Where to sell vintage tools?

[wingnutthehutt]

I have a random assortment of hand tools taking up space that my father and I have accumulated over the years. I think most of them are from the 50s, but some go back to the 20s. Mostly open end wrenches, an old ratchet. Some of them are branded Ford and a couple are Pontiac. There are also a few things that are Model-T specific like rocker shims. Neat tools, but not that functional

Last time I sold wrenches it was about a thousand dollars worth of Proto and I ended up taking $100 on Craigslist just to get them out of my way. Is there a better way? Maybe eBay? I feel like the time:money equation would end up a net negative. I'm just trying to streamline.

 

[930dreamer]

Price them for a buy it now on Ebay or use the GJ classifieds.

 

[measuredtwice]

Put them on Ebay. When possible, use USPS flat rate Priority boxes for heavy stuff.

CL is a joke here. Don't know how it is in Sacramento though.

 

[bwringer]

fleaBay.

Or drop it all off at iSoldIt and let them futz with it.

 

[Stuart in MN]

You know there's a for sale section right here on this board?

 

[sberry]

Last time I sold wrenches it was about a thousand dollars worth of Proto and I ended up taking $100

Shows what an "investment" the brand is? We had a guy here sold HF stuff at a yard sale for as much or more than he paid for it.

 

[woody 73]

I have found sometimes it is a funny world in which I live in... About three weeks ago I found the most amazing tool hoard that I have ever seen in my life. I had in my hands about 12 wrenches that I will never ever see again and I was on my hands and knees begging the man for a deal that would make us both happy and he wanted 2019 full retail for tools from the 1950's to the 1970'. Of course I would have run out of money in just a few of those wrenches (all sae and nothing larger then 1"). Shame he would not budge, got to wonder if he ever sold any that day? Just the thought of packing them all up everyday and not getting a hernia is beyond me.


Anyhow sounds like e-bay might be the answer you are looking for or the GJ for that matter.

 

[wingnutthehutt]

Thanks for the feedback, folks. Yes, I know there are classifieds here. But if I'm going to sell them I'm going to want to reach the widest audience possible in order to actually make it worth the headache.

New tools are a ripoff from any name brand and Craigslist is a disaster the world over. I'm about to start some garage updates so I'll gather my stuff together and see what I'm really working with. Maybe I'll post them here as a lot and someone local can deal with it.

 

[catalytic]

I buy a lot of used tools.

You can sell on forums (here) and craigslist. The audience is smaller, but there's less headache.

If you want top dollar, sell them individually 'buy it now' on ebay. Someone will eventually scam you out of one of them, but you'll still do better overall. If you have a lot of them, set up a nice table and take a lot of nice pictures.

I've seen people claim that the best way is ebay auctions beginning at 0.99. When I've tried this, my items sold for less than I would have paid and much less than I expected. In the used tool market at least, there's a lot of price variance depending on who happens to be online looking that week.

 

[1950mercury]

The problem is old open end wrenches and ratchets to a lot of people are garbage. And most garage sales are full of them. Typically people that buy those types of tools buy them for next to nothing and have hoards of them. Check out the garage sale thread on this site it's loaded with old short open end wrenches and garbage plyers. Unless you have old snap on tools they always seem to bring good money

 

[Jbullfrog]

There was a vintage tool auction online a month ago in Omaha. 900 lots of tools from the teens thru the 50ies. Most averaged $5 a piece, a few brought $80 for rare items. Vintage tools need to be interesting to have value.