Pawn shops don’t always have the best reputations. But that doesn’t mean that pawn shops can’t be helpful. In fact, pawn shops are one of the best places to search for quality, used tools. Because tools, especially name-brand tools, can be so expensive, many retired workers or those in a financial pinch choose to sell their equipment to pawn shops for quick and easy cash. Many pawn shops have entire sections dedicated to tool displays and buckets upon buckets of loose tools, like sockets, wrenches, and screwdrivers. While many of the highest-quality and most expensive tools will end up behind glass, you can often discover name-brand sockets or wrenches that slipped through the shop’s system in the buckets of cheap, loose tools.
When you visit a pawn shop to search for tools, look specifically for professional-level name brands like Snap-On, Matco, and Cornwell. Most of the tools produced by these companies come with lifetime warranties, and you don’t need a receipt to cash in on those promises. You can frequently find name-brand tools in pawn shops for a fraction of the price you’ll pay off the tool truck. Then, if you happen to break an item while working, you can contact your local representative or franchisee for a replacement free of charge.
