By: Woodworking Gunny Bear

If you are planning on attending this year’s festival here in Missouri, you may want to set a day aside to hit some of our massive antique malls. I know what you may be thinking, “But Gunny, I don’t even own a Subaru.” As a homesteader and part-time prepper, I am always on the lookout for things that can be useful when the power goes out or supply chains falter. Over the years, I have amassed a wide variety of tools, gadgets, and containers from the many antique malls here in Missouri.

One thing I learned early on is that walking into a huge antique mall, packed to the gills with extremely cool (often nostalgia-evoking) stuff, can be overwhelming. If you don’t have a plan or specific goal in mind, you may find yourself walking out several hundred dollars poorer, with a few marginally decent tools and a box full of your favorite childhood toys. This article is not intended for those who want to “flip” items for profit. If, however, you are looking to score a good deal on a well-made and useful tool, then you might find it a worthwhile read.

My wife and I enjoy perusing the many antique malls and shops here in Missouri. We enjoy the nostalgia. We also appreciate the craftsmanship and design of “old stuff.” We have also developed a bit of a system to ensure that we don’t: overspend on a given item, purchase an item that has a better (and often cheaper) modern version, or walk out with a very cool-looking piece of junk.

There are several things to consider prior to walking into an antique shop or mall:

What, specifically, are you looking for? Do you want to pick up some hand tools for the wood shop? A few things to improve production on the homestead? How about some kitchen gadgets that will remain useful in a power outage?

How much are you willing to spend? Is an expensive item worth it if it will likely sit in your basement for the foreseeable future?

Are you capable of recognizing when an item is damaged, broken, or missing parts? If so, can it be brought up to snuff without a significant effort or investment?

What happens if I see something that transports me back to “the good old days” but has no actual function?

I will attempt to address all of these considerations, as well as drop a few tips and tricks which you may find useful.

My wife and I really enjoy looking at all of the cool stuff in our local antique malls, but we both know that some things are for looking at, and some things are for buying. For example, as a woodworker, I am always on the lookout for quality woodworking tools that don’t require electricity as a power source. Early on, I wanted to grab every hand drill, planer, and axe I saw. Eventually, I learned that all classic tools were not created equal and that the cheap hand plane was cheap for a good reason. My wife, on the other hand, tends to gravitate toward kitchen and household-related items. Hand-cranked mixers, beaters, meat grinders, etc., are her jam. She is also quick to buy crocks for pickling and fermenting. She has a nice washboard and is currently on the lookout for a very specific hand-operated washing machine.

It is always a good idea to set a budget before your first safari into the wilds of an antique jungle. This can keep you from buying that completely useless (but very cool looking) WW2 helmet or nudge you along to the next booth where the same item is a bit cheaper…and in even better condition! Many antique malls have a booth-style setup where different sellers display their wares. Some sellers price their items based on antique price guides, while others just want to get rid of stuff that they found in their grandparent’s attic. Needless to say, prices and item conditions can vary wildly. A good rule of thumb is that smaller, boutique-style shops tend to have higher prices but often sell quality items in pristine condition. Large, mall-style antique shops tend to have a much wider variety and lower prices but can be littered with damaged, broken, or lower-quality items. With patience and self-control, we have found that we prefer the larger shops and have gotten some great deals on well-made, useful tools in excellent condition. We have made a handful of relatively expensive purchases but were not disappointed. For example, my wife spent almost $50 on a hand-operated meat slicer. We were swayed because it was a rare find, was in excellent condition, and could often go for $80 and up. Similarly, I have always wanted a really nice scythe. I finally found one, but the seller wanted over $100 for it. I was really close to buying it, but I couldn’t bring myself to break that three-digit threshold for something that I might never actually use.
I finally decided to pass on the purchase. A month or so later, I found an even nicer one for only $45. Patience and frugality had again paid off. I now own two beautiful scythes and still haven’t broken that three-digit threshold. Bonus tip: Many antique mall owners charge a booth fee and make a small percentage on each sale. Often, they will contact individual sellers and convey a counteroffer in order to facilitate a sale.

As mentioned earlier, antiques can be in widely varying states of condition. I can’t count the number of times that I got worked up upon seeing a given tool, only to completely deflate as soon as I looked at it up close. Being able to assess an item’s condition is an important skill. Anything with moving parts should function smoothly, with no catching or grinding. Rust can often be an issue as well. A thin layer of rust can be removed with some mineral oil and elbow grease while soaking in vinegar can remove heavier rust layers. Items that are rusted to the point of pitting or flaking should usually be avoided. We bought several items only to later find that a key component was missing. A good practice is to grab a given item (be sure to remember which booth you took it from) and keep an eye out for the same or similar thing. If you find another one, compare the two. You can often identify a missing or damaged part, and very often, the one in better condition will be similar in price or even cheaper. Another thing to keep in mind is that some sellers will attempt to hide the damage. I once found a froe axe, which is used to turn round logs into square beams, marked as $10. This was a great price, and those particular axes are quite a rare find. It appeared to be in great condition but needed a good sharpening. Luckily, I knew to carefully examine the axe head (handles are easily replaced) because the seller had laid on a thin layer of paint in an attempt to hide a hairline crack in the steel. I hung it back up and moved on.

Another dangerous pitfall is the nearly constant feeling of nostalgia. It’s hard enough to keep walking when you happen upon the same bread box you remember from your childhood home. I have even wanted to drop a few bucks on an old metal saltine canister or glass Aunt Jemima syrup bottle. It’s another thing entirely when you round a corner and find yourself face-to-face with that favorite childhood toy. Antique shops are littered with vintage GI Joes, Voltron lions, Star Wars figures, etc. I even found a big bag full of original He-man toys that appeared to be comprised of the exact same collection that I owned as a child. Trust me when I say that the nostalgia will wear off quickly. Enjoy the memories and move on. If you just can’t pass by without making a nostalgia purchase, set a price limit. Remember that many vintage items are overpriced and aren’t nearly as rare as you might think.

A key component of our strategy is a very modern tool, the smartphone. Be sure to have yours handy, as it can be helpful when it comes to avoiding several of the aforementioned pitfalls. I am no fan of modern cell phones, but I would be lying if I said that they are not useful tools, especially when buying antiques. We always look up items before checkout, ensuring that the price is at or below the average. We also come across things and think, what the heck is that?” Many times a patent number entered in the search bar assists in its identification. That was how I discovered one of my favorite tools, a slide hammer nail puller. It is a truly excellent tool, and I had no idea what the heck it was until I looked it up. Very often, there is a better, less expensive version of a given tool or gadget. For instance, we were about to buy a glass butter churn for $50. It was in great shape, and that was a pretty good price. When we were doing our price check, we discovered that a company makes a modern version that has plastic paddles (easier to keep clean) and is cheaper to boot. When used correctly, modern phones can be extremely handy.

There are many more tips and pieces of advice when hunting for bargain barn finds, but part of the fun is discovering them for yourself. Just remember to have a plan, and most of all, have fun. You may discover that gadget or tool that is as useful today as it was when your grandparents ordered it from the Sears catalog decades ago.