too cheap to fix?

[JR.]

I have already encountered two examples in recent history

#1 My insecticide spray bottle with failed o-ring seal... No obvious specific replacement parts available, and what o-rings I did find that looked close were a major fraction of a new sprayer cost. The upside was that the new version sprayer had better features.

#2 Too cheap to be good electric toothbrush. Back at least 6 months ago I was looking for replacement for my old and tired electric toothbrush, I had fixed at least once (inside was corrupted by smutz). I saw a crazy cheap electric brush for the magic price of <$5. I bought it just to see what they could sell that cheap. It ran on 2 AA batteries and did a serviceable job until last week... Since I still had my tired old rechargeable tooth brush I set this aside to check later. I ASSumed the batteries were depleted... but after putting it on the bench the batteries still registered charge and different batteries did not bring the brush back to life. I wasted all of about 60 seconds trying to get it apart before pitching it into the trash bin. My old rechargeable brush was relatively straightforward to disassemble and get humpty back together again.

I'm sure this list will grow longer as we factor shipping cost into repairs. Some merchants will just send you a new product without getting the old one back. I have shipped some faulty stuff back not expecting a replacement because I was angry.

JR

PS: another cheap kitchen tool with limited service life was my manual can openers. I went through a number of them with half life measured in single digit years, before finally buying a decent electric can opener that seems more robust. I found this one model where the cutting head can be easily removed and washed inside the dishwasher, because that is a well known repository for all kinds of well fed undesirable biologic colonizations to transfer and contaminate food.

[JR.]

I have a new variant on too cheap to fix, how about too cheap to buy...or too cheap to even work?

The cheap work gloves would last me a year or two before becoming "holy". My bad habit of picking up burning logs with them makes holes totally unacceptable.



The last time I went shopping I bought two pair because they were so cheap... I have already learned why they were so cheap... one just opened up a hole at the seam where the thumb is attached...

I may need to start paying more for gloves that don't totally suck.

I might be able to sew that glove back together but why? Not my job mon.

JR

[billshurv]

I got a pair of those, lasted the first bramble and tore. I need to get some proper rigger gloves for my garden as have brambles, roses and hawthorn!

[Gold]

I may need to start paying more for gloves that don't totally suck.

Those gloves are only sold in multipacks around here. Semi disposable. There are worker supply places that have work clothes, hand trucks, nylon strapping and stuff like that. The other semi disposable glove is a knit glove dipped in rubber. Those are even cheaper. For non disposable gloves try Tillman brand. They make good work gloves in cowskin
pigskin goatskin, deerskin and sheepskin. I like goat as it’s very soft. It’s good for tactile feedback but not super durable. Deerskin seems to be the most durable. Pigskin works best in wet weather.

[JR.]

I may need to start paying more for gloves that don't totally suck.

Those gloves are only sold in multipacks around here. Semi disposable. There are worker supply places that have work clothes, hand trucks, nylon strapping and stuff like that. The other semi disposable glove is a knit glove dipped in rubber. Those are even cheaper. For non disposable gloves try Tillman brand. They make good work gloves in cowskin
pigskin goatskin, deerskin and sheepskin. I like goat as it’s very soft. It’s good for tactile feedback but not super durable. Deerskin seems to be the most durable. Pigskin works best in wet weather.

Yes, but I am used to wearing them out and disposing of them after months/years, not weeks.

I guess subconsciously I expected this or I wouldn't have bought two pairs last time. The failure was a seam separation so poor workmanship, not poor material.

JR

[mediatechnology]

Yes, but I am used to wearing them out and disposing of them after months/years, not weeks.
The failure was a seam separation so poor workmanship, not poor material.

JR

And the country of origin is...?

[JR.]

Yes, but I am used to wearing them out and disposing of them after months/years, not weeks.
The failure was a seam separation so poor workmanship, not poor material.

JR

And the country of origin is...?

Since you ask, I checked and no marking... Chinese poop is often labelled, but safe to ASSume not made locally.

The seam that opened was only single stitched and thread didn't look very heavy duty. I have some HD thread left over from when I replaced the zipper in my winter jacket last year... I may put humpty back together for another try since they are not showing much wear at all.

JR

[billshurv]

pigskin goatskin, deerskin and sheepskin. I like goat as it’s very soft. It’s good for tactile feedback but not super durable. Deerskin seems to be the most durable. Pigskin works best in wet weather.

Moose skin is exceeding durable, but apparantly a biatch to tan. I have a mooseskin wallet (from Finland, where else!)

[mediatechnology]

I have a new variant on too cheap to fix, how about too cheap to buy...or too cheap to even work?

The cheap work gloves would last me a year or two before becoming "holy". My bad habit of picking up burning logs with them makes holes totally unacceptable.



The last time I went shopping I bought two pair because they were so cheap... I have already learned why they were so cheap... one just opened up a hole at the seam where the thumb is attached...

I may need to start paying more for gloves that don't totally suck.

I might be able to sew that glove back together but why? Not my job mon.

JR

I do have a pair like these but they are very old and have been durable.
I don't use them as often as my leather ones.
I probably would be disappointed with modern ones.

I've recently started buying from Gemplers and they have good service: https://gemplers.com/
I really like the Carhart pocket T-shirts and they have a good selection.
Gempler's gloves: https://gemplers.com/collections/workwear-gloves

[JR.]

Yes the original gloves of that design would last years not weeks. In fact I rarely bought them new, but would pick up used gloves from the roadside while jogging, that flew out of somebody's open pickup truck bed. I don't think I bought these new until maybe 5-10 years ago.

I burn a lot of branches in my yard, so am pretty hard on gloves from rearranging burning wood. This new version, just resembles the old ones superficially, not in serviceability. It is kind of a shame since when made properly these were pretty robust work gloves.

Back in the day you had to break these in, now they start out broke and get broker.

JR