Todd,

Maybe part of my problem is that I am old, or at least it sometimes 
seems that way.  When I started trying to acquire old tools, there were 
no books available to provide price guidelines - at least none that I 
was aware of.  Bartlett's hadn't even come out in those days, and 
Walter's first Stanley book was still a gleam in John's eye.  Dave's 
Sargent price guide was far in the future.  I was stationed in 
Mississippi in those days when I first caught St. Roy's program, and all 
I had to go by was the price tags I saw in the antique stores.  I paid 
what they asked in most cases.  I guess you live and learn, but I really 
can't say I regret the chase for old tools over the years - even those I 
greatly overpaid for.  It has been fun, and continues to be.  And 
sometimes, I even use some of them.  :-)

Frank (Fort Worth Armadillo Works)

Todd Hughes wrote

> I got thinking about this and I have to honestly say I don't
>think  I ever bought something that I couldn't sell for at least close to
>what I paid for it.The possible exception might be something with undetected
>damage but even then often I have gotten out from under it by selling it for
>parts,[sometimes doing better then if I sold a undamaged whole tool!] I have
>to admit from the get go I bought a good many books, did some studying and
>I'm the type of guy that doesn't like to spend much on something that he
>doesn't know about and this probably helped me from getting hurt.
>