Favorite finds / tools?

[Michael J Evans]

My two favorite tools hands down are both tools I bought out of old carpenters chests. Both tools, are dang near just about perfect in every way to me. Believe or not, the saw was ready to go. I bought the saw from a estate sale and maybe the owner was a neander or something, at that time in my life I didn't have a lot of extra cash and passed up some serious deals on nice tools. Anyways, the plate was straight, etch was fully visible, plate had been blued, handle fits like a glove and the best of all the teeth were sharp, a saw ready to roll from a rust hunt!. Matter of fact, It feels like the best cutting saw I've ever used, even compared to a brand new backsaw I have. The damn saw is just a joy to use.


My other favorite came out of a semi complete tool chest I purchased. The hammer, is about 4.5" long x maybe 3" wide or so, I think it is possibly made from Rosewood or some other very very hard wood. I've been smacking my Iron holdfasts with it and honestly cannot see any signs of deformation on the face. Weighs in about 29.5 ounces,The heft is near perfect to me, the handle fits perfect. I like the shape much better than the more rounded top hammer I made in the past (attached another pic side by side). For a hammer being such a simplistic and simple tool, I think its my favorite tool.

Here are some pictures of the tools below -
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These tools are by far my favorites for whatever reasons. I think mostly I really enjoy old tools that work well or maybe they just fit me. Either way the point of this post isn't to showcase my tools. I know most everyone else here seems to love some tool porn. Hoping we can get a thread going, where every one can pitch in with pictures of their favorite finds / tools.

Lets see what ya got!

[Doug Dawson]

Gotta love those old Disstons! Nice find.

[Jim Koepke]

Hoping we can get a thread going, where every one can pitch in with pictures of their favorite finds / tools.

That's a hard one for me. There are so many. A few each of chisels, planes, saws, rules and squares all come to mind.

Some of them for the bargain they were for how well they do their job.

This pre-lateral #6 plane cost only $10:

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After a little clean up and parts replaced, it works great:

448874

An old D-8 of mine isn't as pretty as yours but it still cuts straight. A few of my saws are 'special.'

A plow plane found in an antique mall for $25 is a thrill to me:

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This 3/4" chisel was $3.24 including tax:

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On the top it is stamped USN. On the back it is stamped Winsted Edge Tool Co. the maker of Witherby chisels.

Almost two years ago now a 60-1/2 was found in an antique shop in Oregon for $25:

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It is a nice little plane with an original SW Hart cutter.

My #7 even has its own post on its rehabilitation > https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?123401 < from Junker to Jointer. It gives me the warm fuzzies every time it is put to work.

jtk

[Aiden Pettengill]

This little guy is by far my favorite. It has a LV sole and is smooth as butter to use. I just love it! For only $15 I am so happy with it! Only problem is I can't find the maker anywhere. I also love any plane with tight grain and quarter sawn beech. The medullary ray flecks remind me of the amazingly clear Maine night sky I've grown up under.
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[Michael J Evans]

That's a hard one for me. There are so many. A few each of chisels, planes, saws, rules and squares all come to mind.

Some of them for the bargain they were for how well they do their job.

This pre-lateral #6 plane cost only $10:

448873

After a little clean up and parts replaced, it works great:

448874

An old D-8 of mine isn't as pretty as yours but it still cuts straight. A few of my saws are 'special.'

A plow plane found in an antique mall for $25 is a thrill to me:

448875

This 3/4" chisel was $3.24 including tax:

448876

On the top it is stamped USN. On the back it is stamped Winsted Edge Tool Co. the maker of Witherby chisels.

Almost two years ago now a 60-1/2 was found in an antique shop in Oregon for $25:

448877

It is a nice little plane with an original SW Hart cutter.

My #7 even has its own post on its rehabilitation > https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?123401 < from Junker to Jointer. It gives me the warm fuzzies every time it is put to work.

jtk

Those are some nice finds Jim. Had no idea baileys didn't have a lateral lever at one point.

[Rob Luter]

Mine is pretty simple. In my view the Stanley #18 is the best adjustable bevel out there. Vesper makes one that is a bunch prettier, but I'm not sure it could be more reliable or lock more solidly. I've managed to find four of these in the wild. Clean or worn, they all work perfectly.

448959

[Michael J Evans]

Mine is pretty simple. In my view the Stanley #18 is the best adjustable bevel out there. Vesper makes one that is a bunch prettier, but I'm not sure it could be more reliable or lock more solidly. I've managed to find four of these in the wild. Clean or worn, they all work perfectly.

448959

Rob
I picked up one recently on the recommendation of a antique store owner. There is no comparison between the stanley and my cheapo empire T-bevel. The stanley locks tight, the locking nut is unintrusive. It's all around just better.

[Jim Matthews]

My adjustable handle Murphy knife qualifies.

I got it in some trade years ago and paid it no attention. The late great Phil Lowe made a video marking out dovetail pins with his.

The size and heft are ideal for a ham fist like mine.

For those who haven't seen one:

http://imgur.com/gallery/5rlb31j

[Rob Luter]

My adjustable handle Murphy knife qualifies.

I got it in some trade years ago and paid it now attention. The late great Phil Lowe made a video marking out dovetail pins with his.

The size and heft are ideal for a ham fist like mine.

I’ve had a Murphy mill knife handle (aluminum and walnut) for nearly 35 years but never knew who made it or where to get a blade. Now I do. Thanks for the mention.

[Jim Koepke]

Those are some nice finds Jim. Had no idea baileys didn't have a lateral lever at one point.

The Stanley lateral levers appeared on the Bailey line in 1885. So that plane is ~135 years old and still doing great.

This seems strange since the first lateral levers include an 1876 patent date.

jtk

[Jim Koepke]

Forgot this find:

449031

A #52 spoke shave. Someone painted it red. When this was mentioned the seller said, "maybe someone named Stanley painted it red."

This was at an indoor flee market. The seller finally let me have it for $8 even though $10 would have been okay with me. Sometimes it is just fun to haggle.

It is an early straight handled type and works fine. It has been cleaned up and looks a little better these days.

jtk

[Michael J Evans]

I have one similar but haven't been able to master adjusting it yet. Ones side is always to high or low.

[Frederick Skelly]

Mine is pretty simple. In my view the Stanley #18 is the best adjustable bevel out there. Vesper makes one that is a bunch prettier, but I'm not sure it could be more reliable or lock more solidly. I've managed to find four of these in the wild. Clean or worn, they all work perfectly.

448959

I just bought the Shinwa version of that tool. I hope it's as good as the Stanley you describe. Guess we'll see,

[Robert Galey]

My favorite find was a VERY rusty, butt-handless, Spofford brace that I bought for $1.00 at a flea market in Rogers, AR. I'm a novice turner, but I was able to make and mount a butt handle (sorry no pic). Pitted, but works great.
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[Phil Mueller]

Michael, that may not be a bad thing. I tend to keep my blade a bit skewed so I can take heavier or lighter cuts using one side or the other. Just depends on how wide a surface you’re working.

[Jim Matthews]

Spofford brace that I bought for $1.00 at a flea market in Rogers, AR.
449033

You win. "Uppa Heya" those are considered significant antiquities and cost more than Gas Station coffee.

[Jim Koepke]

You win. "Uppa Heya" those are considered significant antiquities and cost more than Gas Station coffee.

The likely also taste better than Gas Station coffee. :eek:

jtk

[Jim Koepke]

I have one similar but haven't been able to master adjusting it yet. Ones side is always to high or low.


Hi Michael, This might be a good subject for a separate post.

Here is an old post of mine that my provide some food for thought > https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?153938

Many of my spokeshaves have benefitted from a little fettling.

Also use a light touch with a plane hammer/mallet:

449035

Tap on the blade to advance or the handle to withdraw.

jtk

[Jim Matthews]

The likely also taste better than Gas Station coffee. :eek:

jtk
I keep telling my wife that "Old iron" tastes best, but she won't bite. ;/

[Aiden Pettengill]

https://sawmillcreek.org/images/misc/quote_icon.png Originally Posted by Jim Matthewshttps://sawmillcreek.org/images/buttons/viewpost-right.png (https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?p=3086992#post3086992)
You win. "Uppa Heya" those are considered significant antiquities and cost more than Gas Station coffee.


Ayah, those ah some wicked good tools! In all seriousness its a nice find! Here in New England its ridiculous how many planes and braces you'll find in antique stores.

[Frederick Skelly]

My favorite "find'? A #2 handplane I found for $15 in an antique booth.
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The story..... Several years ago I decided I could make use of a #2 hand plane. I had finally decided to just drop the coin for the LN #2. But right before I did, I stumbled onto a small handplane that was dirty and completely painted in gloss black - it must have been a "decoration" somewhere. After cleaning it up, she's a sweet little plane.

My "favorite" tool? Gotta be my LV Shooting Plane. That was really money well spent.

[Jim Koepke]

My favorite "find'? A #2 handplane I found for $15 in an antique booth.

That is a find worthy of a gloat or two.

jtk

[Aiden Pettengill]

That is a find worthy of a gloat or two.

jtk
Most definitely! I'm jealous.

[John C Cox]

My most prized local rust hunt finds are quality old squares and measuring tools. I managed to find a few Starrett and Brown and Sharpe units, which are wonderful.

Unfortunately, this area is difficult for woodworking hand tools. My woodworking tool rust hunts strike out 95% of the time, but the successes are honest to goodness successes. While they needed some work, my old Moulson Brothers and Rob't Sorby cast steel chisels proved that antique tools could in fact be quality units, and sparked my search. I was eventually able to connect with some quality old units, but the failure rate is still over 50% for a host of various reasons (excess pitting, bent/warped, badly chipped, far too short already, and having to take the bad to get the good....).

Buying modern success is now much easier, and the prices of the old, quality stuff keeps rising, such that you'll easily pay more for a set of cast steel octagon-bolster bevel edge bench chisels than you will for a new set of Two Cherries or Ashley Iles bench chisels.

But, thus is life. The old stuff is now pushing over 100 years old... and that means every year, more are "Lost to the moth and rust."