Tool Engraving...does it devalue?

[Lotek]

never had engraving by previous owner disable the tool of it's intended purpose.

then again, I'm different in that I buy a tool for it's usefulness and not for its "ooh-ahh" factor for my buddies when they open the top drawer of my overpriced toolbox.

Mebbe if you hadn't paid so much for the box...

Just sayin...

I have a pair of pliers engraved with a childhood friend's grandfather's name, really respected the man, every time I use them...

Engraving doesn't matter to me, I have a socket with an ex coworkers name on it, and I'm damned sure he has a couple of mine.

But I don't have a problem with those who want to collect pristine tools, eventually they will get used.

 

[LawnDart79]

From my point of view, I see engraving as a way to get a good tool at bargain basement prices.

When I first started out as a tech, I used to buy all sorts of used tool truck brand tools with engravings, and for cheap. I wasn't buying them to look at, rather to use to earn my living.

Recently, I bought a set of fairly new Snap-On flank drive plus wrenches, with engravings, for less than 1/3 of what they cost new.

The engraving doesn't bother me at all, since I bought them to use in my road box. In my opinion, I got an awesome wrench set for Craftsman prices.

 

[t100]

I don't buy tools for resale, so it doesn't bother me.

 

[OccupantRJ]

If I was a tool collector, I would want the tools unmarked. However, since I am not a collector in that sense, I mark all my tools, so I can identify them as mine wherever they may be. I work in an industrial environment, where the company has tools all over, and it insures that I get mine back if I happen to leave one somewhere while I'm distracted by something else. The workers will actually return my tools and leave them on my tool cabinet when they find them. I have lost one pair of dikes and a few screwdrivers in over 38 years at work. My tool cabinet is rarely locked. I let certain others at work use my tools ocasionally, and the company will replace exactly, or better, any that get damaged or gone. They do this for only my tools, or the company's tools, as I'm a one man show. I have given surplus tools to my sons, but I have never sold any of my hand tools since I started working. I have, however, bought and sold larger tools or shop equipment for years. A question I have is how would you prove ownership of a missing tool, without markings, when a guy may have lost one of his and taken yours?

 

[Shipfittin]

I engrave my tools at work, wouldn't have it any other way. I work with so many people and our tools get mixed together a lot so it's a lot easier to figure out who owns what.

At home I prefer to have sets. Engraved or not.

 

[demographic]

I buy tools to use, not to polish so don't worry about it.

I also think that engraved tools devalue a lot less than getting them stolen devalues them so I engrave the tools I take to work.

 

[Gtamazing]

Light marks don't really bother me too much but it definatly lowers the price I'm gonna pay. This on the other hand is ridiculous. these are currently on Ebay. Looks like "Don" got them used so he ground somebodys elses name off then put in his. I wouldn't pay $20 for those.

 

[2oolhound]

I won't pay more than 1/4 to 1/3 original value for engraved tools on the used market (with maybe a few exceptions). I own a few with someone else's name on them and every time I pick one up it kinda bugs me at first. I've etched my initials in some of my tools years ago but that didn't bother me as I never planned to sell them. I figure it devalues them for resale but that's fine with me they will have paid for themselves by the time I sell them so they can go cheap. Most of my expensive stuff has stamped in serial numbers so I wouldn't engrave initials in them, just record the serial numbers.

 

[bobadame]

It depends on who the previous owner was. If it was someone I knew and respected, the signature means something to me. I once bought a tool box full of old tools that an old guy used in his work as a professional mechanic. Those tools did a lot of work and helped him feed his family for a long time. I think that's pretty cool.

 

[mrholeshot]

A question I have is how would you prove ownership of a missing tool, without markings, when a guy may have lost one of his and taken yours?

When I was a working tech I knew every scatch, ding and marks on every tool in my box. When you use them everyday you become that familiar with them. As far as proving ownership? You just keep beating the person who has it until they agree it's yours.

 

[zessin]

Thats a miniture version with Barbie and Ken

ahaha i thought that toolbox was real and it was a guy with a blow up doll bent over, i got the hp mini with the 12" screen thats why i coulnt tell i guess

 

[OldHarley]

My grandfather was Charlie Wilhite and he stamped all his tools with "77" since there were 7 letters in his first and last names.

Not that I would ever sell his tools, but that was the way he identified them, and it seems to me to be less offensive than a name on the tool, if you were to resell them.

But, I still smile when I use any tool that has his 77 mark on them.

 

[m_fumich]

If it's a tool to use, makes no difference. If it's one for a collection, makes a big difference to me. As to how much, not a whole lot if you can't find the same tool unscribed. Can't really put a price on it though.