Posted: 12/5/2011 10:27:19 AM EDT
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I blew out a shoe lace on my boots. It had been fraying for awhile, but I didn't really expect it to let go yet. The problem, I had no spare laces. I could have rigged it up with paracord or zip ties I suppose. I separated high so I just tied it down lower for the rest of the day.
Not really a big deal, but it got me thinking. I have been so focused on generators, buckets of food etc. What else besides shoe laces have I forgot about. What kind of cheap over looked things are you guys putting away? I now have extra laces. |
Toilet flush levers. They rarely break, but when they do it's a PITA if you don't have a replacement.
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Honestly, its just something you learn over time. You simply cant prepare for everything.
Story time; Went 4x4ing a few years ago. While on the trail, my brakes got so hard that I was standing on them to barely get stopped. wasnt sure what the hell happened. After some poking around, found out the lil Plastic Breather thingy going from Intake manifold to Brake booster cracked. I was able to silicone it enough to get to auto store. It was a 3 dollar part. I now carry a spare. Any time Im working on my truck and have to use a special size wrench or allen wrench or socket, it then becomes part of my truck tool kit. |
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Quoted:
Not really a big deal, but it got me thinking. I have been so focused on generators, buckets of food etc. What else besides shoe laces have I forgot about. I try to buy a pair of Bates M9's anytime LA Police Gear puts them on sale; right now I only have one extra NIB pair but will start looking again after the holidays. But besides whole foot wear, I don't see the value in stocking shoe laces when other items can make do –– and a yard or two of paracord off of a 100' bundle is cheaper than a pair of boot laces. Just my 2¢, WhyTanFox |
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Quoted:
Toilet flush levers. They rarely break, but when they do it's a PITA if you don't have a replacement. c'mon, tank water is (mostly) clean... just use your hand. OR paracord out the handle hole with a wood dowel tied on. |
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I thought about that a few years ago myself, so what I did, is after I had my gear and a good supply of things that I wanted..
I then looked at each Item and what will break in time, so I got a heavy duty sewing kit, some straps for backpacks, plastic clips for closing pouches, shoe strings, rubber cement, gorrila glue, super glue, D-rings and clips, water resistant spray for gear..tent seams, gortex. I also added several other things that I can use for various things, like dental floss and a few tarps. This is just a few things that I noticed, that break with a lot of use. |
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Look at everything you own and consider what you will need to keep it running
Go to the hardware store and just look around, one isle at a time, one shelf at a time, ask your self, will I ever need this. Go to the grocery store and do the same, not just food items but all the related items. Go to a good camping store..............................you get the idea. All the catalogs you get in the mail, when you have time skim them cover to cover and think about your needs. Today, with a down/stalled economy, stores can only afford to stock fast moving items, this is often a great indicator of some of the things to put on your list. Ask the service/repair person, what parts are the most popular for this item, REPAIR PEOPLE ARE YOUR FRIEND, they have a wealth of information. Stupid things will screw you up, I have been slowed by not stocking the following: vacuum cleaner bags drill bits jig saw blades 2 stroke oil 110 volt wall switch wire nuts screws for gutters, not nails. washing machine hose, change often TSA approved lock for luggage and fifty other items that I now keep plenty of. |
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Vacuum cleaner belts Bottle, can, and wine bottle openers Knife sharpeners Plastic stick-up hooks Zip ties in every bag, drawer, box or pencil cup. Bungie cords Plastic grocery bags (hang stuff in them for extra space, and they make great crack-filler for those old windows) Seriously though, who DOESNT replace boot laces with paracord right away? You know it's much more comfortable right? They slide to adjust tension through the whole lace and stretch a bit. Plus, it lasts much longer than laces. Try it! You'll always have some (and the little strands inside) then.
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The timing of this thread is uncanny. Quoted: Toilet flush levers. They rarely break, but when they do it's a PITA if you don't have a replacement. Here's my toilet flush handle story. One of my small telco equipment offices is in a low lying area. The drain field will become saturated when the heavy rains come. Usually it's not a big problem as this is an unmanned office. It was a problem last week.  Heavy rains hit this part of Michigan.One of the people I work with stopped by to use the potty on a Friday afternoon. She flushed and broke the handle. No big deal she thought.  She forgot to tell me & I was unaware it needed to be repaired.Monday afternoon I get a call from her. The small 20x20 office has an inch or so of water on the entire floor and is not draining. The chain from the broken handle got sucked into the tank drain and the flopper valve could not close.  She was smart enough to at least turn off the water. We used a push broom and a snow shovel to herd the water out the door. By the next afternoon things were 95% dry inside. That did make me think it would be a suitable post here in SF. At home I keep a couple of extra toilet wax rings and closet bolt kits under the bathroom sink. I figure NOW it's a good idea to keep a replacement handle kit, flopper valve AND float valve under the sink too. I figure it this way, it's $25 worth of insurance. Another item worth considering is to keep a spare Hot Surface Ignitor (HSI) for your gas furnace. Changing them is generally easy for someone with average mechanical skills. It beats the heck out of a $ervice call to the furnace repair tech. |
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Extra can openers for sure.
I always keep extra AA batteries in my ruck, that I take to work. As well as extra socks. The little extras are what you'll need every day. I attempted to stockpile an extra "Mrs. Paddy" which just highlighted the need for extra Quick Clot .
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