So we recently saw in another thread, the subject of Whitworth spanners crop up.
So how about having a rummage around in your own tool boxes to see what other items of curiosity can be found. Take a photo and post it up.
Starting with my Whitworth selection before my modern Snap-on range.
The whittys still get regular use as I have a Myford lathe from the 1960’s, old British stuff still earning a crust.
Nice start, mate.
Not st home, so no piccies yet, sorry.
I have a selection of Whitworth and a/f spanners too. I also have metric ones, but not being left handed I am having trouble getting my qualifications for them.
Having owned British cars and motorcycles I do have a wide range of hammers as well.
Of course, I am merely a hobbyist, and subscribe to the philosophy “If it ain’t broke, then fix it until it is!”
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Edit.
Here is an example of my left handed metric and right handed a/f spanners.0
Franglais:
Having owned British cars and motorcycles I do have a wide range of hammers as well.
Of course, I am merely a hobbyist, and subscribe to the philosophy “If it ain’t broke, then fix it until it is!”
great quote Franglais. Oddly enough I cannot help myself with motorcycles, I always end up stripping them down for no apparent reason and screwing them up to the point of desperation and calling in people I know who always ask, why the hell have you done that.
Franglais:
Nice start, mate.
Not st home, so no piccies yet, sorry.
I have a selection of Whitworth and a/f spanners too. I also have metric ones, but not being left handed I am having trouble getting my qualifications for them.
Having owned British cars and motorcycles I do have a wide range of hammers as well.
Of course, I am merely a hobbyist, and subscribe to the philosophy “If it ain’t broke, then fix it until it is!” we could be related
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Edit.
Here is an example of my left handed metric and right handed a/f spanners.0
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My Granda who was an aircraft mechanic in the war, and a motor mechanic before and after gave a lot of his old toolkit to my Dad, mostly old imperial whit spanners.etc.
My boy who is a Ford master tech found a Snap on ratchet in the box dating back to God knows when, 60/70 years old?.. which was broken, he showed it to his Snap On rep, and they replaced it with a brand new one…making the Snap On ‘lifetime guarantee’ a true entity.
The names are more interesting than the tools.
1/2 drive Matador all Whitworth ( German )
Elora 3/8 drive AF sizes ( Germany )
and a 20mm 1/2 inch drive Gordon
All well over 40 years old and still used regularly.
Ironic that the whit and AF are both made by German companies and the 20 mm by a classic Brit Sheffield firm
robroy:
My Granda who was an aircraft mechanic in the war, and a motor mechanic before and after gave a lot of his old toolkit to my Dad, mostly old imperial whit spanners.etc.My boy who is a Ford master tech found a Snap on ratchet in the box dating back to God knows when, 60/70 years old?.. which was broken, he showed it to his Snap On rep, and they replaced it with a brand new one…making the Snap On
Similar adventures.
I have been buying and selling Snap on for decades and have come to have in my possession a really old and battered half inch ratchet. It still works and is my go to sacrifical one, you know the one that you are not afraid of putting a six foot scaffold pipe on it.
One day I was using it as a hammer and the little lever that changes direction flew off, never to be found again. Still worked as a ratchet but only good for undoing things so I gave to my rep the next time the van rolled into town.
The reps eyes lit up and out came the catalogue to identify it, circa 1961-67 and not only that but he had a service kit on the van which he fitted free of charge and offered to buy it off me as these vintage tools are becoming quite valuable.
Since looking on Ebay, I have now stopped beating on it.
AndieHyde:
I have been buying and selling Snap on for decades and have come to have in my possession a really old and battered half inch ratchet. It still works and is my go to sacrifical one,
Using ordinary ratchets to tighten and loosen nuts and bolts wrecks even the best of them.Use a solid bar or torque wrench for that job.
Quite valuable?..I wish you hadn’t told me that. 
I don’t know exactly how far back Snap On go, but like I said my Granda was a mechanic from the 30s to the sixties, so if it was from the earlier times I would imagine it was very rare…and if what you say is right…very valuable. 
Did I mention the rep went on an American holiday soon after 
(He didn’t btw )
I’m surprised nobody has posted a picture of their ‘King ■■■■’ yet.
It’s a funny thing with tools, you associate different brands for different tasks. Bahco for fridge work, Snap on for mechanical. Odd but when I work on reefers I use my snap on gear automatically on plants and compressors I use Bahco. Also don’t know about anyone else, but if I pick up anyone else tools even if they are the same as mine, I can tell by the feel, you’re own tools, they sort of mould to you’re hands. I like tools and especially buying new ones, always like a treat for yourself whenever you buy one.
back in the day if you had a 1/2 inch af spanner you could totally dismantle a mini…
Most of my tools are modern tools tbh either Halfords Pro or advanced depending on when I bought them.
Plus a few snap off tools here and there that I’ve bought because they were cheap.
However my favourite screw driver of all time is God knows how many years old and has been abused throughout its whole life.
Has a metal end on the handle for smashing it with a hammer into stuff, has been used as a pry bar and all sorts by me and apart from not being totally straight and true anymore wil probably outlive me.
Not really sure how old it is but I’m 42 and my dad had it as long as I can remember.
Best screwdriver in the world bar none. 
Forgot about this I’ll let those who know what it is for comment on it.
Haven’t used it for a while tbh now.
It was my stepdads and he’s probably had it quite some years I’d guess without asking when he bought it.
simcor:
Forgot about this I’ll let those who know what it is for comment on it.Haven’t used it for a while tbh now.
It was my stepdads and he’s probably had it quite some years I’d guess without asking when he bought it.
Can I say you have a certain “flare” for this.
There should be another set of dies for this 3/16" and 1/4".
AndieHyde:
simcor:
Forgot about this I’ll let those who know what it is for comment on it.Haven’t used it for a while tbh now.
It was my stepdads and he’s probably had it quite some years I’d guess without asking when he bought it.
Can I say you have a certain “flare” for this.
There should be another set of dies for this 3/16" and 1/4".
You could indeed say I have a “flare” for this. Can’t say u remembered having any other dies for it. Or if I did they have been misplaced or lost.
robroy:
Quite valuable?..I wish you hadn’t told me that.
I don’t know exactly how far back Snap On go, but like I said my Granda was a mechanic from the 30s to the sixties, so if it was from the earlier times I would imagine it was very rare…and if what you say is right…very valuable.Did I mention the rep went on an American holiday soon after
(He didn’t btw
Steady on old boy,
Worth a few shekels but not holiday in America kind of money.
The rep offered me about 40 quid for mine so a 1930’s one, maybe a hundy.
If the rep swapped your lad for brand new one he will have come out with a drink on the deal because of snap on’s pyramid selling model but your lad has now got something he can use to make a living with for the rest of his life so, nice one grandad.
