The big one that got away- keeping my priorities in line

[Malcolm Schweizer]

I know we have said there are rarely any deals on eBay these days, but I was watching one- a beautiful set of Blue Spruce paring chisels, listed misspelled as "pairing" chisels. The bid hovered for days at $350, and on the last day went to $355. I have a little over $400 extra in the till, but I really need to hang on to that money because it's our anniversary, and I wanted to take Amy to her favorite fancy-schmancy restaurant and buy her flowers. The auction closed at 1:30 in the morning my time. I guess he was on the left coast. I thought about it and thought about it. I could buy it, and still be okay on money, even taking Amy out, but then I would be tight for a couple of weeks. I watched as it hit one minute, still $355. I looked at my bank account again- ya know, I do have extra money on hand, but no- I must resist... 30 seconds... I could still bid in 30 seconds... $355 and holding. 14 seconds- I could do it- this is my last chance. I bid now, or I let it go. The tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife. Amy was sound asleep next to me as I watched the coutndown- 10...9...8...7...6... my heart sank. Surely someone will bid it up anyway at the last second. It will probably go for $450 or more. Nope. It went for $355. A $550 set of chisels for $355.

Last night, as we enjoyed a bottle of Amarone, a wonderful cheese platter, and steak, I told her about the chisels. I said "I wanted to buy the chisels so bad, but I wanted to make sure we could go to dinner and order whatever we wanted." She replied, "Awww, you could have bought the chisels- I wouldn't have minded."

Sorry friends, she's mine, and she doesn't have a twin sister. :-)

By the way, were any of you the lucky winner of the chisels? You were blessed, because I would have bid it up, had I bid. Please enjoy my chisels. I did go ahead and buy the Veritas beading tool that I have wanted and needed, and today, the day after I bought it, they have the free shipping. d'oh!

[David Weaver]

If it makes you feel any better, the person who won them probably had a high bid that was a lot higher than $355, which would've made them cost more. One thing is for sure, if you bid to win on an auction item, it will sell higher than it would've if you didn't get involved, no matter where it ends. It's the conondrum of bidding on things that look like they're going low. It only takes you and one other person.

[Brian Ashton]

You need to look at the bid history and see what played out. It could be that the winning bidder could have had a much bigger reserve in place and no one ended up challenging it.

Did it actually say blue spruce chisels. Even if the paring was spelt wrong I doubt there wasn't a lot of people watching the auction. There are thousands that do specific searches daily for those sorts of tools. So in reality they went for what they were worth.

Back when I used to troll ebay a lot:

I once happened on a set of LN chisels in a leather role at a buy it now for 150 (back when buy it now meant the lowest fair price asked, as opposed to the see if I can snag an idiot price now a days) only minutes after it was listed. What threw me off was the rosewood handles. At that time I didn't know LN made a set with RW so I thought they were a knock off set. Needless to say by the time I had done a bit of digging they had been snapped up.

Happened on another bunch of auctions by a lady that had recently lost her husband. She had no idea what she was selling and the descriptions where not helping her cause, the bidding prices were very low. I wrote her to tell her to cancel the auction and re-list using the description I gave her... She did and the prices when through the roof. I lost out on some real deals but felt good about not letting someone in a vulnerable position get fleeced.

To be honest ebay is more of a waste of time now. It's all buy it now over priced trolling.

[Malcolm Schweizer]

Yes, it is not what it used to be. I did get a LN bronze #2 for $150 on buy it now, but lately not many deals there. I know the other bidder(s) may have had a higher proxy, but just the thought that it went for $355 still haunts me. I have waited and waited for a good set of paring chisels, especially the Blue Spruce ones, to come up. I had to pass. Too much going on with the restoration of an old home, and I need to keep $ on hand. I think they were worth much more, especially since they were all but unused.

[Sean Hughto]

I'm a fan of US EBay ( I have bought few things on the UK version). I don't go into it thinking only of getting crazy bargains. I am happy with fair prices and glad to know I can sell stuff for fair prices and not just fire sale ones when I want too. The main thing I like about the site is that it puts so many things at your fingertips that would otherwise be hard to track down or few and far between where you live. I've bought tools, wood, folding knives, sharpening stones and all sorts of useful odds and ends over many years, and sold my share too. I've hooked up with wood sellers from other states through eBay that have led to much greater direct purchases of wood I'd never have otherwise found. For example, I found a Michigan source for cherry and got billets for turning that were over 16 inches wide and 6 inches thick for turning.

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7187/6818231444_5daf0606ec_c.jpg

I may be alone, but I value eBay.

[Mike Holbrook]

I have been shopping Stanley/Sargent 5 1/4, 5, 6 planes lately. I usually have a good feel for what it will take to win something. Lately not so much, I lost all the bids I made on those planes in the last two weeks. I thought i would get at least one of the last two I bid on. Both got "snipped" in the closing seconds.

As I understand it snipping software is not even suppose to be legal on eBay. It is looking more and more like not using software with that ability dooms one to failure.

[Steve Voigt]

Just speaking of priorities…a full set of paring chisels looks great in the display cabinet, no doubt. And if you can afford it, go for it. But if one is talking about priorities, this would be very low on my list. A full set of bench chisels, yes. Parers or mortisers, no. two or three of each is all I need.
Regarding ebay, I recently picked up a tanged buck bros paring chisel(not one of the new ones), old and thin like the English 19th c. parers, for $16.50. Lots of good stuff is still out there, but it's getting harder to find.

[Jim Koepke]

I may be alone, but I value eBay.

You are not alone. Even though I have not bid in awhile it can still be great information on tools just to build knowledge. Patrick Leach's monthly for sale email is especially informative if one wants to learn more about tools.


Both got "snipped" in the closing seconds.

This used to happen to me. That is until I adopted the ways of the sniper. Still don't win 'em all but tend to win more without seeing it snatched from me in the last second. Surely there is someone who hates me for sniping away their dream tool.

jtk

[Sean Hughto]

I have been shopping Stanley/Sargent 5 1/4, 5, 6 planes lately. I usually have a good feel for what it will take to win something. Lately not so much, I lost all the bids I made on those planes in the last two weeks. I thought i would get at least one of the last two I bid on. Both got "snipped" in the closing seconds.

As I understand it snipping software is not even suppose to be legal on eBay. It is looking more and more like not using software with that ability dooms one to failure.

Sniping is as old as eBay, and I doubt many folks are using software to do it. Even if they are, so what; the fact is they were willing to pay more than you. If you want only fantastic bargains, you may lose a lot, but that's because you simply aren't willing to pay an amount many others are. If you are paying a sort of going rate amount for the type of plane you are bidding on (check the completed auctions to ascertain this), and you still lose, try to pick an auction for one that is ending at time you can be on the computer, pick your top dollar bid and don't submit it until the last 5 seconds. There are tons and tons of things on eBay that don't get a single bid. There are lots of very popular things where folks get in a bidding war. There are a handful of things that are good but get overlooked and a real deal is possible - but that doesn't happen much. I assume you appreciate the difference between "collectors" and "users" - you will never win an auction for a collector grade plane by bidding only user level prices. Find a sound plane that is defective only in the eye of the collector because of cosmetics and such.

[Malcolm Schweizer]

Just speaking of priorities…a full set of paring chisels looks great in the display cabinet, no doubt. And if you can afford it, go for it. But if one is talking about priorities, this would be very low on my list. A full set of bench chisels, yes. Parers or mortisers, no. two or three of each is all I need.
Regarding ebay, I recently picked up a tanged buck bros paring chisel(not one of the new ones), old and thin like the English 19th c. parers, for $16.50. Lots of good stuff is still out there, but it's getting harder to find.

I find myself paring very often. I guess it has to do with what you build. I build a lot of strip-built boats and surfboards, and often pare away adjacent strips where another strip transitions. I may make a groove for a strip to lay into for a decorative transition between contrasting strips. On small boats I even use chisels to make ship laps. (For larger I use a rabbet plane). That said, I do own a full set of LN chisels- bevel, mortice, and fishtail. I love them, but want a set of fixed-handle parers. I like the hollow grind on the Blue Spruce chisels.

Come to think of it, I also use the mortice chisels quite frequently fitting fins and fin boxes to surfboards, and the full set is a good thing to have since fins are 1/4" and thicker, and fin boxes are very wide. (Some fins are morticed in, and some are removable and slide into a fin box that is morticed in.) Even for furniture building, all have good use if you make a lot of complex joinery.

[Steve Voigt]

I find myself paring very often. I guess it has to do with what you build. I build a lot of strip-built boats and surfboards, and often pare away adjacent strips where another strip transitions. I may make a groove for a strip to lay into for a decorative transition between contrasting strips. On small boats I even use chisels to make ship laps. (For larger I use a rabbet plane). That said, I do own a full set of LN chisels- bevel, mortice, and fishtail. I love them, but want a set of fixed-handle parers. I like the hollow grind on the Blue Spruce chisels.

Come to think of it, I also use the mortice chisels quite frequently fitting fins and fin boxes to surfboards, and the full set is a good thing to have since fins are 1/4" and thicker, and fin boxes are very wide. (Some fins are morticed in, and some are removable and slide into a fin box that is morticed in.) Even for furniture building, all have good use if you make a lot of complex joinery.

Well, that makes a lot of sense. I should keep in mind that not everyone is building the same kind of stuff!
So, you're building wood surfboards? I love the old vintage longboards; I'd love to see some of yours. Have you posted any here?

- Steve

[Jim Koepke]

That said, I do own a full set of LN chisels- bevel, mortice, and fishtail. I love them, but want a set of fixed-handle parers.

No matter what anyone else says it is always a good thing to have the correctly made and sized chisel for the job at hand. It just makes the job that much more enjoyable.

jtk

[Malcolm Schweizer]

Well, that makes a lot of sense. I should keep in mind that not everyone is building the same kind of stuff!
So, you're building wood surfboards? I love the old vintage longboards; I'd love to see some of yours. Have you posted any here?

- Steve


Actually Grizzly tools sells one of my designs through a deal with wood surfboard supply, who markets my design.
http://www.grizzly.com/products/Surfboard-Kit-The-11-Malco-SUP/T23407

The picture is of the prototype in which I inlaid the Virgin Islands flag. Total shameless gloat- the lovely lady in the second picture on that link is my wife.

I also did a prototype of the first hollow wood Robert August "What I Ride" with abalone inlays. He two images in the top right are that board. The deck is Bubinga, flamed maple, and Peruvian walnut. The bottom balsa and Peruvian walnut.
http://www.woodsurfboardsupply.com/robert_august_boards.html

Abalone inlays have become my trademark. Sorry, I don't have images saved to the iPad but look for Schweizer Surfboards on Facebook. There are images there.

[Steve Voigt]

Very Nice Malcolm!

[Malcolm Schweizer]

Thanks! Here is the VI flag inlay up close, but the board is waxed (I wax the nose a lite too for nose riding) so it looks dirty. Also I crashed this board on the reef so it is awaiting repairs. That is what I get for surfing the shallow reef.

[Steve Voigt]

Thanks! Here is the VI flag inlay up close, but the board is waxed (I wax the nose a lite too for nose riding) so it looks dirty. Also I crashed this board on the reef so it is awaiting repairs. That is what I get for surfing the shallow reef.

So basically, you spend all your time woodworking and surfing. Tough life! :D

P.S. that flag is really well done!

[Malcolm Schweizer]

So basically, you spend all your time woodworking and surfing. Tough life! :D

P.S. that flag is really well done!

Haha. I do have a great life, but I also work. (Much like woodworking, there is no money in surfboards.) Of course work means traveling throughout the islands, so I really can't complain.

Thanks for the compliment. I wish I had a good pic to post of other much better inlays but they are all too big for this site and I hate downsizing just to post. Sadly, my website got hacked and is shut down for now.

[Adam Cruea]

Sniping is as old as eBay, and I doubt many folks are using software to do it. Even if they are, so what; the fact is they were willing to pay more than you. If you want only fantastic bargains, you may lose a lot, but that's because you simply aren't willing to pay an amount many others are. If you are paying a sort of going rate amount for the type of plane you are bidding on (check the completed auctions to ascertain this), and you still lose, try to pick an auction for one that is ending at time you can be on the computer, pick your top dollar bid and don't submit it until the last 5 seconds. There are tons and tons of things on eBay that don't get a single bid. There are lots of very popular things where folks get in a bidding war. There are a handful of things that are good but get overlooked and a real deal is possible - but that doesn't happen much. I assume you appreciate the difference between "collectors" and "users" - you will never win an auction for a collector grade plane by bidding only user level prices. Find a sound plane that is defective only in the eye of the collector because of cosmetics and such.

I surely don't use software at all.

You go through the bid process right up until "confirm". With about 15 seconds left. You use a secondary device to monitor the auction. WIth about 2 seconds left (1 if you have a highly stable, fast connection), confirm the bid.

9 times out of 10, I win like that. Of course, as Sean said, I also never bid on those tools that "collectors" are looking for to dress up their "shabby-chic" fireplace mantel since they tend to have more money than brains and actually pay the prices people like Bode ask for.

[Jim Matthews]

I bought a set of Buck brothers paring chisels that were essentially new for short money.

The Greenlee mark was applied to similar quality Marples chisels for awhile.
Both have much softer steel than the Blue Spruce chisels.

My guess is that most of us use one or two of the sizes, and keep the rest polished.