Yard sale treasures: Lots of Olde Stuff.

[Adam Helmer]

I brake HARD for all yard sales hereabouts because these old farmers in rural northcentral PA have lots of good stuff. Last month I found a mint M1898 Krag bayonet with scabbard for $5.00. It fits my December 2008 find of a M1898 Krag Rifle nicely.

Last Saturday I stopped by a nearby farm and found a wooden box of tools. The sign by the box said "Old Tools $1.00." I asked, "Is that $1 per tool?" "No," the lady replied, "That is for all tools." I could not get a buck out of my pocket fast enough! I nearly got a hernia lifting the box into the back my truck.

At home, I backed the truck to my shop and dumped the stuff onto the work bench. I got 65 Craftsman sockets, 5 drivers of assorted sizes, 2 hammers, 4 hacksaw blades and 9 screwdrivers. In addition were 6 rusty bullet moulds. I oiled all the stuff to prevent further deterioriation and read the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook. It said rusty moulds should be cleaned with fine steel wool and may cast bullets just fine. Last Sunday, after church, I fired up my Coleman stove and found out the .58 Minie mould, the .45 Maxi mould and the roundball moulds cast just fine.

This is the "Back In Time" site. I suppose old stuff qualifies. I further am sorry our forefathers did not have Yard Sales back in their Good Olde Days. We sure are finding their stuff these days.

Who else finds good olde stuff these days?

Adam