Collectible and Vintage Hand Tools
Maybe you are a woodworking professional or an amateur enthusiast looking to take advantage of the resurgence of old tools and vintage hand tools, or maybe you simply like decorating with vintage tools. The ever-developing interest in woodworking tools of the past has created an exploding marketplace for items such as these on eBay.
Types of vintage hand toolsWhen looking for vintage tools for sale, it can be helpful to know what types of tools to look for in order to improve your overall search results. Some of the vintage tools you can find on eBay include the following:
- Planes and saws
- Hand drills and clamps
- Plumb bombs and rules
- Wrenches and hammers
- Axes and chisels
When looking for old tools on eBay, you will want to consider the brand name, the overall condition, and the type of materials used to manufacture the tool itself. Well-known brand names include Stanley, Disston, Simons and Atkins, and Craftsman. The condition of the tools is essential, but whether or not you buy a new tool in a particular condition will depend on your wants, your needs, or how you intend to use it. Generally, the older a tool is and the better condition it is in, the more you can expect to pay for it.
Finally, consider the materials that make up the vintage tool itself. Are they made of exotic woods? If so, what type of wood indicates that the tool is of high-quality? Are there precious metals and intricate inlays in the tools that required metalwork? The material and craftsmanship are of utmost importance for a serious collector.
Should you purchase a large lot or a single hand tool for your collection?When considering buying any hand tool for a newly crafted workbench or an existing shop, it helps to pare down your search for selecting the most useful types of vintage hand tools according to your wants and needs. Some secondhand tools will need more repair or restoration before they can be used, but if the price is right, it may still be worth the purchase price. You can often find a group of similar vintage hand tools in a single auction lot, which could give you the ability to use different parts and pieces from a less usable hand tool to create the perfect usable hand tool that you imagined owning.