I need some quick advice on hand tools

[Brian Kent]

My cousins are very graciously offering me tools from their dad and grandfather - by Uncle Vern and his dad. He passed away last year and I performed the service. They take great pride in Vrn's tools and want them cared for and used. I don't want to be greedy and say, "Send it all!".:D

But my other motive is to keep them safe, rust free, sharp and in sets for nieces, nephews, grandkids who want a tool set in future generations.

I am posting a number of pictures to ask you what some of the most useful tools are. For reference, I have only one handsaw that might be good. I have only a couple of good files, almost no carving tools, and some two cherries chisels.

And yes I know - I suck - but we can do that later.:rolleyes:

Thanks in advance for your advice:

[Brian Kent]

Here's page two of the same:

By the way, I think everything is still polished. Vern was a great OCD engineer, as well as a really terrific guy and a real joker.

[Bill Houghton]

there's a whole range of trades represented there - for instance, the hammers include carpenter's claw hammers and auto body hammers - and quality - for instance, some of the saws look nice, while the red-plastic-handled chisels would be 50 cent items at a garage sale.

This is not to take away either from the emotional value of the tools or what he did with them (the worker is not his tools).

This could get hard to do online; perhaps there's a Sawmillian who lives near you and would be willing to help you kind of sort them into functions and quality groups or some such.

[Phillip Pattee]

Brian,
That's quite a problem you have there.:rolleyes: Perhaps one of the reasons they offered the tools to you is that they know you have an interest in them that they simply don't share. If so, take them all. I say that because you already indicate that you would keep them in the family to pass on to nieces, nephews, and others of future generations who have an interest. You can always accept them as care taker, and happily send them off to relatives when they show interest in woodworking.

What would they do with the tools if you did not accept them? Would they end up in a sale? Would they rust in a box in the garage somewhere? I think you should ask what plans there are for the tools if you do not accept them. I'd bet they don't have any, and would really rather you accept them all.:)

[Brian Kent]

Bill, is the flat-faced hammer - 4th from left - the auto body hammer?
I can see a woodworking use for the 2nd, 3rd, and 5th hammer from the left.

[Brian Kent]

I would love to accept them all. The keeper of the tools is a construction worker who will keep them nice, but in boxes in a closet. I jokingly offered to drive to Minnesota from California to get them all, but I don't want to risk being greedy in the ace of such a generous offer.

By the way, this is the stuff from box #1 of several boxes.

[Gary Herrmann]

Accept their gracious offer, tune up the tools, build a nice tool cabinet for them (using them to make it) then send your cousins pics saying thank you. They'll know the tools are being well kept.

I have a set of four clear plastic yellow handled Stanley butt chisels. They're everywhere, and they're of middlin quality. But my Dad gave them to me, so they're important to me. So I use them and enjoy them.

[Bill Houghton]

Bill, is the flat-faced hammer - 4th from left - the auto body hammer?
I can see a woodworking use for the 2nd, 3rd, and 5th hammer from the left.

Left to right: tack hammer, carpenter's claw hammer, another carpenter's claw hammer, auto body hammer, machinist's ball peen hammer.

[Johnny Kleso]

I would Cherry Pick and take a few of each..

I would also consider what tools a home owner might need and use and make sure I left those for the others...

While taking things like the Tap Handle and Tap Set, Cabinet Scraper and a Back Saw and CC Saw as well..

[Bob Smalser]

....I need at least one cross cut and one rip cut. Can you tell by this photo without a close-up of the teeth, which of these saws I should ask for?


Not with any accuracy.

From here the full-sized saws look to be from L to R....a D-8 or D-8 clone, an unknown, a long miter box saw, and Atkins, another D-8 and another Atkins.

Among the hand saws, any that has a 28" blade at the teeth will likely be a rip saw, and the next to last D-8 looks to be your best candidate. Otherwise any 26 or 28" 6tpi or coarser is easily refiled to rip teeth.

You can build anything with 3 hand saws, and D-8's are among the best balanced and best bang for your buck.....a 4 1/2 or 5 1/2tpi rip.....a 7tpi crosscut for softwoods, and an 8 or 9tpi crosscut for hardwoods. God gave you planes to clean up after the saws, so except for miter box, tenon and dovetail saws, you don't need to sacrifice speed fooling around with finer cuts.

[Brian Kent]

Thank you very much, Bob. I have looked forward to getting, tuning and using handsaws since you offered your explanations about a year and a half ago.

I appreciate it!

Brian

[Jim Koepke]

Brian,

I was in a similar situation when my dad passed away. I discussed the situation with my brothers. The tools I can use are in my shop. No one else is really interested in wood working in my family. One of my brothers is sort of the keeper of family heirlooms. Some of the wood working tools that were duplicates in my shop went to him to care for. That was mostly 3 hand planes. He is also the keeper of a carpentry shop sign from one of our great grandfather's. One of the planes was unusable and the two others were used at times in my shop. If they were not duplicates of my users, they would likely still be in my shop.

I guess, it is a kind of take what you will use, leave what others will use. If there is not a family history preservationist, maybe you should be the one.

jim