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Maybe a stupid question, but I am tired of wondering about wirecutters?


rrobertscv
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Ok, I have wondered this for awhile, but like most men, I didn't want to look stupid.LOL Why are WWII wirecutters always priced so high, is it because they are that rare? I figured they made these in piles, just like other gear.

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yeah, they made a lot of them, but they were useful as civilian tools so they all went into people's tool sheds and such. unlike helmets that sat around gathering such. lots were lost, or worn out, or whatever. Things like gas masks which had no real use in the civillian word could sit around for many many years untouched before collectors started looking for them.

 

I ALWAYS check out the tools at yard/estate sales. that's where you find things like these.

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Yessiree, that's why a LOT of old military stuff is so rare these days, especially stuff that was really practical and well-made (which was most of it).

I remember very well all the racks full of M1943 and M1950 Field Jackets, some of them like new, for $6.00 each.

And tools designed for use in the field seem to be a lot more scarce than the Jackets; hence, we screwball collectors now have to Pay The Price... :blush:

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Interesting enough a few years ago I was restoring a trashed WWII helmet to reenact with and a gentleman at work helped me with getting the wire to re apply the missing loop. So we go down to the metal shop to cut and bend the wire, and what does he pull out of his tool box to cut the wire......A 1944 DATED US MARKED WIRECUTTER!!

 

Incredible! I had been missing one from my D-Day collection for freaking ages and I flipped out. Basically I told him to pick out any wire cutter he wanted and I buy it for him in trade for the Wire cutter....It ended up costing me $35.00 shipped for the replacement cutters. Told him I was happier than a pig in you know what and had a Cheshire cat grin for few weeks. I had an NOS carrier I've had for years and it was nice to finally bring the two together as they should.

 

Keep looking you are bound to find one in the least likely places as Mr. Gawne stated....

 

Good Luck!

Leonardo

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Ok, I have wondered this for awhile, but like most men, I didn't want to look stupid.LOL Why are WWII wirecutters always priced so high, is it because they are that rare? I figured they made these in piles, just like other gear.

 

Seriously? What do they go for? I've never given them a look at shows or otherwise.

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Saw TWO at an estate sale a couple months ago for $1 ea. Unfortunately, they were in someone else's pile... :(

 

Ended up trading for one.

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Got mine for $25 at an antique store. They do seem priced to the moon, but getting used up, it makes sense. WWII USN dungarees are a prime example.

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I got mine from a UK dealer years ago. He had a bunch of them with WW2 dates....all unissued and still in their protective Cosmoline coating.

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I have a pair of Federal issue SOCKS that belonged to a Civil War officer in the 13th Maine Infantry. While they were issued in abundance during the war, they were used up after the war as a utilitarian item - making them one of the rarest of Civil War army issue textiles. I can count on one hand how many I have seen for sale in the course of 20 years.

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I too have been annoyed at the price of wire cutters for a long time. I understand the reasoning that they were used up after the war by civilians, but I can't see them being worth more than $80.00 NIB with a case.

 

While on the subject of these cutters, I have been wondering, what is the largest diameter stuff these things can cut? I mean, they look like they can cut through 1/4 inch steel rod no problem.

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.While on the subject of these cutters, I have been wondering, what is the largest diameter stuff these things can cut? I mean, they look like they can cut through 1/4 inch steel rod no problem.

 

I can cut 5/32" 7018 welding rod effortlessly with them (no, I don't use 'em for work ;) I've just experimented with 'em); I don't doubt that they could go through 1/4" as well.

That's why they were so popular with weldors.

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