Yard Sales, Flea Markets and Antique Shops 2025

[USGI]

I'm using a Milwauki saw today that new runs $149.

Yes, but like so many other companies it's not exactly the same company we all remember. - Bob

Milwaukee Tool was last sold in 2005 for $626.6 million to the Hong Kong–based Techtronic Industries, also known as TTI Group. The company is now a subsidiary of TTI Group alongside brands like AEG, Ryobi, Hoover, Dirt Devil, and Vax.

[Aragorn243]

Started out very late today. Hit the first flea market around 10:30. First vedor had a cover for the shovel I bought last week.







No one else had anything so we went to yard sales for a while. All I found at them was a US digital camo hat.





Then an antique mall I hadn't hit in two weeks. Found a US Civil Defense gas mask from 1957 that's in very good shape. Still has the same can of lens wipes the WWII masks had.





























A stall I've hit dozens of times and probably missed this because it was buried in a box had a 1944 ladle in it.







This was all before lunch, then it was off to take care of some security issues for the school (fingerprinting) and while waiting for the wife to do the same went into a junk shop on the corner. They had a British style small pack with it's straps. Can't make out the manufacturer all the way and the style of print is different that I've seen before so not sure who made it. Belgium maybe. Date might be 1957. Might be one WWII strap on it but can't make out the details on that one either, but it looks like one of the wartime measures as it doesn't have the metal end cap on the one end.

[Sapper740]

Aragorn, it's recommended you use a GFCI protected circuit when using old metal cased power tools because they are not 'double insulated' and require an effective ground to be safe. If there's no good ground and a short develops in the saw you'll become the ground and could get locked up. Ask me how I know. Personally, my favorite power tool manufacturers are Metabo and Makita. I've still got a Makita 1/2" drill and saw I bought in Canada 35 years ago and use regularly.

[Flying10uk]

Can't make out the manufacturer all the way and the style of print is different that I've seen before so not sure who made it. Belgium maybe.

It's got that additional "strap loop" in the middle of the flap and it looks as if there may be additional ones on the side as well which the British packs didn't normally have. I do have a similar one and they are European. Without searching for it and digging it out to check I do believe that they are from Belgium.

[Aragorn243]

It's got that additional "strap loop" in the middle of the flap and it looks as if there may be additional ones on the side as well which the British packs didn't normally have. I do have a similar one and they are European. Without searching for it and digging it out to check I do believe that they are from Belgium.

It is possible but the Belgian packs have a loop in the bottom middle that is probably to hold a shovel and this doesn't have that. I have not yet found a match for it. I need to dig out my book and see if it's in there.

Yesterday I had a light day. Ran into some very crappy yard sales. Found a few non-military items but it was not a good day for us. At an antique shop I found a musette bag strap which I needed so I picked that up.





Today at the flea markets I had better luck. Two aircraft models to join the pile of those I'll probably never build but I didn't have them.





Then what I believe to be a French 47mm SA35 shell which should make a nice restoration project if I decide to restore it. I kind of like it the way it is.









And at the second flea market I found another mess kit I didn't have Leyse 1943 with a WWII knife and a postwar spoon. Same guy had the book on British and Commonwealth knives.

[Aragorn243]

Aragorn, it's recommended you use a GFCI protected circuit when using old metal cased power tools because they are not 'double insulated' and require an effective ground to be safe. If there's no good ground and a short develops in the saw you'll become the ground and could get locked up. Ask me how I know. Personally, my favorite power tool manufacturers are Metabo and Makita. I've still got a Makita 1/2" drill and saw I bought in Canada 35 years ago and use regularly.

I go through a circular saw every 2-3 years. Used Makita in the past, Milwaulki's more recently. I'm not planning to use this one, just bought it as a curiosity. I do have some old metal cased tools I do use for personal use but not in my business.

[Aragorn243]

Exhausted myself phsyically and mentally this morning. Got to the sales at 7:00 and walked the entire way through the flea market area without buying anything until the last row. A Czech M60 canteen. Not exciting but I didn't have one. Then it was the long walk through the downtown main street. Found a Buddy L hook and ladder truck from the 1940's that I negotiated for and then nothing until I reached the other end of town. Bought the wife a little something and made the long trek back on the other side of the street. Found some 50 cent cars and then finally someone with military stuff. Picked up an unissued Pederson device carrying case and a box of 1940 Lebel ammo. Probably won't go bang but it's wartime. By this time it was 10:00 and I just drove around the neighborhoods only occasionally stopping but it was all baby stuff or junk so I gave up around 11:00 and came home. This event is huge and I could have driven around for another two hours. Walking beyond the flea markets and the main drag are pointless as they get all spread out after that.

[Flying10uk]

It is possible but the Belgian packs have a loop in the bottom middle that is probably to hold a shovel and this doesn't have that. I have not yet found a match for it. I need to dig out my book and see if it's in there.

I did manage to find my example today which I do believe is the same as your's. I've got mine labeled up as Dutch and inside is an additional label sown on. While I have never studied Dutch I did study German for 6 years and I would say that the label is in Dutch. Photos later

I also found another variation, Greek I believe slightly different again but I haven't got it out of it's packaging to look at it properly yet.

Anything with "ABL" on it is almost guaranteed Belgium origin.

[browningautorifle]

an unissued Pederson device carrying case

I remember there were a huge supply of those pouches here in Canada, in Edmonton in the mid '80s. All brand new and dated like yours. No one bought them because the devices were never to be seen.

[Aragorn243]

I was reading earlier that they made 65,000 of the devices but they arrived too late to use in WWI. The remaining order was cancelled in March of 1919 and they put them in storage until 1931. All but about 100 of the devices were then destroyed but the pouches survived with no real use I guess and they surplused them off.