Hoping to get me some (semi) quality goods at even better prices today. Been a while since I’ve been to the local flea market. Hoping to get at least one good score. Should have broke all my 20s to 1s and 5s last night. 

I would have gone to a car boot sale or two this morning but it is the end of the season and heavy rain here, next weekend I am at an indoor historic market trading and will also be visiting another event early sunday morning on the way to look for some bargains to resell at the market

Flea markets can be fun, but I haven't been to one in ages.  The nearest to me is a joke, and the better one is an hour's drive away.  

Yeah, it turned out to be mainly a bust. I got a few things. I paid $45 for a small drill press and a little belt/disc sander. He wanted $35 and $25 so I offered $40. I got a pretty nice drawknife. He was firm on $25 but I won when I only had a 20 and 4 ones. Didn’t want to buy it but it was nice quality and worth it. 

I've used the Delta version of that sander for a while, before upgrading. There should be a way to tilt the belt mechanism from horizontal to vertical. I did that, and rigged a simple sheet metal guard, and I was off to the races. That grinder should serve you well. I was unable to kill mine.

Steve

15" Trimo wrench, tag on it said US$14.99; he offered it to me for $7 and when I stopped back by to offer him $5 he said $4 before I could make my offer. SOLD! Soon to be a moderately large twisting wrench From the larger fleamarket the next town over.

The smaller drawknife: was $4 as well bought it to give to my Grandkids in Arkansas for Christmas. (From the local fleamarket where you bargain and ask questions in Spanish.)

Good deal Thomas, I held out on the drawknife for a while. Came back before I left, didn’t look like he sold anything. He just kept say, you look online you’ll see how much they cost. I wanted to say this is a flea market, but I needed a drawknife. So I pulled out $24 and he took it. I’m about to go clean everything up now though. I’m just waiting until spring to come back. Hope theirs more sellers then. 

That top drawknife looks exactly like the one I just got, what’s the deal with one handle having a peened piece of metal at the end and the other not? Plus the ends look capped. 

Just an optical; the both have the same termination with the rectangular tang end peened over onto a steel cap piece.

I have a number of drawknives as each shape variation is good for specific use; though they all can pinch hit for other ones...

One of my favorites has folding "adjustable" handles so you can set how they are canted as well as fold them in for travel.

Patience Pressure. You will find the good deals to be had out there. Unless you Really need it now, just pass and wait for the next one to pop up. Tools I could use but dont Need right now go on the "cheap find" waiting list. I have some draw knives that just so happened to fall on that list and I pounced on the inexpensive ones. Don't let the "look online" fool you. Many times they are asking prices and not "selling" prices. Just think to yourself " keep it than!" And move on. The larger your tool collection grows the easier it is to pass on not so good deals.

Yeah, I didn’t think I was gonna spend anything. There was a nice 6 inch bench grinder but he wouldn’t come down on $40 so I didn’t need it so I passed. Ive got a 10 inch bench grinder but would have liked another smaller one.

When  the guy with the belt sander and drill press got set up I was interested. I just got em both all cleaned up and running nice, very happy with that $45 purchase. Probably could have found them a little cheaper in six months but the drill press is something I definitely could have used more than once already, not even with smithing just in general. Since he gave the deal on the press and sander I couldn’t pass it up. I’m happy with the drawknife too, it’s definitely gonna get its use. Got it nice and sharp. 

The drill press and belt sander were good deals in my opinion.

Yeah, I was bummed I didn’t see any hammers I could use except ball peens and I have plenty of those. Almost bought a nice big wooden bat but I was satisfied for the day. 

At the better ones there are people with different stuff at different prices each week. Just gatta play the waiting game with those.

Ball peen hammers can be reforged to other shapes.

I pick ballpeens up when they are very cheap US$1 or perhaps $2 for a very large one.  I find enough at those prices to have some on hand.

When you run across a "unicorn"....   Just shut up and cough up... Before you walk away think about how likely you are to see another one, and will you regret this for the rest of your life...  Save your pennies and wait for the good stuff.