WW2 Tools, what should I do?

[lost prophet]

Hello, I recently acquired an old craftsman tool box that was locked. My husband helped me pry it open and I am not sure what to do. The amount of tools and Items within this tool box has been a bit overwhelming.. I am not sure If I should piece it out or group like items... my thought was to try and put together actual tool sets. I am looking to see what collectors usually look for. Collectors out there... do you search individual pieces that you like and make your own or would you like to purchase the entire set? I feel that might take the fun out of it? I have not finished taking inventory TIA for your input. I am attaching some photos...

 

[d42jeep]

Welcome to the Garage Journal. Rather than selling individual tools, you could gather them either by brand or similar types of tools, take photos and list them in the classified section of the Garage Journal.
-Don

 

[Aaron_W]

Typically you make the most money selling individually, but that is also a lot more work. The issue with grouping is knowing what goes together. If you are not familiar with tools it is easy to cross genres mixing carpentry, plumbing, metal working etc tools together which may make lots less desirable to many buyers.

The paperwork strongly suggests an aviation connection. Speaking of the paperwork, don't toss that stuff even something as basic as a tag or receipt may have value to the right collector.

In the last photo there is what looks like a receipt from the tool room at Convair. That is kind of a neat artifact, Convair was the result of the merger between the Consolidated and Vultee aircraft companies who made many classic WW2 and cold war aircraft, the B-24 Liberator, PBY Catalina, BT-13 Valiant, F102 Delta Dagger, F106 Delta Dart, B-58 Hustler etc.

 

[Shiftless]

Great advice so far.
Garage Journal is a wealth of info on just about any topic. Members are generous with their time and energy to help. I love this place!!!

 

[Provincial]

The Convair tool sale receipt describes it as a division of General Dynamics. GD bought Convair in March of 1953. Many of the tools are obviously from the 1940's, and the fellow likely worked there well into the 1950's, and perhaps longer.

During that time, Convair built the very popular 240,340, and 440 airliners in San Diego. Those tools likely were used to build the three 440's I flew as cargo planes in the late 1980's.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I would add "era" to the disadvantages of a group or lot sale that Aaron pointed out. Collectors collect by type and also era. I do not see any WWII tool sets or any tools that could be assembled into a WWII tool set. I see a wide mix of tools with various pedigrees, including 30's, 40's, 50's, 60's, and even 70's.

 

[crguy]

Realistically, what you have there looks like common low value stuff. You can spend a lot of time trying to sell that stuff for a very few dollars.

 

[aquinob]

Realistically, what you have there looks like common low value stuff. You can spend a lot of time trying to sell that stuff for a very few dollars.

I have to agree. It's a mishmosh of old hammers, wrenches and other bits and I don't see much of a market for it. You see stuff like that all the time on craigslist and FB online and in garage sales locally. There may be folks here that collect old stuff like that but I think they are far and few between.

Your best bet if you want to do something useful with them might be to donate them to a place like the Habitat for Humanity Restore where they sell random old tools like that.

Now if you had a Stanley #1 buried down in that box, you might have something people would go after. Good luck.

 

[paulsomlo]

Realistically, what you have there looks like common low value stuff. You can spend a lot of time trying to sell that stuff for a very few dollars.

Amen - group all the items that look alike and list them on FB Marketplace, but don't expect much $.

 

[lost prophet]

Thank you all for the advice. I will probably take my time and group them. Luckily I know tools and have knowledge in that sense but im not so great with eras. etc. This is a pretty awesome website... I have found some pictures of tool sets that I have been able to match up a lot of parts that were hidden in a separate compartment... I will definitely update my post. I will definitely keep in mind that they might be common as well and be realistic about what I expect to come from this little adventure. Appreciate everyone's time!

 

[lost prophet]

I have to agree. It's a mishmosh of old hammers, wrenches and other bits and I don't see much of a market for it. You see stuff like that all the time on craigslist and FB online and in garage sales locally. There may be folks here that collect old stuff like that but I think they are far and few between.

Your best bet if you want to do something useful with them might be to donate them to a place like the Habitat for Humanity Restore where they sell random old tools like that.

Now if you had a Stanley #1 buried down in that box, you might have something people would go after. Good luck.

crazy things is I might actually have a Stanley #1 im checking to see which ones tomorrow!

 

[Zrxrunner]

There's a couple obvious sellers in there. Snap on ratchet adaptor, craftsman screwdriver box, plomb wrench, body dolly, etc. That sk tag is cool too. I get weird looks at sales when I buy empty boxes or advertisement pages and Randoms like that most would throw away. I see what looks like a double bit axe in one Pic? Most are cheapies, but if youhave the right one, that could be valuable?

 

[four.cycle]

@lost prophet -

Welcome to the site. While I'm not really in the business of making appraisals on old tools here, I can offer a few tips:

Sort the stuff out by TYPE.
Anything marked "Snap-on" or "Craftsman" will sell to the right buyer. The rest is a **** shoot.
Old rusty beat-up screwdrivers: put 'em all in a lot and pick a number and dump them. (I gave all mine away to another guy here.)
It looks like you may have a few items that might fetch a few bucks on ebay - ebay buyers are a screwy lot and somewhat disconnected from reality: That "Masterwrench" is a $1.00 item at a garage sale, but it's $10-$15 on ebay. (go figure.) Same with that Plomb "pebble" wrench.
Put all the chisels and punches in one lot and pick a number and cross your fingers.

You can drive to a Harbor Freight store, shell out $30 bucks for a gallon of "Evaporust", clean all the rust off everything, and maybe get a few more bucks, but how much is your time worth? There's a lot of work and a huge investment of time in "restoring" old rusty tools.
Sometimes it's worth the the trouble if you are working with real "collectibles", but it involves work and time (and more money out of pocket.)

Peddling onesie-twosies on ebay is a slow process. Here are my ebay listings

Additional notes on your photos below:

 

[RTM]

There's a couple obvious sellers in there

Sort the stuff out by TYPE.
Anything marked "Snap-on" or "Craftsman" will sell to the right buyer. The rest is a **** shoot

There are a couple of Starrett items in there, first pic, top right, there are used to join two rules together, either in line, or at a 90° angle, those will gather $25-50 each. Each of us probably has their own sight recognition skill, so can offer ideas.

We might be able to help more with better pics with stuff spread outa bit more. A few pics with say ten unknown tools per can help you pinpoint. Pics of wrenches, with a list of makers , or ?? When not known can help too.

I also saw the ratcheting adapter, and wonder how many other goodies are buried. When I see this offered as a lot deal for $20, I will grab them to scoop the goodies out, and flip the rest for more, or give it away. No sense in you not getting the profits.

Good luck.

 

[Shiftless]

Like four.cycle said, that knife might be a prize bit.
When you get a chance, dig it out of the pile, wipe it off and open it up and show us the markings on the blade and pics of both sides of the knife. Some similar knives bring a hundred bucks or more. Or it might be borderline worthless.

(I picked up a very early Buck 110 in virtually unused condition at Goodwill to flip. It brought over a hundred on eBay.)

 

[crguy]

crazy things is I might actually have a Stanley #1 im checking to see which ones tomorrow!

If you have a Stanley #1, be sure to message me about it. Or, and other unusual woodworking tools.

 

[2oolhound]

In your 1st photo or in four.cycle's 4th photo he drew a circle around a pouch. Under the pouch is what looks like a cable grabber. They come in different sizes for big or small cable. That one is small but they are uncommon and nice to have for guys working with cable. Depending on shape or wear (where it grips the cable) it's worth $10 - $20. Big ones are worth more.

 

[mrvm]

Like four.cycle said, that knife might be a prize bit.
When you get a chance, dig it out of the pile, wipe it off and open it up and show us the markings on the blade and pics of both sides of the knife. Some similar knives bring a hundred bucks or more. Or it might be borderline worthless.

(I picked up a very early Buck 110 in virtually unused condition at Goodwill to flip. It brought over a hundred on eBay.)

That knife looks similar to the knife from my Dad

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Like four.cycle said, that knife might be a prize bit....[ ]...Some similar knives bring a hundred bucks or more. Or it might be borderline worthless.

That knife looks similar to the knife from my Dad

Where did he get it and when? It could be very old. It could be pre-production or early production. It's a Kingston, and that marking on the bale, along with the "U.S. MARINE CORPS" marking, is consistent with very early production tells! Does it say "PAT PEND", just like that, under "CANOPENER", squeezed together just like that, on the can opener blade, and nothing but "USA" (no name, no date) on the tang of the main blade?

Hard to tell about the OP's red paint splattered one - the marking would be on the flip-side scale. Could be a common Camillus "US".

Known in collecting circles as a "MIL-K" (short for MIL-K-818, the military standard designator). Most of them are fairly common, and most people, especially non-collectors, and almost everyone who ever served or who had someone in their family serve, are familiar with the Camillus version made from 1957 well up through the 2000's, But they were in development, not yet issued, as far back as May 1944 (by the Marines!) then in early 1945 (by the Army Infantry Board) and eventually standardized across both services and produced in late 1945, and those are more precious. Camillus started making them in 1949. Everything I know about the early versions I learned from the OP of our 'Show your Vintage Knives' thread down here on the Vintage Tools Discussion forum, who has a much more detailed timeline in an excellent and well-researched study on them. Can't remember if he posted it there yet or not, but it pieces incomplete bits together from Cole, Trzaska, and period government documents.

I carry a '63 Camillus that I got from my Great Aunt, an original 1943 W.A.C. and lifer who retired in 1973, and I have a few others in glove boxes, a toolbox, and given to my sons. It's my favorite carry knife. Hard to beat stainless steel, indestructible, comfortable grip, and handsome in a "camping" friendly 4-blade style.

 

[mrvm]

Where did he get it and when? It could be very old. It could be pre-production or early production. It's a Kingston, and that marking on the bale, along with the "U.S. MARINE CORPS" marking, is consistent with very early production tells! Does it say "PAT PEND", just like that, under "CANOPENER", squeezed together just like that, on the can opener blade, and nothing but "USA" (no name, no date) on the tang of the main blade?

My Dad served in the Army during WWII and never mentioned the origin of this knife. Maybe it was gifted or found in the field. It’s was a bit stiff to open all the blades and there are no other markings unless something is hidden beneath the grime. Thanks for your information.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

...there are no other markings unless something is hidden beneath the grime.

Good. Your knife is from late 1944. Zero doubt. The first runs had the screwdriver and the main blade on the same end, and the can opener and the spike on the opposite end. Yours is later than that, but earlier than runs with the markings I described (the patent was eventually issued to Imperial). There were only two companies making them at this time, Kingston (USMC and Army) and Stevenson (Army only). Kingston was a joint venture, formed in 1943 by Ulster and Imperial joining forces to make knives for the war. It was dissolved in 1947. As I said, Camillus entered the game in 1949, and probably 9 out of 10 people with a MIL-K, including me, have a Camillus.

I know you don't need me to tell you to cherish that knife. My dad was a quartermaster on the bridge of a Destroyer ****** in WWII.

 

[mrvm]

Good. Your knife is from late 1944. Zero doubt. The first runs had the screwdriver and the main blade on the same end, and the can opener and the spike on the opposite end. Yours is later than that, but earlier than runs with the markings I described (the patent was eventually issued to Imperial). There were only two companies making them at this time, Kingston (USMC and Army) and Peterson (Army only). Kingston was a joint venture, formed in 1943 by Ulster and Imperial joining forces to make knives for the war. It was dissolved in 1947. As I said, Camillus entered the game in 1949, and probably 9 out of 10 people with a MIL-K, including me, have a Camillus.

I know you don't need me to tell you to cherish that knife. My dad was a quartermaster on the bridge of a Destroyer ****** in WWII.

Great historical information about this old knife. Really appreciate that. Hope the OP finds things of similar interest.
I recall my Dad telling me that he had orders for deployment but he got very ill the night before. He couldn't join his group for departure and he learned later from his buddies that returned that there were many casualties and he was fortunate.