25 Awesome Old School Tools

From family heirlooms to thrift shop finds, vintage tool lovers from all trades share their treasures.

My grandpa gave me this tool and said it was his fathers, who was a janitor at IBM back in the day. It’s a Sawtooth set, a tool used to adjust the angle of Saw teeth after resharpening.

Craftsman lathe from 1970 my neighbor gave to me for free! I restored it and made a new table for it.

A vintage snapper for round nuts.

Mint DeWALT Model 1030 Radial Arm Saw

Old soldering irons made by C.G. Hussey and Co.

Fence tensioner for wire found in my grandparent’s house.

Made by Union Manufacturing Inc. Just recently handed down to me from my grandfather who passed. The company was started in 1893 and closed in 1984.

My dad picked up this MAAG Gear Tester Checker at a garage sale. It was made for checking the circular, normal or base circle pitch of spur gear teeth.

A pickaroon, which is a log handling tool that usually attached to a longer handle. Vise grips for scale.

Another tool from my great-grandpa who was an IMBer in the 40’s and 40’s. It’s an ancient crimper/stripper. Purpose – putting tips on ends of wire, and removing shielding.

My dad found an old electric cattle brand in his barn. The L&H Electric Brander model 54 was manufactured between around 1950-1970.

Stanley no. 45 from the late 1890s I got at a second hand store for $10. I restored it and made new handles for it

Picked up my Great Grandfathers table saw from I’m assuming the 1950’s(?). Starting the refurb process.

It’s a Powr Kraft table saw from Montgomery Ward. Has an external v-belt drive. Hasn’t been used in roughly 40 years. My father picked it up when he passed away and it sat in his basement for 30+years. I just built a new stand for it and am in the process of refurbishing it for my use now. Saw bearing is almost seized, angle adjust is stuck, and the cut depth is seized. Looking forward to getting this up and running again.

My newest axe. I traded an older snapon ratchet for this.

I work at a museum. Check out these button hole scissors.

Skil Sander. Found this recently at an old junk store in Rome Ga. works perfectly and looks incredible. I just need a handle for the front.

Pretty excited about this one – Bailey No5

Craftsman No. 4220 Push Drill, bought from eBay.

Ross and Alexander spirit level.

Shipwright Mallet. Still used today. They drive the cotton in the between the planks before caulking on wood boats.

My First Toolbox with Drawers. Started life at Douglas Aircraft in St. Louis.

This was my grandfather’s older plane and I just found it in an old toolbox. It’s a Stanley Defiance 1244.

My dad came over to fix a faucet, and he brought this torque wrench he got 50 years ago. He always kept it in the original box to maintain its accuracy.

Walden Worcester No. 516 from the 20’s

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