Had to pick between a rusty post vise and a new one at a farm auction in Ohio

I went to this auction near Columbus last month and they had two post vises up for grabs. One was a 1900s era rusty beast that looked rough but the screw was still smooth. The other was a cheap new import that shined but felt light. I went with the old one for $80 and spent a weekend cleaning it up. Has anyone else rolled the dice on old tools over new ones?

2 comments

2 Comments

adam_robinson4d ago

Ngl that drawknife story kind of blows my mind. Five bucks? Honestly, that's the kind of luck that makes me question every time I bought something brand new from the hardware store. People really do sleep on this stuff, just throwing away perfectly good steel because it's got a little patina on it. Tbh I bet that old drawknife will outlast anything from a big box store by a long shot.

the_sean4d ago

Picked up a beat up old drawknife at a flea market for five bucks last summer, cleaned the rust off and it's sharper than anything I've bought new this year. Makes you wonder what other gems people are just tossing aside.