Putting your name on tools

Re: Putting your name on tools

Zack A.

>Well... wouldn't you like to distinguish your tools from someone elses?

Re: Putting your name on tools

Jane

>I would like to mark my tools, but in some unobtrusive way. Any ideas?

Re: Putting your name on tools

Jerome Laux

>One good way is a "dot" system. I borrow some nail polish from my wife and put a couple of dots in a pattern. She always gets one or two colors in those special deals that she doesn't like.

Re: Putting your name on tools

Jim in Burlington Ontario

>Dots had never occured to me. I was thinking along the line of using a diamond scribe on planes using the back of the iron high up same for chisels. For saws below the handle. Maybe just initials.

Microstamp Corporation *LINK*

David Barnett - Venice, FL

>I use and suggest Microstamp products; especially the Tracemark, Tool Stamp (for hardened steel), or the Maker's Mark (if you want a logo). Crispy, clear marks, far superior to any others I've seen.


Microstamp

Re: Putting your name on tools

Jack Guzman from Maine

>I like the polish idea.It holds up to oil,wax,normal wiping,cleaning.Plus it doesn't permanently mark the tool for future generations of woodworkers.---Jack

Re: Putting your name on tools

Moses Yoder in White Pigeon, MI

>Putting your name on tools will lower the resale value, especially if done in a permanent manner. I've never had any real reason to put my name on tools, I just keep track of where my tools are. I really couldn't see getting a nice new tool and then ruining it with my name etched on it somewhere. This is my opinion, and you asked for it ;)

Re: Putting your name on tools

Jim in Burlington Ontario

>I did ask for your opinon just curious. As for resale the only way my tools at leaving me if they pry them out of my dead hands. Hopefully a few will go in the box with me.

Re: Putting your name on tools

Todd O. Cronkhite Native of Maine

>Jim,

I don't etch my name in any of my antique tools, but than again I am not working in an environment where my tools could get confused with somebody elses. If I was in that type of environment than I'd go with a non-destructive method such as the mentioned finger-nail polish. I have planes that have notches file in various places on the castings which while they really don't detract much, or hurt the performance one little iota I do wish that they wern't there. One the other hand I'm sure that the fellow who depended on them for his livlihood was darn glad s/he put them there eh?

Todd O.

why bother?

Tom Sontag - St. Louis

>I agree with Moses and Todd - unless you are in a large shop there is no reason to even bother. If you lend tools (!?), then keep track of what is away. If you ARE in a larger shop, then a nonpermanent method seems best to me. Etching a permanent record reminds me too much of animals that feel they need to mark their territory. Although, their method could keep others from wanting to use yours...

Not my name but.....

Alister

>I'm glad that John Forrester put his name on his .....my father bought those at auction and used them ...This guy designed some of the buildings at my old school ...now they're mine.

My father's of course, they're in my kit too.

Henry Morton gave me some obscure stuff and also some encouragement,died in 96...glad he marked them.

Billy Castalena...I actually dumped a few tools that would be considered more valuable and replaced them with his....just because they're his and still do the job...and I'm glad he wandered into my life.

All of them marked them...And I'm glad of it!!!

Re: Putting your name on tools

Bruce, a MN galoot

>My tools have no resale value in my lifetime. It has not occurred to me to mark them with my name. Having said that, however, I treasure the planes I inherited from my dad that have his initials inscribed thereon.

Bruce

Re: why bother? Insurance requirement.

David Barnett - Venice, FL

>

Re: Not my name but.....

Robert Tarr

>Sort of the opposite (in one manner) for me....I am lucky enough to know some of the history of some of my old tools....each one has been marked, either with stamps, filing notches or etches. For me, I will not remove these, because I feel they are part of the history and I will not add my name, until I feel my skills are at a level that it "belongs" on it.

I too don't work in a place that requires my adding my name to the tools, but I have thought of removing the handle or tote and using an electric scribe to etch my name in the bottom of the wood.....should a situation come up that would warrent me trying to claim ownership of my tools, I would ask Mr. Officer to remove the handle and see who's name is etched in the wood below....My best idea for unseen markings..

Take care.

Robert

Re: Not my name but.....

Jorge Castañeda~East Penobscot Bay

>Like Alister, I have a number of tools that were of one Mr Webber, and various others, some of them only have initials, but some of them have marks of 4 previous owners, as a shipyard worker, were tools can walk away if you don't keep an sharp eye on them all the time and act down right ornery if somebody touched them. I did keep a log book describing each tool and all its markings both in body and metal components, there I entered too the place of purchase, date of purchase and price doubled, there were a few cases were I had to demand payment. I was always glad the names of those other fellows were there, I even have one with my own initials, 1" letters branded with a hot iron, of course I did not do that, my daughter found it and could not pass it.

I have no problem at all with those markings.

Re: Not my name but.....

Jim in Burlington Ontario

>I like that idea of using other people's tools. Having bought a few from a master pattern maker and copied his history down. Bought a terrific scrub plane with initals on it also. I also have a Signed Tom Lie Nielsen Saw. Interesting topic of discussion. Curious to hear from a few more people. Would you sign your name to any tools that you have made?

Marking tools

Bob Hackett

>Every tool I make has been marked.You sign all your work,don`t you?I consider it a "maker`s mark"

I think Jorge hit it center of mass here,we`re talking about the difference between tools used to make a living and tools used for other purposes.If your tools never leave your shop and you always work alone,then you always know where your tools are and marking just tells others who owned them after you`re gone.

Only a fool would bring an unmarked tool to a large jobsite,boatyard,etc.As anyone who has worked at one can tell you,there are some folks there who will pick up anything in order to get a job done.If you`re not standing there or your box isn`t locked,they assume it`s OK to borrow whatever they need.These type of folks also will not remember which box they borrowed from on the way through so they may just wait till you come looking for whatever they have.Even worse,they may just leave it on the boat,scaffolding, or wherever it was that they were using it,after all they have nothing invested in it.

If you want your tools to find thier way home you must mark them!All tools are the same to these folks.There`s no malice involved,they just don`t know any better.It makes no difference to them that the tools are LN,Snap-on,or that the smithing hammer they just handed to the diver("cause he needed one,NOW")is an antique that was made in the 1800`s and used by your grandfather.

These people will always be the first to whine about replacement costs too.

When you make your living with tools and work around others who do tools are marked,plain and simple.Fail to heed this warning and count ALL your tools at least weekly and your cash outlay for tools will double.This is not a prediction,it`s a fact.

When I look at a tool with a name on it I assume it`s the name of a craftsman who used the tool to put a roof over his head and food on the table.I like to think that both the craftsman and the tool at hand have paid thier dues.I`m careful about what I buy and I maintain what I own.I look for tools that were owned by folks of a like mind.Many times I use that previous owner`s mark as an identifying mark.If that tool is still with me 10 years down the road and Ive put enough use on it to feel it warrants it,I may add my name next to it.To me it`s just a way of keeping track of a tools history.

Mainely,Bob

Re: Putting your name on tools

Todd Hughes

>I really don't know why many people seem to feel they have to put thier names on thier stuff. OK if you are working with a bunch of thieves maybe it might be a good thing though in my experance something like this doesn't really discorage someone from stealing your stuff , just tells them who it was they stole it from. I remember reading you should put your Social Security number on your properity so if it was stolin you could ID it. Think I would worry more about some criminal getting my SS number then my wrench.I have friends that stamp or brand about everything they own from a saw to a trash can, never could figure it out. I have seen more then a few metal planes that were busted when the old slow head owner tried to stamp the sides with his name or intials. When i used to make knives and axes I would stamp most of axes with a touch mark stamp I made but never stamped any of the knives, even though I was often asked to, because they tradtionaly were not marked while some axes were. Only tool I owned that I ever put my name on was my anvil only because it was signed by a couple previous owners and just seemed like the thing to do. I figure on using it as a head stone when I shuffle off so maybe I will have to mark it a little better.....Todd

Re: Putting your name on tools

joel

>In England in the last century both trade unions and insurance companies would insure tools against loss or theft only if they were stamped. So the first purchase of many an apprentice along with their first tools was a name stamp.

Re: Putting your name on tools

kees laan

>you can buy a marker that's writing with invisible ink.

Mike Dunbar is painting/spraying his tools in an ugly green.

kees

Re: Putting your name on tools

Todd O. Cronkhite Native of Maine

>If I made the tool I'd put my name on it, and the year I made it. Yup, sure would.

Funny thing about putting your name on just part of a tool. I heard rell where a fellow put his name on one of the doors of a bandsaw, and sure enough it got stolen. the owner found out who took it, called the cops, blah, blah, blah, went to court and the judge said that by his name being on the door it proved that THE DOOR belong to him, but not the whole bandsaw, so he got awarded the door, and the thief got the rest. Would be comical if it wasn't so sad eh.

Todd O.

Proof of two things,Todder.

Bob Hackett

>1-You can only keep honest people honest.

2-We really do need to shoot all the lawyers

(you have to be a lawyer before you can be a judge)

Mainely,Bob-Who thinks lawyers are right up there with used car salesmen.;^)

Re: Putting your name on tools

kees laan

>that judge is a bookworm obviously not a woodw.....

So the judge with the two left hands thinks there's no link between the door and the machine! It's a sad society.

But how can we woodworkers benefit from that ignorant people?

kees

Re: Proof of two things,Todder.

Alan Hamilton

>Bob,

Ouch! That hurts!!

I became a lawyer only because I had a big fight with my family and I wanted to do something to shame them.

Alan