Thread: Old tools, Old stuff, Old blokes, Old skills

To revive this thread for a moment. I also have some tools from my grandfather and some from my dad, but mine are of a different generation. So what do I do with all my imperial spanners and sockets both Whitworth and AF, my son will never use them and I myself have not worked on an imperial tooled car for years. Sometimes I think i should shot the lot down the tip but all that money I spent and I just can't do it. They all have rust on them now due to no use and it seems they will never be used again.

soak them in diesel Chris with a bout half break fluid leave for a few weeks then give me a call. otherwise dry them off and put them away.

Whitworth spanners are selling like hotcakes as they are better than metric spanners 12 sided and grip better these are being bought new in aircraft industry specifically through where my daughter works.

Originally Posted by wheelinround

soak them in diesel Chris with a bout half break fluid leave for a few weeks then give me a call. otherwise dry them off and put them away.

Whitworth spanners are selling like hotcakes as they are better than metric spanners 12 sided and grip better these are being bought new in aircraft industry specifically through where my daughter works.

They are going back to WW?

Originally Posted by Mini

They are going back to WW?

not going back just using them as the 12 sides have better grip fit metric better don't strip heads etc.
Where daughter works they sell Sthalwillee and one of their biggest sellers is Whitworth mainly aircrafts engineers.

Have the 2007 catalouge sitting here on my desk.

Great thread, thanks for starting it. I inherited a thumb plane that belonged to my great grandfather, and a couple of Stanleys that belonged to my Dad's Dad. One of the Stanleys (a 41/2) had a broken tote and the knob was also a bit damaged. My Dad said that my Grandy broke the tote and never bothered repairing it, so that plane hadn't been used for over 50 years. I repaired the tote and knob, cleaned it up a bit, and gave it back to my Dad for Christmas. We sharpened the blade together, and it hadn't had an edge put on it for all that time. Turned out to be a sweetheart blade for a small bonus.

I know that Dad will get a few years use out of it (hopefully quite a few) and then it will come back to me (or one of my brothers - it doesn't matter to me as long as it stays in the family and is treasured). I think it may just be the best present I've ever given him. Gave me a lot of pleasure too. I know that I'll treasure the ones that have come to me, and I'll pass them on when the time comes. Great things to touch and use, there is a feeling of history with every use.

Originally Posted by Scribbly Gum

Great Story!
You were lucky to find your diamond in the rough.
Thanks for sharing that with us.
I also like you signature piece:
Do the best you can...it doesn't have to be that good.
Too many people, especially kids,get hung up on perfection, when in many cases good enough will do. This often stops them from even starting.
I'm not saying that we don't strive for it, but you can't do better than your best.
So - a great post.
Many thanks
SG

I think you are dead right when it comes to a lot of people getting hung up on perfection. It is a goal we all strive for, but is seldom achieveable. Those of us who have worked and lived in the era prior to the precision of CNC, and all manners of other computer controlled machinery have an appreciation of what it is like to have to 'tweak' somthing in order for it to look right. Patience in getting somthing to look good is a disappearing commodity. So many look for the quick fix in anything.

I reckon you can blame McDonalds for all of this. As a kid if I wanted a hamburger, you walked into your local hamburger joint, ordered it and sat down and read Australia Post until it was ready. Now if its not ready in 30 seconds you demand it for free. That is the expectation of a lot of people, and this instant gratification has now spread to all endeavours.

Maybe I am getting old, but it sure beats the hell out of the alternative!!

Great reminiscence!

My pop was also not handy, but when my grampa passed in '91 (I was 17), dad inherited all of grampa's tools.

Gramps was a pattern maker by trade and gunsmith by hobby. He had an extensive hadge-podge of metal and woodworking tools that dad had no idea what to do with, nor ambition to learn. Out of nostalgia I suppose, dad hung on to all of it anyway, letting it rust and dust in the store room of the house.

Meanwhile, I went to University and then began working as a Corrections Officer. In search of a hobby to de-stress, I discovered that flannel-shirted Norm guy on Public Television. I have been learning the craft ever since.

After spending lots (and lots) of my money on fancy Norm-esque power tools my dad gave me an old wooden carpenters box with a mix of grandpa's chisels and hand planes and some other odds and ends.

This was really surprising to me. You see, the two of them had not gotten along all that well, and I think Dad still hasn't really come to terms with Gramps' passing. Dad said had it just seemed like I should have them, as they weren't any good at the house and I can get some use out of them. I think It was a way for him to finally say goodbye to his old man.

Well, they sat in their box in my shop for a year or so. What the heck was I gonna do with them? I had POWER TOOLS!

Then one day, on a lark, I researched how to clean up and "PROPERLY SHARPEN" these tools (it turns out "PROPERLY SHARPENING" hand tools is like talking politics and religion, but I muddled through). As I began to buff off the surface rust, little memories of my late grand-dad began popping into my head. As I sharpened the chisel and plane blades on an oilstone I recalled long forgotten lessons Grandpa had taught to me on using the stone the right way. As I re-assembled the planes, I remembered how gramps would dig a hand full of pocket change out for me and would always have a couple small screws or nails in the mix from whatever he was tinkering with at the time.

In fact, I discovered the link to my grandfather that I had abandoned years ago when I entered my teens, and never rediscovered because of his passing. When I use grampa's hand tools now (which is way more often than those loud, dirty and dangerous NORM machines) I cannot help but think of the man who created with them before me. I remember the love of a young, only grandson and the man who was a poor father, but tried to do right by the next generation. I feel the link to that flawed but wonderful old man as I grip the same worn handles that he held, and create with the same tools he had created with.

To ebay my grandpas hand tools would net me a couple thousand dollars, I am sure. But money cannot describe the true value of an old tool. They all have a story to tell, and thats why they should be treated with the same reverance and respect as a box full of heirloom jewelry.

Just read your thread, and, mate, I think you have hit the nail right on the head.

I find many times I will reach for old George's tools - a plane -a saw - a chisel, and like you glimpses come back and I wonder what advice the old bastard could give, the advice being backed by decades of experience in the use of hand tools.

As stated in my opening post I was only 6 when he died but by all accounts he was a larger than life bloke [he used to pay me to swear in front of my Mum] and no doubt with the passing of time his exploits were enhanced.

He was a character, and sadly we are running out of characters today, the thought police and the politically correct contingents are wanting everybody to be mediocre and lacking colour.

But you know what they say "Mediocre people are always at thier best'

Cheers!

I have a couple of old chisels (Toledo and Footprint) that belonged to my grandfather and my dad has m other grandfathers 4 1/2 stanley that I have put my hand up for. I find that I can not pick up the chisels without thinking of my grandfather, the time I spent with him and images I remember of him in his shed.

This interesting collection is on ebay at the moment - it is sad that there is no person who can cherish these items and feel there full value through knowing that their grandfather or great grandfather owned and used these tools.http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Antique-Woodw...QQcmdZViewItem

Great thread one of the best I have read here in the BB. I have some of my grandfathers tools here at home and I still rememeber him telling me that you have to take care of your tools and they will look after you.

I feel the same. I have all of my dads tools, some of his dads, and even an adze, mortice axe and drawknife from my great granfather. They all feel a bit spooky in a way, but in the good way when I use them. Although I feel like some one is watching over my shoulder to see that I treat them right.