Reply by therealSteveN

Hand tool guys may find buyers who want it to look used with plenty of “patina” which is often a code word for grime, rust, and rot. I can’t speak for everyone, but I flipped tools a lot of years, and all the buyers I met wanted it #1 to run, and beyond that I do know the spic and span tools sold reallllly fast.

I would always suggest cleaning away the years, then it looks new, but people will know it was made when tools were a holy thing, not throw away stuff. You will be using a tool that works like new, and when you sell you will get top dollar, and sell fast.

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