In case you didn’t catch the post last week of my newest vintage Craftsman find, I enjoy collecting vintage tools. When it comes to collecting tools or anything else, I don’t do so because I think they’re valuable or might someday be valuable. I collect things that I like, things that I enjoy owning.
I’m somewhat of a nostalgic person, so when it comes to vintage tools, I like to imagine what kind of work the previous owner/owners did with them. I wonder things like: what did they fix with the tool?; where did they purchased it?; did they take pride in it?; were they hesitant to loan it out?; did they have a monthly tool budget?; things like that. To me, it all comes back to the nostalgic feeling of watching my dad work with his tools.
So that brings me to my question – do YOU collect vintage tools? C’mon, this is not the time to be shy!
I love vintage tools! There is something neat about getting a 100 year old tool, that you know was used by a craftsman back in the day, that is still functional.
I just picked up some old wood chisels and hand planes from the 1920s this past weekend. All they need is a little elbow grease to remove some rust and a resharpening and they’ll perform as good as new. As cliche as it sounds I believe they really don’t make tools like they used to.
Does it count if the tools you own turn vintage?
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There is something neat about getting a 100 year old tool.
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Is that vintage or antique? In most of the collectors communities I’m familiar with vintage (or classic in the case of cars where vintage would be for cars produced between1919 to 1925 before mass production took place ) is defined as at least 25 years old, antique is anthying 75 years or older.
Yes, I do have a bunch of old(vintage) tools. Some from my grandfather, some of my fathers, and some from my youth.
I don’t collect vintage tools, but I do have what I beleive is an old 1941 Dunlap Drillpress, still works and runs smoothly, might be missing parts though.
What exactly does one do with old tools that aren’t valuable to most people but mean something to those that like vintage tools?
If vintage is >25 years then I also have a 1978 RAS that my father used to build their house, and I’ve used to build garage storage and a shop-bench. a pity these machines aren’t widely available anymore, that thing is wonderful!!
since I’ve been looking around for more info on this proll press here is something you might enjoy: http://www.roseantiquetools.com/id116.html
Chris, thanks for the reminder. We’ve talked about Rose Antique Tools before – they’re a great resource!
I don’t specifically collect vintage or antique tools – but have some just the same:
Walker Turner 40′s vintage 1100 drill press
Oliver straight line rip saw
Oster (yeah like the blender) pipe threading machines
Dewalt 16 inch RAS
Several PC sanders, routers and saws – bearing the Rockwell nameplate
Old Thor and Skil drills – when Skil was a full-line supplier
Old Yankee push drills and screwdrivers and bit braces – and RJ auger bits
Some 1920-40′s vintage Stanley Planes
Some old Atkins and Disston hand saws
Several vintage railroad and riggers jacks
- all of this still used – probably more if I looked over the shop floors.
Then there is the stuff – vintage and new – that we’d probably be better off scrapping – but keep in the shop basement as reminders of times past
looking for rockwell compactool table saw model34-200 thanks
Collecting tools is a bit of an obsession
It takes time. Finding interesting tools starts out fast, but as you collect more and more, the common “finds” get put away and a deeper search for the rare and unusual starts. I have been collecting for years and I have had a number of tools pop up after looking for them for years.
It is interesting to learn about the history.
I got into vintage tool collecting about two years ago. I’m a big fan of the Steampunk genre and as such I kept a lookout for old tools and items I could use as decor to match that genre. It started with a two foot, rusty old wrench I found at a garage sale for ten bucks, after that I went to every yard sale, flea market and website I could to find these old tools. Rust just gave them character for me, and made them match the decor better. It’s still a small selection but I love it and I’m always looking for more.