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Treasure chest of tools

#1

Hi everyone.

Yesterday when I was on other business in a nearby town, I was just
cruising a pawnshop looking for anything I could exploit into
jewelery tools.





But it seems that the jeweler attached to this particular pawnshop
had just retired and left everything behind the the pawnshop. The
owner was hard pressed to find buyers for the stuff.

There’s a Foredom w pedal for $85. There’s a miniature sheet metal
brake for $50 I think. There’s a dual gas tank setup with Little
torch for $150. None of which I could afford.

However. The jeweler also left two cigar boxes entirely full of
points and burrs of all kinds, plus more than a dozen gravers which
he evidently had but a lot of love into. Not to also mention things
like 50 Cratex points, about 10 stone points, and an entire
collection of rubber knife points. Further, a large stock of 8/0,
6/0, and 3/0 blades by some of the best manufactures.

There were also some small silver sweeps which I added to my own
sweeps bucket.

I’m certain if I had to get this all new, I would have needed to
spend more than $1000.

But being a rank novice, I need help identifying what I have,
especially graver points. Here’s what I have (see attached).

Some I recognize as onglettes, ovals, squares, and knives, but I’m
not sure of some of the others.

Thanks a lot!
Andrew Jonathan Fine

#2

As well as the gravers you have a small selection of wood carving
tools. Aside from wood carving or making lino cuts these could be
useful for wax carving.

Here’s a set of similar tools.

http://www.ganoksin.com/gnkurl/ep80d3

#3

Andrew - Some of those tools are, in fact, gravers. But, some of
them look to be small woodcarvers gouges. Anyway, great find! alonzo

#4

Anndrew, photos #1 and #3 appear to be woodcarving tools.Google
woodcarving palm tools and you can identify them. v tool , u tool,
gouge etc. _nice find, Andrew

#5

Quite a score Andrew! Enjoy!! I’m sure you will put it all to good
use.

Sheri

#6

You can make gravers anytime, but you cant make a minature brake
press.

If it was me I wouldnt hesitate to get the latter, you have to have
it, even tho at this moment in time you dont know what you will do
with it.

Its a metalworking tool, that will open doors to new ideas. Like
boxes for example.

All metal craftsmen have this dilemma whenever something different
comes up. Do I or dont I get it? for my shop.

For example folding thin silver strip to make minature picture
fames.

Easy with a minature brake press. go for it!!.

I already have one, and plant to use it to make a setting for some
rectangular victorian m o pearl gaming counters i bought 30 yrs ago
at a steet market.

#7

Hi Andrew,

Lucky find.

I couldn’t really tell what most of them were. Focus was a little
iffy. But the wide ones in images 1 and 3 were wood carving tools.
Probably used for wax. Not so hot for metal, but really useful for
softer stuff. Many of the other real gravers looked a little long.
Either the retired guy had really huge hands, or he left the gravers
too long on purpose for some reason. Not a problem. You can always
cut them down. Hard to cut them larger.

FWIW,
Brian

#8

That’s awesome, Jonathan. Good find, man. You would never see prices
like that in Florida. Before I got married I actively collected WW2
items so I used to try pawn shops and sometimes I did get lucky. I’m
glad you did too. I never thought I would see jewelry tools at a
pawn shop but it makes sense that its possible. The difficulty I
found in trying to buy used jewelrytools is that at least here in
Florida, every time there was a listing, it was only for every single
tool as one lot. I understand it is not efficient to piece out one
small item at a time. But I’m talking about sellers who would not
even accept any generous offer for their rolling mill and benches,
etc. So I just decided to invest in my own Durston that will last me
a lifetime instead of dealing with crazy Floridians. It’s too bad you
didn’t pick up the dual gas set up with Little Torch for 150. Did
that include tanks or just the regulators, hoses, and torch handle?

Rick Powell

#9

Hi Ted!

Honestly, I don’t KNOW how to make gravers yet, so now I have
reference tools to help me learn and use them.

On the other hand, I had found a rusty paper cutter which I restored
and sharpened using my Dremel, to repurpose as my sheet metal
cutter. It’s not as GOOD as a mini sheet metal brake, but its a heck
of a lot better than nothing.

Andrew Jonathan Fine

#10

Rick,

It was $150 for tanks, regulators, and torch. But $30 was all I could
spend and even at that I had to invoke my birthday privilege since
that’s on the 30th and our family was nearly broke. I consider myself
lucky for what I got.

If you would like to send me the cash so I could buy it for you, I
would :slight_smile:

Andrew Jonathan Fine