Places to Find Tools in Lancaster PA...

[Harold Burrell]

My wife and I are planning a little "get away" at the end of this month near Lancaster PA. We both like to shop at antique stores and, well...I was hoping that someone might point me to some that usually carry a good number of tools. Any ideas???

[Tony Zaffuto]

Harold, take a trip westward on Route 30, through New Oxford, Gettysburg and Fayetteville. Lots of antique shops and when you reach Fayetteville, there is a 7 building antique mall complex, directly on 30 that has several dealers. Have been hitting that honey hole for more than a decade and always find things to bring home.

In Lancaster, hit the Lancaster Brewing Company: good craft brewed beer and food.

[george wilson]

On Sundays in Adamstown on Rt. 30 there is Renningers and not far away,Shupp's Grove. I went there many times. There is also Kutztown,a few hours away. I went to Kutztown on Friday and Saturday for the giant open air extravaganza,and then to Adamstown on Sundays.

I must say,the pickings I saw a few years ago were dissapointing,as everything is now in Ebay,I guess. Hit these places and you will be exhausted.You need to google and see when the extravaganzas are, Otherwise,Renninger's is always open on Sundays. Oh,and there is the Black Angus flea market,not far from Renningers on rt. 30.

[Kevin Bourque]

I live about 30 minutes from Lancaster. The problem with finding old tools in and around the Lancaster
area is that the Amish and the Mennonites still use them and they buy up the inventory and drive up the prices.
Plus all the prices for all antiques in Lancaster are high to begin with.

I go to Adamstown occasionally and have found some good deals from time to time. Theres a stretch of antique shops on the main drag including Renninger's and Stouts ( they have a brewery on the premises). In the summer months there are several large outdoor flea markets.

A few months ago I bought a #4 Bailey in fantastic condition at a shop in Adamstown for $30.

[don wilwol]

My wife and I did the same thing last fall. I used google to find shops and we had a lot of fun and came home with some nice treasures.

[george wilson]

I think Stout's and the Black Angus are the same place. Stout's is behind the Black Angus in a long building that is an extension of the Black Angus building. But,to get the best dealers there,you have to go during one of the 3 Extravaganzas. They are weekends in April,June(I think),and August. It's been a while since I have been there,so Google Extravaganza Kutztown,Renninger's,and find out exactly when these are. I must have been up there 20 times when I was younger.

I used to could buy nice chisels for $2.50,but now they want $30-$40.00 for any old one not in that great shape. The last time I was at Schupp's Grove,where some of the best tool dealers went,this guy had a set of 10 or 12 pattern maker's gouges whose handles had been painted a dull spray can red(a no no for collectors) He wanted $850.00!! I said nothing to that idiot. They weren't in great shape,either.

[Jim Matthews]

The last time I was at Schupp's Grove,where some of the best tool dealers went,this guy had a set of 10 or 12 pattern maker's gouges whose handles had been painted a dull spray can red(a no no for collectors) He wanted $850.00!! I said nothing to that idiot. They weren't in great shape,either.

Everything marked "Stanley" is a collector's item, around here.
It's the Antiques roadshow and Storage Wars run-on effect.

Real values are found only at the collector's shows, when you've got quality trades.
My Emmert K1 cost me the princely some of $325, fully functional.

I bought it at the end of the day, when the seller didn't want to lug it back home.