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Walmart, Kmart, TG&Y

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retDAC

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Joined
Oct 28, 2011
Messages
1,249
Location
near Huntsville, Ala.
I keep everything if freely given to me. Also find tools lost on the side of the road, Occasionally repurpose junk tools. Have some nice stuff too. Used to have a friend who called me "a tool pig". :)
 
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Skellyii

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Nov 13, 2021
Messages
1,724
Location
KC Area
Can't say that I collect them, but when I cleaned out and organized my tools when I semi-retired, I was shocked to find a full set of KMart wrenches, along with Sears, Penncraft and Powr-Kraft.

I assume I got them from deceased family members.
 
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Old Steamer

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Joined
Jul 25, 2013
Messages
1,082
Location
Roxboro, North Carolina
yatg said:
just to name a few more ...

"Wards", "Wardmaster", "Powr-Kraft" (Montgomery Ward)
"Benchtop" (Kmart)
"Sears", "Companion" (Sears)
"JC Penney", "Penncraft" (JCPenney)
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In going through swap meets, there are plenty singletons of these listed brands. There are vendors at Spring and Fall Carlisle that have tubs of tools to root through if you are looking for these. Usually anywhere from $0.25 to $1.00 each, you can score a deal if you are collecting these names.

"Westline" (Western Auto/Wizard) is another brand. A friend just picked up a complete set of 3/8 drive sockets, extension and ratchet in the plastic box for cheap money.

I have a set of Sears "Made in Japan" wrenches.

Th TG&Y adjustable shown is the only TG&Y tool I've ever seen. I like it(y)
 
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Skellyii

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Nov 13, 2021
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KC Area
Heck, I barely remember the TG&Y stores, and was quite shocked to see that they had their own brand of tools.

Just out of curiosity, I tried to use some of those old tools. The Kmart wrenches weren't bad, didn't have enough of the Penncraft to make a reasonable evaluation, but the Sears branded stuff I had was absolute ****!

Don't remember if the Sears stuff was the made in Japan stuff or not.
 
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finn

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Mar 27, 2005
Messages
16,254
Location
The UP, God's country
Skellyii said:
Heck, I barely remember the TG&Y stores, and was quite shocked to see that they had their own brand of tools.

Just out of curiosity, I tried to use some of those old tools. The Kmart wrenches weren't bad, didn't have enough of the Penncraft to make a reasonable evaluation, but the Sears branded stuff I had was absolute ****!

Don't remember if the Sears stuff was the made in Japan stuff or not.
[/QUOTE,
The “Sears” brand was their lowest tier offering, from what I recall. Later they had a “Companion”, and later yet “Evolution “ I think.

There was also Dunlop, a decade or so earlier, unless that was Monkey Wards.

I still have a few Kmart “Benchtop” wrenches that I sort of remember buying for the boys. They left them behind when they went to college and then started their careers over twenty years ago. Occasionally I’ll grab one for use, but I prefer the old Wards “Powercraft” or one of the few “ Popular Mechanics” wrenches if I don’t use the Craftsman, Wright, SnapOn, Gearwrench SK, Proto, or other brands in the box.
Click to expand...
 
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ecotec

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Oct 5, 2010
Messages
5,447
Okay… so I don’t collect tools that I “don’t use”.

I have a Benchtop file in my work tools. I got it NOS in the original packaging at Kitts Industrial Supply years ago. They may still have some.

I have a JC Penney 1/4” ratchet in my “good” ratchet drawer. Having said that… I don’t remember ever using it.

I have a Craft Japan wrench that I customized more than 30 years ago. It has earned its place in my toolbox over the years. I don’t think that I have touched it in over 20 years, though.

Honestly, I have at least one example of a lower end brand in almost every drawer of my toolboxes, workbench and cart. Some, I don’t even remember where they came from anymore.

The vast majority of these kind of tools have been given away or donated at this point. A few of them, I just keep in case I have to alter a cheap tool.
 
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woody 73

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Apr 14, 2009
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11,545
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The Great State Up North
Oh, hell I am a big sucker for all that stuff, now I will tell you a little secret but don't tell it to other GJ members because they might buy it all up on Ebay, but benchtop made tools are the "BOMB" well made and can take all the abuse you throw at them. Every time I find them, they come home with me.(y)(y)
 
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ecotec

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Oct 5, 2010
Messages
5,447
I, definitely, had to go buy onesie twosie store brand tools to finish a job on many occasions. There were plenty of runs to Kmart and other stores like that.

Some, I don’t consider to be in the same class as other store brands. Power-Kraft with a W (Wright) in the stock number is better than the majority of house brand tools. There are a lot of other examples of this.
 
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woody 73

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Apr 14, 2009
Messages
11,545
Location
The Great State Up North
Some fun reading for the op tonight.

Tips and tricks 101 Benchtop Ratchets.

An old story that I hear all the time in some cigar shops that I visit, when a group of old geezers like myself sit down and start shooting the bull; it never fails when the loudest guy starts talking and it goes something like this; "Boys what is the cheapest cigar on the planet that smokes...
www.garagejournal.com www.garagejournal.com
 
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oak_park

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 22, 2010
Messages
665
Location
Chicago
I've got some K-Mart wrenches and Sockets that were made in Japan. Also found these German Made pliers at an Estate Sale.
I've always wondered if the owner got them on a Blue Light Special sale, lol.

20200730_180657.jpg
 
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yatg

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Joined
Aug 16, 2019
Messages
2,815
Location
Southern Oregon
zendriver said:
I'm like " :wtf: does "TG&Y" stand for?"

"Oh, that was the name of the actual store chain." :lol:
Click to expand...

Never heard of it until this thread.

en.wikipedia.org

TG&Y - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org

Founded in 1935, the chain was headquartered in Oklahoma City and named for the last initials of its three founders: Rawdon E. Tomlinson, Enoch L. "Les" Gosselin, and Raymond A. Young.
Click to expand...

"Tomlinson, Gosselin and Young" sounds like ambulance chasers.
 
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rcktpwrd

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Joined
Mar 5, 2008
Messages
1,090
Location
Raleigh, NC
I have a Benchtop tool set that I use all the time. It's the typical 200ish piece set with 1/4, 3/8, 1/2 sockets, extensions and ratchets, allen keys, bit driver and bits. I bought it in the mid 90's at Kmart. Broke one ratchet and they replaced it with a different model.
 
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TheLawnRanger

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Joined
Nov 27, 2019
Messages
173
Location
Mississippi
TG&Y was comparable to K-Mart at one time. They tried to get to grow by starting a larger style store called AIM. It wasn't successful and the TG&Y stores started closing soon after. My dad still has a thick lawnmower frame with TG&Y branding. It's had multiple engines through the years.
 
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Tractorsellr

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Joined
Oct 25, 2016
Messages
207
Location
Tx
Never paid attention to tools at TG&Y, but I dang sure bought a lot of fishing tackle there, especially H&H spinnerbaits.
 
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willf650

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Joined
Mar 10, 2010
Messages
816
I don’t collect them but do have a JC Penny battery charger I use regularly. I do need to replace the cord on it though but it’s still functional and weighs about 15#
 
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