The Oldest Tool You Own and Use

uNkNowN ElEmEnt

I have my grandmothers waffle iron (she died in 1958 so it has to pre-date taht) I also have one of her cast iron deep skillets.

I also have my grandfathers black and decker drill which I think is from the 70's and still works fine.

Barbara

I have a 40.000 years old cutter. My father-in-law found it in Saudi Arabia sands while drilling oil.
Well, of course we don't use it, but my husband this morning said: "If you don't buy some razors, I'm going to shave myself with the cutter!"
Laughing

Maybe one day... Razz

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**no english mothertongue**
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Objects in the rear view mirror
are closer than they appear.

Jenab6

Pops

Madpaddy · Expert Joined: Jun 25, 2004 Posts: 2130

I have a 50th anniversary commerative sword from the Inniskillings regiment at Waterloo. (That means the sword dates from 1865). I have used it to chase ner do wells from around the housing estate where we used to live.
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Jenab6

jlw61

Lee Loader for 38 special - 1968
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like_the_dinosaurs

I have this single handle massive hand saw that a friend gave us. It was incredibly rusty, but I grinded it down so it looks like new and it works fine.

Its meant for cutting down trees so its before the chainsaw age, I'd say pre 50's XXbuzzsaw

lol it was the only smiley with a saw
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jdumars

My soprano sax that I use professionally was made in 1924. My tenor is vintage 1954. One of my pistols is a 1903 Savage .32.
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mercurygirl · Light Sweet Crude Joined: Jan 29, 2006 Posts: 1290

We eat off my dear grandma's wedding silver every day, and why not? I never saw her use it. Circa 1940. We use many other antiques also on a daily basis. DH and I were both brought up with an appreciation for the past, in the sense of quality.

TheDude

My ridiculously bent boxwood flute from the English firm of Wood & Ivy, who went out of business in 1847 if I recall correctly. Lovely player but a chore to hold up. Also have a fife made by William Hall and Son who built stuff in NYC around the same time, and many flutes/piccolos/fifes made around a century ago, mostly the sort of stuff you see in the old Sears and Roebuck catalogs. Got an Edison Diamond Disc 78 RPM record that was issued in 1919, some music books from around then as well.

Family bibles in German are Gott knows how old - my family came over from Switzerland in 1847 - busy year! Our signet ring is of similar musty vintage; need to get that stuff appraised sometime. Have an assortment of tools my grandfather used, plow from the 20s, old block planes, brace and bits, shaves, etc.

Also a '57 T-Bird in the garage - sweet wheels. Blitz beer tap on the gearshift. Odometer's stuck at 118 for some reason! My Dad and uncle liked to party. Laughing

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Cogito, ergo non satis bibivi
C'mon man, who're you gonna believe?

Pops

57 'Bird... Cool

Always wanted one, closest I got was a '63

Know and love the FE big block engine though...

For what good it will do me.
Smile

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horsestoaster · Heavy Crude Joined: Feb 07, 2006 Posts: 109

Actual metal hoof pick made in USofA.Had it about 40 years.Use it every day.No fancy brush on it,but still love its simplicity.My Great-Grandfather's pocket watch.Had to show my kids that you WIND watches.Hilarious!Many old books from mid 1800's onward.Mostly practical farming stuff to get an idea of farming without all the hi-tech goodies we have now and eke out a crop anyway.Pops I utterly envy you your kerosene incubator-too cool!

Vegas

Metal turning lathe, casting dates on it 1878. I used it for awhile, electric motor instead of the original overhead mill-driven shaft.
It has a big flywheel, 3' dia, so when you turn it off it takes a good 4-5 min to stop. Makes for a nervous operator.
It uses a plain bearing, IE a chunk of brass with a hole in it, and was in sad shape when I got it. A day or so of paitent work with a hand file, and it was turning to a thou(0.001").
The tool that makes tools...

When ya have accsess to a real lathe, with digital readout, and hi-frequency speed controll, the ond one gets dusty.

I saw one just like it at the winchester musium in San Jose, and a buddy of mine saw one at the smithsonian in washinton DC