Old Needles And Awls

[Trox]

This is a tip to our few Norwegian members and all other members who visit Oslo, (the capital of Norway).

There is an old hardware store in Torshov, Oslo (Norway) who sells screw, tools and bits. The name is Zachariassen Jernvare AS http://www.zachskruer.no/index.php

I always go there to find old obsolete screws for my oldest sewing machines. The shop is over 80 years old and unchanged. They still have screws and bolts in stock from their early days. When the owner heard I was a leather worker, he showed me an old wooden drawer, which had not been opened on many years. It was full of old needles and awls. He told me they used to serve saddlers, harness and shoemakers in the old days. It was about 50 years since they stopped with that. They use to sell all tools and every bit for the trade, but this drawer was the only thing he has left. I bought a few from him, and the price was as old as the needles. There still are many different needles and awl (irons) left in that drawer. Visit his shop when you go to Oslo, and ask for the needle drawer. He will keep them, and sell them to the artisans who are left in the trade.

Trox

[Sylvia]

Wow! Wish something like would happen to me.

[Trox]

I wish for an other unopened drawer with old/new leather tools, knifes and maybe a brass plough gauge.

I better play the lottery instead.

Wow! Wish something like would happen to me.

[Sylvia]

Yes! Or finding an old abandoned barn full of old leather tools.... and an early Harley. lol

[Trox]

Thats a sweet dream, it works both night and day.

Yes! Or finding an old abandoned barn full of old leather tools.... and an early Harley. lol

[Sylvia]

Thats a sweet dream, it works both night and day.

Hi Trox:

During the dust bowl in America... many many people just packed up what they could carry and walked away from their homes and farms. Across the midwest even as late as the late 70s there were abandoned houses which still contained furniture, pianos... etc. I've also seen old homesteads in the mountains of Oregon that still had stuff in the cupboards, old firebox cookstoves, and one had a piano. It is possible.

[oldtimer]

I wish for an other unopened drawer with old/new leather tools, knifes and maybe a brass plough gauge.

I better play the lottery instead.

I have found such a drawer 10-12 years ago. A surplus store owner called and asked if I was intersted in leather related tools. He told me he had bought a leather bag full of tools, originally owned by a saddlemaker who closed his shop in the late sixties, The old man had kept his tools in his basemant, and when he died his relatives had sold the bag to the surplus store owner. I rushed over to see what it was, and there were 80 different tools, frowm awl hafts to a plough gauge. He asked 20 SEK/ tool ( 3$) so there wasn´t much to think about.

Last year I found 53 Gomph tools here in Sweden, so I think my luck is over from now on.

I´ll have to make a trip to Oslo!

/ Knut

[Trox]

Hi Sylvia,

It is possible and it happens from time to time. Knut sure was lucky. However, you have to look for it. I had some lucky finds on sewing machines; people thought I was a lucky guy. It happened because I was good at it, knew how and where to look. Skills and luck go hand in hand. Like in sports, the clever ones are always lucky. We cannot win the lottery with out playing. In some countries, it is easier than other to find old nice tools. USA, UK and France have all great tradition of leather tools. I have bought many nice old tools from France lately. Look at Bruce Johnson; he knows where to look for old tools.

Hi Knut,

Did you look at the hockey finals to day? I know you did. Little Norway got one player on the old star team. I was a bit disappointed about the Swedish team. I expected more from them. I will take a trip to that store and look what left in the drawer; I was not the only one who knew about it. It is a long drive for you, I can send you an email after I been there.

Trox