Garage sales do not turn up a lot of old tools, in this area, especially when
looking for something specific. If I target garage sales I try and target areas
that have an older population, as they are more likely to have the types of
things I am looking for.
Another prolific spot for me are estate sales. Another more likely place to get
old tools. You also usually get more of an idea what is in the sale, as many
times pictures are posted on line. Just be sure to get there early. Most give
out numbers and you wait in line for your turn. It is not fun to be waiting in
line and see someone walk out with the item you were targeting.

There are some Items I have had to rely on ebay for. For some reason in our area
I could always find plenty of no. 5 planes. However never a 4 to be found.
However my first plane turned out to be a Stanley Sweetheart 5 1/2. It was
missing its brass adjustment nob. Easy enough to pick up on Ebay at a reasonable
price. It is still my favorite plane. I eventually found a Number 4, in poor
shape. (not long after caving and winning  one on ebay). It is on the lists of
to do's along with several Sargent no. 5's.

Good luck.

________________________________
From: OldTools  on behalf of Dan Beck

Sent: Friday, June 21, 2019 11:58 AM
To: John Ruth
Cc: oldtools@s...
Subject: Re: [OldTools] Billings Adjustable Pocket Wrench

John,

Thanks for the info. I agree - from my research, these wrenches should be
pretty common and, in my opinion, not worth $20 or more. That's the problem
with eBay, of course, is that I can find several wrenches that are $10-12,
but then they add $10 shipping. And sadly, the garage sales around me never
really turn up the things that I am looking for. Maybe I just need to go to
more garage sales. Finally, this isn't a tool that I actually *need* - I
have plenty of wrenches that work just fine. It's just that this particular
design "tickles my fancy".

And thanks for the book suggestion - I'll def look into borrowing it from
the library.

Best,
Dan




On Thu, Jun 20, 2019 at 11:02 PM John Ruth  wrote:

> Dan,
> I don’t think those Billings wrenches are at all rare, as they were
> popular in the golden age of bicycling.  The likely production total is in
> the thousands.  I’ve seen several; never wanted one myself, but they have
> turned up.
>
> There were likely competitors as soon as the patent expired.
>
> The book you need is now out of print: “American Wrench Makers 1830-1930”
> by the late Kenneth L. Cope.  I just looked at the price of used copies on
> Amazon and I’m stunned!  Perhaps you can borrow it on inter library loan.
>
> The Alloy Artifacts website may also yield useful information.
>
> In my mind’s eye, I see a fellow on one of those early “Pennyfarthing”
> bicycles, with the huge front wheel, carrying one of those in a pocket.
>
> I agree with you that these wrenches are not worth $20.  Maybe that’s why
> I don’t have one!
>
> In the course of this thread, Michael Suwczinsky wrote something really
> profound, something that rings true after about 45 years of tool collecting:
> “I find that I only regret the tools I didn’t buy, when I had the chance.”
>
> Oh, how true that is!!!  The same concept, in almost the same words, was
> conveyed to me years ago by one of the world’s foremost tool collectors and
> miniaturists!
>
> A search of the archives will turn up some threads I’ve written about “the
> tools that I’ve let slip through my fingers.”
>
> John Ruth
> Metuchen, NJ
> Sent from my iPhone
>
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