Tool ID....

Re: Tool ID....

SteveM

>I picked a small single mark years ago. It gets tucked on the least noticable location on things. Side of a level, back of the frog, inside cover of a book, center lable on records. Just pick something VERY obscure. Mine is Gandalf's " G " ( in elvish, of course ! ).

I don't get it, why do you have to...

Scott Burr in Ben Lomond CA

>Mark your tools?

Is he giving these to you, or are you storing them for him?

Heck, I'd make him mark his own, you don't have too.

Re: Tool ID....

Marv

>Hi Ed,

I suggest that you don't mark them. It's always a distraction if or when they might be sold. If you must identify them, just hang a string tag on them.

Marv

Re: Tool ID....

Bob Strawn

>An inventory should do, if any issues arise. Notes of correspondence tend to be useful this way. Notes on source would not be amiss.

When he makes such a comment, you could respond that you wish you had been able to get his old one, that tools have more meaning when they are passed down the generations. If you were able to use his old tool, you would be reminded of him each time you used it. Thank him specifically for one of the tools he gave you. This may be what he is really fishing for.

Bob

Re: Tool ID....

Edward in Vancouver

>Thanks Bob, It really sounds like it Is what he's getting at. When he "gave me" his tools, all of them power tools, I thanked very warmly, offered monetary compensation which he refused, and told him he was welcome to use them any time he felt like it. Since moving into the retirement home he has taken my offer up several times, and I'm proud to have him tinkering around in my garage. That being said he never was a hand tool guy, if it didn't have a cord it was for cavemen, and only when it was absolutely neccesary for a hand tool he'd get the cheapest piece of cra** available, i.e. flex-y combination squares with plastic heads, throw-away drill bits, etc.

I don't want to lock up my stuff, as I am more than happy to have him tinker around in the garage and he is carefull, but I also want to avoid any "trouble" that may ensue later on if he figures that he bought a particular Veritas bevel guage way back in the '70's.

Re: Tool ID....

Bill Houghton, Sebastopol, CA

>More complex than proving they're yours, of course - you want to avoid arguments and maintain respect. Particularly difficult if he's beginning to lose track. My father, in his last few years, was convinced that he'd lived in our house (to be fair, they owned it originally, though they never lived there; we bought it from them eight years before my father died, after renting it from them for 24 years - not our idea, we wanted to buy it years before they agreed to sell); this wasn't bad, I was able to just nod and say "hmm." It would have been harder if he'd claimed one of my tools as his when I was down doing maintenance on his house.

I agree with Bob that you should look to turn the conversation around in a way that acknowledges your debt to him, not just in objects but as someone going before you in the long chain of tool folks. I wish I'd been able to do that more with my revered Uncle Charlie, many of whose tools I now own; I say "Thank you, Uncle Charlie," frequently, but I'm agnostic enough to know he may not be able to hear me.

Re: Tool ID....

Moses Yoder in White Pigeon, MI

>I once saw a very neat little starett 3" machinist square in a case at the local junque shop. I had to ask them to unlock the case to look at it. When flipped over, it had a previous owners name engraved on the blade with a hand held metal engraver (not a neat job) in letters about 3/8" high, pretty much filled the whole blade. The last time I looked the square was still there.

Re: They're just tools...

Glenn Madsen near San Francisco

>and there are more to be found, most times.

You don't get relationships, really good ones, that often. Treasure those. They aren't usually found in garage sales.

what initials on tools can mean

Robin Corell in Atascadero Ca

>When I was an apprintice I was given the opertunity to purchase a set of tools from a deceased patternmaker. The tools included two gerstner boxes a large under bench chest and a sliding top box full of lathe tools. While there were many gaps and missing tools the cost of buying these tools new or even the going street price would have been 10 or 20 times what I paid. The patternmaker who previously owned my tools served his apprinticeship during WWII and was also given the chance to buy many of his tools the same way. Because of this many of the tools I own have two or three sets of initials on them. I don't think it is a distraction or detracts in any way from their utility. I believe it actually adds to their value by conveying a sense of history and respect for my craft. I have purchased new tools as well as some vintage tools to add to those in the initial set I purchased, I inscribe my initials on those too. I suppose that makes me a heathen in the eyes of many on this list, as I am the one who has scrawled on a sparkling new starrett combination square. At some point some one who respects this tradition will own tools with 3 or 4 sets of initials on them.

Robin

Concur

Bill Houghton, Sebastopol, CA

>Many of my uncle's tools have his initials on them, and it gives me a real sense of connection to the tradition of makers and repairers.

Re: Concur

Bob Strawn

>I am slowly building all my own tools. This makes them rather distinct.

Bob

Re: Tool ID....

woodenleg

>Having had my shop broken in to, I mark all of my tools and take pictures of them, even the used or passed on ones. I was able to give a list to the police (with pics) and because he visits pawn shops on his day off, I was able to get 30 of the 35 hand tools taken(corded and non) plus put the guy behind bars for a while. I mark in a out of the way spot and take pictures in 3 views. I also think that those marks done right add history to the tool and the owners. Dave

Re: Tool ID....

Angus Barclay, in New Zealand

>Woodworking tools are designed to be used. If an owner's mark or name doesn't hinder the job the tool was designed to do, then it is prefectly acceptable to mark them discretely with your own identifier. Ninety per cent of my molding planes have a small set of initials stamped in the end and most of my chisel handles have a few grooves turned into them. They have history.

The example of the Starret machinist square that Moses quotes above suggests that there are still plenty of fools in this world who will pass up a perfectly good, functional item simply becaue it doesn't look good enough in their eyes.

I genuinely would rather have a user-named tool that I know was valued by its previous owner or owners (else why would they bother to mark it) than a shiny bit of tool bling that has been kept in showroom condition.

Thank Heavens there are still user-grade tools out there and thank Heavens that there are still people confused about whether they are woodworkers or collectors.

regards

Angus Barclay.

Re: Tool ID....

Edward in Vancouver

>Didn't mean to raise such a fuss. Like everyone else, I take pride in my tools and am trying to build a good collection starting first with layout tools, and as I progress(hopefully!)aquiring more and more dedicated tools.

I guess my Uncle started off something with a very small comment and I over reacted. But hey, like everyone else I've had tools go missing, bikes and cars stolen etc.. Just last week, my neighbor who's a flooring contractor had his garage broken into. I'd like to protect my property, but know if I keep stuff in a locked box it'll be a magnet for thieves who'd probably just take the whole box. So now I'm thinking, if I were a thief and I had 10 minutes in the garage what would I take? Stationary power tools are out of the question, doubt if I'd think of taking $100 10" T.S.blades. Maybe router bits and related stuff, but they're ancient steel ones from Sears, so I wouldn't be really sorry to see

them go. Don't have any expensive Commercial quality power tools that are easy to get rid of in pawn shops. The real money is in quality hand tools, layout stuff and planes. Dont' say I frequent pawnshops, but when I do step into one, I see lots of commercial quality power tools and lots of drywaller's equipment. No planes, that's for sure, maybe a hand-held power plane.

B.T.W. Bob, that's a neat set of tools there, just finished thumbing through J.Tolpin's "Toolbox Book" and that style of box looks familiar--and enviable...

Re: Tool ID....

Bob Strawn

>I picked up J.Tolpin's "Toolbox Book" in a book store, then I saw Kit Africa's tool box and had to buy the book. In an interview J. Toplin mentioned it as his second favorite. His favorite was the less portable one on the cover.

I love this tool box, but the next time I make it, I will make it to stand on one end unrolled. That way it won't take up so much room when you open it.

Bob

My son, holding the tool box!

Re: Tool ID....

George Makowski

>Edward, There is a good Yankee saying that covers your problem, I think, "Good fences make good neighbors." My feeling is mark what is clearly yours to minimize questions about ownership and to safeguargd your friendship.

When my father bought me a kit of tools to go out and start life, then as a carpenter, I marked them and all my mechanic's tools with a vibrating pencil engraver. I still have most of those tools and value them more for their markings.

Good marking and good freindship,

George in AL

Re: what initials on tools can mean

Marv

>This is another one of those subjects thats right up there with the subject about how far to go with restoring an old tool or antique, collectible item. There is no right or wrong about it. It's all about how each individual feels about these kind of things. For me it has alot to do with how the previous owner marked the tool. I once reconditioned a very old 1850,s Disston tenon saw. A previous owner had banged his initials in huge letters on the side of the hand grip using a nail set. You can only imagine how it looked. To me, it was blatant disrespect for the tool. You see, not everyone will lightly scribe their mark. What if people did that to a famous priceless painting or an old car that is otherwise in original condition?

Marv