I have found two practices that aggravate me, I believe it's a personal problem, but I'll share anyway.

The guy who wraps half a roll of plastic electrical  around plier handles.

After a few years its always a sticky mess  to remove

and

The guy who paints his "old tools" with POR 15 or some other thick black enamel, often 3 or 4 coats

I dont mean the farm tool guys who spend hours painstakingly highlighting the letters on the Moline's and John Deere's, I envy them their patience.

the guy who slathers on the goo over top of 25 years of outdoor rust.

Notice I said "guy"  women know better.


There!  I feel much better now.

Skip

I agree with you Skip!

Paint ain't that bad, it comes off ... I hate to see the sand blasted tools. The guy thinks that taking the "rust" off is an improvement 

Joe B

Owner's grind marks!  That has to be the worst!  I worked with a kid who would come back from the Snap-On truck with a new wrench - walk straight to the grinder and put
three grind marks on it.  I would ask him why three, why not two or one?  Then I would tell him my mark was four grind marks and any of his tools I found would soon be mine.

Have recently found some tools,  old desirable tools, sandblasted, then varnished, yeecht.   I don't mind owners initials, sort of gives history to it.  Any handle with friction tape or plastic tape,  why not just fix it?   I know, in a hurry. 

How about one of the likely many owners of the rosewood and brass D. M. Lyon & Co. level (1846-1864) that I purchased this morning?
The elderly lady said it was a "cement level".  That her father had used it for "cement work".  He didn't do a very good job of cleaning it off after using it.
And, yes, I know the difference between cement and concrete.

Quote from: Northwoods on March 03, 2017, 01:05:20 PM
How about one of the likely many owners of the rosewood and brass D. M. Lyon & Co. level (1846-1864) that I purchased this morning?
The elderly lady said it was a "cement level".  That her father had used it for "cement work".  He didn't do a very good job of cleaning it off after using it.

OUCH!!!

you forgot the dip on plastic stuff for handles.... 

I just spent over 2 hours at an estate sale putting together sockets sets that were scattered all over the garage and basement. Everyone had JP engraved , stamped or ground on it. I found the engraver and stamps and wanted to take a hammer to it. Nothing bothers me more than bad owners marks.

Quote from: Ken W. on March 03, 2017, 04:12:20 PMEveryone had JP engraved , stamped or ground on it.

Possible response A: Maybe the set belonged to a Justice of the Peace?
Possible response B: You'd better hope that Judas Priest doesn't find out you've got their socket set, or they'll come to your house and play heavy metal music outside your window until you hand it over.

I already donated them to a friends kid as his starter tool set. JP will have to go on down the road.

I dislike anything that has all the screw heads buggered up. I don't mind former users names as much as grind marks. I have passed on many wrenches because somebody has thinned the head to make it fit in a tight place. The same with sockets. As a engine mechanic for 32 years i had to do it myself to get a job done, but i didn't like doing it. In don't like loaning anything to anybody.

EvilDr235

Quote from: EVILDR235 on March 03, 2017, 06:36:27 PM
I don't like loaning anything to anybody.

EvilDr235

AGREED!! I need to get me a teeshirt that says that.

Quote from: Northwoods on March 03, 2017, 01:05:20 PM
How about one of the likely many owners of the rosewood and brass D. M. Lyon & Co. level (1846-1864) that I purchased this morning?

This is completely off the topic, but who cares?  I did a little more poking around and found that as soon as Mr. Lyon gave up making levels and other marking tools, he established a successful brewery in Newark and as of 1890 was with the help of his sons, still going great guns.  According to the puff piece,:

"Their beer, ales, and porter are thoroughly pure, healthy beverages, made only from the very best material, gently tonic in their action so that they conduce to the strengthening of the human system, create a hearty appetite, and for these reasons have received the cordial endorsement of leading physicians."

I like their puff piece, but I imagine it just means you pee a lot after drinking their products.  But then, it's beer; what can you expect?