where are the good old tool sources in Pennsylvania?

[Jerry Olexa]

Planning on driving through Pennsylvania in next few weeks..
I recall various old threads about much praise for the tool places (Vintage used or rust variety) in Pa. My SMC search did not yield much....
Where are the really good places to be sure to see/stop....If time permits I may extend the trip up into W.Mass....I'm sure there are good sources in that area also....Thank you all in advance,
the itinerant rust/tool hunter

[lowell holmes]

Check this site.

https://search.yahoo.com/yhs/search;_ylt=AwrCxnUskSNd_mQAHAgPxQt.;_ylu=X3oDMTEw cDRtMDB2BGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwM1BHZ0aWQDBHNlYwNyZWwtYm 90?p=tool+stores+in+penslivania+pa&type=type7072964-sv7-dGFnUTEyMzI0MTEtbWFwcw-257662f11202d72cebec29d7d09f0f45&hspart=sz&hsimp=yhs-001&param1=dGFnUTEyMzI0MTEtbWFwcyxtYXBzLHYyXzE2MjIzNzI wMTVjZDQ3OWU3MzlhNzA3LjQxNzAwNjkxXzc2ZGYxNzVlODI2O WI4ZWZhNWFiYmFkNGFhOTY5MTJjLFVTLHR4LGRpY2tpbnNvbg&param2=eyJzZXJwR2VvUmVkIjoibm8iLCJleHRUYWdzIjpbInR oZW1lX250c19tYXBzMiJdLCJicm93c2VyTmFtZSI6IkNocm9tZ SIsImJyb3dzZXJWZXJzaW9uIjoiNzQiLCJleHRWZXJzaW9uIjo iaG9zdGVkIiwiZXh0TmFtZSI6Ik1hcCBNeSBKb3VybmV5IiwiY 2xpY2tTcmMiOiJ5aHNfc3luIiwiY2hyb21lU3RvcmVJZCI6Im5 lY2lqaWNmamtka2lhbGtrZ25nY2Nqa2FvYmJtbGRjIiwic2VsV GhlbWUiOiJ0aGVtZV9udHNfbWFwczIiLCJkb21haW4iOiJ3d3c ubWFwbXlqb3VybmV5LmNvIiwiYXV0b1N1Z2dlc3RDbGsiOiJvc mdhbmljIiwib3JTcmMiOiJuZXd0YWIiLCJpY2ciOiIwIiwiaGZ ldyI6ImQ1YTJkOGVjLTdlY2ItODE0OS04OWNmLTM5MjczYWMwO TNjMSIsInJldl9zcmMiOiIxIn0&ei=UTF-8&fr2=rs-bottom%2Cp%3As%2Cv%3Aw%2Cm%3Aat-s&fr=yhs-sz-001

[Tony Zaffuto]

PA is pretty spread out-what part are you visiting and what dates?

[Jerry Olexa]

PA is pretty spread out-what part are you visiting and what dates?

Tony, dates are indefinite but probably in next 2-3 weeks..I plan to be in Central and NE Penna during that time..Possibly W.Mass later

[Tony Zaffuto]

Tony, dates are indefinite but probably in next 2-3 weeks..I plan to be in Central and NE Penna during that time..Possibly W.Mass later

If you're in the Gettysburg area, west on Route 30, one of my honey holes is the Fayetteville Antique Mall. East on Route 30 are many antique stores east and west of New Oxford. North of Lancaster and north of the Pa turnpike, is Adamstown, and more antique stores and malls then dayam near any place in the country. If coming across I-80, on the first weekend of August, at Exit 81 (Hazen), is the largest flea market in PA (Saturday and Sunday). If you past DuBois (exit 97 and 101), give me a holler and I'll give you a tour of my powder metal plant (and I may have some tools also, depending upon what you're looking for).

I will be traveling for the next two weeks, but back in my plant on 7/23.

Check out the Renningers flea market locations-if you travel across PA, you'll be near a few. I've searched high and low in central PA and not much out there, except in very early September, at the Nittinany Tractor Show, near State College, that has a huge flea market.

[Pete Taran]

++1 to what Tony said about Adamstown. The largest mall is only open on Sunday though, or at least that was the case last time I was there. If you are down that way, there are two nice multidealer shops in Morgantown, PA which is on the way to Adamstown.

I frankly wouldn't waste my time in OH. I live here, been to just about every shop there is and all I see is rusted up, tired stuff. If time is at a premium, focus on South Central PA, you are sure to find good stuff. Others may disagree about the Buckeye State, but there are quite a few large shops near me, never found anything worth buying. Lots of cracked wooden planes, rusted up Craftsman #4s and the like if that is your cup of tea. :)

You could easily spend all 8 hours in Adamstown and not see all the shops there. There is a flea market at Shupps Grove where choice fresh picking occasionally appear as well. I think that is Sunday morning as well.

Happy Picking.

[Tony Zaffuto]

++1 to what Tony said about Adamstown. The largest mall is only open on Sunday though, or at least that was the case last time I was there. If you are down that way, there are two nice multidealer shops in Morgantown, PA which is on the way to Adamstown.

I frankly wouldn't waste my time in OH. I live here, been to just about every shop there is and all I see is rusted up, tired stuff. If time is at a premium, focus on South Central PA, you are sure to find good stuff. Others may disagree about the Buckeye State, but there are quite a few large shops near me, never found anything worth buying. Lots of cracked wooden planes, rusted up Craftsman #4s and the like if that is your cup of tea. :)

You could easily spend all 8 hours in Adamstown and not see all the shops there. There is a flea market at Shupps Grove where choice fresh picking occasionally appear as well. I think that is Sunday morning as well.

Happy Picking.

Pete's correct, with more than one of the flea markets in Adamstown only open on Sunday (and you have to get there before daylight!). Shupp's Grove has "special weekends", with one specific to handtools, but you'll need to check their website.

First time I was at Adamstown for a Sunday show, had to be 15 to 18 years ago. At the outside part of Renninger's, a seller had a small group of tables set up, with nothing but boxed sharpening stones. He had to have had at least 5 or 6 dozen stones, and pricing fairly low then, was not through the roof as it is today, as Norton was still supplying their Washita stone, along with other natural stones.

[Lee Schierer]

Practically every small town has one or more antique shops. The available tools are hit or miss. Some folks think their junk tools are more valuable than if they were made of precious metals.

Drive the secondary roads instead of thruways. Route 6 is a good road for tool hunting. Just watch out for our highway greeters with tan color coats.

[Jerry Olexa]

Thank you for the many good tips...I surely will go to Adamstown...Your comments are already in my trip file,
Thanks, I'll keep reading this thread.

[Axel de Pugey]

Dear all,

When I come for a Holiday in the US, I usually avoid big towns because my wife and I love to drive on quiet roads and stop in every thrift store we come across. But this time (in a month time) we are a week in NYC, and knowing myself I will be frustrated to come back to Europe without any piece of rusty metal in my rucksack.

Adamstown is a place that came up several times in my SMC search and I see it is only 2,5 h from Manhattan. I read that the best places are only open on Sundays though.

I fly back on a Thursday from Newark at 22:00. Would it be insane to rent a car early morning from the same airport and go straight to Adamstown and back hopefully in time for the flight?

Thanks a lot

[Lee Schierer]

Adamstown is a place that came up several times in my SMC search and I see it is only 2,5 h from Manhattan. I read that the best places are only open on Sundays though.

I fly back on a Thursday from Newark at 22:00. Would it be insane to rent a car early morning from the same airport and go straight to Adamstown and back hopefully in time for the flight?

Thanks a lot

Not insane, but depending upon the time of day, the 2.5 hour drive can easily become 3 or more due to traffic in the city. Also during peak air travel times, security check in can take an hour or more. Just be sure to allow enough time to get back to make your flight.

[Tony Zaffuto]

Dear all,

When I come for a Holiday in the US, I usually avoid big towns because my wife and I love to drive on quiet roads and stop in every thrift store we come across. But this time (in a month time) we are a week in NYC, and knowing myself I will be frustrated to come back to Europe without any piece of rusty metal in my rucksack.

Adamstown is a place that came up several times in my SMC search and I see it is only 2,5 h from Manhattan. I read that the best places are only open on Sundays though.

I fly back on a Thursday from Newark at 22:00. Would it be insane to rent a car early morning from the same airport and go straight to Adamstown and back hopefully in time for the flight?

Thanks a lot

Got to be there very early! I would also bet on 3+ hours for the drive.

[Prashun Patel]

Sorry I am coming to this thread late. It’s not tools but if you are in northeast pa, stop by new hope and see the Nakashkma compound. Very worth it. There is also the Mercer museum and Wharton Esherick museums that are both worth it but a tad more south.

New hope has the Golden Nugget flea market that is open at least on weekends.

[Axel de Pugey]

Lee, Tony,

Many thanks for your imput. I understand I should still try my luck on a Thursday then. I will take your advice on possible road delays and include this in my timming.

Thanks again!

[Kevin Goss]

Just off 80 is lewisburg which has silver moon and lewisburg antique malls and flea market, also has roller mills and street of shops which you could probably get lost inside. If down near adamstown, Columbia pa is 35 min away and has several shops, but there's certainly more than enough shops in adamstown if that's the route. And the renninger locations are usually pretty good like others have said. Enjoy the trip. Up into Connecticut the elephant trunk flea market seems to produce some quality finds.

[Axel de Pugey]

Hi Kevin, Many thanks for the extra info. This flea market seems a good idea as well on a Sunday for somebody visiting NYC. I just made my family accept the idea to stay 1 day less in the city to explore Adamstown, so I might have a bit more confort and take a hotel night around there. Thanks again for your help.

[Axel de Pugey]

Back from the US.
Thanks everybody for the suggestions in this thread. I had a nice day and half around Lancaster area.

For me the most fruitful places we’re Columbia and Strasburg. I saw tons of nice tools, some I only saw on Patrick Leach’s website, like a #74. I could bring back few nice and rusty souvenirs.

I really had a great time and the area is different from the states I have visited before. Cutting a week in NYC to go around Adamstown was a brilliant idea, so thanks again everybody.