Restore for Show, Use or Something In Between?

[KillerGriller]

I love the “It Followed Me Home” and “What’s going on in your shop?” threads, but it’s only occasionally mentioned if the tools were bought for resale, collection, gifting, use or “other”? What do you do with the auction buy/hand-me-downs/garage sale rescue tools you buy?

When/If you restore your finds, do maintain the patina and wear or return to them to factory plus condition? Why? Do you use them after prettying them up? Or buy tools specifically for resale after you touch them up?

Currently, I have three axes I bought at a sale; one I plan to clean up enough for use and exchange it for my (deceased) grandfather’s axe that is in serious need of some love, a Chopper1 that needs a basic cleanup & sharpen but will be a great help at the cottage, and another I’m not quite sure what I’m going to do with? It's a '57 BNT, vintage but not peculiar enough to make it a head-turner, but it's a decent axe. Guess I'll have to wait for inspiration on this one...

 

[DB_Cruiser]

For the moment, I am buying for use. I keep about 5 axes and a hatchet that all get used. A 3.5 lb double bit on a 30" haft. A 2.5 lb double bit cruiser on a 26" haft. A 4 lb single bit thrasher on a 30" haft for splittling. A 3.5 lb thrasher on a 30" haft for smaller stuff. A 2.5 lb boy's axe on a 26" haft. And a 1.25 lb hatchet. Of those, the cruiser (vintage Kelly TT), boy's axe (new Hults Bruk) and hatchet (vintage Hults Bruk) are the ones I'll keep and use. When I find vintage replacements for my thrashers, I'll probably give them to my brother. I'd like a better 3.5 lb double bit, so when I get one, the current one will go to my bro as well.
Yeah... I got a plan... heheh!
I am sorta new to restoring vintage axes. I have done two that required rehanging. My first is the 3.5 lb double bit. It wasn't anything special. Just old and I liked it. Since it got a new haft, I went with a thorough clean up of the head. The cruiser was special and that one just got the rust taken off and rehung on the original haft. I felt as though it wanted to appear looked after but wear its history openly. I gave it my best effort.
I just used it to limb some hickory in preparation for some chainsaw work. As I was swinging it, I could hear Arnold Schwarzenegger yelling, "Get to deh choppah!!" There's no way I am giving this one up. It's a worker and a looker in my opinion.