~ Help With Tool ID + Question About Ethics ~

Recently bought 'contents of shed' from a widow. I gave a fair price and will have to hustle to make it work. I've found a fair amount of machinist tools, mainly bits and such.

I'm sure these are for shaping metal, probably aluminum, judging from the rest of the stuff. I can't seem to put a name on them beyond 'rotary cutter' or something like that. Do these have a proper name? Some have bearings at the base and some do not.





Now for the question of ethics. It is my solid rule not to buy anything I know to be stolen. The guy with a lot of construction tools that he says he 'found in a storage unit,' things like that, I politely decline.

The previous owner of these cutters didn't own any machining tools. He worked at a large, now-defunct aerospace company. I believe he generally left work with a heavier lunchbox than he walked in with. Why someone with an extremely well-paid job would do this, I have never been able to fathom.

I didn't steal them, nor did I know them to be stolen when I bought the shed contents. Didn't even know they were there. Still, I feel pretty unpleasant about them.

How do others handle this situation?

 

First, they are 'burrs'.
Second, unless marked you know nothing.
I mean to say you really do have no idea from whence they came.
And if much or all of it is worn they may have been cycled out and salvaged.
Used to be a big Boeing store here where one could buy used, usually, tools and what not.

 

For once in a thousand, I will say that IF time has been a factor - as is he may have liberated them years ago - there is no real moral question. It is not as if they are terribly valuable, and I sincerely doubt that the company is still searching for them (if they ever have).

Yes, I know the moral thing, and I practice it religiously.....when it makes sense. In this instance, given the time supposition is true, I see no issue.

If that sounds like a harf-arsed justification I'm sorry......its not meant to be, it is how I feel.............in THIS instance.

 

I think you have absolutely given fair time and thought to the issue, and for me, in this instance and for those items, I think you've done the right thing just by doing that.

 

You're human...& you're fine......you can clear your mind of any bad thoughts !

 

I confess that I hadn't considered that they might have been legitimately deaccessioned.

The previous owner worked for a defense-contracting manufacturer. I guess it wouldn't be surprising if things were simply discarded when a production line was changed. OTOH, many items are NIB. Sometimes a package of drill bits with just a few removed, that sort of thing.

I worked one summer in a large factory over 40 years ago, and resolved to never do it again. It was an outfit that didn't seem to much care about workers or conditions. It was dirty, dangerous and deafening. They did ask me to come back though.

 

I buy lots of machines, tooling, etc. from surplus dealers who have contracts with major manufacturers (Ford, Caterpillar, Federal Mogul...) to resell anything the big company gives them that it no longer needs. I've received tons of small items new in original packaging or new, unpackaged, but never used. All legal, no worries.

 

Ouch! When I signed up I didn't realize Antiquers had a criminal justice system! I promise, the proceeds will be used to support the poor (me.)

I suppose pawnshops deal with this every day. While I doubt that little stuff like mine would cause any problem, I do wonder what the law requires of them.

 

Here's a very small sample of the hundreds of lbs of new-old stock I got in the last shipment. After I'm gone it will be redistributed somehow, much of it still in the original packaging. The items with "printouts" attached show the inventory records made after receipt by the original customer. As you can see, many of the items are multiples, from pairs to hundreds in a bag.

 

Different places have different laws.....but one I believe ..they have to store the item for 30 days after which they legally own it and can sell it..

 

Even if these were stolen 30/40 years ago, the statute of limitations ran out on them so long ago that no one cares. If returned to the company they'd just discard them again anyway as superannuated and unneeded. My late dad brought home odds and ends from his job at a public utility. They were all discards, things headed to the skip/tip/garbage can because they'd been replaced with newer versions. The company didn't want it back, and in fact wanted to see the back of it. That included everything from old letterhead to rolls of scotch tape to four pound bolts that didn't meet quality standards.

 

I am now forming a satellite office of the Antiquers Criminal Justice System.
I will be handling foster placement of all goods of questionable origin/ownership. When I have reason to think I want something... I mean... something I need to investigate... I will be directing the member to send me a plane ticket, a key to their homes or place of business, and a list of times they will not be there.
Mr. Steersman, you may keep all your nice machinery-thingies, but... do you have any jewelry, antique Natural History prints, or parrot trinkets which you suspect may need inspection??????

I also hereby nominate Dave as our Rule Enforcement Officer.

Anybody else care to join the System?

 

I am the defense attorney
When the antiquers criminal Justice is on your heels just give me a call. I have a safehouse for all your goodies er um items.

 

Abuela, you'd be a natural for any number of branches.

 

I volunteer to host the evidence locker. Of course a lot of things may go missing.

 

Me, me....I want to join !!!
I've always wanted to be in orbit !
Ground control to Major Komo ............................

 

Commencing countdown! Engines on!

 

I agree to be the bailbondsman (woman). I'll just need to hold that collateral.....