Want to Sell Antique chainsaw collection

[Evil XL 12]

I have an add on one of the local sites in my area asking for people to contact me if they have vintage chainsaws for sale. A man contacted me asking if I wanted to buy 100-150 antique chainsaws at $100 each. According to him they are mostly from the 1940s and older. He told me that several are 2 man saws. I'm not at that level of collecting but I wondered if any of you know of a museum or somewhere else that would be interested in something like that. The guy says he wants to sell them all together.

 

[Yukon Stihl]

If i was you i would think about it.
Some of the old stuff is super valuable.His dates maybe off a bit but if they aren't it's a possible gold mine.the first one man saws came out mid to late 40's
Go look and take some pictures

 

[Pepster]

Not sure they had efficient chainsaws in 1940's...
Research is your friend.

 

[Pepster]

They used 155mm Horwitzers to clear forests in WW2 (1940's)

 

[Bill G]

They are definitely worth going and looking at. As others have noted his dates are probably off. The 1940's and older is virtually impossible. There were very few one man saws until later

A

 

[Pepster]

Love the history...
My Grandparents shared their story in the United States.
Both born & raised, they had a VERY hard life.
You couldn't imagine!
They dont make people like that anymore!
Sacrifice is only a word, till you live it!

 

[Evil XL 12]

Thanks to all of you for the info. I would love to go check them out and buy them but he wants to sell them all as a package deal. That would be between $10,000-$15,000 depending on how many he actually has. I usually buy 1-5 chainsaws at a time and don't really get many from before the early 60's. He's in Paris TN which is about 2 hours away. I told him no thanks but that I would ask others if they're interested. I will see if he'll send pictures for me to post. I'd love to see them anyway.

 

[Bill G]

Please take this for what it is worth (which is nothing) but if you do not at least try to find the time to go take a look you are doing yourself a disservice. I understand you may not be in a financial position to purchase but please trust me there are other options that may have never occurred to you. I will assure you that if you go and take a look and post a large amount of good pictures (if possible) you will be surprised at the reactions. I also understand that taking good pictures will be hard or possibly impossible. The owner will probably have the saws piled in barns, sheds, and areas that are not conducive to taking good detailed pictures. I have been down that road many times and understand it well. I have many stories of the "saw/tool/equipment hunts" my sons and I have been on. They are all good stories but not all ended well. I have a lot more to share on this subject tonight but right now I need to get back to work.

Oh by the way my son was giving me grief last Saturday as we were heading out on a 4 hour journey to pickup my new best friend (no not a Russian bride.....yet). He had been on the majority of my massive long trips and just said the only thing currently stopping me from wanting to go to Des Moines to pick up cattle panels was him saying he was busy. Well little did he know what 7 days later would bring..............Paris TN is only 481 miles from my driveway. We can do that in a very long day

 

[Yukon Stihl]

If it was within 750 miles i would be on it
thats an easy days drive for me.

 

[Bill G]

If it was within 750 miles i would be on it
thats an easy days drive for me.

You are a much more resilient man than me and must drive a lot faster. A 750 mile trip would be 1500 miles of driving. There is no way we could average 70 miles an hour (well with my sons driving they would sure try) but even at that it is just shy of 21.5 hours. Now with staying the night somewhere it is easily doable.

As for a trip to Paris, TN at 481 miles... well that is possible, it is doable, but the reaction I got from my son Saturday when I started to bring it up was not real appropriate for a family friendly forum.

Bill

 

[Evil XL 12]

I appreciate the advice. I may go check it out. I did drive to Paducah Kentucky with my daughter for one chainsaw. It's a little farther than Paris. I also went to Northern Alabama after a 12 hour shift to buy one. My youngest daughter will usually go with me. I always have a great time with her. She's 20 and will still hang out with me. If I do go, I'll definitely post some pictures. My map shows it at about 160 miles. I used to drive 720 to come home on leave but I was much younger then. It was a 10 hour drive until I got married, then it became a 12-13 hour drive.

 

[Bill G]

I have made the trip from Illinois to South Dakota after work so my son can compete for 10 seconds. Did it once by myself and once with my wife. Some of our best times. I told him to get in the truck one afternoon because we were heading to Nebraska to get a saw. Little did he know we were going to the Nascar race at Iowa Speedway instead. When we got close to the track he said Dad their racing tonight. Then when we took the exit to the track he said what are we doing. I said do you really think I would wait until late afternoon to go to Nebraska for a stinking saw, heck we going to the race.

 

[Yukon Stihl]

The only way i can make those miles is by myself and a bunch of good music.

 

[SweetMK]

I do not want to get into a "truck" argument,, but,, IMHO,
buying those saws in one whack is gonna be more weight than most pickups (even with a trailer) can haul...

(YEA, I know,,, YOUR VW truck could haul all of them,,, sorry, not here to argue,,)

 

[Bill G]

I do not want to get into a "truck" argument,, but,, IMHO,
buying those saws in one whack is gonna be more weight than most pickups (even with a trailer) can haul...

(YEA, I know,,, YOUR VW truck could haul all of them,,, sorry, not here to argue,,)

There would be no real argument to be had. No standard sized pickup could physically haul all of them. With a trailer it is no problem but not just in the bed of a truck. The most I have known a person to put in a 8ft bed was around 60 and he is a member here. If he choses to he could add information on how that went. As for the weight that would not be an issue for any decent full sized pickup and decent sized trailer. If you figure 150 saws at a 50 pound average which should easily cover them it would be 7500 pounds of saws. If a truck cannot pull a trailer hauling the weight of a similar sized truck then I would question why anyone would own it. If I was to make the trip down there I would go get my old 7x24 Wilson aluminum livestock trailer. I no longer own it as it now resides with my beautiful ex-wife but she probably would not miss it .............well probably?? .........Possibly??? On second thought better not do that I just got out of detention and do not want to go back.

 

[Bill G]

Did he talk about condition? Do they run? Restored? I don't know what the current price is for magnesium but there may be some scrap value.

I will venture a guess of #1 No and #2 No , #3 No and lastly scrap value HELL NO

 

[buzz sawyer]

I will venture a guess of #1 No and #2 No , #3 No and lastly scrap value HELL NO

Checked - Magnesium has little scrap value.

 

[camel2019]

My experience - a seller usually asks for more than they will take. I would at least get some pics and maybe make him an offer. Very doubtful he will find someone to take them all at $100 ea. I've seen many saws on ebay asking ridiculous prices and they've been listed for months. Did he talk about condition? Do they run? Restored? I don't know what the current price is for magnesium but there may be some scrap value.

Worth more as complete saws or parts to us collectors

 

[Bill G]

Checked - Magnesium has little scrap value.

Hence what I said.......Hell No

 

[Bill G]

So any updates on the saws