Buying "parts" wrenches sometimes makes sense

[Wrenchmensch]

Shown below is a Craft 10 wrench I spent some time on this morning.  When it arrived in the mail today, it was rusty, dirty, and with only one screw in the spring clip which was over-sized and just stuck in the hole. I bought the wrench because I happened to have a Craft 10 wrench missing its upper jaw that I had bought for $5 at a flea market a year ago. Restoring the wrench involved replacing the ratchet wheel, spring clip (the old one was bent up, and broke) and 3 screws, all from the "parts" wrench.

How many of us have made these long shot decisions at flea markets, etc. whether it is buying a half-empty Mossberg, Syracuse, Lane, or what-have-you box, or a 90% complete wrench?

The pictures below show the completed wrench (note: no hang hole on this one) and the holed handle of the "parts" wrench. I still also have the ratchet, large ratchet bracket, and spring. I had tossed them, but thought better of it and retrieved them.  You never know...

Happy Independence Day!

[Papaw]

I've done that lots of times.

[bonneyman]

Heck yeah I buy tools for parts! You never know when you're going to need a special screw or spring for a tool that demands restoring.

[sumner52000]

Looks good.  You do a great job with all my old broke junk.

[amertrac]

Parts wrenches? what are those ?i have a garage 1/4 full of jaws, sprimgs. levers .handles etc  all unmarked waiting to be used
now if you can invent a way to remember to mark the parts BEFORE you put them away someplace that you forget.some how they are in a box on the bottom of the pile.in the last row in the back  I think  bob w

[v8garage]

I buy Plomb and Proto parts ratchets if I can get them for a buck or two. I once made 2 working ratchets out of 3 broken ones.
V/8

[J.A.F.E.]

I've been known to do it. Most recently on a Plomb WF-8-S and a Moore Drop Forge made Craftsman ratchet. Sometimes you just have no other choice.

[bonneyman]

Parts wrenches? what are those ?i have a garage 1/4 full of jaws, sprimgs. levers .handles etc  all unmarked waiting to be used
now if you can invent a way to remember to mark the parts BEFORE you put them away someplace that you forget.some how they are in a box on the bottom of the pile.in the last row in the back  I think  bob w

I'd call that my "treasure trove"! Go digging thru your box, and "discover" a rare gem.

I started saving tool parts, because, the last time I went into the hardware store looking for a little part, the price nearly killed me!