Best Tools I Ever Bought

[zerogravitas]

@Tobias Rodriguez - I love seeing tools people have made themselves!

Here's my nipple driver (old file handle and a chunky nail ground to shape).

 

[The Bat]

^ Straight out of Roger Musson's book @JoeH

 

[Canuk]

At first I thought you had raided something from your local church!!!

If they had tools like that, I'd be in there every Sunday

 

[bikeworkshop]

The park cc-1, one of their finest tools

Tells you how worn the chain is.
It goes way beyond.

You can then use this information along with the user's experience and an estimation of their output to see whether anything needs replacing and how soon.

It needs experience and judgement to get the most from it.

Its replacement, the cc-2
Just tells you when you've reached a predetermined level of wear.

If mechanics trust this tool, they end up replacing almost every chain on working bikes!
From a mechanics perspective, it makes perfect sense, but from an economic or environmental perspective, it's verging on criminal!

The Bean-Counter's choice

 

[Wingsonmyheels]

Has no one mentioned their hammers yet? Am I the first? I’ve a fine collection of hammers, wouldn’t be without them, serve a multitude of purposes. And my Record 4” vice, although I will happily admit it is not big enough, although it has defeated every BB fixed cup I’ve offered it.

 

[zerogravitas]

My humble cheapy Blue Spot rubber mallet has definitely paid for itself over the years!
I've got a nice old Record No5 on the bench at home, but for heavy jobs I bring the odd bit into work to use this superb No23 we have!
These Irwin clip on soft jaws are great for avoiding marring metal parts too.

 

[Canuk]

Are the Irwin clip ons universal, or are they specific to each version of the vice?

 

[Canuk]

VAR référence 41/B TARAUD DE PEDALIER, thread cutter/chaser for TA and Stronglight chainsets. Complete with original box and instructions (Rebour illustration). Forty quid Nice heavyweight steel tool, nearly a kilo!

 

[Canuk]

VAR tool 59 freewheel cracker and Gian Roberts (had no idea they made tools) chain tool splitter. Again with original documentation.

 

[zerogravitas]

Are the Irwin clip ons universal, or are they specific to each version of the vice?

They are just a sprung steel clip, I think different widths are available for different sized vice jaws. Will look them up for you.