Comments on: Too Many Vintage Tools; Not Enough Space; Too Much Guilt

By: Rex

Rex — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 15:37:32 +0000

What a wonderful legacy your Grandfather left you.
Please continue to research the tools and put as many to use as possible. You are the only one that can carry on his legacy.

By: Buildinggeek

Buildinggeek — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 12:42:00 +0000

A couple of years ago I was able to go through and acquire some of my late uncle’s tools. He worked for most of his professional career as a machinist for Starrett in Athol Mass.
What I discovered was that he was a good Yankee first. His tools were mostly not top of the line, he had a Montgomery Ward crosscut saw, a Sears smoother and other basic serviceable tools. The one prize was a 12″ Starrett rule, the only Starrett he owned.
He was a fine (and very fussy) craftsman, just what you would expect from a Starrett machinist. Too bad he wasn’t a collector.

By: lastwordsmith

lastwordsmith — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 18:09:55 +0000

I’ve inherited only a few tools from my ancestors. One grandfather left me three, an unusuable block plane, a paring chisel, and a whetstone. The chisel is one of my favorites and will remain in use until I’ve sharpened it down to a butt chisel and I’m forced to hang it on the wall. The whetstone broke not long ago, but I’m still hanging onto it. (Always good for sharpening small stuff, I suppose.)

I’m told that a great-grandfather on the other side of the family was an adept handyman. I once saw a kayak he made. I wish I had just one of his tools, but he died long before I was born and the tools are long gone, so all I got were a few of his genes.

I say use what tools you can, and keep the rest boxed up. How knows? They may eventually make their way to a local history museum or someplace like that. I can just see an exhibit on Depression-era makeshift tools developing out of collections like these.

-Steve S.

By: fmorgan98

fmorgan98 — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 13:22:40 +0000

Yes, keep the tools, especially if they remind you of your grandfather. When its all said and done, its the memories that we have. But the shadow box ideal sounds good. Don’t hide your memories…keep ‘em out where you can see ‘em when your pondering what to do next on a project, you’ll be reminded again and again.

My father was a machinist and I make sure to use his caliper with his name scribed on it, even tho I have plenty of dial and digital ones. It reminds me of my Dad.

Allen

By: AJ SIkes

AJ SIkes — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 03:30:42 +0000

Steve, you hit it spot on. It’s in our blood. No two ways about it. I’ve already picked up two Windsor chairs from the curbside (the college kids in this town throw everything away come moving season). My daughters have some refinishing projects waiting for them in the shop for when they’re ready.

By: AJ SIkes

AJ SIkes — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 03:28:17 +0000

Dave, thanks for the reply. I think you’re right. I’m just going to have to use some of them at least. A few I feel really need to be put in a curio case, but anything functional I’m going to put to work. Granddad always wanted his boys to follow his tradition. One became a machinist (my uncle) and dad, while he kept his hands in the sawdust, never did develop the skill his father had.

That’s great that you’re collecting old tools and getting them back in shape. Do you know about Liberty Tool Company? I think they’re in Maine or New Hampshire. They do the same thing on a pretty big scale. I’ve got to make a pilgrimage there someday

By: AJ SIkes

AJ SIkes — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 03:24:26 +0000

Some of them I just have to let rest in a curio cabinet I’m going to build for them. But I’ll be putting a few of them to use for sure. Just used his brace this morning to bore my first mortise. I’ve got a lot of work ahead of me to clean all the tools up and sharpen them. Slow but sure, like Pop always says.

I also need help identifying some of the tools Granddad made. He’s got a marking gauge he built with two beams in it. Not sure if it’s for marking mortises or what. Anyone ever seen something like that?

Thanks for the welcome.

By: kelinbak

kelinbak — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 04:37:00 +0000

Megan, maybe you need to build another tool chest for Grandpa’s tools. And then they can get passed down to someone that will use them as well.

I have very few tools of my Fathers or Grandfathers, but I have a cool tool tote made from a 7-UP wooden case that I use. My own collection has been coming together for awhile from swap meets, junk (antique) stores and flea markets, along with the odd one showing up here and there from friends. All of them need a little work, but are once given a new life seem to be quite happy doing what the do. Two sets of #3,4 & 5 planes will be going to two new woodworkers this Christmas. I hope that someday they’re grandkids get to use them as well.

By: Steve Green

Steve Green — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 06:54:04 +0000

I’m a grandfather and the son of a contractor. Also a contractor myself. I’ve got tools that go back to my grandfather and my Dad. When I was left them after my fathers death I already had a shop full of tools that I’d put together to make a living and build furniture for our home. If one of those tools was useful to me I use it, a lot of them to this day in fact. The rest were cleaned, oiled, waxed or dusted off and put into covered shelving or glass fronted cabinets. I believe this vocation is in our genes and being able to look down the line of my ancestors and handle or use their tools is a connection for me and hopefully one of my sons and a couple grandsons as well.
A very good anthropology prof I had in college was positively convinced I was born to work with wood and I guess after 50 years I’d have to agree with him. Another very good friend pointed out that they aren’t making any tools used by grandpa or Dad.
I think I’ll hang on to them and pass them down.

By: LKWangerin

LKWangerin — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 06:02:42 +0000

Very interesting. I have come to the point of having to separate My dad’s tools from my own for my son and son-in-law. Most of my woodworking was trying to keep up with a 200 year old house. That is about to change, working harder than ever, getting ready to move to something smaller. Guess what, it is back to hand tools and some real woodworking. My radial arm saw has sat dormant for 30 years and have ripped and sawn most lumber with handsaws. Most drilling and attaching is by hand. It’s fun re-testing old tools and ideas – some work and others one wonders what were they thinking. Any new idea became a new tool and if it could do many things, all the better. Usually not as good as a dedicated single purpose tool because of the blisters caused by the other parts of said multi-tool.