Vintage Ads.

[Muddy]

[goodfellow]

What a great company Central Tool is. They're still around and making precision tools like always

[Muddy]

[Uncle Buck]

Funny thing -- I have that hammer and those pruning shears. Hand-me-downs from my dad.

I sold tons of that brand years ago working at True Value hdw stores. That and Master Mechanic brand tools (made by Easco in the 1980's) Mechanic chests and roll cabs branded MM  of that era, like M Ward brand were rebadged Rem Line.

[Uncle Buck]

How about knives , they are cutting tools.

Sadly now made in China I think.

[Uncle Buck]

What a great company Central Tool is. They're still around and making precision tools like always

An inexplicibly under appreciated brand in machinist circles in my opinion. There are numerous others as well. I have several of their offerings in my box. Often found on ebay, many in pristine condition at a fraction the cost of more favored brands, but usually pleasing to the eye and hand with all the accuracy that should be expected of such a tool. The last Central brand tool I bought was a NOS metric measurement mic for less than $20 total cost to my door!

[Uncle Buck]

These examples shown hold their value. Rarely purchased add ons I guess explain their high cost used as much as the brand I suspect.  I have seen a few used through the years,  but never one to justify the asking price or I would have bought it. That way for decades,  even when Sears was still in business and offering essentially the same thing new and at the time still good quality at comparable prices.

[Hickory n Steel]

How about knives , they are cutting tools.

Sadly now made in China I think.

Buck is still committed to manufacturing a minimum of 75% of all their knives at their factory in Post Falls Idaho.
Their classic lockbacks from the little 505 all the way up to the iconic 110 folding hunter, and the entire 100 series hunting knives from the 102 woodsman up to the 124 frontiersman.
Even a number if Automatic " switchblade " knives in the past few years,  and of course a whole slew of modern thumb stud pocket clip type knives.
Any specific Buck model you can think of, if still available it's probably American made.


At most Walmart's these days you may only find the 110, the 110 lightweight, 119 special, and maybe one modern pocket clip type folder that are American made with the rest being Chinese made box store specials, but that is not a representation of Buck knives as a whole.
They are still family owned and operated making a majority of their knive's here in the USA.

[Muddy]

[Uncle Buck]

LOL, I  recall the first Proto ratchet I ever saw, then bought at a flea market at about twenty years old. Keep in mind this was pre internet around 1981-82. Info is so available now, not so much then.
So, I find a 3/8" pear head ratchet that was way beyond well used, it was used up! No plating remained, but it worked. Sloppy as heck, the drive gear had half worn through the back cover! I grabbed and bought it, immediately thinking it looked like an old style possibly no longer made, that while well worn, I was not going to pass up.
I don't know what I paid for it, certainly not much, I was a poor college kid at the time so it couldn't have been much. Whatever I paid was certainly more than it was worth given its condition. LOL

Imagine my surprise when I found the model still in production and my mistaken idea it was old and no longer in production!

Later, Proto warranties a gut kit and back cover for it, but to my dismay, it was still sloppy feeling and remains so to this day! LOL 🤣

While virtually shot, I have used it in the decades since first acquiring it and it remains in my box, though seldom used in several decades. It remains a fond memory of youthful ignorance every time my eyes land on it.

Live and learn eh, it will always have a place in my box.

I would have already known about the brand and style had there been an internet then. LOL

[Muddy]

Their ratchets never really impressed me.

[Muddy]

Tiger Tools?

[Uncle Buck]

Their ratchets never really impressed me.

You speaking of Proto brand?

[Hickory n Steel]

Tiger Tools?

The ratchet looks familiar,  but I don't recall whether I've heard of tiger tools before or not.

[Muddy]

Their ratchets never really impressed me.

You speaking of Proto brand?

Yes