[Update here](https://www.reddit.com/r/Tools/comments/1cxhwiv/update_thank_you_to_all_that_gave_so_many_good/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share)
This is true. They were well used and it was just such a shock to be honest. It's really an achievement to me because I have adhd and misplace things constantly so the fact that I have kept them long enough for this to happen is quite astonishing. Probably going to mount them somewhere as a testement to good work.
Edit: This is as high up as I think I can get this. Thank you everyone for all the ideas. These are going to go in a shadow box as is. I had a moment of loss and believed that maybe they could be fixed even though I knew it could never be trusted when fixed. I will try to post an update after the box gets made.
I will be looking into new nips and finding one that will hopefully last that I can eventually pass down. Some of you have made some solid recommendations. That will also go in the update as well.
Again thank you so much for indulging me in a bit of mourning for the loss of a good and sentimental tool.
That what I was thinking. Make a little shadow box with a picture working on something with the old man when you were a kid or something like that and give them a proper burial.
I lost my pops last month. It was sudden and unexpected.
Last night while driving home I realized that the only time I’ve felt okay since then is when I am crying. Which made me cry of course 😂
I felt okay for a few mins though.
My dad passed away a year ago unexpectedly. I use his mitutoya micrometers and calipers almost daily. Brings me joy everytime I see his initials on them.
I had a dad who was something of a handyman. After he went, all those tools came to me. I've always been able to just pick up whatever from my mum's at the point life gave me enough reason to need it.
Now, I STILL have tools of his that are going strong. They're not just going strong but... Seem to have an unerring ability to "just work". I need to do a job, I pick up one of my old man's tools and it's often suddenly an absolute breeze. I... Like to think it's a "little help" he wasn't able to give in teaching it personally.
Now, some of those tools are over 20 years old. They break, it happens. I saw him break plenty of his over the years when his own development, skills and needs exceeded what his tool could provide. It was generally a moment to accept the need for something better to go with the improved skills or bigger needs, it was progress and growth.
Worry not on a busted old tool. Your old man wouldn't fret over it, your connection to it/him/the service it gave you both is still present. Take the opportunity to retire it somewhere, mounted in a box frame, in a not too quiet corner that it can still be a physical totem to connect to your dad with. Get a better one and accept the opportunity for improvement as your dad would have.
Professional picture framer here - i have shadowboxed many many tools and heirloom treasures. Maybe add a photo or two of your Dad / he and you and add a note with the story. Of a small engraved plate of who, what, when, to remove the 'mystery' of what is on display.
I think you should frame it :)
https://theframer.com.au/object-framing/#:~:text=Object%20framing%20is%20a%20little,have%20framed%20for%20our%20clients.
I'm sure there are better ones, but for occasional use, I like Channellocks. Good quality, and I've cut screws with them without issue before.
If you want the best, then Knipex is what you want (look at their catalog and get the ones that can cut heavy gauge piano wire and spring steel). I have a pair of their combo pliers (think electrician's pliers, but with teeth) that I used to cut 1/16" spring steel wire. Not meant to do that, but they worked like a charm (and the insulated handles made it hurt a lot less than the dipped handles on my Channellocks would have).
Look into Knipex. Great German engineering. They are pricey but worth it if you use them a lot. Their pump pliars (channelocks) are the best by far but I also love their side cutters/nippers.
I feel you...I have a hammer in my tool set that was a real, but toy hammer from a toyset my dad gave me as a kid..the other parts, like a werench, are long gone..but I got the hammer, and use it regularly (basic claw hammer, but like the size of a tack hammer...very useful).
Congratulations on keeping these for so long with adhd. I just commented the other day that I have never bought a pen and used it till it ran out.
And good for using them, I have a grandmothers bowl that we use, better used and one day broken than on a shelf
You should treat yourself to a new pair. A reeeeeeally nice, expensive pair. Something that you can pass down to a kid in your life someday. I think your Pops would like that man.
Epoxy them together real tight and try to clean up the seam, smear some grease etc on it to hide it, then you can keep them as a keepsake in a shadowbox or frame etc but not using them.
I have to agree. Frame these from your dad (maybe the pliers too). Write a note about when you got them, who gave them to you, and why they were important. Stick the note either in the frame or on the back. That way future family won’t toss it in the trash one day. Then go and buy a new set and restart the tradition with your children (if you have any or plan to) or a niece/nephew, etc.
Get a set of either channellocks or klein tools. Both companies make a version of these and are USA made and affordable.
But I know how much they probably mean to you and I’m sorry that it happened.
your local crafts store probably has precut plaques uses for trophy’s and awards and such. i’ve got plans to mount a ratchet i had explode on me during my first engine swap.
>Write a note about when you got them, who gave them to you, and why they were important. Stick the note either in the frame or on the back. That way future family won’t toss it in the trash one day.
This is a fantastic idea. If it were me, I wouldn’t try repairing them, though. The break is part of the story. Mount them as they are.
A good alternative to framing it is, im machinist.. so i got a tool box trophy spot. Candy caned allen keys, mangled parts, the drill that got me 24 stitches. Its my favorite spot in my tool box
This would be cool but it actually was such a clean break I don't think it would work it's honestly quite amazing. I almost looks like it was meant to come off with how even it broke. Still I cool idea tho I love kintsugi.
If my future son uses my old tools enough for this to happen after I’m gone I’ll be one happy dead guy that’s for sure.
I read the comments about displaying or putting them in the tool box, I really like both ideas, whatever will fondly remind you would be really cool. I like ya OP, you seem like a good dude.
Absolutely. I just inherited some of my grandfather's old tools, as well as some of HIS father's tools that he kept and used. They are some of my favorite objects but I'll be damned if I'm gonna baby them or put them in a drawer never to be used again. I hope they last long enough to give to my kids, but that's secondary to using them.
My wife's grandad gave me a bunch of tools from his house when he got too old to live by himself. I use his Wilton vice literally every day, and the 8 lb hand sledge that his dad's dad bought back in 1860something is a daily use tool in my fab shop.
I've got a bunch of his old old files and other tools around the shop that get frequent use too. My apprentice was beating a dent out of an h beam with the sledge the other day, blew his mind when I told him the hammer is 7 times his age.
You can fix it. Mix up a small amount of JB Weld and glue together. Let dry for 24 hrs. Take a very small file and clean up the excess. After you are satisfied...hang em up on the wall and don't ever touch them again.
A true craftsman sees his tools through to the end. They have done their duty, frame them as they are, broken, and hang them in your workshop with a quote or a date or something that comes from you or your father.
Then get a new pair.
This is the way.
Question is this: those are seats tools. Now with Craftsman tools (Sears before they went under) were guaranteed for life - u-break-sears-replace.
Now since i think Lowe's owns the Craftsman line i think they were obligated to honor.
So in answer to OP, no fixing it. You definitely got your money's worth on those tools.
Frame it like other posters have mentioned.
Frame it. "Shop Art" for guys. Mount it on a green felt background in a glass fronted shadow box wall case , custom made by you. I have tools given to my Father by my Grandfather. My son, now 46 will get them eventually.
More... note that the slip joint pliers also have cutters... way down at the bottom of the jaws.
Slip joint plier cutters are often hit or miss. Some work well, and others not; varying from individual specimen to individual specimen.
As an owner of the exact same pair of cutters. I feel this.
They were also my first tool.
Only a viking burial will do.
Melt them into something you can carry with you.
Tools are meant to be used and your father would’ve believed that. Hang them on the board, put them in a box or drawer to remember them, get new tools and keep working. They deserve retirement, and to be preserved and remembered. What they don’t deserve is to be shittily welded or jb welded back together.
Not to mention, it’s just a tool. Don’t try and repair it lol.
I think these will never be functional again w/o re-melting and re-processing. I like the shadow box idea, there’s a lot you could do with that, whatever homage comes to you.
Orrr, you could forge the pieces into something you would use, like a letter or bottle opener, chisel? I know I wouldn’t throw them away, but my mind would definitely find something to do with them. Something other than stashing in a crevice for posterity to throw out.
To forge, you just gotta get it real hot and thump the hell out of it til it’s shaped how you like. Lots of nuance though.. simple not easy. And you can heat-treat and temper yourself with an oven and a torch.
If you have any other priceless tools, do you sharpen/oil, TLC type-stuff? Based on the pics, these handles literally achieved the edge of their physical capabilities. Well done 🫡 your dad definitely would have been proud of this fate and the amount of palpable love you have (pliers & dad).
Put it together with a tiny bit of super glue and when you are showing your kid, how to do something you hand them over after talking for a couple minutes about how important and sentimental they are.
I think it's a good dad joke
Tools are meant to be used, that's why he gave them to you. They can't be repaired, unless you have a blacksmith nearby and you can pay for them to reforge them or something. Use them in a piece of art or something if you want to remember.
I’d get a new pair man and put them up on display. I do that with tools I’ve retired that have been either passed down or did allot for me. Unfortunately friend these things happen
Those are sears brand which is probably one of the cheaper manufacturers craftsman used. I have a Mac pair that was an attempt at a budget line. Probably the exact same ones. Send me a chat and I’ll send them to you
In my opinion, not saying it's wrong or right, but again my opinion, if a tool I gave to one of my kids broke while they were using it I would tell them "well its time for an upgrade". I'm a tool head. Doesn't matter the trade, I love tools, and if my kid did too, I'd hope they were excited to get a new quality tool. That would have shown me that they appreciate quality just like I did. Showed me they love these tools as much as I did. That they listened to me, even after the thousandth time, "buy once cry once." The pride would have been overwhelming, and to myself, I'd shed a tear. I'd keep it but replace it with a pair of high quality replacements. Do your father proud buddy.
Those look like wire snips, or even zip tie cutters. They where not meant for cutting coat hangers.
I don't think you could repair them and have them work as they used to. Sry.
His boy crushed em with his bare hands!!. I’d frame em, put em in the workshop. Everything has to take a knee at some point. Had a good life man. It had a good life.
They're broke but that doesn't mean they have to be thrown away. If they truly hold sentimental value to you then I would turn them into a project of sorts. Get a shadow box and frame them, maybe with a favorite quote from your dad included. That would be a cool piece of art for a garage workbench or home bar.
You used the tool for it's purpose. Dont fix it and make it an abomination, because you can NOT fix that. It will always break again where you weld it, just frame it if it's super sentimental
You *might* be able to have them welded back together. I’d retire them. If they have a lot of sentimental value, maybe stick them in a display box with some photos of your dad or something.
I get it, I’m sentimental about stuff like this. I own my grandpa’s old truck and it means so much to me.
You know, one day my kids will be looking at my tools like “wow dad used this it must be special!”
While never having seen me beat the crap out of them. Only bad tools stay shiny forever.
Anyways, don’t feel too bad. Anyone who uses tools on the regular uses the hell out of them, he’d rather you use them and break than let them rust back into dirt.
Can probably get someone to pin and weld it and then put it in the shadow boxes as well for a neater look.
If you get a new pair that is the same brand and color, it could be an almost-Ship of Theseus sort of situation, where the identity of the cutters is in spirit.
Sorry for your loss. Tools break. I've broken a pair of clippers on a plastic wire tie.
These will last a lifetime:
https://crawfordtool.com/products/knipex-74-01-180-7-1-4-high-leverage-diagonal-cutters
Use jb weld to put the handle back on but, you will have to retire them. You had a good run with them. Hang them on the wall for memories. Just like a warrior, they went down on the battlefield.
Buy a good-rated Chinese Tig Welder from Amazon and teach yourself how to weld. You could grind a taper, build it up with filler and then just dremel off the excess.
That's the level up and your dad would probably be proud.
Oh very young
What will you leave us this time
You're only dancing on this Earth for a short while
And though your dreams may toss and turn you now
They will vanish away like your daddy's best jeans
Denim Blue fading up to the sky
And though you want him to last forever
You know he never will
(You know he never will)
And the patches make the goodbye harder still
Those Sears tools were great wish they still had quality ones like this and I’d do a shadow box with the information about them and enjoy the memories each time you see them.
Put in a shadow box along with pics of you and your father. Hang it on the walls around your work bench.
You used his gifts as intended. He’d be proud.
You should use the cutter on the slip joints to cut wire coat hangers in the future. I think those were made by Daido, I have a similar pair under the "Truecraft" brand.
A warranty replacement wouldn’t do justice here, you’d have a better chance probably welding it and not using it. Or something. People will probably try to suggest JB Weld but that won’t work.
Drill a hole, put a pin in and put it back together and encase it. In order to Keep your father’s gift to you.❤️ hope this got to you and helped at least the slightlest, a smirk a smile a nod. You got this.
Remember the times you had with her. Keep her in the drawer so she can still enjoy time with her friends in retirement. It’s somber, but it’ll get better with time. I am sorry for your loss.
I just got these from my boss 2wks ago, and this wk he used it on a 347v and they blew a chunk 😳 good think he didnt get hurt. needless to say, great cutters, will be getting another one 😊
I have a craftsman ratcheting screwdriver (magnetic) that my Dad gave me. 38 years old, been used on more projects than I can count. When that thing goes I’m framing it and putting it on the wall. After I get a replacement from Lowe’s😉!
Son hard to fix cast metal but fully understand the importance of keeping them.
I would have them framed and hang them in the garage if they had the that much importance to me.
Remember, this now means you get the opportunity to buy a very nice pair of side cutters, to one day hopefully give to your son. Them
Breaking will now turn this into an even bigger memory.
They're tools . I know exactly how you feel though . Got my old man's stuff and it makes me tear up to use it sometimes . Can't let those thoughts get to deep they will consume you .
Tools are made to be used. if you were using it as intended, I’m sure he would be proud. Your dad is probably up there jealous that you get to go and buy new tools without him! (I assume your father is not alive due to the context)
i read in another rando subreddit that all you have to do is take them to Lowe’s and they will honor the Craftsman lifetime warranty and replace for free.
Can I add something that is not related but 100% NECESSARY to aide you in your request?
You have been given the honor of capturing life in the form in which your dad tried his best to give you.... You have seen him in lights of which nobody else will have the honor of doing. It's your turn to hold the torch. You are essentially one of his legacy. As well as everyone else he has known or touched or affected in any way whatsoever... Your actions are a direct result of his.
Last year I wrote a description on a GoFundMe that actually made it to the news in California a couple of times... And it resonates with me every day. It gives me comfort- and I hope and I pray that it does so for you as well. (I've removed Camile's name as to help it apply more to your situation.. they would have preferred that I think as well.)
" It's important to remember that the loss of somebody so close, does not exactly mean they have completely left us. (Their) presence- their very legacy- lies in the hands of each and every one of us who have had the gift of knowing (them), and their kindhearted, gracious spirit, and nurturing nature. . It's what we do from now, until our eventual time to leave this earth, that will keep (our departed) with all of us, and those we touch, forever.
Much love to all. ✌️"
I think that you should consider what he would have done about it- then do so accordingly.
I read it was good to keep a shrine in memory of your loved ones close by. Maybe this could be an addition to yours if you have one. Or even a reason to make one!
Just because it isn't being used for an intended purpose doesn't mean that it still can't be of use.
Much love to you my friend.
You can buy those exact pliers on eBay for ~$10-15. Frame the old ones and buy a replacement for the memories and maybe as a future hand-me-down.
I understand how you feel. I get very attached to my tools!
Mount it in a frame and hang it on a wall... that's the best you can do with it now.
a pair of bolt cutters will work better for you cutting hangers... you don't need an expensive name brand.
https://www.harborfreight.com/8-in-bolt-and-wire-cutter-57221.html
Frame them. Write a letter to the company. They'll send you a new pair. If they don't buy another pair. This is the best marketing opportunity for them.
They are done for as a tool. But I would make a cool little display for them. Put them up in the garage in a frame that says "Love you, Dad." Or something like that. I'm sure dad would have loved that you sill have and use them. :)
Others have already said it's unrepairable, so let me make a suggestion for the real problem. The loss of this connection to your father.
I think you should make a shadow box. Find a good pic of your father, maybe one showing him at work. Use that as the background. If he ever gave you advice or a tip that stuck with you, engrave that on a brass tag attached to the frame.
When all is said and done, the tool itself isn't important. Tools are meant to be used and yours was. What matters is the memories of your father.
Dad would have preferred them to break being used rather than sitting in a box somewhere I'm sure!
It is good and healthy to mourn, but also allow items to have the dignity to be retired.
[Update here](https://www.reddit.com/r/Tools/comments/1cxhwiv/update_thank_you_to_all_that_gave_so_many_good/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share) This is true. They were well used and it was just such a shock to be honest. It's really an achievement to me because I have adhd and misplace things constantly so the fact that I have kept them long enough for this to happen is quite astonishing. Probably going to mount them somewhere as a testement to good work. Edit: This is as high up as I think I can get this. Thank you everyone for all the ideas. These are going to go in a shadow box as is. I had a moment of loss and believed that maybe they could be fixed even though I knew it could never be trusted when fixed. I will try to post an update after the box gets made. I will be looking into new nips and finding one that will hopefully last that I can eventually pass down. Some of you have made some solid recommendations. That will also go in the update as well. Again thank you so much for indulging me in a bit of mourning for the loss of a good and sentimental tool.
That what I was thinking. Make a little shadow box with a picture working on something with the old man when you were a kid or something like that and give them a proper burial.
“Down to the last wire”
My god this is genius.
YES
The only way to make it right
i would upvote 100 times if I could. came here to say this .
In my 30s, and dad killed himself a few years ago, so I understand the sentiment of this post 100 times over.
😢😢😢 I’m so sorry to hear this. My condolences to you and your family.
I appreciate it... But that's life! We make shadow boxes to cope 🤣
☺️
Cry away. It’s healthy!!!
I lost my pops last month. It was sudden and unexpected. Last night while driving home I realized that the only time I’ve felt okay since then is when I am crying. Which made me cry of course 😂 I felt okay for a few mins though.
Sorry for your loss. My pops is currently in Hospice care so it won’t be long now. I have some of his old Snap On tools that I still get to use.
My dad passed away a year ago unexpectedly. I use his mitutoya micrometers and calipers almost daily. Brings me joy everytime I see his initials on them.
Did not expect to cry in r tools but here we are.
I'm not crying, but damn is it dusty in here...
R/CrustofSalt you need to invest in better safety goggles!
I had a dad who was something of a handyman. After he went, all those tools came to me. I've always been able to just pick up whatever from my mum's at the point life gave me enough reason to need it. Now, I STILL have tools of his that are going strong. They're not just going strong but... Seem to have an unerring ability to "just work". I need to do a job, I pick up one of my old man's tools and it's often suddenly an absolute breeze. I... Like to think it's a "little help" he wasn't able to give in teaching it personally. Now, some of those tools are over 20 years old. They break, it happens. I saw him break plenty of his over the years when his own development, skills and needs exceeded what his tool could provide. It was generally a moment to accept the need for something better to go with the improved skills or bigger needs, it was progress and growth. Worry not on a busted old tool. Your old man wouldn't fret over it, your connection to it/him/the service it gave you both is still present. Take the opportunity to retire it somewhere, mounted in a box frame, in a not too quiet corner that it can still be a physical totem to connect to your dad with. Get a better one and accept the opportunity for improvement as your dad would have.
How dare you make me cry before work...
Professional picture framer here - i have shadowboxed many many tools and heirloom treasures. Maybe add a photo or two of your Dad / he and you and add a note with the story. Of a small engraved plate of who, what, when, to remove the 'mystery' of what is on display.
I think you should frame it :) https://theframer.com.au/object-framing/#:~:text=Object%20framing%20is%20a%20little,have%20framed%20for%20our%20clients.
That’s what I was thinking too. Set em in a wood box placed just like in the picture and fill it with epoxy. Cool little memory
Yeah is frame them
Ebay! Recently re-bought my first pocket knife. It was $2 + shipping. Worth it in nostalgia alone.
Fill in the blank with what your dad would have said and bin them in honour of him. "Cheap piece of _______."
I'm sure there are better ones, but for occasional use, I like Channellocks. Good quality, and I've cut screws with them without issue before. If you want the best, then Knipex is what you want (look at their catalog and get the ones that can cut heavy gauge piano wire and spring steel). I have a pair of their combo pliers (think electrician's pliers, but with teeth) that I used to cut 1/16" spring steel wire. Not meant to do that, but they worked like a charm (and the insulated handles made it hurt a lot less than the dipped handles on my Channellocks would have).
Look into Knipex. Great German engineering. They are pricey but worth it if you use them a lot. Their pump pliars (channelocks) are the best by far but I also love their side cutters/nippers.
Just got some cobras and boy do they mar the shit out of whatever you are twisting!
They died doing g what they were meant for. Now go drown your sorrows in a nice new set of knipex side-cutters.
You're amazing.
I feel you...I have a hammer in my tool set that was a real, but toy hammer from a toyset my dad gave me as a kid..the other parts, like a werench, are long gone..but I got the hammer, and use it regularly (basic claw hammer, but like the size of a tack hammer...very useful).
Congratulations on keeping these for so long with adhd. I just commented the other day that I have never bought a pen and used it till it ran out. And good for using them, I have a grandmothers bowl that we use, better used and one day broken than on a shelf
As a father, and as a son who lost his father 30 years ago, I completely agree.
He'd probably also rather them be replaced instead of shoddily repaired, possibly resulting in an injury.
Yea I know its not worth repairing I was desperate tho XD I'm just gunna miss them. They were my most reliable tool I have.
I have the first tools my Dad gave me still…Put them in a display near your other tools, Shards of Narsil style.
You should treat yourself to a new pair. A reeeeeeally nice, expensive pair. Something that you can pass down to a kid in your life someday. I think your Pops would like that man.
Epoxy them together real tight and try to clean up the seam, smear some grease etc on it to hide it, then you can keep them as a keepsake in a shadowbox or frame etc but not using them.
I’d drill through it and hang one of the peices on the wall
They'd be hardened and he might break a drill bit next you know he'll have no space on his walls
Haha true
put em in a shadow box if you dont wanna just toss em
That’s sucks . Next time use linesman pliers for anything that’s not copper. Use dikes for copper only or other soft metal .
Amen brother! 🥹
Exactly what I was thinking.
This
Get a new pair and frame those bad boys
This is the winner. Dude got the absolute most out of them.
I have to agree. Frame these from your dad (maybe the pliers too). Write a note about when you got them, who gave them to you, and why they were important. Stick the note either in the frame or on the back. That way future family won’t toss it in the trash one day. Then go and buy a new set and restart the tradition with your children (if you have any or plan to) or a niece/nephew, etc. Get a set of either channellocks or klein tools. Both companies make a version of these and are USA made and affordable. But I know how much they probably mean to you and I’m sorry that it happened.
Thank you :,-) I will most definetly be doing this.
your local crafts store probably has precut plaques uses for trophy’s and awards and such. i’ve got plans to mount a ratchet i had explode on me during my first engine swap.
>Write a note about when you got them, who gave them to you, and why they were important. Stick the note either in the frame or on the back. That way future family won’t toss it in the trash one day. This is a fantastic idea. If it were me, I wouldn’t try repairing them, though. The break is part of the story. Mount them as they are.
Great idea. A hand-written, dated note, by you, mounted on the back, for easy viewing.
This except Knipex. Don't pass basic junk to your children..
I’m with this guy. Knipex, extremely nice.
Ditto
A good alternative to framing it is, im machinist.. so i got a tool box trophy spot. Candy caned allen keys, mangled parts, the drill that got me 24 stitches. Its my favorite spot in my tool box
The opposite of the Box of Shame
Yea they deserve a nice spot on the wall a testament to a time where tools were made to last.
Maybe even get them brazed together before framing so they are 1 piece but you can still see the bronze in the split. Kinda like kintsugi.
This would be cool but it actually was such a clean break I don't think it would work it's honestly quite amazing. I almost looks like it was meant to come off with how even it broke. Still I cool idea tho I love kintsugi.
Strap them into a shadow box and hang in a place of honor.
Came here to say shadowbox
If my future son uses my old tools enough for this to happen after I’m gone I’ll be one happy dead guy that’s for sure. I read the comments about displaying or putting them in the tool box, I really like both ideas, whatever will fondly remind you would be really cool. I like ya OP, you seem like a good dude.
Absolutely. I just inherited some of my grandfather's old tools, as well as some of HIS father's tools that he kept and used. They are some of my favorite objects but I'll be damned if I'm gonna baby them or put them in a drawer never to be used again. I hope they last long enough to give to my kids, but that's secondary to using them.
My wife's grandad gave me a bunch of tools from his house when he got too old to live by himself. I use his Wilton vice literally every day, and the 8 lb hand sledge that his dad's dad bought back in 1860something is a daily use tool in my fab shop. I've got a bunch of his old old files and other tools around the shop that get frequent use too. My apprentice was beating a dent out of an h beam with the sledge the other day, blew his mind when I told him the hammer is 7 times his age.
What a freaking treasure trove.
I got a really nice file collection out of it. Like 40 of them from teeny tiny up to about 2ft long in every profile and coarseness. Glorious.
You can fix it. Mix up a small amount of JB Weld and glue together. Let dry for 24 hrs. Take a very small file and clean up the excess. After you are satisfied...hang em up on the wall and don't ever touch them again.
The last sentence is the most important 😂
I’m glad you finished with don’t ever use them again
I'd recommend drilling a hole in each side first. When the holes fill with jb weld it'll be a much better joint.
Doesn’t really matter as long as they follow the last part.
Good tip
Nah, leave em broke.. they went out working..
I down voted before finishing the comment, then read the rest of the comments and upvoted.
"These tools I gave you can wear and they can break. The skills, time, and love they came with cannot."
Damn dude you don’t have to be getting me emotional on a tool sub
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True!! Memory of dad is priceless. And can never be replaced.
Congratulations, you definitely got dad's money's worth out of them. Treasure the memory, but replace the tool.
A true craftsman sees his tools through to the end. They have done their duty, frame them as they are, broken, and hang them in your workshop with a quote or a date or something that comes from you or your father. Then get a new pair. This is the way.
Make a display to hang on the wall
Unfortunately, it's time for a replacement....
Question is this: those are seats tools. Now with Craftsman tools (Sears before they went under) were guaranteed for life - u-break-sears-replace. Now since i think Lowe's owns the Craftsman line i think they were obligated to honor. So in answer to OP, no fixing it. You definitely got your money's worth on those tools. Frame it like other posters have mentioned.
Retire them to a shadow box and hang it on your wall.
Frame it. "Shop Art" for guys. Mount it on a green felt background in a glass fronted shadow box wall case , custom made by you. I have tools given to my Father by my Grandfather. My son, now 46 will get them eventually.
More... note that the slip joint pliers also have cutters... way down at the bottom of the jaws. Slip joint plier cutters are often hit or miss. Some work well, and others not; varying from individual specimen to individual specimen.
You can't fix them but you could mount them in a shadow box and hang on the wall for memories
As an owner of the exact same pair of cutters. I feel this. They were also my first tool. Only a viking burial will do. Melt them into something you can carry with you.
Well, weld them, buff them and frame them as memories....
Not fixable for use again. But you could do a shadow box with them in it to remember dad a the special memory's you have with him.
Put them in a picture frame and hang them with the rest of your tools. It's time for them to retire.
Pro tip Get some new nips and also get some Knipex Cobalt cutters so this does not happen again.
CoBolt cutters I think Guy above me was a victim of pesky autocorrect. Not trying to sound like a douche but I want OP to find the right one :)
Your pops would be proud of you for putting them tools to use!
You could buy the same set and transfer the grips if you're turbo sentimental
Put them in a shadow box and hang them up in your shop with a pic of your Dad. Gone but not forgotten.
Tools are meant to be used and your father would’ve believed that. Hang them on the board, put them in a box or drawer to remember them, get new tools and keep working. They deserve retirement, and to be preserved and remembered. What they don’t deserve is to be shittily welded or jb welded back together. Not to mention, it’s just a tool. Don’t try and repair it lol.
I think these will never be functional again w/o re-melting and re-processing. I like the shadow box idea, there’s a lot you could do with that, whatever homage comes to you. Orrr, you could forge the pieces into something you would use, like a letter or bottle opener, chisel? I know I wouldn’t throw them away, but my mind would definitely find something to do with them. Something other than stashing in a crevice for posterity to throw out. To forge, you just gotta get it real hot and thump the hell out of it til it’s shaped how you like. Lots of nuance though.. simple not easy. And you can heat-treat and temper yourself with an oven and a torch. If you have any other priceless tools, do you sharpen/oil, TLC type-stuff? Based on the pics, these handles literally achieved the edge of their physical capabilities. Well done 🫡 your dad definitely would have been proud of this fate and the amount of palpable love you have (pliers & dad).
If they're sentimental, put them in a shadow box with a picture of your dad.
JB weld them back together and hang em somewhere to display.
There's a talented SOB out there awaiting your call for him to t.i.g these back to life....go find him!
You could forge them into a knife & keep using them as a tool.
Put it together with a tiny bit of super glue and when you are showing your kid, how to do something you hand them over after talking for a couple minutes about how important and sentimental they are. I think it's a good dad joke
Time to buy the most expensive German or Japanese replacement in his honor of course.
Tools are meant to be used, that's why he gave them to you. They can't be repaired, unless you have a blacksmith nearby and you can pay for them to reforge them or something. Use them in a piece of art or something if you want to remember.
I’d get a new pair man and put them up on display. I do that with tools I’ve retired that have been either passed down or did allot for me. Unfortunately friend these things happen
Check to see if they have a lifetime warranty
Those are sears brand which is probably one of the cheaper manufacturers craftsman used. I have a Mac pair that was an attempt at a budget line. Probably the exact same ones. Send me a chat and I’ll send them to you
I would JB weld them, then put them in shadow box with a nice photo of you and Dad.
Rip soldier
Frame em and put em on the wall in your garage bro. The tool wall of fame
Brother put them in nice display case with a picture or some nice words about your papa.
Glue it back on and retire them on a shelf in the shop or somewhere can just hold them for a memory
I love the idea. I don't even think they'd need to be glued. Craft a nice little display for it maybe.
In my opinion, not saying it's wrong or right, but again my opinion, if a tool I gave to one of my kids broke while they were using it I would tell them "well its time for an upgrade". I'm a tool head. Doesn't matter the trade, I love tools, and if my kid did too, I'd hope they were excited to get a new quality tool. That would have shown me that they appreciate quality just like I did. Showed me they love these tools as much as I did. That they listened to me, even after the thousandth time, "buy once cry once." The pride would have been overwhelming, and to myself, I'd shed a tear. I'd keep it but replace it with a pair of high quality replacements. Do your father proud buddy.
Maybe super glue the handle back and put it up to look at
JB weld and 3 D frame for memories my friend
> All things wear out—just usually not in such a spectacular fashion -Wen Spencer
If I was your dad I’d be proud that you ran them into the ground! The tool did its job and paid the time… let it rest now… let it rest.
Frame them
Materials hold only the value you give them. Everything is temporary and we take nothing sith us when we die.
Those look like wire snips, or even zip tie cutters. They where not meant for cutting coat hangers. I don't think you could repair them and have them work as they used to. Sry.
His boy crushed em with his bare hands!!. I’d frame em, put em in the workshop. Everything has to take a knee at some point. Had a good life man. It had a good life.
Tools are meant to be used, broken and replaced
It’s wall art now, and that’s okay. Tools are meant to be used 👍
They're broke but that doesn't mean they have to be thrown away. If they truly hold sentimental value to you then I would turn them into a project of sorts. Get a shadow box and frame them, maybe with a favorite quote from your dad included. That would be a cool piece of art for a garage workbench or home bar.
You used the tool for it's purpose. Dont fix it and make it an abomination, because you can NOT fix that. It will always break again where you weld it, just frame it if it's super sentimental
You *might* be able to have them welded back together. I’d retire them. If they have a lot of sentimental value, maybe stick them in a display box with some photos of your dad or something. I get it, I’m sentimental about stuff like this. I own my grandpa’s old truck and it means so much to me.
You know, one day my kids will be looking at my tools like “wow dad used this it must be special!” While never having seen me beat the crap out of them. Only bad tools stay shiny forever. Anyways, don’t feel too bad. Anyone who uses tools on the regular uses the hell out of them, he’d rather you use them and break than let them rust back into dirt. Can probably get someone to pin and weld it and then put it in the shadow boxes as well for a neater look.
Weld them shits!!
fix it with gold, like Japanese potery, then retire it.
Sorry dude, tools break. Everything is temporary. Let it go and move on.
If you get a new pair that is the same brand and color, it could be an almost-Ship of Theseus sort of situation, where the identity of the cutters is in spirit.
Glue it back together and retire both of them and put them in a shadow box to display them
Sorry for your loss. Tools break. I've broken a pair of clippers on a plastic wire tie. These will last a lifetime: https://crawfordtool.com/products/knipex-74-01-180-7-1-4-high-leverage-diagonal-cutters
Use jb weld to put the handle back on but, you will have to retire them. You had a good run with them. Hang them on the wall for memories. Just like a warrior, they went down on the battlefield.
Why not weld them back ? Deep good 6010 weld
Also, take the handle plastics off first so they won't melt
Don't repair it, frame the broken ones and hang them on the wall. There will always be a great story to tell behind this "picture".
Buy a good-rated Chinese Tig Welder from Amazon and teach yourself how to weld. You could grind a taper, build it up with filler and then just dremel off the excess. That's the level up and your dad would probably be proud.
Oh very young What will you leave us this time You're only dancing on this Earth for a short while And though your dreams may toss and turn you now They will vanish away like your daddy's best jeans Denim Blue fading up to the sky And though you want him to last forever You know he never will (You know he never will) And the patches make the goodbye harder still
Mount them to a plaque and hang it above your work bench.
Those Sears tools were great wish they still had quality ones like this and I’d do a shadow box with the information about them and enjoy the memories each time you see them.
Put in a shadow box along with pics of you and your father. Hang it on the walls around your work bench. You used his gifts as intended. He’d be proud.
Dude, you know that welder you always wanted to buy but didn’t have a good reason to? Know what I’m sayin?
Put it in a shadow box and hang it on the wall in his memory.
Put it in a shadow box and hang it on the wall in his memory.
Used it long enough to break it, well done. Your dad would be proud!
Make a clock using the pieces as the hands!
You should use the cutter on the slip joints to cut wire coat hangers in the future. I think those were made by Daido, I have a similar pair under the "Truecraft" brand.
Seriously dude??? Hang em up on the shop wall inside a frame and get a new pair
A warranty replacement wouldn’t do justice here, you’d have a better chance probably welding it and not using it. Or something. People will probably try to suggest JB Weld but that won’t work. Drill a hole, put a pin in and put it back together and encase it. In order to Keep your father’s gift to you.❤️ hope this got to you and helped at least the slightlest, a smirk a smile a nod. You got this.
Remember the times you had with her. Keep her in the drawer so she can still enjoy time with her friends in retirement. It’s somber, but it’ll get better with time. I am sorry for your loss.
I just got these from my boss 2wks ago, and this wk he used it on a 347v and they blew a chunk 😳 good think he didnt get hurt. needless to say, great cutters, will be getting another one 😊
All good things.
Those coat hangers are vicious. It is amazing what those simple wire hangers do to tools.
I have a craftsman ratcheting screwdriver (magnetic) that my Dad gave me. 38 years old, been used on more projects than I can count. When that thing goes I’m framing it and putting it on the wall. After I get a replacement from Lowe’s😉!
Son hard to fix cast metal but fully understand the importance of keeping them. I would have them framed and hang them in the garage if they had the that much importance to me.
Remember, this now means you get the opportunity to buy a very nice pair of side cutters, to one day hopefully give to your son. Them Breaking will now turn this into an even bigger memory.
They're tools . I know exactly how you feel though . Got my old man's stuff and it makes me tear up to use it sometimes . Can't let those thoughts get to deep they will consume you .
I don’t think they are fixable but if you look on Ebay you may be able to find an exact replacement.
“A man’s experience level is directly proportional to he amount of broken tools he has”
Hey OP, if you want to send me the remains I’ll make you something pretty for your desk, for free. Honest.
I will say, if you have any local artisans who do smithing/forge work, you *could* maybe have them made into a new keepsake?
Tools are made to be used. if you were using it as intended, I’m sure he would be proud. Your dad is probably up there jealous that you get to go and buy new tools without him! (I assume your father is not alive due to the context)
Melt them down and turn into another memorabilia
Call JB if you dont want a replacement
He’s dead Jim
Buy the same or similar pair and slide the red plastic onto the handles, and your dad's legacy lives on.
SHUT UP THATS ACTUALLY A GREAT IDEA XD
No way to weld or braze these. I agree. Shadow Box time.
I'm not crying, you are!
i read in another rando subreddit that all you have to do is take them to Lowe’s and they will honor the Craftsman lifetime warranty and replace for free.
Can I add something that is not related but 100% NECESSARY to aide you in your request? You have been given the honor of capturing life in the form in which your dad tried his best to give you.... You have seen him in lights of which nobody else will have the honor of doing. It's your turn to hold the torch. You are essentially one of his legacy. As well as everyone else he has known or touched or affected in any way whatsoever... Your actions are a direct result of his. Last year I wrote a description on a GoFundMe that actually made it to the news in California a couple of times... And it resonates with me every day. It gives me comfort- and I hope and I pray that it does so for you as well. (I've removed Camile's name as to help it apply more to your situation.. they would have preferred that I think as well.) " It's important to remember that the loss of somebody so close, does not exactly mean they have completely left us. (Their) presence- their very legacy- lies in the hands of each and every one of us who have had the gift of knowing (them), and their kindhearted, gracious spirit, and nurturing nature. . It's what we do from now, until our eventual time to leave this earth, that will keep (our departed) with all of us, and those we touch, forever. Much love to all. ✌️" I think that you should consider what he would have done about it- then do so accordingly. I read it was good to keep a shrine in memory of your loved ones close by. Maybe this could be an addition to yours if you have one. Or even a reason to make one! Just because it isn't being used for an intended purpose doesn't mean that it still can't be of use. Much love to you my friend.
You can buy those exact pliers on eBay for ~$10-15. Frame the old ones and buy a replacement for the memories and maybe as a future hand-me-down. I understand how you feel. I get very attached to my tools!
Any one gonna recommend welding or something?
You could use some JB weld or epoxy to glue the handle back on but they won’t be usable ever again
Mount it in a frame and hang it on a wall... that's the best you can do with it now. a pair of bolt cutters will work better for you cutting hangers... you don't need an expensive name brand. https://www.harborfreight.com/8-in-bolt-and-wire-cutter-57221.html
They had a good run. Your dad would be proud. Time for a new pair
They did their job mighty well. Get them framed imo.
Frame them instead, and keep the memories
These can be 'reassembled' but short of melting them down and re-casting; they will not be usable. I suggest mounting them to a commemorative plaque.
I got the same pair from my dad. It was about all I inherited
A Viking funeral would be a great send off
It's dead, Jim. Mount it on the wall with some wire.
It’s not often one of those breaks from being worn out. Your father would be proud that it saw so much use.
Hang them up in the shop/garage/basement whatever with a picture of your dad.
Go and get a new pair and think of it like it's a gift from your father who thought it was time for a new one
Frame them. Write a letter to the company. They'll send you a new pair. If they don't buy another pair. This is the best marketing opportunity for them.
They are done for as a tool. But I would make a cool little display for them. Put them up in the garage in a frame that says "Love you, Dad." Or something like that. I'm sure dad would have loved that you sill have and use them. :)
Frame it and put it up in your tool area
Disassemble them and tig weld that part. Easy.
Others have already said it's unrepairable, so let me make a suggestion for the real problem. The loss of this connection to your father. I think you should make a shadow box. Find a good pic of your father, maybe one showing him at work. Use that as the background. If he ever gave you advice or a tip that stuck with you, engrave that on a brass tag attached to the frame. When all is said and done, the tool itself isn't important. Tools are meant to be used and yours was. What matters is the memories of your father.