Rust Hunting in Georgia - September 3, 2011

Just a few images from the weekend before Labor Day. I hit a sale on 9/3 with my friend John - it was well-advertised and the images showed lots of old tools - I was really interested in a right-angled brace in one of the photos. Of course it and anything else of any real value was long gone. The guy told me he had bought out the contents of a retired woodworker and most of the items had just been stored in boxes - he really didn't know much about what he had as the prices were all over the place. The items I purchased are at the top of this photo - the items at the bottom were bought at another sale.

I bought the two Groz shaves as I didn't own either profile - they were fairly inexpensive so I think I can work through the cheap manufacture with a little fettering. I thought the real prizes from that sale were the copper-headed hammer and the strap wrench (it's made so the strap can be replaced with a similar size in a longer length). I spent more for these than I probably should have but some times you go to a sale that has a lot of items and you just feel like you have to buy something (yeah I know) - which is what happened here. I don't remember exactly how much I paid but it was $20-30 - not the bottom-feeding I normally do.

The Hyde nail set you see - I've always wanted to try one. It's spring loaded so you can push finish nails in with your palm. I'm not sure if they're still being made. There were a couple of other similar nail sets or tools that help you hold finish nails but I passed on them - too pricey for what they were in my opinion.

The second sale happened quite by accident - this stuff appeared when I asked "Happen to have any old tools you don't want?" - got the whole box for $7.

The drills aren't much - Dunlap brace and a couple of "Made in Germany" eggbeaters. The rule is Lufkin, the perfect-handled screwdriver has a "6" and an English maker (haven't gotten out my magnifying glass so I'm not sure who). The Handyman blocker was probably never used. The real prize in the pile though is the Stanley 100 - first I've ever seen in the wild. It has a Sweetheart blade - I rather fancy the mini/micro planes - easy to tune and come in real handy in tight spots.

Last week I picked up some interesting garden pruning tools - images up soon!

-- John

Rust Hunting in Georgia - August 6, 2011

Another delayed posting - this one should have been made last week, as these photos are the results of my search on 8/6. I was buried this past weekend so it's just as well, since I wasn't able to do anything other than hit a couple of small yard sales, which didn't amount to anything (I did pick up a stack of James Bond movie soundtrack albums for a $1 each but this is the wrong blog for that). In any case, there were some interesting finds from my previous weekend - enjoy!

I hit two sales, the first was an advertised sale near Brookhaven that showed a few photos of tools in a garage - nothing real noteworthy in the photos but I did see a brace so I was at least hopeful - got there around 11:00 so anything really good would probably be gone, but that still fits into my "bottom feeder" mentality. The items were fairly cheap and included the small Stanley Sureform, a handle for an end vise, a small flat pry bar (these are my favorites for installing and removing trim), a Brown Brothers wrench, Craftsman wet chisel and some auger bits - most appear to be unused (one has the tip broken off). I also found a scribe for a Stanley (I think) combination square - since these are always missing I was glad to find a loose one. I gave up $10 for the small pile.

I didn't recognize the end vise but I think it's US made - only mark is a "BS1" with what appears to be a maple handle.

The second sale I went to was a bit more unusual - this was a sale in my own neighborhood where a retired widow was trying to clean out the basement before the moving trucks appeared the next day - people were scrambling around and I soon found out why - the $1 per long-handled-tool prices should have proved a clue. While I was there they opened her deceased husband's workshop - I was lucky to get the items I found as people were grabbing up things in droves. The first thing of interest were these two West-German-made metal-working hammers - they were hanging above a small post-vise mounted to the floor - it looked like I already missed out on one hammer as there was an empty nail on the left. Got these for a buck each!

I also managed to grab this Pexto 925 "Beakhorn" forming anvil - I hesitate to call it a hardy but in a way that's what it is, or perhaps it was originally sold as a portable anvil? I could see the shaft being slipped into a small slot in the back of a step bumper. I believe the former owner used it in the post-vise as he liked to work metal a bit as a hobby.

I also found this red pulley - no telling what he used it for - looks like something from a barn's hayloft door. It's marked "Durbin-Durco St. L. MO." and it's about 9" in diameter.

And finally, the best thing I found was this small propane forge - for $10 complete with regulator and gauge, I couldn't pass it up. NC Tool Company is still in business - they call this one the "Whisper Baby" - can't wait to give it a try! I think it'll work for the light tool work I like to do, plus I'd like to try making some knives...

I probably should have bought the post-vise but it was a small 2 1/2" version. I own a 6" so I talked myself out of it and by the time I thought someone else might want it, somebody else there had claimed it.

Anyway, I felt it was a pretty successful day - I think I spent less than $30 for everything so it was all way cheap - I like cheap!

-- John

Rust Hunting in Georgia - July 24, 2011

I realized today that I hadn't posted about my latest finds - and further that it had been a few weeks. As I've mentioned previously, the new job has most of my attention - it's going quite well. I originally was hired on a 6 month contract but they gave me an offer 2 weeks in, so starting the third week I became a regular, salaried employee. In any case, these are the tools I picked up the weekend of July 24th. I stopped at two sales (actually one estate sale and then my friend John once again called me about some files he saw at one of our favorite junk stores - managed to find a couple of other things there as well).

I'm pretty much a sucker for packaged old items - these files (mostly unused) are a good example. One of the boxes had a single file and some have some surface rust - however I'm still glad to have them.

Also found was this Irwin adjustable auger that had an extra vinyl wrapped auger with it - the latter had extra blades.

As seen in this photo:

I also picked up that Stanley "D" chisel that's not too bad. The Estwing mason's hammer was bought for a buck at the second sale.

As were the Stanley "Yankee" style screwdriver and the Snap-On wrench. I also picked up the nice drop-light, as the plastic versions I own always melt around the bulb - this one is heavy-duty.

Love these file boxes (I guess that officially makes me a "collector") - and here's some close-ups of the other tools:

This is the first metal handled square I've actually purchased, as I prefer wood-handles, especially rosewood, but I figured this one will still come in handy in the shop and will live near my drill-press.

That wraps up the week of the 24th - I picked up some amazing items just this past weekend - those photos soon.

-- John

Rust Hunting in Georgia - July 20, 2011

Well, finally getting a full time gig has certainly curtailed my hunt for rusty items. I did hit one sale and picked up the following though this past weekend:

One of the best things about going to rural sales is how cheap everything can be - in this case I spent very little money - less than $15. I always pick up wet/dry sandpaper when its very cheap as it keeps going up at the supplier.

The 000 and 0000 steel wool I bought as much for the packaging as for the nearly full boxes. Love the "Sun Ray" box!

The small shaped-rasps were cheap and I thought had the potential to be useful - I don't think I've ever seen them before so I'm not sure how they were offered in the stores?

As usual, I always pick up US-made clamps that are a couple of dollars or less - they don't shatter when they hit the floor like some of the Chinese-made clamps you buy these days, plus the little swivel-heads usually don't wear off (and the old clamps don't tend to twist when you torque them!). I think I've given up most of my newer clamps in favor for the old ones. I also like these old scrapers - this Craftsman one doesn't have any wear on the metal - I don't think it's ever been used.

The surprise find was this old Buck timber-framer's chisel - the handle is shot but the blade still has a few inches of usable cast steel left on it - it should refurb fine and for a two bucks couldn't be passed.

Both the metal squares are Stanley, a US-made No. 68 in steel and a 70's No 45-300 in aluminum - felt weird picking it up as I expected it to be heavier.

First aluminum Stanley I've found - then a couple of days later I came across another of the same model - weird how that works.

That's it for last week - now that I'm fully employed I won't be finding the exceptional deals as most of those are found on the Thursday-start Estate sales. Fortunately (or not depending on how you view it) I was able to root around sales while I wasn't working. Fun to do but bills have to be paid.

-- Best, John

Rust Hunting in Georgia - June 23, 2011

Fairly light weekend for finding rusty things - seems people are already prepping for the July 4th weekend. I hit two sales and only found a handful it items at one of them - however what I did find was extremely cheap - I paid less than $10 for everything on the bench.

You really can't have too many rulers around the shop - I particularly like these thin stainless-steel rules - they have a thin cork backing to keep them from sliding off paper and I've found that any that are US or Japanese made are extremely accurate (they should be with marks going to the 16th of an inch). At $0.75 for the pair these are a welcome addition.

Next up are a trio of hammers - as a collector of mostly older, US made tools my hammers tend to have sturdy oak or hickory handles - however one hammer worth having is the metal-hafted Estwing - this lighter-weight framing hammer will join a heavier, textured face Estwing that I found buried on a job site many years ago. The only negative with these is that some tend to ring when striking a nail - I tested this one before buying and it's just dandy.

The two ball-peen hammers are interesting - the larger was made by one of the better hand-tool makers, Plumb (for some reason collectors go crazy for Plumb hammers, hatchets, axes, etc) - this example has had the head wedged in upside down and since the haft-hole is tapered a couple of big screws were added to keep it from moving - just dumb.

The smaller hammer is marked Champion - obviously made for delicate work - I don't think I've ever found a use for these (maybe I'm too ham-fisted for delicate work?) but they look cute hanging on the wall.

Estwing wraps their handles in some type of rubberized plastic - at least from the more recent period when this example was made. They always seem to be in good shape - whatever mix they used doesn't crack or deteriorate like some of their competitors, at least that I've found.

The remainder were some super cheap items that were worth picking up - the pin-vise is really well made. The adjustable brace-bit is unmarked. The two scrapers I use for cleaning off glass and are some of my favorites - years ago a friend of mine worked for a company that made a similar product so I'm well stocked with blades, so having a couple of extra of these are worthwhile.

In all, a very light week (and it looks like the July 4th weekend will be even lighter) - good for my wallet though. Hey after getting that super-cheap glue-pot last weekend I don't mind at all.

-- John

Rust Hunting in Georgia - June 21, 2011

I was kept too busy last week to do much hunting for tools at tag sales - actually I only stopped at one and ended up leaving empty-handed - when the weekend came along and I was too swamped and/or tired to do much searching. Then I got "the call" - one of my oldest friends in Atlanta lives several blocks from me and is also named John - when I think about it I've known him for over 15 years, having originally met him online as we both collect Japanese toys - it was only later that I discovered that we both had an interest in Mid-Century Modern furniture and design. A few years ago he was looking for a new place to live and somehow ended up in my neighborhood, which is a haven for Mid-Century Modernists due to the architecture. Most recently he's also been setting up a small workshop so he's also developed the tool bug. In any case, late last week John called - he was in front of some items in one of our favorite junk shops and wanted to know if I might be interested in some of them. Wow - it's great having friends. When he said "Glue Pot" my ears perked up - then came the price, $5.75 - I immediately said "Buy it!" I picked it up at his house a couple of days ago...

Remarkably, the pot appears unused and is missing only the optional lid. Now I can trash the old mini-crock pot I'm currently using.

It also came with what looks to be an unused pound of hide glue.

Cheered by this fantastic find - I stopped by a small sale earlier this week and found just a couple of items.

I got the trio of basically unused cans of solvents for a total of $2. Paid $1 for the Stanley Sureform and $5 for the unused 30' x 50' tarp - now I have no idea what I need that tarp for, but considering what you'd normally pay for one that large I thought $5 a worthwhile investment. At least now if one of the huge trees all over my yard falls on the house I might be able to temporarily cover the damage...

So the next day I thought I might swing by the same junk shop where John found the glue pot, to see if there was anything else interesting. I picked up the following for a total of a little over $10:

(That's the same glue pot, just grouped with the other items). When I spoke to John about the glue pot I said something about hide glue being used by traditional veneer users - so I wasn't surprised by the veneer saw - I was surprised by the $1.50 price though - this one is lightly marked "Made in West Germany" with no manufacturer's mark.

There was also this small wood burner with additional tips and a rheostat for $3.50 - hey I know it's not a Detail Master but its not $100 or more either.

I also picked up this router letter/number template set. I don't think it's great but the $4 price sticker sucked me in.

And finally there were these 3M paper holders - I think they probably originally held sandpaper - very heavy duty and they have a cool feature that allows them to hang from peg-board.

Not really much there that would qualify for "rust hunting" - more like bargain shop tool hunting, but since I didn't expect anything last week I'm glad to get what I did. The lesson learned here is to have friend's that look out for your interests - thanks to my old buddy John!

-- John