billnuke1 

I buy these whenever I see’em!...even the broken them, especially the broken ones! I just swap’em out!

The pile!

JoeTBM 

That is a lot of clamps.

I got one recently in a pile of parts that I picked up, it was a bench mount model (PRS-7.1) but missing a couple of parts (adjustment linkage assembly, etc) Park Tool was great and had the parts in our hands in a few days and very reasonable on the cost too. I took the mount plate off and it is now set to work on our transport trailer fitting it to an 3 foot length of 1-1/4" gal. pipe.

billnuke1 

I buy those, too! I bolt them outside everywhere that I might be working. I bring the clamps in and leave the bodies there, bagged against the weather...great for displaying, too!

Stronglight56

A used Park Tool headset wrench because, a) it’s used and inexpensive b) I like a properly secured headset.

FiftySix

Today I modified an old automotive security lug nut tool into a Schwinn kickstand removal tool. This allows me to get a c-clamp onto the tool to press the spring loaded kickstand retainer bushing for pin removal. Worked well.

Russ Roth

Really wish they still made that tool caddy and that base. I could use several of those bases if I could find them. Can't say I ever used that clamp design though very nice setup.

thumpism 

Bought a pneumatic Kobalt chipping hammer tool to remove pennyround tile from a section of bathroom wall. It worked but I'd rather have been working on bikes with bike tools.

billnuke1 

Curious as to why these were made for, I believe, just one year...If I can, I will pull the other stand out and take a picture of it with the front part folded up...this stand had that feature disabled...will soon be remedied...makes a big difference!

billnuke1 

The clamp on the far left is a conversion...it was like the clamp in the upper right...I bought a newer style clamp with a broken jaw...unbolted the handle, turned it around, lost the spring setup and replaced that with the turnbuckle thingie and ta da...upgraded clamp that will mesh with the older style body!

Same body...I pick and choose the best jaws, jaw covers, handles, and the best grips when refurbishing/ rebuilding the clamps...

Older body to be converted to newer frame friendly clamp...still fits older body...these older stands can be had for short bucks!

GeneO 

Effetto Mariposa Giustaforza II 10-60 Pro for BB and cassette etc. work. Replaced old park beam type. Really nice tool. I have their 2-16 NM as well.

noglider 

My latest tool purchase was this generic-brand rotary tool (like Dremel). It's been my lifelong dream to own something like this. I received it for free in exchange for writing a review. It seems to be high quality, much better than I expected, but I haven't given it a rigorous test yet. It's only $40 for the whole kit. I think I'm going to grind my chain stay a bit to allow easier removal and replacement of my rear wheel.

Mad Honk 

I splurged on it. It was a find on e-bay that Francophile alerted us to. Not really a need but a great tool to round out a variety of older Var tools wit a lot of new ones in the shop.
I am going to clear coat this to preserve the patina of the 1930s French army paint.

the Original Var stampings on the arm

and what is left of an original Var sticker.

The seller likely didn't know what it does but knew it was worth over $100. It needs some maintenance, but parts are all original and built to have that work done with out major parts replaced. Basic overhauling and then back to work. I am Wondering if it might be worth asking Cyclomondo to replicate the sticker as a decal and put it under the clear coat. Again a thanks shout out to Francophile! Smiles, MH

Thruhiker 

Mad Honk, I'm stumped what is that tools name and purpose?

drlogik 

Looks like an old VAR crank cotter pin press to me. I used one of those back in the 1970's when I worked in my first bike shop. I didn't like that tool except for removing cotter pins. For installing I was taught to tap them in with a ball-peen hammer and a brass punch.

NoWhammies

Why? Because I needed a handy torque tool and the Park one fit the bill. The tool works well and so far I haven't had any issues with it fitting in any small-ish places on my bike.

billnuke1 

I was at the right place at the right time with EBay...fits most of my pro stands, etc...holds the bikes really high or really low...jaws open w i d e ...

Mad Honk 

It is a Var finger pincher designed in the heyday of torture tools. But it really is a Var cotter pin press and works wonders on old stuck pins when trying to remove cranks. Archaic at best but a nice tool to have around and a good talking point in the shop. Smiles, MH

HillRider

My most recent tool purchase was a very mundane Park 22mm cone wrench.

I just purchased a pair of Shimano WH-RX570 wheels for my new Surly Midnight Special build and they use 12mm thru-axles. My first exposure to these. The front hub requires a 22mm and a 17mm cone wrench and I already had a 17.

Necessity is the mother of purchasing.

Oh, one comment on the three-way allen wrenches, etc. I always paint the middle size bit, 5mm in this case, with red nail polish to make it quick to find. The big (6) and the small (4) are easy to tell apart at a glance but telling the middle from the big and small is not always so obvious.

aggiegrads

I also color code my hex keys. I found colored heat shrink, which works well for several different types of keys:

eddy m

I bought a set of Wera metric allen keys with ball ends on the long side. Way too spendy but they're really nice.
Also, tossed out all my French tools. I felt bad about that but I also felt like they were sitting in my tool box mocking me. Same for my obsolete car tools.

HillRider

I have sets of Bondhus ball end allen key in both metric and SAE sizes. Also very nice and not as costly.

eddy m

Bondhus is really nice, but I passed on them a long time ago because they were too pricey for me then. The Wera are the best money can buy. The flats are shaped to get a little more torque. They are way too expensive but after 30 years I have more money than time. YMMV.

FWIW the Park 3 way is still the first one I reach for.

em

noglider 

That's brilliant, @aggiegrads.

veganbikes

Buying high end Allen keys is not silly or stupid at all and Wera makes some great stuff, I fairly recently bought the stainless steel hex and torx keys (non-stainless because I didn't want to wait).

This is my actual most recent tool purchase



I am also looking to get the Beta T-Handle wrenches and their ratcheting combo short wrenches (they are so cute and perfect for most of what I need them for)
This for anyone who does hitch rack installs would be a neat tool: ratcheting double-ended offset ring wrenches for scaffolding bolts in 17/19. I love my similar wrench from Hozan for crank/axle bolts so it was neat to see a scaled up version that would work well for other purposes that are bike related.

Also for those who are really into tool porn these scissors, hubba hubba. I mean maybe not the most sensible scissors for my tool box but I am smitten and they are a pass down able item.

jsdavis

New straight end metric L hex wrench. Wanted something without ball end and found the Bondhus set. I was not looking for silver set nor extra long set though.

Standard size set I've had for years, for comparison