What was your very first tool??
- Thread starter hickmlg09
- Start date
bajones238
Well-known member
This is the only one left of a set of five which my father gave me as a birthday present in 1965. He was tired of me borrowing his tools.
I don't know what became of the other four.
I don't know what became of the other four.
Outlawmws
Well-known member
Major Ramifications
Well-known member
My second tool was a small claw hammer. Not a toy, a real one, but small. I'm pretty sure I was five, but maybe six when my dad gave it to me. I still h ve the head, but I broke the handle when I was young prying something the wrong way.
Redryder,those are some nice boxes, and a nice tradition. Your dad's is a little nicer, though.
And Hick, you would want us to post pictures of our first tool.
Redryder,those are some nice boxes, and a nice tradition. Your dad's is a little nicer, though.
And Hick, you would want us to post pictures of our first tool.
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My second tool was a small claw hammer. Not a toy, a real one, but small. I'm pretty sure I was five, but maybe six when my dad gave it to me. I still h ve the head, but I broke the handle when I was young prying something the wrong way.
Redryder,those are some nice boxes, and a nice tradition. Your dad's is a little nicer, though.
And Hick, you would want us to post pictures of our first tool.
Oh yea you know it lol!
I will get my first toolbox out and tools tomorrow and post a pic of my very first tools
ar2stp48
Well-known member
First two items were: a Dormeyer drill that had attachments for sander, saw, and table saw; and a small Stanley tool box set. Still have the drill and almost all of the Stanley set. Think I was 10, maybe 11 when I got these. A year later I got a 6 1/2 Skill saw; still have and use it.
RECox286
Well-known member
I remember vividly the night before Christmas, when my grandfather and
step grandmother came over with presents for my me and my brother.
I was probably 5 or 6 yo at the time, and I got so excited when I unwrapped
my gift...a Handy Andy tool kit with "almost" real tools; hammer, saw, pliers,
screwdriver, the tool box itself, and I believe, a square. I literally had died
and gone to heaven. That next morning, we left on our vacation to Florida.
Funny how certain things stay in your memory banks...
Uncle Bob
step grandmother came over with presents for my me and my brother.
I was probably 5 or 6 yo at the time, and I got so excited when I unwrapped
my gift...a Handy Andy tool kit with "almost" real tools; hammer, saw, pliers,
screwdriver, the tool box itself, and I believe, a square. I literally had died
and gone to heaven. That next morning, we left on our vacation to Florida.
Funny how certain things stay in your memory banks...
Uncle Bob
My first ones were back when I was 16 and started working at a local auto shop. My dad bought me a set of Sears Companion combo wrenches(still have), a Craftsman 93-ish piece socket set(still have most of), a set of Craftsman screwdrivers(still use) and one of the 5 drawer chest sets with the riser and the cabinet on the bottom. That one had to be sold off during a PCS move.
Outlawmws
Well-known member
I had the handy Andy set, as well as an erector set or three, the original "Mr. Machine" that you could take completely apart and reassemble, (plastic nuts and whatnot) a huge girder building set, as well as the obligatory Lincoln logs, even a brick set that was a precursor to Legos.
But I can't really call any of that real tools, just a good grounding in things mechanical. It's all long gone, but I did pick up a good condition vintage Erector set a few years back that was identical to my base set. Wish I could find a Mr. Machine... That one imprinted some memories; like the time I reassembled it blind folded for my Dad one night.
dieselmike
Well-known member
grandpa gave me a crow bar, a small hand saw and little ball pein.
olytdi
Well-known member
My grandmother raised me and used to give me a hefty spoon that I was allowed to use to dig in the yard. I spent day after day construction roads, underground facilities, forts, and other infrastructure all summer long with just that spoon. I was four. It wasn't a conventional tool but good thing it wasn't a D9 or I'd have built a freeway!
RedFordTruck
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- Joined
- May 10, 2012
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- 921
Mine were a craftsman 76 piece mechanics tool set. Back when a 76 piece set came with 76 real tools, not 40 tools and 36 bits and allen wrenches.
I still have it. has 1/2, 3/8, and 1/4'' drive ratchets and sockets. Carry it as my mobile ratchet set in my Truck tool box!
I still have it. has 1/2, 3/8, and 1/4'' drive ratchets and sockets. Carry it as my mobile ratchet set in my Truck tool box!
any pictures of the valiant
4x4gearhead
Well-known member
This is the only one left of a set of five which my father gave me as a birthday present in 1965. He was tired of me borrowing his tools.
I don't know what became of the other four.
Lol I only have the ratchets and a few loose sockets left from my first set of tools because my father used them just as much, only problem is he never saw the worth in keeping a set of tools around. Who knows where half of that **** ended up.
jeffmoss26
Well-known member
Finally remembered to take a pic:
theoldwizard1
Well-known member
About the same time for me ! I actually think they are up in my attic.
My old man bought a "fixer upper" vacation home when I was about 14. Every weekend he would pack up all of his tools and head there. That left me with nothing. After complaining a couple of times, I got a Craftsman 1/4 - 3/8 socket set, with a ratchet and 3/8 to 1/4 adapter.
Still have the set, use it a lot.
Back around 1957 PaPa (my Grandfather) gave me a Scharade Walden pocket knife and a couple of Arkansas stones. The next year I had become good enough with the Arkansas stones that he gave me a box of Band Aids.....
Since that day I have turned many board feet of pine (East Texas) into small shavings.
Since that day I have turned many board feet of pine (East Texas) into small shavings.
RECox286
Well-known member
Toy tool ? Real tool ? A stick is a tool, a rock is a tool, a wrench is a tool, a steel plant rolling mill is a tool...Which means if it didn't come attached at birth, and it is used as an extension of the body, it's a tool.
We are a tool using animal, as is a chimp having a termite dinner by
dipping a stick or blade of grass into a hole in the termite mound, and withdrawing
the stick full of termites.
Uncle Bob
We are a tool using animal, as is a chimp having a termite dinner by
dipping a stick or blade of grass into a hole in the termite mound, and withdrawing
the stick full of termites.
Uncle Bob
elderstarr
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- Joined
- Apr 7, 2011
- Messages
- 98
The allen key and spanner contained in my first box of Meccano
jvitez
Well-known member
I used Dad's tool for my bike as a kid, though I remember using a "bike wrench" for several years, probably from about age 10. I don't know if the bike wrench (flat piece of metal with two sizes of open end on each end, plus many square sizes punched out of the body, not sure what the proper name for it is) came with the bike or Dad bought it separately.
The first tool of my own I made myself: a sheet metal tool box made in Grade 8 metals class. I got an A on it. I put so much love and care into making it. It had a spot welded piano hinge for the lid, a rolled wire handle, the corners were actually square, and it was quite a tough little ******. I used it happily till university.....until I finished another repair on my beater, forgot I left it behind the front wheel, and drove over it. I almost cried! I trying straightening it. Hah. My lip quivered when I threw it in the garbage.
Addendum: hey, the pic in elderstarr's post above looks a bit like the bike wrench I'm talking about.
The first tool of my own I made myself: a sheet metal tool box made in Grade 8 metals class. I got an A on it. I put so much love and care into making it. It had a spot welded piano hinge for the lid, a rolled wire handle, the corners were actually square, and it was quite a tough little ******. I used it happily till university.....until I finished another repair on my beater, forgot I left it behind the front wheel, and drove over it. I almost cried! I trying straightening it. Hah. My lip quivered when I threw it in the garbage.
Addendum: hey, the pic in elderstarr's post above looks a bit like the bike wrench I'm talking about.
DIYKiah
Well-known member
Haha, I guess that is my first "tool" too!
Second would have to be a tool belt that was decked out with a hammer/chalkbox/speed square/tape measurer that I got from my father when I was younger... My dad was a carpenter so I thought it was the coolest thing I had ever gotten! =)
I an rarity; a California native. And yep, that building was White Front before it was Gemco. Fredco and Kresges I don't remember, Valley stores?
Kresges is now K-Mart. "Fredco" I don't remember, but I remember FEDCO. Even before White Front and Gemco there was G.E.T. I can't remember what G.E.T. stood for, but it was a membership-type department store where you could buy just about everything from toys and tools to furniture and major appliances.
Other places now long gone were Newberry's, Woolworth's, Kress (different than Kresges), and 88 Cent Bonanza. Regal gas stations had a variety store attached where you could buy tools, auto parts and appliances. And Western Auto.
Many of the first tools I bought with my own money came from G.E.T., Regal, Woolworth's, 88 Cent Bonanza, and Monkey Wards. A kid could buy a lot of "cool"
tools for 88 cents or less back then. My kids probably have a few of those that had survived me and got handed down to them.These are the only two survivors that I can find at the moment:
If you take the needle off, you can screw the ball inflator into the valve stem on a bike tire and get the tire pretty well filled, but most of the air will leak out before you can get the inflator back off of the valve stem. Ah, memories.
Dad gave me the hammer when I was about 4 years old. A little later, he gave me a small pocket knife, but when I cut myself with it not long afterward, mom took it away
(along with giving dad a few choice words). My first tools were a Husky socket set with a 3/8 ratchet, a spinner handle, a bit set, and some 1/4 in. sockets. That same day I got a Crescent adjustable wrench, some Husky Pliers, and some Husky Screwdrivers. Still have them today. Got the money from cleaning the shop at a marina (which is the shop I work at now) and pumping gas at the gas dock.
sickboy motors inc.
Well-known member
First tool was "rocket" hammer looks like a brad hammer. My Pappy gave it to me! Thx Pappy! RIP
I was pumping gas after school back in 1981. The MAC tool guy gave me truck credit so I got my first ratchet XR11F. All original....Same gear never rebuilt. I also got my XR8 MAC ratchet the following week, never rebuilt original gear. The 30 tooth gear ratchet action was hi tech compared to the Craftsman 24 tooth ratchet action. $15.00 per week. 
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I was pumping gas after school back in 1981. The MAC tool guy gave me truck credit so I got my first ratchet XR11F. All original....Same gear never rebuilt. I also got my XR8 MAC ratchet the following week, never rebuilt original gear. The 30 tooth gear ratchet action was hi tech compared to the Craftsman 24 tooth ratchet action. $15.00 per week.
Pretty Sweet!!
I was pumping gas after school back in 1981. The MAC tool guy gave me truck credit so I got my first ratchet XR11F. All original....Same gear never rebuilt. I also got my XR8 MAC ratchet the following week, never rebuilt original gear. The 30 tooth gear ratchet action was hi tech compared to the Craftsman 24 tooth ratchet action. $15.00 per week.
And still damned well as good as anything on the truck!
