A tale of two tool chests.

[Jeff]

For Fathers day this year I got two surprises. My kids went together and got me a new tool chest for my new polebarn. I now have a place to start putting all of my mechanics tools that have been in drawers and various small boxes over the last 35 years. I spent much of yesterday on a scavenger hunt, finding my old tools to put in the box.  I'm definitely going to have to put some labels on all those drawers!



 

THEN  Tammy's mom and step dad Gene, came over to spend the afternoon yesterday.  Gene knows my appreciation for older things, and had no one to pass this on to, so I was presented with an old chest he has had for much of his life that belonged to one of his relatives. He told me the story of each tool in the box, many of which belonged to his father of the ones he knew the story of, and told be that there is another chest just like it, as they were built also as saw horses. The other chest belongs to one of his distant relatives. I'm honored to have been presented with such a gift.  I only took a few photos of the contents, but there is some really neat stuff in there that will be of great use in the future I am sure.  The saws and chisels and spoke shaves are sharp. There is a number 1 stanley plane in there that looks like it is certainly ready to shave wood.


  

  

  

  

  

 

I also finished up my project yesterday morning. My first work bench made with reclaimed lumber I got from Burlkraft before he left for New Mexico.  I built this one so I could use it anywhere in the barn. My plan is to not have any "built-ins" in the barn. Everything will be movable, and I learn how I want to use the spaces. I priced casters, and they were crazy priced, so I then saw a harbor freight sales paper last week and they had 1000 lb capacity moving dollies on sale for $7.00 I bought two, and uses the 8 castors from them to put on the bench. 

Probably the best Father's day ever!  It is really special to me thinking about the extremes between these two chests that will mean so much to me in the future.


 

[Jeff]

I've been looking at the chest, and found that the drawers have a unique feature to help them open when they are weighted down with heavy tools. A scalloped bottom to reduce drag.


 

One of the cool chisels.


 

[Dave Shepard]

That No. 1 is a rare and valuable plane, althiugh I'm sure it's value is greater than its monetary value to you. It is very common for drawer sides to be made from beveled siding, but I've never seen the bottoms made that way.

[OneWithWood]

So, do you ever go in the house anymore? 

[Jeff]

Funny you mention that. Ive been thinking of setting up a cot. :D

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

Funny you mention that. Ive been thinking of setting up a cot. :D

:D :D :D

[loggah]

Jeff,Those are some nice gifts there, those old wooden chests are great, i see them for sale once in a while but i have no space left for them ! :-[  Don

[Bruno of NH]

Jeff
I like the old tool chest :)
There is nothing like using old tools . I love it :)
Just thinking who's hands worked with them before you .
Bruno

[thecfarm]

Nice!!
Build a 4 inch shelf under that new chest on top of the other one. That way you can put stuff on the little ridge and still open the bottom draw without moving 2-3 things.

[drobertson]

Happy for ya!  nice work shop

[coxy]

Jeff
I like the old tool chest
There is nothing like using old tools . I love it
Just thinking who's hands worked with them before you .
Bruno

and how much money was made with them over the years

[Jeff]

Tammy came home from her mom's today bearing a new gift for me from Gene's old tools that he wanted me to have.


  

  

 

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

Old School there. I watched a guy install molding with one of these in my parents house back in the 60's.

[Hilltop366]

Nice cordless miter saw!

[sawguy21]

 :D :D Be careful of the weight in that top chest and remember to not leave multiple drawers open. Don't ask how I know.
A clean well organized tool chest is a real pleasure.

[Bruno of NH]

Jeff
Learned how to cut crown on a saw like that.
My uncle Punky the man that taught  me carpentry work still used hand saws for some things in the 80's

[Jeff]

The saw is quite dull. I ried to make a cut with it, and it was a chore. It would need to be sharpened to be of any real use. Looks like I'll need to find a place on a high shelf somewhere for a display tool. I can't imagine using it when I have a power miter saw.

[Bert]

Sometimes Ill grab a hand tool before a power tool just because I dont feel like getting out extension cords. Trim Nailer for example, gotta get the compressor, cord, air hose etc. Nah, ill just grab the hammer and nails if the job is just a room or so.

[Jeff]

I have a couple timber wolf hand saws that I use all the time. If I only have a couple three cuts to make on a project, that is my first choice too.

[Jeff]

Gene strikes again! Tammy was at her mom's helping her paint a deck in 90° heat today and Gene comes out of his garage with this and told her to bring it home to me. I've not tried it out yet but she said he said it was rarely used and works well.

[samandothers]

Montgomery Wards!  It will probably be passed on for several generations.

[Don P]

I hadn't seen this thread before. I learned to trim with Dad's miter box like that. I handed him down a power miter saw years ago, he liked it. Hard to know how many houses he trimmed out with that hand one and a coping saw. We were looking at my building tools one time, you couldn't get them all in a truck if you tried, I used to be able to carry all his in in two trips, and I think he was the better carpenter.

That one fine handled handsaw is an oldie, its rare for those handles to survive.

[DWyatt]

Just saw this thread and have always been fascinated by old  tools and the fact that they can survive so many generations, all while always being the go to tool for most projects. I still reach for the tools of my Great Grandpa in our shop, every chisel, saw, and socket with his initials, F.W., engraved into the steel.

Here's a very neat article with a little history of the Keen Kutter brand that I found after searching the chisel in the picture. Simmons Hardware Company was far before my time, too bad the morals of today's hardware companies don't parallel their beliefs. 

http://www.thckk.org/history/simmons-hdwe.pdf

[mike_belben]

I worked at a scrap yard for a few years.  The E-motor bin was probably 30% power tools that werent cheap when they were bought.  Ive got hawks eyes in an iron pile, and i didnt hardly see a handplane or chisel.  They dont ever go obsolete. Still got all my grandfathers and use em to this day.  My 3yr old miter saw has a bad trigger switch.  If only grand dads miter box wasnt in storage a thousand miles away.  Newer isnt better i guess. 

[Claybraker]

Gene strikes again! Tammy was at her mom's helping her paint a deck in 90° heat today and Gene comes out of his garage with this and told her to bring it home to me. I've not tried it out yet but she said he said it was rarely used and works well.

It's a trap Boss. Don't fall for it. Starts out innocently enough with a "free" scroll saw. Then she'll bring you a pattern for a trivet she asks if you know how to make, or cutesy lettering for that couple that just got engaged. Real woodworking tools draw enough current to dim the lights in the house.

[Drafthorse]

Nice stuff Jeff, that #1 Stanley is a rare find. And when I did have one in my hand, I didn't have enough in my bank account to afford it. Sharpen that back saw. You can never get the accuracy from a power miter box that you will get from the old one. You never saw gaps from trim carpenters when they used the old Stanley and Millers Fall Miter boxes. I'm very happy for you, What a treasure.

[Jeff]

My son just sat this down on the chair next to me. Gene sent it home for me. Jeremy made a no contact visit today to shuttle stuff for Tammy as we are quarantined.

Pretty cool!!


 

[Dan_Shade]

Gonna shave the beard?



Hang in there through your quarantine. 

[newoodguy78]

The upper piece with the two slots and small hole, A handle for the lower pieces?

[Jeff]

Ill have to do some studying on it

[Hilltop366]

The top piece goes on the right end of the bottom piece fastened through the hole, the slots are to run the rods through, the two slots are for different sharpening angles. The rods go on the stones (if they are not already), the knife is clamped in the left end of the bottom piece.

[Magicman]

My late Brother gave me a Lansky sharpener very similar to that and as Dan indicated above, it will get a blade razor sharp.  Enjoy.

[biggkidd]

I miss my Lansky it grew legs some years ago. Which is surprising considering I still have lots tools & stuff from my teens.

[21incher]

I recently made a video about the basics of how those sharpening systems work. 
Sharpening Some Small Knives Using Lansky, Gatco, And Smith Sharpening Guide Kits - YouTube
I use mine all the time. They are very easy to use. Hope you and tammy are doing well and she recovers quickly. 

[Jeff]

Perfect! Ill know exactly where to go learn now. Tammy is up looking through a box of photos, still dealing with he mom's death. She's not coughing, and not back in bed, so, so far so good.

[thecfarm]

So far so good is a good thing!!!

[Jeff]

She seems to be somewhat better today, but being covid, we'll not let a guard down. 

[newoodguy78]

Never know what you'll learn on here, thanks for the explanation. 
Jeff glad to hear Tammy is doing better. 

[Bruno of NH]

Sorry to hear about Tammy
Hope she starts feeling better

[Jeff]

Tammy came home from Gene's yesterday with a box for me. Man, I need to have him teach me how to sharpen knives. These are all sharper than any knives in the house. The two pans make me wish I had a woodstove.

[newoodguy78]

With the reflection of those blades there's no hiding the sharpness. That's a score. 

[Walnut Beast]

Looks like some nice treasures 👍

[Don P]

Its a good friend that gives you a sharp knife   ;D

[Jeff]

I made a video today with the knives.

This is not a "How to" video. It's more of a "how does that guy manage to get by" video.  
Knives and Donuts - YouTube

[SwampDonkey]

Be careful Jeff, you keep being blessed with all those treasures and pretty soon you will either be adding onto the barn or walking down narrow paths to find that one tool 'over in behind there.' :D :D 8)

[Jeff]

Another take this home to Jeff this morning. Tammy stopped by for something this morning, probably to check on Gene. He was at our house yesterday for Easter dinner. Oh! I bet she was picking up a plate she sent home. Anyhow, this was not Gene's.  It was Tammy's Grampa Cliff's Oil can. Tammy's mom's dad.



 

[SwampDonkey]

Brass? Some sort of plunger on top?

[Jeff]

No, I dont think its brass, but an original paint. I think the trigger opens the gate at the bottom of the can, as it pours from the bottom.

[rusticretreater]

Yeah, in a places I worked we had a big tank of bulk oil with a pump.  You would fill up the can, bend the spout into the oil fill of an engine and press the lever.  Some places are still like that.  Later we would put the plastic quart bottles into them upside down and collect the oil.  After a full day or two, you had a free oil change for your car.

[trimguy]

That's pretty cool.

[Walnut Beast]

Love that old stuff! Some nice eye candy!

[GRANITEstateMP]

I like it!