Old tools
Listed here are sources of antique or just plain old tools, woodworking and
otherwise. They're sorted out into email dealers, web dealers, mail-order dealers, auction services and plain old stores and
such. Let me know if you're a
dealer, or know a dealer, who'd like to be added. It's free, as a service to the
old tool community. See the events page for specific events where tools will be sold.
See also the EAIA page of member ads.
Please note: a listing here implies no endorsement from me, other than that I don't know of any fraud convictions. You should be careful when buying old or antique tools, especially when you can't inspect them in person. Things may have incorrect parts or hidden damage, and even the seller may not know about it. Ask about return policies, etc., when you buy.
| Patrick Leach leach@supertool.com |
Author of the Stanley Blood & Gore. A wide range of old tools, from user bench planes to rare collectibles. |
| Pete Taran pete@vintagesaws.com |
Purveyor of fine vintage saws and saw maintenance tools; plus an online saw museum. |
| Tony Seo tonyseo@postoffice.ptd.net |
Specializes in wooden planes and early tools. A recent for-sale list is here. |
| Michael Urness plncrzy@aol.com |
A variety of older and recent tools. A copy of his for-sale list is here. |
| Bill Hermanek Bhermanek@aol.com |
Specializes in Stanley tools, but deals in other new, used, antique tools. List on request. |
| Don Boyer Dnbyr@aol.com | Specializing in Stanley (and other) tools and rules, emphasis on condition. List available here. |
| Bob Johnson Margjohn@micron.net | A little bit of everything; list on request. |
| Jamey Leavenworth BEBOP89@aol.com | Emphasis on hand forged tools; list on request. |
| Jim Cook Jimc@voyager.clsi.us.geac.com | Mostly user-level planes, clean, ready to sharpen and go. Email list on request. |
| Bob Hall BobOTool@aol.com | Specializing in Stanley tools, esp. WWII vintage and transitionals. Email list on request. |
| Ralph Lipeles rlipeles@earthlink.net | Focus on user tools, with lists of Stanley planes, chisels and timber framing tools available on request. All tools disassembled and cleaned before sale. |
| Gayle Turner glturner@wesnet.com | Users and collectibles, especially chisels, handsaws, planes and Stanley. Email list on request. |
| Doug Evans dougnjo@wightman.net | Stanley and British tools. |
| Jon Zimmers jonz@teleport.com |
Quite likely the first WWW antique tool dealer. Jon also generously runs an antique tool want ad service. |
| Falcon-Wood peterh@oldtools.com |
Quite likely the second WWW antique tool dealer. |
| Bob
Kaune bktools@olympus.net |
Almost certainly the third WWW antique tool dealer. |
| Larry
Poffenberger lkp@rustytool.cnchost.com |
Bed Rock specialist; user and collector tools; Stanley and other makers. |
| Union Hill Antique
Tools tooltimer@msn.com |
Steve Johnson specializes in collector tools and ornamental turning. |
| Chuck Zitur anchor@mcn.net |
Chuck's page has lots of fine pictures of a wide assortment of tools. |
| The Tool Shop
at the Hen House |
The highest-tech tools-for-sale page yet, for better or for worse. |
| For Love
or Money john@europa.com |
Usable and collectible tools. |
| Vintage
Tool House |
Stanley specialists: mostly premium pieces at premium prices, plus some new Stanley planes and parts. The website is a selection from the print catalog, available at $12/6 issues. |
| Tools 'n Rules DZ@toolsrules.com |
Specializes in Stanley, Winchester, and Keen Kutter. Also boxwood and ivory rules. Nice site, lots of pix of the tools for sale. |
| Martin J. Donnelly
Antique Tools mjd@mjdtools.com |
King of the rare and expensive, prettiest darn print catalog there is. Now selling tools on the web, and apparently studying the prose stylings of J. Peterman. |
| Trinders'
Fine Tools peter@trindersfinetools.co.uk |
A British dealer of tools and books. Nice selection of infill planes, among other things. |
| Berkshire Wooden Boat medtra@berkshire.net |
Plus some tools to make them. Currently unwebbed? |
| The
Best Things Customer.Service@thebestthings.com |
High quality user and collector tools, specializing in molding planes and British metal planes. |
| DUKK
Antiques toolspot@toolspot.com |
Specializing in Stanley tools. |
| Tools Tools Tools jimmy@toolsx3.com |
Jimmy Reina sells a variety of tools from his Berkeley location, including a specialty in tools for studio photography and film props. |
| Tom Bruce offers a little bit of everything, with an emphasis on user tools. | |
| Miscellanous user and collector tools. | |
| Good stuff, especially saws. | |
| Tools from down under, including periodic absentee auctions. | |
| Nice assortment of useful tools. | |
| Planes from the
Past sales@woodplanes.com |
Mostly Stanley/Bailey. Some parts, too. |
| Old and new tools. Priced including shipping, especially nice for those of us on this side of the pond. | |
| Old tools (and lore), focusing on Stanley combo planes and parts. | |
| Bruinsma
& de Kruif pdekruif@compuserve.com |
Old tools from the Netherlands. Feed your funky Dutch plane jones. |
| Inchmartine
Tool Bazaar enquires@toolbazaar.co.uk |
A British source of tools and antiques. |
| Clarke
Green cagreen@KENNETT.NET |
Miscellaneous woodworking tools, mostly users. |
| A few tools to start, nice big pictures. |
| Clarence Blanchard 27 Fickett Rd. Pownal, ME 04069 (207) 688-4962 |
Specializing in metallic planes and woodworking tools. Now the publisher
of the Fine Tool Journal, a quarterly
publication that includes historical articles, handtool and book reviews,
mail auctions, and Clarence's for-sale list. - $27/4 issues |
|
Bristol
Design |
A wide range of old tools. Also has a catalog of new tools, including
carving and green woodworking tools. - $20/5 issues |
|
The Catalog of American Wooden Planes |
A combination of a journal on wooden planes and a catalog. Planes of
historical and practical interest. - $16/4 issues |
|
Martin J. Donnelly |
The marketing king. The catalog is filled with gorgeous photos (formerly
sepia=toned, in color for 1998) of perfect and expensive tools. One main
catalog and sporadic updates each year. - $23.95 |
|
Bill Gustafson |
Specializing in wooden planes and timber framing tools. - $25/5 issues of his mail-order auction catalog (color issues count as two). Free copy on request. |
|
Bill Hermanek |
Specializes in Stanley, but deals in other tools as well. List available on request. |
|
Pete Niederberger |
Antique tools and parts, specializing in Stanley parts. - no list as far as I know. |
|
Bud and Vera Steere |
A wide range of tools. -$20/3 issues. |
|
Tool Ads |
Not a dealer, but a newsprint publication carrying ads from many small-scale
dealers and individual collectors. Subscribers get to advertise three items
free each month. - $20/12 issues, or $35 for early delivery |
|
Two Chiselers |
A wide variety of tools at reasonable prices. - $14/4 issues |
|
Philip Whitby |
A nice mix of common and unusual tools. - $10/3 issues |
|
Tom Witte |
A full line of old tools, especially strong in miniatures. Witte's store,
open by appointment, is worth a visit. He also runs periodic auctions; see
the events list for the latest.
- Current list $8.50. |
|
Cliff Yaun |
Large selection, especially strong in wood and primitives. - Current list $1.00. |
|
Your
Country Auctioneer, Inc. |
Richard Crane has recently sold this business, which runs a series of auctions, some of which have tool flea markets associated with them, throughout the year except for the dead of winter. Listings and catalogs for some of them are available by mail. They have a sideline in maple syrup. |
| Barry Hurchalla RD 2, Box 558 Boyertown, PA 19512 (610) 323-0333 threebid4@aol.com |
Several auctions a year, including one at the January M-WTCA meeting in York, PA. |
|
Bill Spicer |
Several auctions a year, lists and absentee bidding available. |
| Robert
C. Eldred Co. P.O. Box 796E East Dennis, MA 02641 (508) 385-3116 |
As of 1996, Eldred's runs an annual February tool auction. |
| Tool
Shop Auctions tony@toolshop.demon.co.uk 78 High Street Needham Market Suffolk IP6 8AW England 011-44-1449-722992 |
Tony Murland runs an annual international auction of tools ranging from ordinary to spectacular. Catalogs available by mail. | David Stanley Auctions Davidstanley@btinternet.com c/o The Mechanicks Workbench P.O. Box 668 Marion, MA 02738 (508) 748-1680 |
David Stanley, another British dealer, has two international auctions per year. The Mechanicks Workbench handles U.S. catalog sales and consignments. | Brown Auction Services (Clarence Blanchard) 27 Fickett Rd. Pownal, ME (800) 248-8114 |
An annual fall auction in Eastern Pennsylvania, in concert with a sale by other dealers. Catalogs available by mail. |
Antiques from Powder House Hill (Chet Sweatt)
RR 1 Box 1000 / Farmington, ME 04938
(207) 778-2946
Captain
Tinkham's Emporium
Main St. / Searsport, ME 04974
(207) 548-6465
Hall Hardware & Trading Co. (Robt. Hall, Jr.)
31 Searsport Ave. P.O. Box D / U.S. Routes 1 & 3 / Belfast, ME 04915
(207) 338-1170
Hulls
Cove Tool Barn
Breakneck Rd. / Hulls Cove, ME 04644
(207) 288-5126
Arms Antique Tools (David Arms)
P.O. Box 685 / 55 Main St. / Marion, MA 02738
(508) 748 0762
M. S. Carter Antiques
175 Market St. / Portsmouth, NH
(603) 436-1781
Liberty Hill Antiques
Rt. 106 / Reading, VT 05062
(802) 484-7710
The
Liberty Tool Company
Main St. (at the Fire Station) / Liberty, ME 04949
(207) 589-4771
The Tool Chest
45 Emerson Plaza East / Emerson, NJ 07630
(201) 261-8665
An Old Saw (Dennis & Shelly Newman)
Jackson, NJ
(908) 367-4633
B. J. Bond Jr.
P.O. Box 291 / Moorestown, NJ 08057
(609) 234-6553
Robert Gill
The Water Mill Wood Works
820 North Sea Mecox Rd.
Water Mill, N.Y. 11976
Ludwig's Scattered Treasures
Black Angus Antique Mall / Adamstown, PA
(215) 887-0512
Tools of All Trades (Jack Zimmerman)
RR2, Box 556 / Port Matilda, PA 16870
(814) 692-7691
Jake & Betty Novinger
1439 Rt. 209 / Millersburg, PA 17061
(717) 692-3059
Joy's Antiques
Little Britain Rd. / Quarryville, PA 17566
(717) 529-2693
Miller's Country Collectibles (Jason Miller)
215 Hartman Bridge Rd. / Ronks, PA 17572
(717) 687-0490
The Old Tool Shop (John Walter)
208 Front St. / Marietta, OH 45750
(614) 373-9973
Tom Witte's Antiques
P.O. Box 399 / Front St. West / Mattawan, MI 49071
(616) 668-4161
Glenbrier Antiques (Neil & Barb Stoll)
351 N. Dancer Rd. / Dexter, MI 48130
(313) 475-6780
Beaumont's Quality Tools (Beaumont Battle)
3539 W. 44th St. / Minneapolis, MN 55410
(612) 922-1954
Red's Tool Shed (Red Hilyard)
P.O. Box 787 / Stillwater, OK 74076
(405) 377-4327
Tools 'n' Rules (David Zeidman)
2828 Newlands Ave. / Belmont, CA 94002 / (650) 591-4889
The Tool Guy (Dave Paling)
227 Ney St. / San Francisco, CA
(415) 334-7295
Grizzly Antiques (John Wells)
1162 Grizzly Peak Blvd. / Berkeley, CA 94708
(510) 848-3651 / Sent them a SASE, but they never sent me a list.
Rod Galster
4215 Arista St.
San Diego, CA 92103
(619) 296-3672
also Unicorn Antique Mall
7th and J Streets, San Diego
New tools
See also the section on "new old" tools.
| The
William Alden Co. 27 Stuart St. Boston, MA 02116 (800) 249-8665 | Excellent prices on new Stanley tools. |
| Crystal Creek Mill Wood Products P.O. Box 41 DeWitt, NY 13214 (315) 446-1229 | Wooden screws and nuts for vises, etc. |
| Diefenbacher Tools | European benches and bench tools. |
| Frog Tool Co. Ltd. 2169 IL Rt. 26 Dixon, IL 61021 (800) 648-1270 | A good selection of hand tools, along with a large assortment of books. It costs $5 to get on their mailing list. I've been "on their mailing list" since early in 1995, and so far all I've received is a catalog printed in 1993. |
| Garrett Wade 161 Ave.of the Americas New York, NY 10013 (800) 221-2942 | A wide selection of hand tools at sometimes high prices. Includes some new wooden specialty planes. |
| Hida Tool Co. (800) 443-5512 | Japanese woodworking and gardening tools. Few pictures on the web pages, alas. |
| Hand
American Honemakers@aol.com | Leather hones and honing compounds, including belts for power sanders. |
| Highland
Hardware 1045 N. Highland Ave. NE Atlanta, GA 30306 (800) 241-6748 | A good selection of hand tools, among other things. On the web now, but their online catalog is pretty skimpy in the handtools department. |
| The Japan
Woodworker 1731 Clement Ave. Alameda, CA 94501 (800) 537-7820 | Specializes in Japanese tools, but carries some Western tools as well. |
| Lee Valley 1080 Morrison Dr. Ottawa, Canada (800) 267-8767 | Affiliated with Veritas, the tool manufacturer. Shipping to the U.S. is efficient. One of the Lee clan, Rob Lee, is a regular contributor to rec.woodworking and is a willing email contact. |
| Woodcraft 210 Wood County Industrial Park P.O. Box 1686 Parkersburg, WV 26102 (800) 225-1153 | A good selection of hand tools, among other things. |
Also see the list provided by the Woodworking Catalog.