tools · Alberta

Where to sell tools in Edmonton

4 businesses in and around Edmonton that buy used tools from the public — what each takes, and whether you are offered a purchase, a consignment or a loan.

Verified 2026-09-24 from each organization's own website. We are not affiliated with anyone listed here, nobody pays to be included, and we receive nothing if you sell to them.

Tools are usually the most valuable thing left in a garage and the most casually thrown out: the drawer of chisels and the dusty hand plane under the bench are routinely worth more than the big machine standing in the middle of the floor, so do not let anyone clear the garage as a favour until someone has turned the hand tools over and read the names stamped on them.

How to tell what you have got

Before you call anyone, two minutes with the object settles most of it. None of this needs an expert — it needs a flashlight and a look at the back.

  • Pre-war Stanley bench planes, Nos. 3 to 8The size number is cast into the toe, in front of the front knob - but only on planes from roughly the turn of the twentieth century onward. The earliest and most desirable examples often carry no cast number at all, so do not conclude that an unnumbered plane is not a Stanley; judge those by the lever cap, the frog and the iron instead. The logo stamped on the cutting iron dates it: a cursive heart-shaped "SW" (sweetheart) logo means roughly 1920-1935 and is the one buyers ask for. Rosewood knob and tote, not stained hardwood or plastic.
  • Stanley Bedrock planes, numbered in the 600s"BED ROCK" is cast into the bed casting. The sides of the bed are flat-topped where a Bailey's are rounded over. The number is three digits beginning with 6, not a single digit.
  • Stanley No. 1 and No. 2 planesA No. 1 is only about 140 mm long and has no rear handle at all - just a front knob and a small hump to hold. If someone offers you pocket change for "the little one", stop the sale.
  • Bare cordless tools on a battery platform still being soldLook at the battery foot, not the tool. If the pack slides on and latches, and that platform is still on the shelf at a Canadian retailer, the bare tool sells. If the pack is a stubby stick that drops into a hole in the handle, it does not.
  • Mechanic's hand tools by Snap-on, Mac, Matco or Proto, and the roll cabinets they came inThe brand is forged or stamped into the tool itself, not applied as a sticker. Roll cabinets carry a model number on the back panel or inside a drawer.
  • Machinist's measuring toolsA fitted wooden or plastic case with a shaped bed, a maker's name engraved rather than printed, and a graduated thimble or dial. Keep the case - a micrometer without its case is worth a fraction of one with it.
  • Cast-iron stationary machineryTap the table. Cast iron rings and is cold to the hand; aluminum or pressed steel does neither. A cast metal badge rather than a printed sticker is the other sign.
  • Complete sets, in their trays and casesCount against the tray's moulded recesses before concluding the set is incomplete. Missing sizes are usually loose in the bottom of the toolbox.
  • Hand saws, chisels and braces by named makersAn etch on the saw plate, visible if you hold it to the light at a low angle through the rust. A medallion on the handle carrying a maker's name. A plate that tapers - thicker at the teeth than at the back.

Rarely worth anything

Not a rule, and not a reason to bin something without asking. These are the things people most often expect to be worth money and find are not.

  • Cordless tools on a dead battery platform
  • Gas-powered equipment that will not start
  • Half-used chemicals from the shelf above the bench
  • Rusted-solid hand tools
  • Corded power tools with no certification mark on the rating plate
  • Dull and damaged consumables
  • Jars and coffee cans of mixed fasteners
  • Bulk wooden moulding planes
An electrical product cannot be sold, displayed or advertised for sale unless it is approved and bears a recognized certification mark - used tools included Ontario

O. Reg. 438/07 (Product Safety) under the Electricity Act, 1998, s. 5(1): "No person shall use, advertise, display, sell, offer for sale or other disposal any electrical product or device unless it has been approved in accordance with this Regulation." Under s. 2(1) a product is deemed approved only if it bears the mark of a certification body accredited under the Standards Council of Canada Act and recognized by the Electrical Safety Authority, a recognized field-evaluation agency's label, or an ESA label. Section 5(2) additionally prohibits using a product other than for its intended purpose or in its intended manner. The regulation contains no exemption for used goods, estate sales or private sales; its only exemption (s. 5(4)) is for trade-show display or demonstration with the Authority's permission. Practical effect: a power tool with no legible certification mark, or one that has been rewired or had its switch bypassed, is a disposal item, not stock. We found no record of enforcement against charity shops or private sellers of second-hand tools as opposed to importers and retailers, but the prohibition is plainly worded and carries no used-goods exemption.

Read the rule →
The same certification requirement applies in British Columbia British Columbia

Electrical Safety Regulation s. 21(1) requires electrical equipment to bear evidence of either the mark or label of a certification agency accredited by the Standards Council of Canada, a label of an agency acceptable to the provincial safety manager, or an approval mark issued under the Safety Standards Act. A person must not use electrical equipment in British Columbia, or offer for sale, sell, display or otherwise dispose of electrical equipment for use in British Columbia, without it.

Read the rule →
Gasoline is accepted for disposal only in an approved can, and the can is not given back British Columbia

Product Care Recycling's BC household hazardous waste program accepts "Gasoline, including stale or old gasoline contaminated with oil or water", but only in a ULC-approved gas can or jerry can, with a maximum container size of 25 litres, and states that "for safety reasons, the gasoline container cannot be returned to you at drop off". Other flammable liquids: maximum container size 10 litres, with a maximum aerosol container size of 680 g. Diesel, butane and refillable propane cylinders are not accepted. Oil and antifreeze are handled by a separate program.

Read the rule →
Toronto excludes gasoline from its free Toxic Taxi and caps volumes at 50 litres Toronto, Ontario

Gasoline "must be brought to a Drop-Off Depot or Community Environment Day in any container that can be left behind" and is excluded from Toxic Taxi collection. Toxic Taxi collection requires a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 50 litres/kilograms per pickup, and depots accept a maximum of 50 litres/kilograms per drop-off. "Gas tanks/cylinders (e.g. propane/BBQ, helium, oxygen, etc.)" are listed as household hazardous waste.

Read the rule →
Refillable propane cylinders expire after ten years and cannot lawfully be filled after that Canada

Per the Canadian Propane Association, refillable propane cylinders must be replaced, or inspected and requalified by a Transport Canada approved requalifier, every ten years, and "It's against the law to fill an expired or damaged cylinder". Retailer take-back of expired cylinders happens at the retailer's discretion and is not mandated. Cylinders retain residual propane even when they appear empty, and must never be placed in household garbage or roadside recycling.

Read the rule →
Cordless tool battery packs are recycled free, up to 5 kg each Canada, with two provincial exceptions

Recycle Your Batteries, Canada! (operated by Call2Recycle) collects single-use and rechargeable batteries weighing up to 5 kg each at no cost, including the lithium-ion, nickel-cadmium, nickel-metal-hydride and small sealed lead acid packs used in cordless power tools. Small sealed lead acid batteries are not accepted in Alberta or Saskatchewan. Home Depot Canada stores are drop-off sites, along with many municipal and retail locations.

Read the rule →

4 places in Edmonton that take tools

Architectural Clearinghouse

Quote first May collect — ask
BuysWindows, Doors, Cabinetry, Hardware, Light fixtures
Won't takeMaterial not in resaleable condition
The dealThey buy selectively and want photographs first: "We do buy. But it's not a garage sale. Send photos and we'll tell you straight whether we want it," and "If you're not sure, send photos before you load anything. We'd far rather tell you honestly over email than have you make the trip for nothing." They are upfront that "Sometimes we buy them, sometimes we just take them out" - removal is not the same as payment. They will also walk a site before demolition and pull out what is worth keeping, and note "It works best when we're brought in early."
WhereEdmonton reclaimed and used building materials dealer. They do not publish a street address - the site says viewing and pickup are by appointment, so contact them to arrange it.
Payment terms are not published, and free removal is not a purchase. Establish clearly whether a given job is a purchase or a no-cost removal before any work starts. They state they can only take material in resaleable condition.
Visit their site →780-436-1222

Pioneer Jewellery & Loan

Buys or lends Not stated — ask
BuysGold, silver and diamonds, Jewellery and watches, Electronics, phones, tablets, Gaming consoles, Computers and laptops, Musical instruments, Tools, Antiques and collectibles, Motorcycles and bicycles
The dealTwo different transactions under one roof. They lend against goods, and they also buy outright: the site says "If you'd rather sell than pawn, we can buy your items for cash." A pawn is a loan secured on your item - you keep a claim on it only if you repay and redeem within the agreed term, and if you do not the item is forfeited to the shop. An outright sale ends your claim on the item the moment you take the money. Establish which of the two you are being offered before you sign. No interest rate, fee schedule or loan term is published on their site.
Where3906 118 Avenue NW, Edmonton, AB T5W 0Z9
The site does not publish loan charges, the redemption period or any ID requirement. Ask for the loan agreement in writing and read the redemption date and the total cost to repay before handing the item over.
Visit their site →780-474-0692

Uncle Ed's Exchange Ltd.

Buys or lends Not stated — ask
BuysGold, Cameras, Music equipment, Electronics, Firearms, Tools
The dealThe site says "We look forward to dealing with your pawns, and purchases" - so they will either lend against an item or buy it outright. Ask which one you are being offered, because the numbers and the consequences differ: a pawn is a loan you must repay to get the item back, a purchase is final.
Where10319 97 Street NW, Edmonton, AB
The strictest published ID rule of any Edmonton shop we checked: "ALL CUSTOMERS MUST PRODUCE 2 (TWO) PIECES OF IDENTIFICATION, ONE PIECE MUST BE VALID PHOTO ID" and "YOU MUST BE 18 YEARS OF AGE. THIS IS THE LAW." The site also states it maintains partnerships with local police services. Turning up without two pieces of ID means a wasted trip.
Visit their site →780-758-7705

West End Exchange

Buys or lends Not stated — ask
BuysJewellery and gold, Electronics, Smartphones and tablets, Computers, Sporting goods, Musical instruments, Watches, Tools, Artwork, antiques and collectibles
The dealPrimarily a collateral lender. The site describes bringing an item in, having it assessed and being offered a short-term loan against it, and states the loan window plainly: "You have 30 days (plus 7 days grace) to return for your items." That is a pawn loan, not a sale - if you do not return and repay in full inside that window the item is forfeited and goes to their sales floor. They will also purchase items outright if you do not want the item back.
Where15241 Stony Plain Road, Edmonton, AB T5P 3Y4
30 days plus a 7-day grace period is the only loan term published. No interest rate, storage charge or service fee is stated anywhere on the site, so ask for the total repayment figure in writing before you agree.
Visit their site →780-481-3857
We could not verify this city’s municipal rules for second-hand dealers and pawnbrokers from an official source, so we state none. Check with the City or the province before relying on anything you read about them elsewhere.

Not sure what you have got?

Photograph it and we will tell you what it is and what it is worth — including when the honest answer is that it is worth nothing.

See what it's worth Everything in Edmonton →

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