Looking for Rust in New England

[Steven Green]

My wife and I are celebrating our 42nd Anniversary with a trip to New England. We're in Massachusetts at the moment over by Sturbridge. And ideas where a guy might find some old tools to drag home? Thanks guys

[Axel de Pugey]

Nobody answered poor Steven Green 12 years ago...will I be luckier?

First time back on holidays across the pond since Covid, planning to check what the US look like between NYC and Bar Harbor, end of August.

So far my shortlist is:
Liberty Tools
4 stores from the "Antique Alley"
Brimfield fleamarket
(non rust) Lie Nielsen

Wife and kid have a certain level of patience with rust hunt, but it cannot be only about that, do I miss something obvious and not too far inland?

Many thanks for your help

[steven c newman]

Vintage tool shop...nhplaneparts actual store up in New Hampshire..

[Maurice Mcmurry]

Bonjour! My stomping ground is a bit inland, New Hampshire and Vermont. Newburyport MA has antique shops and a Country Craft Fair. Your timing may be an issue with town fairs. A Rust Gypsy had a booth at the weekly farmers market in Canaan NH last summer.
He and others like him move their booths around following fairs and markets. The hardware store in Caanan NH is decorated with a nice collection of antique tools (not for sale). If you do not get off of the beaten path you are competing with decorators. When I am on the hunt, finding old tools seems imposable. When I am going about my business thinking about other things is when I have stumbled upon nice finds. I am not a collector. I am a fan of made in the USA. Ms. and Daughter have the patience for thrift stores. I have educated them a little on chisels, hand planes, square and saws. Finds are few and far between. Attending farm auctions is a source. I do not have the patience for auctions. Rust Gypsies in the Mid West are a serious bunch. The antique booths at The Missouri River Valley Steam Engine Show cover an acer or more. When my New England Relatives want to have an old world New England experience they start at Bar Harbor and go north to P.E.I. and Nova Scotia.
-Maurice

[steven c newman]

There is a store in the middle of Amish Country in Ohio...Millerstown I think...

[Axel de Pugey]

Steven c newman : Many thanks, I came across the website of the Vintage Shop in the past, seems interesting although on the high side of prices. Thank you for the hint on nhplaneparts, I did not know them, and that is the kind of business that I cannot find in my country, I definately will consider it.

Maurice Mcmurry : Bonjour Bonjour Maurice! Many thanks for sharing your experience.
I did not read anything about Newburyport and as it is dead on my way up, I will definately digg in this direction, thank you!
I don't doubt Canaan is an interesting place, being out of the way from tourists like me! I am planning to come back down a bit inland, so I will see if I can place a pin on the map not too far from there.

I completely agree with your views on thrift stores. In Europe, during summer I visit 2-3 flea markets every sunday, with no specific quest in mind and unexpected purchases are the best. When on holidays in the US, I usually stop in every thrift store I come across on my road, my family enjoys it as well. I have only been through a tad less than 20 US states so far and know how different experience a rust hunt is.
I cannot hide that in the North East region, for historical reasons, I expect to see/find more numerous and better tools than say, during my Missisippi trip though ;-)

Thank you both for your kind help!

[Maurice Mcmurry]

Happy hunting! I learned about the Sabbathday Lake Shakers in Maine from a wise contributor on this forum. It is unlikely that the last group of Shakers will part with any tools. The grounds of the Shaker Villages are fun to see, even from the car. The villages in Canterberry and Enfeild NH both have museums. Newics Lobster House in Portsmouth NH is a popular destination with the In-Laws.
-Maurice

[Jim Koepke]

I completely agree with your views on thrift stores. In Europe, during summer I visit 2-3 flea markets every sunday, with no specific quest in mind and unexpected purchases are the best.

One thing learned from my quests of finding rust is to talk to the folks in the shops where you find yourself hunting. Some may know other dealers who tend to carry tools. Around my area there are local Antique Dealers Newspapers. Often they are given away for free. They are often laced with stories about the area's dealers, maps and advertisements from other purveyors of antiques, tools or otherwise.

Good luck and have fun on your hunt.

jtk

[Axel de Pugey]

Hi Maurice, many thanks for the hint about "Sabbathday Lake Shakers", that could be really interesting! I place a pin on the map, we'll see if wife and kid agree to it! Many thanks for your help.

Hi Jim, that is a good tip as well thank you. I often find myself a bit shy in these situations, specially when the local accent is strong. I struggled in one or two remote thrift stores in Missisippi when I was asking if they knew somebody selling tools. NE of the US might be easier to catch hopefully. Thanks for your help.

[Maurice Mcmurry]

The Sabbathday Lake reference is from SMC contributor Kevin Jenness.

[Nathan Johnson]

Hey Axel...may I request that you update this thread with your findings once your trip is over? My wife and I will be in Maine end Sept/early Oct. :) So far the only two locations I've told her I can't skip are Liberty and LN. Thanks.

[Axel de Pugey]

Sure Nathan, that would be only normal to give back to the community.
Don’t expect a price study though as prices are so different between our 2 continents, but I am happy to give a feedback somehow.

[Nathan Johnson]

Sure Nathan, that would be only normal to give back to the community.
Don’t expect a price study though as prices are so different between our 2 continents, but I am happy to give a feedback somehow.

Oh for sure. I was thinking just knowing which spots you thought were definitely worth visiting.

[Dan Sheehan]

Nobody answered poor Steven Green 12 years ago...will I be luckier?

First time back on holidays across the pond since Covid, planning to check what the US look like between NYC and Bar Harbor, end of August.

So far my shortlist is:
Liberty Tools
4 stores from the "Antique Alley"
Brimfield fleamarket
(non rust) Lie Nielsen

Wife and kid have a certain level of patience with rust hunt, but it cannot be only about that, do I miss something obvious and not too far inland?

Many thanks for your help
Better check on Liberty. The tool place was for sale in the recent past. I don't know the present status. I believe the same people had a similar place in Bar Harbor. I've been to both and did better in BH. It's a worthy destination but again, check first.

[Axel de Pugey]

I was thinking just knowing which spots
Of course Nathan, I have no problem with sharing a feedback. I did it on SMC with one address I came across in Montana years ago, I will do it again ;-)


Better check on Liberty.
That is a kind hint Dan, many thanks.
Actually as I have read in some places Bar Harbour was due to close and was still listed on the VisitMaine website, I thought it would be safer to contact jonesport-wood, stating my expected dates of visit. They kindly replied the next day, confirming Bar Harbour being closed and Liberty open. Thank you Dan!

[Axel de Pugey]

I am back in the office today….holidays are already so far away !



Hey Axel...may I request that you update this thread with your findings once your trip is over? My wife and I will be in Maine end Sept/early Oct. file://localhost/Volumes/THOR/.TemporaryItems/folders.501/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0/clip_image002.pngSo far the only two locations I've told her I can't skip are Liberty and LN. Thanks.

So as promised to Nathan, here is my little feedback on Maine :


Liberty Tools : exactely as seen on the net, a feast for the eyes and a really unique place !
There was no major thing for me to buy though, but I was happy to find 2 screws for my No. 45 (something I cannot find on my side of the pond). The man in charge was really helpful. As I did not find anything for me worth buying, I asked him about a saw jointer.
This little gimmick is impossible to find on my side, so it is always my little quest during US trips and I was never successful. The attendant did not know what it was, so I showed him a picture and he left with my phone to show it to somebody upstairs. Five minutes later, he came back with a saw jointer…so it was worth asking. I will have to try to find another little gimick quest for my next trips !

Lie-Nielsen : Really nice space to try the tools. I regret having been a bit on a hurry, I would have liked to try more tools. The attendant was extremely nice and helpful. I aked for the 2 things I have read from people here few years ago : A factory tour was not possible, and the 10% discount : the attendant explained me it was stopped few years ago as the state of Maine did some changes in the tax system. Maybe it was just because I am a foreigner and Nathan might be luckier ;-)

Elmer’s Barn : I did not buy anything but there was a few stands with tools, some prices were really correct (ex I remember : a Stanley No. 27 for 5 USD, a No. 5 from Ohio tools for 13 USD)
https://pic.higo.pm/bois/brocante/Elmers_Barn.jpg


From a personal point of view, while I found the coast really nice, it is way over touristic for my liking. By lack of knowledge of the US Labor day’s date, I happened to crash in Bar Harbor on this specific week end, I did not enjoy it. I really prefered going up around Moosehead Lake, tour with a float plane, drive until the Canadian border, this is more the US trips I enjoy. In a village called Jackman there is a bulding hosting the « historic society» of the village with items gifted from inhabitants…there, I could see few tools I never saw in real life before, such as the famous E.C Sterns No.13. As she asked me, I helped the lady identify few tools, she was super happy to be able to create new labels for those.
I originally planned to see Sabbathday Lake suggested by Maurice Mcmurry, but was quite disorganised and had to skip it unfortunately (my family was upset with me).

My family and I found Maine extremely poor in « thrift stores » compared to other states we have visited, we mainly came across « Antiques », but we still really liked the general atmosphere and will certainely come back !

Outside Maine, if that can be of any help to somebody else, I was quite disapointed by the « Antique Alley » in NH, only the last place : « The Betty House », was a fun place for tools.

In MA, I found a mint No. 5 1/4 on a stand in Brimfield flea market, that is not something easy to find on my side, so it ended up in my suitcase.

During my trip, the best stand hands down, for the variety of woodworking tools, the quality and what seemed to be fair prices, was a permanent stand in a low white wooden building in the center of Brimfield, the size of a one car garage really ! All sorts of Bailey’s (a No. 2), spokeshaves, measuring instruments, chisels etc, only really good quality old tools. The lady was super nice and helpfull and the whole stand was beautifull to look at.
https://pic.higo.pm/bois/brocante/Brimfield_Shack.jpg


Unfortunately I could not drive up to all the adresses listed here, I hope they will serve others.

Before this one, my last US trip took place at the very start of Covid, I understand the pandemic, the war in Ukraine and other things took their toll on the prices in general. I could really feel inflation, whether being food shopping or only checking on rusty tools.
It is still super fun to rust hunt while being on holidays in this country, but I must confess I was way more lucky for quality rust in Lancaster area PA, than in New England.

Ho well, I will have to come back to Maine then, just to be sure (and to visit the shaker’s adresses)!

Many thanks to everybody for the input!

[stephen thomas]

I really prefered going up around Moosehead Lake, tour with a float plane,

That sounds like a blast!


drive until the Canadian border, this is more the US trips I enjoy.

During the 90's when our son was young, we made various versions of the trips you describe, and essentially agree with your assessment. Lower ME coast is way too touristy. Canada is cheaper and more natural. I got some of my best tool scores in Sherbrooke area.


In a village called Jackman there is a bulding hosting the « historic society» of the village with items gifted from inhabitants…there, I could see few tools I never saw in real life before, such as the famous E.C Sterns No.13.

You mean one of these?
They were made in Syracuse, near where i teach skiing in the winter.

525653525654

Did you have any shop tours with locals?
A great thing for us abroad has sometimes been connecting with people met online, though GB, or specific cities in europe are much smaller geography to cover without going out of the way.

smt

[Nathan Johnson]

Thank you, Axel, for the detailed reply. It is greatly appreciated.

[Axel de Pugey]

Canada is cheaper and more natural. I got some of my best tool scores in Sherbrooke area.

Exactly, I only know the rockies part of Canada, I now wish to explore the East and New Scotland.





You mean one of these?

This very one, it is to me the most beautiful metal spokeshave.



Did you have any shop tours with locals?

No, we were mainly there for the lanscapes.




Thank you, Axel, for the detailed reply. It is greatly appreciated.
you are very welcome Nathan, have a nice trip!