Tool intervention, how do you know when it's time?

[Rigmaster]

I've got the bug, bad........

I saw a couple of SO tools on CL locally yesterday- so I emailed the seller an offer based on the pics, and the fact that his prices were kind of on the high side (I thought). He emailed back this morning with a 2 word answer "price firm". I thought about sending him a crappy reply, but instead I said "Thanks for the reply, good luck with the sale".

About 15 minutes later, he replied again, saying that he took another look at the tools and decided my offer was fair- and then told me where I could pick up the tools. He gave me an address for a Pawn shop in the not-so-great part of town. I stopped by there on the way home, planning to drop $80 on the 1/2" SO orange handled breaker with 46mm Stahlwille socket and 1/2 to 3/4 SK adapter on it, plus the 3 long screwdrivers (2 SO, 1 Vaco).

Instead, I dropped alot more on all of this..........

The plastic bag is full of Cman wrenches, I told him I wasnt' really interested in them but he told me it was part of the deal, and he wasn't really charging me much for them. There's a Matco burgundy handled screwdriver set (4 of 5), SO 3/8 flex head hard handled ratchet, Matco SAE flare polished flare nut set, 1/2 + 3/8 drive MAC metric impact socket sets in steel holders, 1/2 drive Matco ratchet, green SK box full of 1/4 metric SO and SK swivel sockets, SO long handled dykes, Bonney + older Cman 1/4 ratchets, Americraft (USA) box end ratchet wrenches, Several SO SAE crowsfeet, long Matco 3/8 extension, Cornwell brake spring tool, 2 SK combo wrenches and an almost complete set of BluePoint Metric combo wrenches (USA Made)- only missing 12 + 15mm.


The guy ended up being SUPER nice in person. He said he's been in the Pawn shop business for ~20 years, and he sells almost all of his stuff on Ebay. I'm gonna make his shop a regular stop on my tool buying rounds!!


I don't think I stole this stuff like some other deals I've seen (or been a part of), but I think I got a REALLY good deal. I walked out a little more than $300 lighter.

Please stop me before I buy again!!!!1

 

[Bull]

Jeekers! It would take me quite a while to collect that many tools. Nice work, dude. If you can pay to play, stay in the game!

 

[billymade]

DAAAYYYYYUUUUUUMMMMMM!!! Looks like all high quality pro grade tools; hell the impact sets were probably $300 apiece new! Awesome buy! Hmmm, does the word
"****" come to mind?

 

[bchee]

that's a lot of stuff!!
Even at $300 still seems like a good deal.
One of those orange handle snap on breaker bars just went for $155 on ebay.

 

[seetherfiend]

You did damn good!!

 

[krusty the clown]

you do have it bad.........say to yourself "my name is rig and i have a problem"...........

 

[autoace]

Not to insult my own kind, but alot of my mechanic "friends" used to pawn some of their tools pretty cheap, when the "pipe was empty"...I never had such problems, but you had to watch guys stealing stuff, at some garages, they would steal stuff to pawn. Then some lucky guy gets the stuff cheap. I wonder how many pawn shop tools are really "legit" incoming transactions.

Anyway, just a thought...You picked up some great deals, nice pile of bargains. That SO hard handle breaker bar is a classic now the handles were discontinued...enjoy your tools...how they got to the pawn shop is not your problem.

PS...Your tool addiction problem is nothing compared to the problems, that probably brought the tools in to the pawn shop, so buy away...It is a "healthy" addiction.

 

[Rigmaster]

Not to insult my own kind, but alot of my mechanic "friends" used to pawn some of their tools pretty cheap, when the "pipe was empty"...I never had such problems, but you had to watch guys stealing stuff, at some garages, they would steal stuff to pawn. Then some lucky guy gets the stuff cheap. I wonder how many pawn shop tools are really "legit" incoming transactions.

Anyway, just a thought...You picked up some great deals, nice pile of bargains. That SO hard handle breaker bar is a classic now the handles were discontinued...enjoy your tools...how they got to the pawn shop is not your problem.

PS...Your tool addiction problem is nothing compared to the problems, that probably brought the tools in to the pawn shop, so buy away...It is a "healthy" addiction.

Yeah, I think about the same thing. And I know the Pawn shop owner probably gave the guy(s) $40-50 for all the tools I bought, if that much.

But I feel that by buying from a regulated Pawn shop you're less likely to buy stolen goods than at a flea market or from some guy off CL. Like I said, this guy has been in business in this same location for almost 20 years, so I doubt he'd do anything stupid to jeopardize his business. I know it happens, but I have turned down a few "too good to be true" deals because I just thought they were probably stolen goods.

 

[bushhawg73]

Nice haul. One little problem. There is no cure for the lust of tools. No matter where I am I am allways on the lookout for good tools. It's a sickness that I don't think I will ever get over. I like chrome and worse I like to use the damn things. This board has made it worse. Now tools like Hazet and others fill the rank with the ever elusive Snappys. The truth is if I had 4 jobs paying my current 32,000,00 a year salary and no bills I still would be broke. The difference is that I would have one kick a$$ shop to work in.

 

[Bull]

If a guy was desperate for money, why wouldn't he just sell his stuff on eBay rather than to take a ****** from a pawn shop that only gives him, $40-50 for what you all are saying is like, 10x that much in value?

 

[Fedwrench]

Excellent Chrome and impact fix!! The only way I could stop you before you buy again, would be to get there before you.

 

[Rigmaster]

If a guy was desperate for money, why wouldn't he just sell his stuff on eBay rather than to take a ****** from a pawn shop that only gives him, $40-50 for what you all are saying is like, 10x that much in value?

My theory is that alot of people who need money THAT badly just can't wait- whether it's an addiction of some sort, or a rent/car payment etc that's due or past due, they need the $$$ NOW. I also think it's a vicious cycle for alot of these folks, they live beyond their means and can never seem to get caught up, so they just dig themselves deeper and deeper down in the muck


I've spent more time in Pawn shops in the last year or so than I have in my entire life before that- and I can't believe how little $$ people are willing to accept for things at the Pawn shop. Many of them seem adamant about the fact that they are NOT selling the item, just pawning it for a short time- but I'd be willing to bet that a large percentage of those folks never come back to get their items.

 

[Fedwrench]

If a guy was desperate for money, why wouldn't he just sell his stuff on eBay rather than to take a ****** from a pawn shop that only gives him, $40-50 for what you all are saying is like, 10x that much in value?

First of all some of my peers can fix anything but, can't keep their personal finances straight. Secondly, it's all about instant need and gratification. No one in that situation thinks far forward enough to list on Ebay. They want cash in hand now. If they were that smart, they wouldn't in a jam now. I have seen alot of talented people work as mechanics but, some of them have some very tragic personal lives for some unknown reason.

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

If a guy was desperate for money, why wouldn't he just sell his stuff on eBay rather than to take a ****** from a pawn shop that only gives him, $40-50 for what you all are saying is like, 10x that much in value?

Maybe didn't want to deal with E-bay...maybe unfamiliar with E-bay.

Desperate people do stupid things all the time.

 

[zuspiel]

Wow, you did well. And, no, I don't think there's any help for you (or any of us, for that matter )

Anyway, you should keep looking around. Maybe you'll come across the rest of the Armstrong sockets missing from my set...

 

[autoace]

Yeah, I think about the same thing. And I know the Pawn shop owner probably gave the guy(s) $40-50 for all the tools I bought, if that much.

But I feel that by buying from a regulated Pawn shop you're less likely to buy stolen goods than at a flea market or from some guy off CL. Like I said, this guy has been in business in this same location for almost 20 years, so I doubt he'd do anything stupid to jeopardize his business. I know it happens, but I have turned down a few "too good to be true" deals because I just thought they were probably stolen goods.

I knew a pawn shop owner, in Worcester, MA, He would take a snap shot of the goods, in case they were stolen. If he thought they might be stolen, he had a special no record storage area, to let a little time pass. I had a Denon/AKAI/Boston Acoustic stereo system stolen, and found it at a pawn shop on Gold Star boulevard, after being clued by a friend. The police said I had to prove the stuff was stolen, and claim serial numbers, and proof of original purchase, and then maybe they would look into it. Having a pawn shop is a license to steal from the desperate. Pawn shop can get away with selling stolen goods.

I am not criticizing anyone for buying stuff from any pawn shop, but the whole system disgusts me. Probably why I have not been in one since 1994. I know this is a bit off topic so, end my mini rant.

However for Tools, I am thinking of making an exception, if I were in Germany I'd be on the hunt for Hazet deals.

 

[wrenchr]

Even if you do need help we are the wrong ones for it!!

 

[autoace]

It could be worse, do you like fast cars. I am contemplating wether to buy more tools or some Brodix cylinder heads, on my next splurge.

The only thing that can kinda cure the tool addict is having children. I never put my wants in front of my family and bill obligations.

Hold your ears, I sold almost 9000 dollars worth of my Snap-on tools in the end of 2008, just to make sure all financial obligations were met, and my children had a great Christmas. Now all my tools are in several mid-grade Craftsman boxes etc... I don't want to do it again, but I am not sorry.

The above is the only sobering thing, that "cured" me of my tool spending, and expensive cars.

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

Having a pawn shop is a license to steal from the desperate.

I don't agree with that. 98% of people that are desperate and sell their tools or whatever for virtually nothing to a pawnshop are that way b/c of the decisions THEY have made. Don't blame the pawnshop for the seller's behavior.

Pawn shop can get away with selling stolen goods.

That's not necessarily true. I would think that would depend on the local law enforcement.

 

[autoace]

I don't agree with that. 98% of people that are desperate and sell their tools or whatever for virtually nothing to a pawnshop are that way b/c of the decisions THEY have made. Don't blame the pawnshop for the seller's behavior.





That's not necessarily true. I would think that would depend on the local law enforcement.

I agree with you that it is the people who are at fault. The "license to steal" saying came directly from the pawn shop owner himself. Doesn't make him a bad guy, he just gets his inventory from desperation.

In big cities, like I grew up in, the police only investigate murders,grand theft auto, and other severe stuff. There just isn't enough police force to go around, and most people know it. Anyway Pawn shop owners are like any other business...the good, bad, and in between.

Anyway, not a real big deal, it wasn't a slam to anyone in particular, just remembering my pawn shop acquaintance.

 

[dyson74]

"He who dies with the most tools wins" .... It is never time!

 

[wrenchr]

I agree with you that it is the people who are at fault. The "license to steal" saying came directly from the pawn shop owner himself. Doesn't make him a bad guy, he just gets his inventory from desperation.

In big cities, like I grew up in, the police only investigate murders,grand theft auto, and other severe stuff. There just isn't enough police force to go around, and most people know it. Anyway Pawn shop owners are like any other business...the good, bad, and in between.

Anyway, not a real big deal, it wasn't a slam to anyone in particular, just remembering my pawn shop acquaintance.

There was I guy that use to work at the same place as me and he was breaking into peoples houses and pawning their stuff at hockshops and that is how he was caught!! So in this case the pawnshop worked to catch a thief.

 

[wrenchr]

"He who dies with the most tools wins" .... It is never time!

His Family wins you mean

 

[GDA]

You must train Clydesdales on the side because that is a haul! Nice score on some very useful tools; especially the long breaker bar, offset ratchets, impacts and crowfeet.