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Login to post Forums » Off-topic discussion » Grandpa's Tools

Jan. 14, 2012 5:25 p.m. slefain SuperDork

I recently integrated my grandfather's and great-grandfather's tools into my own collection. They had been stored at my parent's house since my great-grandfather died over a decade ago. My grandfather died when my dad was just 12 and my great-grandfather had kept his tools. They both made their living building houses the old way. My Dad was never the "hands on type" so Dad told me to come get everything.

As I was digging through and sorting all of the various tool chests (several hand made by my them for specific tool storage) I found the hammer dies that my great-grandfather used to mark his tools with his initials. I won't lie, I got misty for a few minutes staring at those. There are so many tools that I have no idea what they do but I know he'd be able to tell me in a heartbeat. Most of them are worn from use as well. I miss him but I think he'd approve of me putting his tools back to work.

I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one here who got their inheritance by hand tools, I just figured you might get a kick out of it. I'd put up pictures but I'm paranoid since I live in the ghetto. The coolest thing I found so far was a set of New Britain Hex-Drive sockets and wrench. I thought it was just a huge hex key til I saw the weirdo sockets. Odd stuff.
Jan. 14, 2012 5:37 p.m. JoeyM SuperDork

I understand. I have a few of my Grandpa's tools. One of them is an adjustable wrench....it is corroded, and doesn't adjust well, anymore. I have it set to tighten and loosen the nut for when I change gas cylinders on my welder...and doing so always makes me smile.
Jan. 14, 2012 5:58 p.m. 4g63t HalfDork

In my rollaway, I have one tool from my father and one from my grandfather. Uncle Bob's are next.
Jan. 14, 2012 6:02 p.m. Rob_Mopar Dork

My grandfather on mom's side was a carpenter. I have a foot locker with his tools in it along with some hand tools that I use. My grandfather on dad's side was a truck driver. I have his bench vice and a small assortment of his hand tools that I use regularly.

We don't have any kids but my sisters do. They are still little. Once I'm sure they have an appreciation for the tools and history They will get passed down the line.

Quick edit: Forgot to mention when mom & dad moved to Florida I got most of dad's tools, so they are well intermixed in the toolbox. But I can pick out each tool and know if they were mine, dad's or one of my grandfathers.
Jan. 14, 2012 8:11 p.m. Woody SuperDork

My grandfather was a toolmaker. I have his hammer dies too. I've also got an aluminum machinist's vice that he made out of billet.

He's been gone for 25 years
Jan. 14, 2012 9:49 p.m. failboat HalfDork

I too have about 8 or 9 hand made wooden boxes, made by grandpa, with his tools and hardware. Growing up my parents just had them on the basement, my dads not very hands on so when I bought my house I offered to take the boxes off their hands.

Lots of woodworking tools, a few old power tools, old owners manuals for appliances. Just a few weekends ago cleaning the garage I went thru the boxes (again) and found about 8 sheets of hand drawn plans for building what looks like a shed. Really cool stuff. Grandpa was an engineer so it was cool to find some of his work.
Jan. 14, 2012 9:51 p.m. Woody SuperDork

The more I think about it, the more of his tools I have. A fantastic table saw that I rarely use, but also a Dunlop drill press that I use all the time.
Jan. 15, 2012 6:36 a.m. bludroptop SuperDork

Thanks for this topic.

My grandfather finished the sixth grade before entering the workforce as an apprentice. This would have been around 1916. Shoemaking and barbering didn't work out, but he settled as a carpenter's apprentice and went on to work as a carpenter for the rest of his life.

Oddly, he didn't have many tools and the only power tool I ever saw him use was a sharpening wheel. A small square, a little scratch awl and a couple of chisels got him through most everything. He gave me a small chest of hand tools, stair making stuff mostly, that show the wear of regular use for decades.

My son is an accomplished woodworker and this stuff will go to him eventually. But he never saw them used by their owner as I did.

Edit - Grandpa kept up with barbering as a hobby and cut my hair on and off for much of my life. He was well into his 90s when I had my last haircut with him. I asked what he was going to charge me, but he claimed he was still an apprentice barber.
Jan. 15, 2012 9:42 a.m. EastCoastMojo SuperDork

This is a great thread.

I love woodworking and old tools, and while I don't have any mementos from my side of the family we have inherited some of Chuck's dad's and grandad's carpentry tools.
Jan. 15, 2012 1:27 p.m. Don49 Reader

I have some old tools that were my grandfather's. There are some Gedore wrenches made in India that are really pretty good quality and probably 60+ years old.
Jan. 15, 2012 5:33 p.m. Gearheadotaku SuperDork

passing tools etc from father to son is a great thing. Lets make sure the sons understand and appreciate it.
Jan. 15, 2012 5:38 p.m. aussiesmg SuperDork

I have a few old tools from my grandfather including an old "Wolf" electric hand drill, it is awesome but beware clutches had not been invented yet, keep your thumb out of the grip or it will be damaged
Jan. 15, 2012 7:18 p.m. JoeyM SuperDork

I forgot to mention, I have two shadow boxes on the wall in the living room, one for each grandpa....in each, I have their photo, pocket watch, knife, and something else that ties me to them....For one grandfather, that is the first matchbox I was ever given, a 1909 Thomas Flyabout. For the other grandfather, it is his old bottle of Hoppe's #9
Jan. 15, 2012 8:27 p.m. Woody SuperDork

Gearheadotaku wrote:

passing tools etc from father to son is a great thing. Lets make sure the sons understand and appreciate it.

Don't forget the daughters.
Jan. 15, 2012 9:29 p.m. Drahthaar New Reader

In reply to Woody:

This thread made me tear up a bit. I have a lot of tools that were may fathers and grandfathers. The memories return every time I use them. Also a great reminder to always man up and do my best. When my time comes, I can only hope to pass them along to some one who will use them well.
Jan. 16, 2012 8:18 a.m. Gearheadotaku SuperDork

Woody wrote:

Gearheadotaku wrote:

passing tools etc from father to son is a great thing. Lets make sure the sons understand and appreciate it.

Don't forget the daughters.

Yes, that makes sense. Thank you for the correction.
Jan. 16, 2012 8:24 a.m. pinchvalve SuperDork

The initials stamping is from another era, when you invested in good tools and kept them for life. I miss those days.
Jan. 16, 2012 8:41 a.m. MG Bryan HalfDork

This thread makes me glad I still get to spin wrenches with my grandfather from time to time. Thanks for the reminder to make the most of it while I can guys.
Jan. 16, 2012 8:49 a.m. Twin_Cam SuperDork

I have a 1/4" drive socket set that was my great-grandfather's. I didn't even know him, but he was apparently very handy. I like to think I'll be that way someday...
Jan. 16, 2012 8:56 a.m. Keith SuperDork

My grandfather didn't wrench - but he was an electronics buff and radio ham. I learned the basics using a kit that he designed for high school students, and I still have his basic little toolbox that is full of bits of wire, switches, soldering irons and the like. I also took over his call sign when he died. Best yet, I've got a few of his notebooks from when he was in university.

I was lucky enough to go to that same university in the same town where he lived. I was a bachelor and, when my grandmother died after my first year, so was he for the first time in something like 58 years. So I'd bike across town and spend Sunday afternoon with him. It only lasted a year, but it was a great year.

Just after he died, I was looking around the house and realized how old a lot of the stuff in it was. Not heirloom stuff like furniture, but things like his amplifier. Every time he used something, he would spend just that extra bit of effort to take care of it. Instead of slamming the door closed on a tape deck, he'd push it in gently. He didn't force things. He put them away properly instead of stuffing them in a drawer. As a consequence, everything lasted a lot longer. I learned from that...I hope.
Jan. 16, 2012 9:08 a.m. porksboy SuperDork

I have a pipe wrench that was my mothers fathers. I have a few of my fathers tools that he has given me over the years. I live next door and as dad is 80 he doesn't get under cars anylonger. I do that for him now.

Dad has his fathers anvil. The way it works is my grandfather would pick it up whenever we were visiting. When he could no longer lift it it went to my father. Grandpa was about 90 when dad got the anvil. When I am over there I will ocassionally ask dad if he can still lift the anvil. He picks it up like its a feather. I wish it were possible I never inherit it.
Jan. 16, 2012 9:08 a.m. failboat HalfDork

In reply to MG Bryan: I couldnt agree more. I remember helping my grandpa on lots of projects around my parents house. He would visit for weeks and always find projects that we could tackle together.

The past few years his health hasnt been too great, he was not able to make it to my wedding last September. I want to take some scans of his sketches that I found, send them to him with a letter and some photos of the projects we are tackling around our house. Its just the kind of stuff he would love to be doing I am sure.
Jan. 16, 2012 10:29 a.m. spitfirebill SuperDork

My brother and I picked through my grandfathers tools after he died. Nothing of great value, but I did get three tools that were very useful. Two are still with me. THe tool that failed was one of the "Dog bone" wrenches you see today, but this one was over 50 years old when I got it. If you thought these were new inventions, you're wrong. It was very handy until I bent one the ends that held the socket device.

THe other two tools are socket wrenches in which the sockets slide over the handle for storage. I use one to work on may chain saw. Its perfect. My brother got the only other tool I wanted and it was a brace and bit set.

We also split up some garden tools that I used up until this winter. Seems I ended up breaking most of them.

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