I guess an introduction is in order first. My name is Bob, and I am a
GIT (Galoot In Training, Jeff, although the more familiar definition
often fits as well).

I've been what I call a "speculative woodworker" for the last 10 years
or so. By this I mean that I've subscribed to various magazines, bought
a bunch of books, and watched the how-to shows on TV, and would
frequently show SWMBO a picture and say "Gee, I could probably make
that, if I had the right tools...." But I wasn't actually getting any
tools, so this only served to annoy her.

About a year ago, she finally said "Well, get off your fat ass, get some
tools, and make something" or words to that affect (I don't think she
actually used the word "well"). So I'm being encouraged to move on to
"operative woodworking."

Now, for quite a while, I was completely addicted to Normism, bought one
of his books, even sent in for some "measured drawrings". But that paled
6-7 years ago. I came to realize that the odds of my getting a TV show,
with its production budget, sponsors, and "friends of the show" (can
someone please explain the difference between these last two groups?)
was somewhere between none and, well, none, so I wasn't going to get a
drawer full of routahs or a 48" panel sander any time soon. Plus, I was
looking at woodworking as a hobby for relaxation, and the high-decibel
whine of a router or scream of a circular saw do not fit my definition
of "relaxing."

At the same time I watched Norm, I also got completely hooked on Roy.
And I came to realize that Roy was a lot closer to what I had in mind:
working with wood, not adjusting machines and flipping switches. I'm not
running a production shop, I don't need to kick things out on a
schedule, so speed isn't important to me (SWMBO may disagree). Plus, I
figured hand tools would be loads cheaper than power tools (feel free to
laugh at my naivete here).

So far, SWMBO has completely supported this, mainly because it hasn't
cost much of anything yet. She figures it'll keep me occupied, won't
cost us a fortune, and she'll get some hand-crafted furniture out of the
deal (it seems naivete runs in the family). I haven't actually built
anything yet, apart from things like a bench hook or shooting board. My
one flea market purchase is a Wards jack plane ($20, serviceable, I
think it's akin to a #4, seems to work all right). I somehow stumbled
across The Porch a month or so ago, read about a year's worth of the
archives (it beats working), and began lurking.

So that's me, in a rather wordy nutshell. Hi.

On to my question:

My Dad passed away a little over a year ago, and at the time, Mom told
me that all his old tools were mine. He wasn't a cabinet maker or
anything like that (darn it), but he did have some old tools that he
used around the house over the years. Well, a week ago, my burgeoning
Galootitude overcame my feeling-weird-asking-Mom-for-the-tools, and I
picked up most of them (left her with some, in case she needs them).
Among the stuff I took were a Disston D7 8tpi x-cut saw (1953 vintage,
from the looks of the badge), a Disston D8 10tpi x-cut saw (1942-1952
badge), a "Warranted Superior" 8tpi rip saw, a no-name 6tpi rip saw, a
MF Buck Rogers 1/4" drill, a couple block planes (one standard, the
other low-angle), an 8" wood-metal hybrid bench plane, a brace and set
of Clark's Pattern Expansive Bits (still in their original box - does
that make me a collector?), and some socket chisels (1/4, 3/4 and 1", I
think the blade is stamped Stiletto), plus some random file, rasps,
squares and stuff.

None of it's in horrid shape, but all of it has some damage - small rust
spots (some pitting on the no-name saw), nicks and gouges in the wooden
plane, damaged handles, things like that. Some items are still showing
signs of abuse heaped upon them 30-35 years ago by a younger version of
myself (and I am truly sorry). A lot of the metal has this wonderful
patina that I'd really like to keep, but tantamount in my mind is
stopping any damage that's occurring, and getting things in working
order. So my question (finally!) is, where can I best learn to identify
and assess the damage, and get the tools back into shape?

Suggestions that it's all junk, and my best option would be to package
it up and send it to you, will be given the consideration they deserve.

Thanks, all.

Bob Dehnhardt
Sparks, Nevada