OldTools Archive

Recent Bios FAQ

262025 John Ruth <johnrruth@h...> 2017‑03‑20 Old Tools Are......Where You Find Them.
GG's


Over the years, two local smallish flea markets have yielded up a surprising
number of antique tools.  The larger of these two markets seemed to have "dried
up" with regard to old tools - the character of the market has changed to be
mostly inexpensive imported goods. The clean-out people that had inhabited the
back row for many years have been scared off by the new, higher space fees.


Yesterday, my girlfriend wanted to stop back to this Avenel Flea Market to see
if a coat she'd seen there last week was still available. (t was, but that's not
part of the story I want to tell.)


I wasn't really expecting much......the back row was actually vacant and the
spot in the very front. where "The Pirate of the Caribbean" sells storage clean-
outs was likewise vacant.


Well, there it was......a Stanley Liberty Bell smoother, small 8"size,
apparently in good original condition - no rust anywhere, no excessive wear.  My
only doubt about it is that the toe has no markings; perhaps they were sanded
off.   Amazingly, the iron is very sharp!  I talked the vendor down to the non-
gloatable price of $30 from his original position at $35.


He had two other transitional planes, but they were models I already own.  He
said he'd bought the contents of a storage unit at auction, and these were the
last of about 150 antique tools that he'd sold off.  (This was somewhat
disappointing, but it's my own fault for believing that this market was not
longer worth perusing on a regular basis.)


So, with that in the bag, I see another table of antique tools.  Most of them,
I'd seen before. But there was at least one new item; a PEXTO Coe's-style monkey
wrench with the "Railroad Special" style all-steel handle.   It was a bit
greasy.....on the shank, I could make out "...DG Co."   Yanking a paper tissue
out of my pocket, I rubbed it like Aladdin rubbing his lamp.  The grease-
obscured letter proved to be an R.    "RDG Co." - Mind you, this is in Avenel
NJ, adjacent to Port Reading, NJ, where the Reading Railroad came out to NY
Harbor [Arthur Kill] tidewater.   I managed to talk him down to $8 from his
original position at $10.


I have visions of this wrench having lived in the toolbox of one of the
Reading's steam locomotives, possibly some old Mother Hubbard "Camelback" type.


So, not such a bad visit to this Flea. A Liberty Bell smoother and a RR-marked
wrench.  Oh, and an unopened box of 5,000 staple gun staples for $5!   It really
is true; the harder you look, the luckier you get.


John Ruth
262029 scott grandstaff <scottg@s...> 2017‑03‑21 Re: Old Tools Are......Where You Find Them.
I am not sure it was an ungloatable price.
I suppose it matters where you are located on the continent.
  an 8 in sweet condition would not be ordinary in my own travels on the 
second hand circuit.
A transitional jack plane in broken deplorable, 
why-would-anyone-ever-fish-it-back-outta-the-fire, condition? Yeah I 
would might see one of those in a hard enough search.
   so whatever it cost you today, its nice and its
  yours
Scott
ps I bought a frankenplane today. details to follow


-- 
*******************************
    Scott Grandstaff
    Box 409 Happy Camp, Ca  96039
    scottg@s...
    http://www.snowcrest.net/kitty/sgrandstaff/
    http://www.snowcrest.net/kitty/hpages/index.html
262035 John Ruth <johnrruth@h...> 2017‑03‑21 Re: Old Tools Are......Where You Find Them.
GG's:


Further research on my newly-acquired 8-inch Liberty Bell smoother at the
following site reveals that it is "correct" to have no marking on the toe.


http://www.richmondantiquetools.com/Liby%20Bell%20Type%20Study%20_2_.pdf


My example, which is an 8-inch Number 122, matches the Type 4A description
exactly, including the "O" trademark.  So, this is the opposite of a
Frankenplane - it's a 108-year-old tool which somehow came through more than a
century of time with all of its parts correct and neither heavily worn nor
beaten up!


So, I now know it's a circa 1909 plane.  I see that this #122 corresponds in
size to a Bailey #3.  As Scott G. stated, maybe $30 wasn't such a bad price
after all.  When was the last time I bought a tool this old that only needs
dusting?  It's even sharp!   [?]


John Ruth
Ah, if antique tools could talk, what stories they would tell !

________________________________
From: OldTools  on behalf of scott grandstaff

Sent: Tuesday, March 21, 2017 12:54:19 AM
To: porch
Subject: Re: [OldTools] Old Tools Are......Where You Find Them.

I am not sure it was an ungloatable price.
I suppose it matters where you are located on the continent.
  an 8 in sweet condition would not be ordinary in my own travels on the
second hand circuit.
A transitional jack plane in broken deplorable,
why-would-anyone-ever-fish-it-back-outta-the-fire, condition? Yeah I
would might see one of those in a hard enough search.
   so whatever it cost you today, its nice and its
  yours
Scott
ps I bought a frankenplane today. details to follow


--
*******************************
    Scott Grandstaff
    Box 409 Happy Camp, Ca  96039
    scottg@s...
    http://www.snowcrest.net/kitty/sgrandstaff/
    http://www.snowcrest.net/kitty/hpages/index.html

------------------------------------------------------------------------
OldTools is a mailing list catering to the interests of hand tool
aficionados, both collectors and users, to discuss the history, usage,
value, location, availability, collectibility, and restoration of
traditional handtools, especially woodworking tools.

To change your subscription options:
https://oldtools.swingleydev.com/mailman/listinfo/oldtools

To read the FAQ:
https://swingleydev.com/archive/faq.html

OldTools archive: https://swingleydev.com/ot/

OldTools@s...
262043 Ed Minch <ruby1638@a...> 2017‑03‑21 Re: Old Tools Are......Where You Find Them.
John

Just saw your second post about the 122.  I, too, have a 4A with the  STANLEY
trademark (Walter calls that one a WW instead of an O).  Mine is in excellent ++
near mint condition and they are pretty little planes when in good shape.  Mine
has no stamp on the toe, but you know that:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/ruby1638/32762839273/in/dateposted-public/

Odd that Stanley went back to the pre 1892 blade with the large disassembly hole
at the top rather than the bottom that they patented and adopted in 1892 - for
just one year (or less than a year, I am sure).  I have one other metal plane
with that logo.

Ed Minch

Recent Bios FAQ