Stanley No. 98 marking gauge.

[Northwoods]

Went to a picker's sale yesterday advertising antique tools.
He had lots of old stuff, including a couple of nice--but overpriced--Stanley hand routers.
I dug through an old wooden box and came up with a really pretty Perfect Handle six-sixty winged type #5 screwdriver with a nice, tight handle---and a gadget with a center portion, two screws, and two sliding bars.  Marked in cool script Stanley no. 98.
Bingo!
Asked the fellow for a price, and he replied: "$3.  What is that thing, anyway?  Part of something?"
Prudently, I paid him before I answered his question.

My Perfect handle is similar to--but better--than this one.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-H-D-Smith-Six-Sixty-4-Perfect-handle-wing-flap-SCREWDRIVER-9-long-/302067756111?hash=item4654a42c4f:g:A10AAOSwFdtX001b

The Stanley 98 is like this one with all parts correct, clean, and working.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Very-Nice-Vintage-Stanley-No-98-Marking-and-Mortise-Gauge-VERY-NICE-/122152636751?hash=item1c70dd514f:g:KlgAAOSwAuZX6KMQ

And for another couple of bucks, I got 9 Plomb sockets from the 30's.

[Bill Houghton]

Now, those are scores!

I'm always fascinated by people who research some of what they've got and ignore the rest.  I went to a sale once, and the guy had a few woodworking tools.  He was proudly telling me how he'd researched stuff on the internet, so he was confident about his prices.  He was asking $20 for a Stanley No. 75 bullnose rabbet plane, a tool widely laughed at by people who have tried to use them.  Then I noticed, for the first and so far last time in the wild, a Stanley 140 rabbeting block plane, complete with side plate.  These go for $100-125 compleat; my wallet was $2.50 lighter when I left that day.

[Yadda]

Now, those are scores!

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