Once you get caught up using woodworking hand tools it is hard to stop. Like any other modern day woodworker I needed my table saw. I thought I could not get anything done without my power tools.
As I slowly discovered hand tools I fell in love with them. The more I used them the better I realized they fit my style of woodworking. The slow easy pace using hand tools fits my woodworking style like a glove.
I started searching for hand tools and found out they were not that easy to come by. Sure you could buy new tools but the old ones seemed to be better. The used tools are often found at a fraction of the price of new planes and saws. The quality of the old tools is usually very good.
You have to sometimes go out of your way to get a great deal on used woodworking hand tools. Some of the places I always look at are my local flea market and antique stores. Yard sales can often bring unexpected surprises and do not forget to check your classified ads. This article will share a few tips to help you find those great old hand tools of yesterday.
Often you will have good luck at the flea market. If you get lucky you will come across a booth where the guy has some old tools and does not have a clue what they are worth. You can get some great bargains when you run across this situation. Usually there will be a tool dealer or two where you can find some good tools. They will more than likely not be as good a bargain because the dealer will know the value of what he is selling.
Antique stores will often be your best bet in finding old tools. Almost always there will be some old tools in those glass cases. Shop around all the different antique stores and one will almost always stand out as the best place to buy tools. When you find this store visit often, as you never know what you may find.
Yard sales are even better than flea markets in most cases as the seller very seldom knows what the old tools are worth. He may have had these tools lying around for a long time and is glad to see you haul them off. It is harder to find many good quality tools at a yard sale but you never know what you will find.
It is a long shot but once in a while you will find someone selling an old tool collection in the paper. It is worth the time it takes to glance at the classified ads every once in a while.
Finding old tools is as much fun as using them. There is a great satisfaction in finding a fifty-year-old tool and restoring it so it can be used again.
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