Old Hand Tools

lash · Oct 2, 2025

Okay, so like many of you, I’ve inherited and otherwise acquired various old hand tools. Many of which I still use from time to time.

So I thought a thread where we can post pictures and/or stories about them would work.

I recently just used these shears for some flatwork and then for trimming a bunch of expanded mesh. They are much better than most of the modern snips/shears. A joy to use and those edges are hard too.

Keel Haul · Oct 2, 2025

I’ve gotten into restoring some old axes and putting them on new handles. The latest one is a 1925 Sager Chemical double bit axe head I’m fitting to a new piece of hickory.

lash · Oct 2, 2025

Nice!

Keel Haul · Oct 2, 2025

lash said:
Nice!

Thanks. Work in progress. Unfortunately I don’t have a backstory on this unit but imagine hearing the century long story this axe has seen. The pics don’t really pick up the temper line between the harder and softer metal but it’s really noticeable in person. I’m fitting a 36” handle with a card scraper to get a nice and tight fit. I’ll shave the hickory and check for fit 20-45 minutes at a time so I don’t get overzealous and take some power tools to it and take too much off. This is going to be a Christmas present so it’ll be able to start a new chapter with a new family here shortly.

Edit for typo

The D · Oct 2, 2025

Does my first Craftsman socket set count? That’s from the late 90’s

MK20 · Oct 2, 2025

Some are mine. Some belong to friends. All are used.

LeftyJason · Friday at 1:36 AM

Axe that I got from my grandpa that I rehandled back in 2022. Posted it in the Wood working thread. Was recently doing some linseed on the handle but no pics of that. Walnut wedge.

Draw knife that belonged to my great-grandfather. J. S. Cantelo marked. Patent date of 1883 on it. Locks straight and swept back as well.

Asked about sharpening it on Shop Talk Live podcast and they answered. 54:17-1:02:00

STL307: Old-school resawing

Listen to your favorite podcasts online, in your browser. Discover the world's most powerful podcast player.

pca.st

hangunnr · Friday at 10:53 AM

Just picked up this gem last weekend. Had to lay out a whole $5 for it, at a gunshow………where else do you buy vintage tools..

The D · Friday at 11:34 AM

hangunnr said:
Just picked up this gem last weekend. Had to lay out a whole $5 for it, at a gunshow………where else do you buy vintage tools..

How in the world was that patented a few days ago but already built?…

And I grew up around the Rockford area. It’s a shithole now but back in the day was a pretty amazing place

lash · Friday at 12:34 PM

The D said:
How in the world was that patented a few days ago but already built?…

And I grew up around the Rockford area. It’s a shithole now but back in the day was a pretty amazing place

Kinda funny, except the rest of us are living in 2025…

.

TheHorta · Friday at 12:38 PM

hangunnr · Friday at 12:47 PM

TheHorta said:
View attachment 8780089

Hold on one minute……

That looks like a brand new Harbor Freight tool.

lash · Friday at 12:49 PM

Spoke shave and level, likely handmade, belonged to a grandfather-in-law.

Hand clamp. Also his, as were the shears in my OP.

lash · Friday at 12:50 PM

hangunnr said:
Hold on one minute……

That looks like a brand new Harbor Freight tool.

Don’t worry, he can take it in and trade it for a new one.

lash · Friday at 12:52 PM

MK20 said:
Some are mine. Some belong to friends. All are used.

View attachment 8779841 View attachment 8779842 View attachment 8779843 View attachment 8779844 View attachment 8779845 View attachment 8779846

Love your forge and set up! Most excellent!

The D · Friday at 11:06 PM

lash said:
Kinda funny, except the rest of us are living in 2025….

My excuse is that I have young kids…

sirhrmechanic · Saturday at 7:29 AM

Great timing on this… I’ve been looking at some vintage/antique Apple peelers on eBay. Mechanical hand crank.

Anyone use one or restored one? They are fascinating and really speed up pie-making season!!

Wondering if there are some better than others? If they really work well? Tips?

Sirhr

lariat · Saturday at 9:03 AM

LeftyJason said:
Axe that I got from my grandpa that I rehandled back in 2022. Posted it in the Wood working thread. Was recently doing some linseed on the handle but no pics of that. Walnut wedge.
View attachment 8779908 View attachment 8779909

Draw knife that belonged to my great-grandfather. J. S. Cantelo marked. Patent date of 1883 on it. Locks straight and swept back as well.
View attachment 8779910
View attachment 8779911 View attachment 8779914 View attachment 8779912
Asked about sharpening it on Shop Talk Live podcast and they answered. 54:17-1:02:00

STL307: Old-school resawing

Listen to your favorite podcasts online, in your browser. Discover the world's most powerful podcast player.

pca.st

I have a lot of drawknives that I use and have one of these. It’s a good knife. I keep some sharp, mid sharp and somewhat dull for various work, especially on selfbows. What they said on that podcast regarding the backside bevel is true, but I have one that an old timer put a huge bevel on and for rough work it allows me to get a bite of wood and pop it off when I need to. I used to think the knife was ruined, but I figured out why it was modified. Definitely not a fine work knife but very useful.

Sean the Nailer · Saturday at 10:01 AM

sirhrmechanic said:
Great timing on this… I’ve been looking at some vintage/antique Apple peelers on eBay. Mechanical hand crank.

Anyone use one or restored one? They are fascinating and really speed up pie-making season!!

Wondering if there are some better than others? If they really work well? Tips?

Sirhr

We've been using this one from Lee Valley for almost 20 years:

Apple Peeler - Lee Valley Tools

Discover the Apple Peeler. Buy this product now on our Lee Valley online store.

www.leevalley.com

The suction-cup base allows us to attach it to a cookie-sheet. This peeler works so well, that the biggest issue is the amount of juice that falls after a volume of fruit has been processed. The cookie-sheet contains it all.

Other ones/antique'er ones have the 'clamp' that attach to the side of a counter. That mess described above, a lot ends up on the floor. At least, that's how things work around here.

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