by Josh G.

It’s kind of hard to imagine, but we used to be surrounded by commercial spaces that were socially integrated into our community. You could stop in a general store, hang out, catch up with someone or have a conversation with a stranger. Buying stuff was intimately connected within our social landscape. Starting in the 70’s with the rise of the big box stores and continuing into the digital age with online retailers like Amazon, these social spaces have been increasingly harder and harder to find. In an effort to “streamline” and “manage costs” we are currently witnessing the depersonalization of commerce and the effects that it’s having on our towns and cities. In an effort to increase the awareness of the importance of these spaces, and to promote the value of businesses that provide people a place that they can feel a part of, we will be hosting a late night Ice Cream Social Tuesday, May 28th, from 7 to 10 pm.

This isn’t just a sweet ice cream date. We will also unveil our recently redone storefront windows. These window displays will be ever changing and eventually will be guest curated by hand selected local artists and other people in the community. In 1993 local sculptor Dale Eldred did an installation of giant gold tools that have been hanging in the window ever since. The current window display, done by Jori Sackin (that’s me), keeps Dale’s gold tools, but builds around them, reflecting the wide array of products that we sell, as well as the local tools we distribute.

Recently, in reaction to this scrubbing clean of social space, and with the deepening consciousness people have about the broader implications of their purchases, we have seen a challenge to the mentality of simply “buying cheap”. More and more people view purchases as a moral issue, one that has consequences on the social landscape in which they live. This trend can be seen in the movement of food toward local/organic, as well as tradesman who buy American made tools, not just because of the quality, but also because of the duty they feel to support local jobs and manufacturing. More than ever, American consumers are waking up to the fact that continuing down the path of “as cheap as possible” has huge economic and social effects here in our country, and in other parts of the world. It is Epstein’s hope to promote this growing consumer consciousness through the late night celebration of art, community and ice cream.

New Wlide Tool window!

Per customer request here is a military green Mora hand axe. Boron steel head is 4 3/8″ long and has a curved cutting edge of about 3 1/2″. Plastic handle is cast directly onto the head. About 12 1/2″ long and shaped for a good grip. Weighs about 18 ounces. Leather sheath.

If you are like me and are prone to dropping things that immediately vanish, I might suggest the exact same axe, but in a vibrant orange.

Working on fixing up our storefront windows. Almost finished painting. Next step – fill them full of stuff.

Awhile back a customer of ours requested that we start carrying USA wire brushes. We immediately thought of a little known US company called The Magnolia Brush Co. that makes all sorts of domestic brushes. In business since 1907 Magnolia still makes great quality USA brushes. The brush you happen to be looking at is a curved long handled wire scratch brush.

They also make a more compact shoe handle brush with 4 x 16 rows of round carbon steel wire bristles.

Moving further down the size scale, we come to this small brass detail brush. Great for parts cleaning or for the million other things you do with a wire brush. Also comes in Stainless Steel.

Looking through the Magnolia catalog I couldn’t resist getting a few of these Truck Exhaust Stack Cleaning Brushes. They’re designed specifically to clean the chrome exhaust stacks on semi’s, but could easily be used to clean any overhead pipes as well.

Ok. So, I have to be honest. I have no idea why I bought these genuine ostrich feather dusters, other than the fact that I wanted to see ostrich feathers. But on closer inspection this is an incredibly handy little item. The feathers are super soft and incredibly strong. They are some of the only feathers that actually hold the dust, so you’re not just moving it around. Clean the old fashioned way with this US made and surprisingly inexpensive feather duster.

Just got a new closeout deal in on a variety of USA wire cup brushes. They come in Pfred boxes but with Advance Brush stickers. Most are stamped Advance USA. Above brush is a 6″ knotted Stainless steel cup brush. 6″ Diameter x 5/8-11. .023 Stainless Steel Wire. F/C Twist 1 Row. MSFS 6,000 RPM.

Pfred Advance Brush Stainless Steel Knotted Cup Brush. 6″ Diameter x 5/8-11. .014 Stainless Steel Wire. F/C Twist 1 Row. MSFS 6,000 RPM.

Pfred Advance Brush Mini Cup Brush. Knot Type. 3 1/2″ Diameter x 5/8-11 External Thread. .014 Stainless Steel Wire. MFSF 12,500 RPM.

Pfred Advance Brush 2 1/2″ Mounted Flared Cup Brush. Crimped .008 Carbon Steel. MSFS 20,000 RPM. 1/4″ Shank.

Pfred Advance Brush Crimped Stainless Steel 2″ Circular Flared End Mounted Brush. 1/4″ Shank. .014 Stainless Steel Wire. MSFS 14,000 RPM. When the weather starts to heat up this is exactly what my hair starts to look like.

Pfred Advance Brush Stainless Steel 3″ Circular Mounted End Brush. 1/4″ Shank. .020 Stainless Steel Wire. MSFS 14,000 RPM.

I bet you can’t find a knock off of this at Harbor Freight. 1945 PT Boat Hand Powered Metal Lathe. Came bulk packed in the original wood boxes. These were originally made for PT Boats, but by the time they finished making them and sent them off, the war had ended. That’s right. New old stock. Never been used. Some surface rust from sitting around.

Lansky popularized “The Puck”, which we sell quite a few of, but unfortunately, it’s imported. That’s why when we heard there was a deal on a US version of it, we quickly snatched it up.

So let me introduce the US puck, by Modern Abrasives. 220 Grit. 2 9/16″ round. 1 5/16″ thick. Grooved for better handling. It says it’s for axe sharpening, but you could use this for almost anything. Looks to be real nice quality AND it’s substantially cheaper than the imported version.

We’re also selling these 24 to a box, if you need to have a lifetime supply.

Professional pokers will be excited to see this 7″ Wilde Scratch Awl, Punch and general purpose poker. Nice sturdy handle for all your poking needs.

Professional punchers rejoice at this extra long 9″ Wilde pin punch set. Sizes: 3/16, 1/4, 5/16 & 3/8″.

Another odd deal we’ve got in recently is these 1960′s East German test tubes. Now I know what you’re thinking. What could I possibly do with a bunch of test tubes? Well, you could make a rain gauge, a flower vase, a shot glass, spice holder, chandelier, perfume vial, candle holder, etc. Basically just drill some holes in a piece of wood, stick some test tubes in it, and viola, you’ve made an awesome holder of some kind that you can put stuff in, and better yet, the wife will love it!

They also come in a smaller size.