Tool name marking

Rob Keeble

Member
Messages
12,633
Location
GTA Ontario Canada
Working with my carving tools just wondering how many of you mark your tools with either your name or some unique identifier.

I know cops always say mark your stuff makes it easier to identify if recovered or found in pawn shops, i was not thinking of that purpose but just a general purpose maybe for hand down purposes, like #1 xyz is to be sent to so and so.

Over the years i have been thinking more and more of what happens to my tools when i one day croak.

I would sooner see them go to people i feel would value them than have my own family have an auctioneer come in or do as they did to some of my tools while i was away on an extended business trip once and outright abuse them because they did not know about the proper use for the tool.

Not thinking here of cheapo screwdrivers more things like wwing hand tools such as say gouges , shaves, or planes (not that i have many planes to worry about).

So do you guys mark a new tool religiously or not bother , name or just a fancy marking?
 
I keep a record of the serial numbers of any tool I own that has a serial number, which are usually the more expensive tools anyways. I do keep a record of all of the tools I own which is made up of a listing of its description, manufacturer and model number if it has one. A video record of all my tools is a must have. As far as actually marking the tools, I don't do that.
 
Rob, I have put a number on all my big tools, all my handheld power tools and a few of my smaller hand tools. Can't say that I needed to as crime in my area is generally very low, but than you never know. I did have a break in by my 16 year old next door neighbor, stole all our CD's , wife's good jewelry and a gun shorty after we moved in (all the neighbors came to tell us to watch the kid next door - a little late) . Never got anything back but the kid was arrested the following week with someones TV among many other things. He's in jail. I do think it is a good idea because something of yours can turn up many days, weeks or months later.
 
I just hope someone recognizes the value of my record collection and doesn't throw those old vinyl records away.
 
Many years ago police friend recommended marking all our "stuff" with social security number. This was after a break in of house and had been cleaned out. Now not a good idea. He laughs now but he had done the same thing. Now just a security number works and photos, videos.
Best idea is just keep merchandise secure. How to do that is a problem. If somebody wants what you have the #$@% will get it some how.
David
 
I keep a record of the serial numbers of any tool I own that has a serial number, which are usually the more expensive tools anyways. I do keep a record of all of the tools I own which is made up of a listing of its description, manufacturer and model number if it has one. A video record of all my tools is a must have. As far as actually marking the tools, I don't do that.

I do the same thing, keep a record of the big tools with serial numbers.... smaller tools, don't worry about though. I only have one son and expect he'll get what tools have - if he wants them... he's a better wood worker than I am and probably already has better tools... he's always had more money than me He doesn't have a big lathe or band saw yet though.

I made a major mistake when my father died... as his only son, I could have had all his tools, but wasn't into doing wood at the time... my nephews got a lot of them, the rest my step-mother sold to help pay her living expenses when she went into the assisted living facility.
 
Many years ago police friend recommended marking all our "stuff" with social security number. This was after a break in of house and had been cleaned out. Now not a good idea. He laughs now but he had done the same thing. Now just a security number works and photos, videos.
Best idea is just keep merchandise secure. How to do that is a problem. If somebody wants what you have the #$@% will get it some how.
David

Of course, if you do this, you've just given the thieves your social security number, the first step in identity theft. When I worked for the Canadian government, we were told to memorize our Social Insurance Numbers, and keep the cards locked up at home.
 
Dad used to mark tools with his initials, I've since used his initials too so that mine would be the same mark. It paid off for him once. He had been doing remodeling for a prominent person of "italian" origin. He came out to his truck to find that someone has taken his toolbox. Seeing that he was upset the shop owner asked him what was wrong. My dad told him what had happened and he told my dad not to worry, he'd take care of it. The next morning, the box was waiting for him at the shop when he showed up, no questions asked. He even paid dad for the down time he had the previous day.
 
My first wife and I moved into a town house complex in Northern Calif... when our neighbor next door moved in, being neighborly, we called on him and welcomed him to the complex. We shared a front porch with just a screen between the doors. His garage was immediately in front of our side of the building. Walking by one day the door was open and he had stacks of Levi's, TV's and other stuff in there. On New Years, he invited us over to a party at his place, but we had other plans and had to decline... he said he would just have our place burglarized then.... nothing happened that night, but several weeks later, we did get broken in to.... when we called the police and in conversation related the story about New Years invitation... the policeman responded, "So this is where Ralph moved to"... Ralph was a known fence in the area and fortunately, he moved a few weeks after that. We didn't get our stuff back though.
 
Top