proceeds of ancient crimes

[PFSchaffner]

I wonder sometimes how many of the tools we find and accumulate walked
out the door of an assembly plant at some point. In this part of the country,
I'd guess the percentage is pretty high, especially for tools connected to
the electrical, mechanical, and machinist trades. Leaving aside all the Bell System
stuff, here are a few with King-Seeley, Chrysler, and Lufkin markings that
came to my attention recently.

(One pic is not a tool, of course: it's a utility set of drawers that somebody
made from old King Seeley packing cases, now serving as the base for my
South Bend model C.)

[Northwoods]

Should I turn in my wrenches marked ATSF or USAF?

[bonneyman]

Should I turn in my wrenches marked ATSF or USAF?

Nah. They don't use wrenches on planes anymore - everything is electronic.

[mvwcnews]

When mom & dad married in Sept. 1945 dad was still "active" although being treated for severe retinal bleeding at a Tennessee hospital (he was finally discharged in Dec. 1945).  So they started their life together in a city apartment, with USN stainless steel tableware (dad was a cook in the Navy, so mess hall was easy access).  That stuff will never wear out.

[leg17]

Yogi Berra said:

"This is a swell hotel.  The towels are so thick I can't even close my suitcase."

[Papaw]

One of the things that made my years in the Supply Managed Inventory business was the things that somehow "fell off the truck" before ever getting into the plant or refinery!

[Analog]

Here lies the true history, at least the intended history. It's nice to have tools with provenance.

[Bill Houghton]

A variation: my Uncle Charlie worked for the Southern Pacific (railroad), which would periodically toss old stuff, including the North Bros. breast drill that followed him home, and eventually migrated to me.  Was it theft when he brought home something that would have been in the dumpster?  I'd argue that saving a tool headed for melting down is not a crime, but an honorable activity.

The SP stamped everything with those initials.  Charlie claimed they stood for "Sacramento Plumbing."  He had quite a few dumpster saves from Sacramento Plumbing.