Tools You Lose the Most

So I have a compulsion for buying carbide scribes. I don't know where it came from, but if I see a scribe style I don't have I am forced to buy one. 

I've probably bought more than 50. 3 in just the last 2 months. 

Unfortunately, I am also gifted at losing them. Right now I can only find one. 

I don't (usually) lose sockets or other commonly misplaced stuff, but I'm convinced carbide scribes are the key to unlocking the gateways to parallel universes. 

This has me wondering, what do you guys lose constantly? 

And of course... Just like when I ask SWMBO where my keys are, my most recent acquistion appeared from the nether seconds after I hit the "post" button. LOL

10mm sockets.

Despite the meme, I don't think I've ever lost a 10mm socket.  Lost a couple 17mms though.

The tool that I spend the most time searching for is my flashlight.  I use a small LED/lithium flashlight for looking at stuff under the car, and I'm always putting it down in strange places in the garage and then not finding it when I need it.

10, 13, 14 mm and 1/2" sockets seem to be my favorite to lose. The occasional screwdriver or tape measure.

codrus said:

Despite the meme, I don't think I've ever lost a 10mm socket.  Lost a couple 17mms though.

13mm seems to be the one I lose the most. I don't have an issue with vanishing 10mms.

Scribes, flashlights, and magnets are my big things I loose almost daily it seems. 

EDIT:  as seen, tape measures. When we where working on the house all summer I ended up buying over 20 of them. Still have like 15. 

For me, tapemeasures. I have them everywhere for this reason, including my toolboxes in the garage and basement, but they are never where I expect them to be. 

Sharpie. And tape measure 

What ever was in my hand 10 seconds earlier.

My angle cutters, I don't know what it is about them, after I take them out of my toolbox to do something with them I won't be able to find them without searching.  

Tape measure, writing utensil, those sleeved bit holder things.

I've taken to putting them EVERYWHERE and I still have trouble keeping track. Tape measures in every drawer big enough to hold one, and the truck, and they still disappear. I buy markers, pens, and bit holders every time I'm at the hammer store and can only find them once. 

Plus what stranger missile said, whatever I just had in my hand will disappear like magic.

Levels.

I'm a mechanic, I can find every tool I need for work every damn time but if it's something for a home improvement project, it's a different story.

I swear I buy a new level every time I do a renovation on the house.

Whoever buys my place is probably going to find them in the walls.

Sharpies, tape measure, 10mm socket

Pens.

Tape measures. 13 mm sockets. Screwdrivers, annnnd... 

POCKET KNIVES!!!!

I found a missing set of car keys and three pocket knives under the Miata seat last month. 

Flashlights.  Tape measures.  Sadly, hammers.  

And a tool for my person: nail files.   I buy one every 6 months so I should be awash in the darned things.   I can't find one right now in the entire house.

For the kids it would be cheap mechanical pencils.  Threw away the old sectional couch last year and dug at least 30 out of it.

Whatever tool I need right now. Gone.

(quite often it’s the 1/4” drive ratchet)

Phillips screwdriver 

But I have found a lots of good tools at pick and pull on the cars, craftsman, some macto, 2 snap on flare brake line wrenchs,and asst. Others

Dusterbd13-michael said:

Sharpie. And tape measure 

100%. I use the flood technique. Buy Sharpies in industrial quantities from Sam's Club and have lots of tape measures. Eventually, the density of these tools becomes so great it's physically impossible not to find one close to hand.

Never lost a 10mm socket.

Pocket knives too. I’ve started buying boxes of used ones off eBay, sharpening the good ones and leaving a few in the car, my dresser, and locker so I’m never long without one.

I'm pretty good at hanging onto my tools at home as no one else uses them. However at work, every time my boss works with me, he never has the tools we need so he borrows mine and then forgets to give them back. Typically I don't realize he has a tool until the next project and then I have to make do without until I can hit up the tool store again, at least he doesn't bitch when I get the new tool.

On a funny tool note. One of my kids is an auto tech and a few years ago I needed to borrow a specialty tool from him. As he was saying I could borrow it, he said "when can I expect it back" I replied , When I get all my old tools you lost in the woods when you were little. He suddenly realized why I used to get so upset.

I have at least 3 tape measures and I don’t know where any of them are right now.

codrus said:

Despite the meme, I don't think I've ever lost a 10mm socket.  Lost a couple 17mms though.

The tool that I spend the most time searching for is my flashlight.  I use a small LED/lithium flashlight for looking at stuff under the car, and I'm always putting it down in strange places in the garage and then not finding it when I need it.

 

yup, this is me too. flashlights always disappear. And I keep a fwe nice LED ones around, plus a half dozen of the super-cheap HF mini-LED ones. And I can almost never find one when I need it....

like several previous responses, tape measures and Sharpies are also high on the list. 

Wally said:

Pocket knives too. I’ve started buying boxes of used ones off eBay, sharpening the good ones and leaving a few in the car, my dresser, and locker so I’m never long without one.

You can buy them from Opinel in boxes of ten.