Rust Hunting in Georgia 2012.04.07

Been a while since I've posted about recent tool finds - here's the first of a few posts describing what I've been finding since the beginning of the year. For the most part it's been rather slim pickings - and as usual I'm so cheap that most of anything that is "good" is already gone. I didn't take a close-up of the file, which is in good shape (triangular with a wedge shape), however I mostly bought it for the cast-iron handle - I'm rather partial to those and have around a half-dozen of them. They're great for smaller files.

I bought the Disston #10 due to its size at about 20 inches of over-all length - you don't often see handsaws small enough to fit into a standard tool box - this one is a bit rusty (but what isn't?) but still straight and reasonably sharp and at $2 too nice to pass up:

The saw-set I didn't really need, but I think I paid a dollar for it. It's a Stanley Handyman "Made in Canada" and one of the smaller sizes. It doesn't appear to have ever been used.

Finally, this last item, a Stanley No. 400 Miter Vise, was provided by my great friend John Stephens who happened upon it (his intent was to put it on eBay as they fetch a decent amount). I've wanted one for some time and this is a beautiful example with original paint. It's probably the best miter vise ever made.

I still have to come up with something to give back to John in trade - I hope I don't have to give up anything too dear. More to come....

-- John

Rust Hunting in Georgia 2011.11.06

I hit the aftermath of a huge tool sale - sounds like the guy just picked up everything he could find and then left it to his widow to deal with (hopefully the same won't happen to me!). In any case, the sale started on Thursday so by the time I hit it Saturday morning, most of the better items were gone. Being the consummate bottom-feeder I still managed to find a few items - I spent a little over $30 for everything (it was discounted being the last day, plus I got some off for buying so much). Many of these items were marked $1 with I think $3 being the top price I paid (less discount).

First up a saw jointer, some new Stihl chainsaw blade files and a holder for same.

Next are some of my favorite "vixen" cut files:

And then some later Buck Chisels (they look crappy but I cleaned one up - stained but not pitted), a tiny press, brick chisel and a tap handle:

Here's a group of handled tools, an awl, dental pic, flat-blades for a brace, Marples driver, putty knife, some sharpening stones and a couple of utility knives (sucker for those - seems you can never find one when you need one):

A whole slew of replacement hammer handles, mostly in hickory or ash:

4 small cross-pein or ball-pein hammers (red-handled one marked Plumb):

A bunch of micro-Pony clamps:

A Starrett Horizontal Gage Holding Rod in box and a Starrett 6" rule with cover (incidentally, someone stole an expensive micrometer from the sale):

Here's a close-up of the saw jointer - marked Disston:

And that tiny press (like to call it an arbor press but I think it's for pressing circuit pins - in any case too "cute" to pass up):

The tap handle is marked "Morse" and "Made in USA"

And here are some detail shots:

Guess that about wraps it up - there were still a lot of tools at the sale - mostly junk or stuff I already had a lot of - One very decent Stanley #12 scraper with rosewood handles for $20 (decent deal) but it was missing the scraper blade.

-- John

Rust Hunting in Georgia - February 2011

Had a chance this past Sunday to go by one of my favorite Antique/Flea places and spied a small hand-saw. It's unmarked and probably from a kid's tool box but the price was right (less than $3). Walking around I spied a Disston D-23 with a carved apple handle - it's a later post-nib but straight and cut at 11 tpi - also with a $3.50 sticker well worth buying - I tried to capture the etch but didn't quite get it. In any case both of these aren't bad to clean up. My total with discount was less than $6 with tax.

That's about it for tool hunting - more Unisaw updates coming!

-- John