!!

 

[6PTsocket]

Rare tools, I would say leave intact for collectors common antique tools, I have no problem personally with a restoration if you plan on using them.

Here's a hand drill I recently sold after doing a full restoration. It's common enough that I wasn't committing a crime against posterity.

That looks really nice.

You are likely talking about cadmium plating, which, especially during WWII, was used instead of chrome plating as a corrosion-resistant finish for tools (chrome was a strategic material reserved for the war effort). Cadmium finished tools are very common, and typically have a non-glossy whitish-silver appearance, which tends to become mottled with age.

You also might be referring to beryllium, which was, and in a few instances still is, alloyed with copper in tools designed to not create sparks when used. These tools are generally used in explosive and other hazardous environments such as mining, refineries, and grain silos. These tools are fairly uncommon, appear to be made of brass or bronze, and are typically marked Be-Cu (for beryllium-copper). Ampco and Berylco are the most common brands.

Cadmium and beryllium are both toxic, so you should not grind, sand, or wire wheel these tools.

Yeah that's what I was thinking of. Just wanted to give the OP a heads up if he's new to the classic tool hobby.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[woody 73]

As a collector I look for condition, condition, condition first and patina is important. I tend to pass up rusty tools unless...they are rare and do not come to market very often.

With rust (I have had my share) I clean them up because leaving the rust on will only speed up the process of killing the tool.

With a full restore (they do look great) but the value is most times just not there. A collector wants it to look like the day it was made with the box it came in.

Sometimes the very box is worth more then the item!

Sometimes a coat of paint will hide things like cracked metal, hide rust pit marks, hide abuse marks etc.

Just my two cents as a vintage tool collector.

 

[vettex2]

Why!!!

I learned long ago that anytime you clean or restore old stuff the value plummets.
I've seen so many idiots kill value by doing it.
Well intentioned but totally misguided.
Ask appraisers. They will tell you the same.

 

[Rileysan]

I learned long ago that anytime you clean or restore old stuff the value plummets.
I've seen so many idiots kill value by doing it.
Well intentioned but totally misguided.
Ask appraisers. They will tell you the same.

You will have a hard time convincing me or most other hand tool collector of this. There are very few rare hand tools out there and even fewer that would be considered "damaged goods" because you cleaned them.

Brian

 

[vettex2]

You will have a hard time convincing me or most other hand tool collector of this. There are very few rare hand tools out there and even fewer that would be considered "damaged goods" because you cleaned them.

Brian

Frankly, I don't have to convince you. Nor do I care to.

 

[four.cycle]

There are valid arguments pro and con on "restoration".
Those old open-ends are a dime a dozen because there are so many of them out there. I would do as has been suggested and just wipe them down with oil (or wax) to prevent any further deterioration. The big combination wrench is rusty, and (as mentioned) if the rust is not removed, it will just continue to get worse.

Are you buying or selling or collecting? All depends upon what your goal is.
If you're selling, leave it the hell alone. As the owner of all kinds of old oddball items, I want them exactly like they are. I wouldn't think about trying to remove the dent from the fuel tank on my 1913 Aladdin model B kerosene lantern or "fixing" any number of other things around here - it would destroy any "value" (be that monetary or intrinsic) the piece might have.

Some will disagree. There are two camps on this. I've done stuff like what Pendragon did with that drill, but it was for my own use on an item I intended to use, not hang on the wall or set on a shelf to look at.

There was an episode on Antiques Roadshow years ago in which a lady brought an old side table in for an appraisal. The original finished had been removed and replaced with modern stain and polyurethane. The two hosts marveled at the lady's table, and told her it was worth a lot of money. Then they added had she not refinished it, it would have been worth about 50 times as much. Something worth considering - a collector is a collector, whether it's side tables or wrenches.

So no, this gem will not see a buffing wheel:

 

[Rileysan]

There are valid arguments pro and con on "restoration".
Those old open-ends are a dime a dozen because there are so many of them out there. I would do as has been suggested and just wipe them down with oil (or wax) to prevent any further deterioration. The big combination wrench is rusty, and (as mentioned) if the rust is not removed, it will just continue to get worse.

Are you buying or selling or collecting? All depends upon what your goal is.
If you're selling, leave it the hell alone. As the owner of all kinds of old oddball items, I want them exactly like they are. I wouldn't think about trying to remove the dent from the fuel tank on my 1913 Aladdin model B kerosene lantern or "fixing" any number of other things around here - it would destroy any "value" (be that monetary or intrinsic) the piece might have.

Some will disagree. There are two camps on this. I've done stuff like what Pendragon did with that drill, but it was for my own use on an item I intended to use, not hang on the wall or set on a shelf to look at.

There was an episode on Antiques Roadshow years ago in which a lady brought an old side table in for an appraisal. The original finished had been removed and replaced with modern stain and polyurethane. The two hosts marveled at the lady's table, and told her it was worth a lot of money. Then they added had she not refinished it, it would have been worth about 50 times as much. Something worth considering - a collector is a collector, whether it's side tables or wrenches.

So no, this gem will not see a buffing wheel:

I have seen the episode you speak of. The lessons learned regarding 17th & 18th century hand-made furniture do not correlate to mass-produced hand tools of the 20th century.

I also have 35 years of stamp collecting experience to draw from. Common stamps from the 19th century, no matter how old they are, are still common (one 2 cent stamp from the 1890s had more than 15,000,000,000 printed). In those cases, only in a million will fetch a premium because there is something exceptional about it.

Back to the hand tools question. Unless it's a rare item, do whatever you want to them. The patina on these tools has zero impact on their current or future value.

 

[EOC_Jason]

I guess if you don't want to use them, and you don't want to risk cleaning them... You could just pack them in cosmoline and forget about them for a few decades... lol.

 

[DuroChrome]

Maybe put them in evaporust and then clean them up with a brass brush or plastic 'tuffy' scrubber. If it was a complete set of ancient rare tools in an original case I might leave it alone but if you want to trick out the ones you have go for it. I have an old Plomb toolbox that has some surface rust and missing paint on the outside...but the original logo is in pretty good shape on the inside. I'm not going to 'restore' it because then it won't be original. It's only original once.

 

[RStewart]

There are valid arguments pro and con on "restoration".
Those old open-ends are a dime a dozen because there are so many of them out there. I would do as has been suggested and just wipe them down with oil (or wax) to prevent any further deterioration. The big combination wrench is rusty, and (as mentioned) if the rust is not removed, it will just continue to get worse.

Are you buying or selling or collecting? All depends upon what your goal is.
If you're selling, leave it the hell alone. As the owner of all kinds of old oddball items, I want them exactly like they are. I wouldn't think about trying to remove the dent from the fuel tank on my 1913 Aladdin model B kerosene lantern or "fixing" any number of other things around here - it would destroy any "value" (be that monetary or intrinsic) the piece might have.

Some will disagree. There are two camps on this. I've done stuff like what Pendragon did with that drill, but it was for my own use on an item I intended to use, not hang on the wall or set on a shelf to look at.

There was an episode on Antiques Roadshow years ago in which a lady brought an old side table in for an appraisal. The original finished had been removed and replaced with modern stain and polyurethane. The two hosts marveled at the lady's table, and told her it was worth a lot of money. Then they added had she not refinished it, it would have been worth about 50 times as much. Something worth considering - a collector is a collector, whether it's side tables or wrenches.

So no, this gem will not see a buffing wheel:

Is that wrench a Mossberg?

 

[leg17]

Cleaning is good. But cleaning means cleaning, ie. dirt, grime, etc.
"Restoring" .... it all depends.
Keeping a tool in usable condition is not the same as trying to make a tool in like new condition. It all depends.

 

[2oolhound]

Since you want to keep them but not use them (for good viable reasons) you might try turning them into drawer handles. Small on top and big on bottom where the heavier drawers are. I've done this and you get to enjoy them every time you open a drawer. They're always on display.

 

[kwoswalt99]

Is that wrench a Mossberg?

Gormully & Jeffrey Mfg. Co. bicycle wrench.