Does location affect availabiity?

[skipskip]

I find some brands of tools a lot, and some not so much.

Obviously, the bigger the company, the more likely we are to find their tools.

So Craftsman, and Snap on and SK are popular.

But some are not, even tho they are good sized companies, some brands are lees common here than others.

Williams is big here, because the Telco and electric companies bought them,

Sk was sold in hardware stores, so its around

But other truck brands? not really

Mac, Matco, Cornwell, a few here and there

Mossberg, a lot. Walden Worcester quite a few.

Bog?  only 2 so far

Ray? only 1

Utica pliers  by the pail as they were 90 miles away.

So  are some brands more popular in Texas? or California? or Australia?

Skip

[Bill Houghton]

Not a wrench guy - I use them, and pick up wrenches at yard/estate sales, but don't collect - but I can certainly confirm that regional patterns affect availability in other tools.  I suppose it's a product of which distributors in a given area were most successful.

[Northwoods]

And I envy the fellows on the west coast who find lots more Plomb tools than show up here in the Heartland.

[Papaw]

In my part of Texas ( Texas is really LARGE! ) the only collectables that show up in my usual haunts are Williams, Snap-On, Craftsman, etc. Probably due to the number of plants and refineries here. Garage sales sometimes bring some Plomb tools.

[EVILDR235]

I live in the Northwest and find just about everything except farm related tools. I live about 15 miles away from the old P&C factory. I have over 400 P&C tools at this time. I am kinda picky when i buy stuff, so if something is not half way decent, i pass on it. I rarely buy Snap-On stuff because it is just to expensive and if i do, i resell it. I like Proto related stuff. There is lots of stuff to be had between garage sales, estate sales, pawn shops, the Habitat Restore, Goodwill and flea markets. I am retired now and only have about 2/3 of the money i use to, so i have to be picky. Also there is a lot of unemployment in this area that keeps tools changing hands. I also tells my family when it's time to buy gifts for whatever reason, buy me tools or give me a gift card. I think one reason i find a lot of good stuff is because a lot of sellers are to lazy to unload their stuff they are selling and buyers are to lazy to bend over and go thru stuff. Poor older areas of town tend to have better stuff than good newer areas of town. I have found people living in rural areas tend to hold on to stuff more than city folks. I believe a box under the table at the flea market is just like a box of chocolates, you never know what your gonna get. When we go to the flea market my grand daughter always says, run grandpa run. And that's all i have to say about that.

Grandpa.

[Northwoods]

Like.

[Yadda]

Definitely agree with all the previous comments, I've purchased plierenches from all over the US, they were sold via magazine ads for almost 50 years, but the larger majority have come from the Midwest.  I assume, because they were manufactured there.

[turnnut]

interesting subject,  I live in Massachusetts, the state that many tool companies were in operation thru the years.

some years ago when I started to go to Washington state to visit my sister, I had stopped at a few antique shops thinking
that I may find some adjustable wrenches that I do not have.

in my search the 1st time at a few stops, the 1st 3 wrenches that I spotted were Bemis & Call which were made about
15 miles from my home.   

[Bad 31]

I live down in the SE and I see quite a bit of variety here. I'd love to do some swaps with those who readily find the old SK stuff. I find some but it's getting harder as I buy it up. Oddly, I can't seem to find the 1/4" nut driver handles for my sets. Seems those green handles with white stripes don't travel down south very well. Anything I find with the old <SK> or SK Wayne logos goes home with me.

[john k]

The older the stuff, the more variety.   Have seen most of the names mentioned.  Never seen a Bahco, or anything Canadian.  Small town garage sales, and estate sales of carpenters and mechanics have yielded some bargains.  Have this collection of New Britain wrenches, over 80 pieces.  Only found two hereabouts, the rest online.  What I really like are multi generation farm auctions, where 3 generations never threw anything away.  As I don't travel a whole lot, try to hit at least one thrift or antique mall on each trip.   Nothing really amazing comes to mind except the Proto drill in WV. 

[EVILDR235]

I picked up a Bahco / Volvo adjustable wrench about 5 years at a flea market. Excellent condition, but I had to give a $20.00 bill to get it. I have a few Gray tools from Canada and a set of 4 Will brand Robertson square drive screwdrivers that i bought in Canada myself appox 30 years ago. I also have a pair of pliers marked MADE IN GERMANY U.S. ZONE. I have been starting to buy some Urrea brand tools from Mexico. Urrea use to be Protomex. Many of Urrea tools are of Proto design and seem to be well made. I have a couple of dozen Honda motorcycle tools including a set from a 1965 Honda 90 that my late friend Laddie owned. The bike was totaled when another friend Paul hit a deer in the middle of the road with it.

EvilDr235

[Papaw]

From my website- My first alligator wrench was in the form of an adjustable wrench I acquired in the tool kit of an old Volvo car I bought in 1969 for $25 and an old twin-lens reflex camera . I bought the car from a guy leaving for Canada to avoid the draft . I never heard from him again . The wrench is still in my toolbox and I use it regularly . It was some years later that I found out about Bahco .
That wrench was the beginning, but not for 25 years or so. I carried it around until I got on the net and began to study old wrenches.

[EVILDR235]

On the Bahco wrench you turn the thumb wheel the opposite direction than American wrenches to open and close it. Papaw, i remember you talking about you Bahco wrench before. That is why i sought one out. It is my only alligator wrench.

EvilDr235

[Nasutushenri]

On the Bahco wrench you turn the thumb wheel the opposite direction than American wrenches to open and close it.

EvilDr235

EvilDr235, you're right, Bahco wrenches have left hand threaded screws. But not all Bahco wrenches. Series 969-975 have right hand threaded screws.
Why, I don't know.

Henri

[EVILDR235]

On those Bacho wrenches, maybe some were made for those people that live in Australia ?

EvilDr235