Source: Wikimedia Commons https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:SAK_1951.JPG
What can you count on?
The thread in this morning’s OT about the planes landing successfully in crazy windy conditions got me thinking. We all know many things that you can’t count on. But some things are still there for you! Air travel is ridiculously safe, even as stadiums are collapsing, but what else?
For example, King Arthur Flour was founded in 1790 and is still going strong as the King Arthur Baking Company. They have a reputation for great quality baking supplies, and 25 years ago they became an employee-owned company.
Another example is Victorinox Swiss Army Knives. Victorinox’s factory has stayed put in Switzerland since 1884, and they are still known as the reliable mini-kludge for MacGyvers all over.
Once after Christmas when my kids were tiny and the lock to our front door was broken, I used a Victorinox Swiss Army Knife to disassemble something built into the outer wall of our house and climb through the hole to open the door from the inside.
So tell us, Deadsplinterines, what thing (or person or institution) can you count on that just works?
*points at self*
me!
im what i can count on……..wish i figured that shit out when i was young
Human nature is surprisingly reliable, especially the part where a disagreement will lead humans on either side to promptly forget their counterpart’s humanity.
oh but also…90s hondas
they will not betray you
(they might get nicked tho)
Honda cars & SUVs. I have had 3 Civics since the late 80s & a Pilot & now a CRV in the 2000s. All have been amazing low maintenance vehicles. My oldest current Honda is a 2006 Civic that I’m hoping to last until my EV is delivered in early 2023 (I’m on a waitlist).
ive decided i want an e
its just cute and beautifullly clean
I love that car but Honda has no plans to bring it to the US. Funny, I was writing my Honda love letter before I read yours. I’m pissed that Honda has no current EV plans for US so I am going elsewhere
honda has no plans to bring a little ev to to the market coz america has no plan to buy one
even yous ev loving types are ordering trucks
*coughs rivian*
so dont fucking whine….. thats capitalism baby
When you think that a trip around the world is about 25,000 miles, you’d be ripped off if you bought a Honda and only got five trips around the world from it.
My Civic has almost 180,000 miles so far & will be way over 200,000 by the time I sell it so it was well worth it. I’ve changed tires only a few times & only a few other small maintenance things. It has been the best value of any car I have had, even earlier Civics.
Drove an Acura from 97 to 06 and a Civic from 06 to 19 (died in an accident which was not my fault).
Kinda pissed Honda missed the ev revolution. Drive a Nissan Leaf 17 right now.
Rapala fishing lures.
[Looks them up]
Made since 1936, with the original floating minnow lure barely changed since then. That’s impressive.
Our veterinarian. We’ve been going to him for 25 years and for ten dogs. His wife is a fancy dog surgeon in the same practice. They are both in their late 60’s and I fear their eventual retirement.
We’ve been going to the same vet through three dogs and two cats for 20 years. You don’t change a relationship like that if you don’t have to.
Absolutely!
Subaru Forster, I’ve been driving them since they came out in ’97. I have one on order, supposed to be coming in March. It will be my 4th. I’m also loyal to Levis jeans.
I bought my daughters both Subarus because they are all AWD & safer than my Honda’s of equal cost. My young one inherited hers from her sister & it is an ‘03 w/ tons of miles but my mechanic says will go forever if we take care of it. I am glad Subaru is finally getting in the EV game!
https://www.subaru.com/solterra-ev
Leatherman Multitool. It is the best damn tool to use in a pinch especially when a toolbox is not nearby.
I love it. Don’t go camping or hiking without it.
I find the Swiss army knife to be limited and too delicate or small for when I need a tool in an emergency.
The Leatherman has a 4 inch sharp blade and decent sized tools. I highly recommend it for anyone’s bug out bag.
Not paid for by Leatherman.
The Leatherman is definitely a lot sturdier than a Swiss Army Knife. You can use a Swiss Army Knife for a few screws or slicing a few things, but they’re not nearly as good for more rugged duty.
I didn’t know what Leatherman tools were until I was doing fieldwork and then it was like “you’re not a legit archaeologist without one.” I never got one, because they were expensive.
Also turned out I wasn’t a legit archaeologist since I was a grad school dropout. Shrug.
Definitely cosign on the Leatherman – I received one as a gift on a show in 1995 and it has served me very well through the years.
…the flaw with having acquired a leatherman seems to be that as/when they produce another one that seems like it could plausibly be claimed was a better fit for one’s requirements…it’s hard to justify shelling out for the new one when there’s absolutely nothing wrong with the old one…despite whatever unforgiving treatment you might have managed to put it through?
MacBook.
I have had two since 2008.
Only one HDD crash and three hard resets.
Two major complaints.
The Mag 2 connect is shit and the insulation melts. Had to replace it twice.
Bloody expensive. Takes me 3 years to save up to buy one. 8 years with one laptop is pretty good. 6 with the current model.
Duck & cover, where is Myo?
Pyrex. I’m currently using a pyrex bowl my parents got as a wedding gift in in 1976. Spring Blossom pattern, I use the bowls all the time. The only reason I don’t have the full set in use is because in the late 90s one of my aunts borrowed one and forgot to return it. I have other vintage Pyrex from my grandmother’s collection that I bake in and it’s fantastic.
I also use an old set of stainless steel mixing bowls that belonged to my other grandmother, she got them in the 1970s and I have no clue what brand they are. Maybe Farberware, she loved her Farberware pots and pans.
I have a few Pyrex dishes, and they really hold up. The only difference between old and new is a bit of scratching and film buildup.
Yes! I have tried to focus on quality for my housewares in recent years as I don’t want to keep buying cute crap and then replacing it.
So I also have a few other housewares brands that so far are in my category of quality but also I haven’t used them for more than 5-10 years yet so the jury’s still out.
KitchenAid mixers. Mine is a refurbished one that I got in 1997 I think. So it was already used when I got it and it’s still like brand new 25 years later.
Also Henkels Professional grade knives. Professional grade is the key. They make a bunch of consumer level (cheap shit) lines but just save your money for the real thing.
I do wonder with Kitchenaid mixers once they hit that cultural momentum of *every kitchen needs a stand mixer, get yours today at Target/Kohl’s/Walmart/Home Depot/everywhere* if their quality could slip.
For example Chi ceramic flat irons were fucking amazing back when they were new and you had to shell out major cash at a mall kiosk to get them. And then once they became widely available at retailers the quality has noticeably gone to shit. This happened around 2008ish and it seemed like they couldn’t scale up to meet demand while maintaining quality.
I wonder this too. I’m looking to buy one later this year and hope it will last my lifetime.
And it’s not like they have competition for high quality stand mixers available to the general public, either.
I don’t have one because I rarely bake and when I do, I use a cheapie Hamilton Beach hand mixer.
Just got some good news! My family and I tested negative for Covid. Which is great for obvious reasons but also means we can use the playground during midwinter break as opposed to quarantining in our home.
Yay!!!!
Awesome news! Lots of lesser illness going around WA right now. We have been seeing a stomach flu & some other seasonal type of sickness but almost no Covid at the clinic. I have a sore throat & cough now but not Covid related.
Congrats!
As with knives, the mixer line is important. Get the professional grade mixer which cranks the bowl up and down, not the one with the head that tilts back. Also, refurbished mixers are truly just as good as new, but with a huge discount.
I count on my old L.L.Bean coat, Martin guitars and Brenda Lee.
I remember reading a history of the original Mr. L.L and he was stubborn in a good way — he was about doggedly figuring out the best way to make things, rather than sticking to his guns that he knew the answers.
I bought my L.L.Bean coat for cold Chicago winters back last century, and it is still perfect. Even the colors haven’t faded. They built that stuff right.
In our area it is about being warm & waterproof so Helly Hanson stuff is unbeatable. We used to have a real outlet near the Canadian border that sold super high end gear for like 1/4 the price of new at the end of the season. The good stuff even has wetsuit kind of zippers.
I’ve had the same HH ski jacket for 20 years and even though I am so fucking fed up of wearing the same jacket every winter I have no valid reason to replace it. It is black with some white trim and slim fit. It doesn’t show its age. At this rate I will hand it down to my kids in ten years and then finally allow myself to buy a new one.
The low end HH stuff is not that good anymore but the old stuff & the current high end stuff is unbeatable.
I have an L. L. Bean backpack that my mom got in the 80’s. I’ve used the hell out of it and the only thing wrong with it is that the front flap velcro finally peeled off the front when the stitching broke.