Hardware happiness.

[Amos Iron Wolf]

I've been meaning to pop into the Tru Value hardware store in the next town over for some time. I was finally up that way and decided at the last minute to pop in there for a fuel filter for the mower instead of going to the new Super China, I mean WalMart. A couple of displays of Case knives in various handles and the CV came in more than just yellow. A nice selection of patterns and handles, some marked as discontinued. (Not discounted though.) One that I feel the need to go back for after payday looks to be a 1998 large Stockman in CV and a brown bone handle. It is actually in the display case. Naturally, it's the only one left. I don't think the 90s are a particularly good time for Case, but it's nice to find a new one in CV. Their price for it is $59 IIRC. They also had a similar era, bone handled muskrat in CV in a box in the storage area of the one display.

Another fun discovery is that they have plenty of Old Hickory knives, from paring knives to long, large butcher knives. Around the corner from that is plenty of cast iron cookwear. The girl who was letting me fondle the knives told me that most of the men who come in either get stuck in the knife area or in the chainsaws. LOL, what is it about men and their attraction to cutting tools, eh. I don't get much call to use a chainsaw these days and yet I find myself wanting to have one around.

I didn't have much time to browse, but I'll have to take some time to go just wander the aisles. I'll just have to be careful I don't go crazy picking up little necessities to the tune of too much money. After I've scouted I'll take the wife another time. She really enjoys browsing hardware stores. (Some joke material there I'm sure. )

Just a ramble of a nice discovery.

 

[hwp]

My guess is the hardware store has just as much made in china crap as walmart. Making china digs against walmart is really dishonest when everyone else sells the same made in china stuff just like walmart.

The knives sound overpriced to me.

 

[Bob W]

The local lumberyard in town is a True Value. A couple of years ago I went in to see what kind of pocketknives they sold - absolutely none. I was in there the other day and they have an entire display case of Old Timer knives - all from China. Odd they wouldn't sell the real deal when they were available, but they jumped at the chance to sell the cheap imports...

-Bob

 

[Yosemite Sam]

My guess is the hardware store has just as much made in china crap as walmart. Making china digs against walmart is really dishonest when everyone else sells the same made in china stuff just like walmart.

The knives sound overpriced to me.

Wow, you're just a little ray of sunshine, aren't you?

RE: Amos

Geez, I wish we had something like that. I live in a relatively rural area and the only "traditional" hardware store we have is quickly loosing traction against the big guys, and aren't bothering to replace the old timey stuff as they sell it. The only knives they have are cheapo no-name Chinese liner lock tacky-cool stuff. I did manage to buy a Norton stone there, but it was waaay overpriced. It's really too bad, because a Home Depot just opened in town, and will like put even this pitiful little place OOB.

-- Sam

 

[Yosemite Sam]

Odd they wouldn't sell the real deal when they were available, but they jumped at the chance to sell the cheap imports...

-Bob

Probably a "business decision, handed down from Corporate". I am getting so tired of hearing this excuse from people who want to abdicate responsibility for any kind of reasonable, common sense.

Can you tell I've worked in "corporate" for almost 30 years? Why haven't we learned a single lesson from Dilbert?

-- Sam

 

[jackknife]

Amos, go back and get that stockman now!

You know whats going to happen, you go back and its going to be gone. If its a discontinued model I would'nt wait if you really want it. Life is short, enjoy it now.!!!

hwp- you're cheerfull outlook is an inspiration.

 

[Thomason]

Where I live, one feed store has a small Case display and the other has a small Moore Maker display. The Ace Hardware ain't got doodly (or diddly depending on which you prefer). Fortunately there is a little brick and mortar knife store in town with a good selection the of the better stuff.
I don't need a chain saw either, Amos, but if I found one with a stag handle and a CV chain, I would jump on it.

 

[Bartleby]

Amos, glad to hear I'm not alone in appreciating the local hardware store. I lucked out at my ACE hardware last time I was in a week or so ago and picked up a Buck 703 (from 2001) with box and papers. It had been the display knife, so the owner knocked twenty percent off the price to boot. None the worse for having been on display. Several of the local hardware stores in my area are in the process of switching back to USA made Buck and Case knives as a response to customer requests. I try to buy one whenever I need something in hardware, instead of buying any of the Chinese stuff to "try out" from the internet. Sure it may cost a dollar or two more to buy from the local guy, but I figure I'm supporting a neighbor who supports my habits by stocking stuff made in the USA. Not to mention it reminds me of the small town store from my home town, before the shopping mall changed all that. All that and free coffee, too.

 

[hwp]

I had no idea some of you were so touchy feely.

The two of you with your "ray of sunshine" and "inspiration" comments need to grow up. I just made a point and didn't give a five paragraph back story to make it sound sweeter.

Sorry if my delivery was not oprah enough for you fellas. I was just stating facts and didn't intend to "inspire" or bring "rays of sunshine" to anyone.

Good lord guys. Don't be so sensitive.

 

[muskrat man]

I've been meaning to pop into the Tru Value hardware store in the next town over for some time. I was finally up that way and decided at the last minute to pop in there for a fuel filter for the mower instead of going to the new Super China, I mean WalMart. A couple of displays of Case knives in various handles and the CV came in more than just yellow. A nice selection of patterns and handles, some marked as discontinued. (Not discounted though.) One that I feel the need to go back for after payday looks to be a 1998 large Stockman in CV and a brown bone handle. It is actually in the display case. Naturally, it's the only one left. I don't think the 90s are a particularly good time for Case, but it's nice to find a new one in CV. Their price for it is $59 IIRC. They also had a similar era, bone handled muskrat in CV in a box in the storage area of the one display.

Another fun discovery is that they have plenty of Old Hickory knives, from paring knives to long, large butcher knives. Around the corner from that is plenty of cast iron cookwear. The girl who was letting me fondle the knives told me that most of the men who come in either get stuck in the knife area or in the chainsaws. LOL, what is it about men and their attraction to cutting tools, eh. I don't get much call to use a chainsaw these days and yet I find myself wanting to have one around.

I didn't have much time to browse, but I'll have to take some time to go just wander the aisles. I'll just have to be careful I don't go crazy picking up little necessities to the tune of too much money. After I've scouted I'll take the wife another time. She really enjoys browsing hardware stores. (Some joke material there I'm sure. )

Just a ramble of a nice discovery.

Hey AIW, if you could get a date, bone color, and price for the msukrat I would be interested, if you don't mind.

 

[Amos Iron Wolf]

MM, when I get back that way I'll check it out for you.

Btw, the girl helping me was telling me the owner had been recently giving her an education in chrome vanadium and stainless steels. There were also a few Kershaws there and a few SAKs, mainly the Tinkers. There was one, lonely Taylor Old Timer there. This fellow seems to appreciate knives and keeps a nice display and selection, though I doubt they move enough to justify the selection he has. There was also a decent selection of sharpening items, from diamond hones in different sizes and brands to other types of sharpeners. That was a nice surprise too, as the local Wally World only had one, cheesy, sharpener in the camping section. WM still had the standard knife display case and (uninspiring) selection, but nothing to actually sharpen them with.

Sure, the prices there are going to be higher than I can generally find the same things for on the net. However, I do have an opportunity to actually handle the product. And, there are some knives there that are still new, but older. A few dollars more to support someone who is maintaining a decent selection of traditional knives when they could probably get a higher return per floor space with something else in the same location isn't to bad.

hwp, I recognize that a lot of places sell stuff that's made in China. Hard not to since it is getting harder to find things that aren't. Heck, most of your old name western wear (and Australian equivalent) is now made in China, Tony Lama, Justin, and others are all made in China, and are still priced kinda high. For the most part, I just don't enjoy shopping at Walmart anymore. It's crowded, noisy, filled with people who if they aren't real helpful to begin with, don't know or care anything about what they sell. On top of that, WalMart has traveled far from the roots planted by Sam Wall. One of the early appeal of WalMart, besides the prices, was that Sam insisted that American made products were the first choice for stocking. Only after first trying to stock American made products if suitable couldn't be found would imported products be sold. That is pretty much reversed now. Granted, it is response to customer demand for lower prices, but we've seen what effect that's had on some products. Part of Schrade's demise can be traced to them trying to provide cheaper, stainless, knives to WalMart while trying to make a reasonable profit themselves. But the overall thing is, I simply find that WalMart has less and less that appeals to me. The items are getting junkier and the things I want I can't seem to find there anymore or the price is getting high enough compared to others locally that I'm not seeing such a good deal on things lately. I get better food deals/selection and better quality produce at the HEB in the same area.

Not to mention, there is a whole different feel to walking into a hardware store, even a long time chain brand, where people still know their product and the place just feels more purposeful. I can find things there I can't at the big stores simply because they aren't the high volume, run of the mill stuff of the big box stores. Can you find Chinese made stuff there? Sure, but you will find a lot of other stuff that isn't and a lot of stuff you won't find at WallyWorld.

So, I pick a friendly place that caters to my tastes and has the gumption to still carry such things. I get to handle the product before deciding to purchase. I spend a few dimes or dollars more to put my money where my mouth is and support a place that many would be delighted to have near them. Works for me and for some other like minded fellows. No skin off my nose if it doesn't for someone else. We probably won't run into each other then anyway. We'll be at different places. To each his own.

Btw, we're story tellin reprobates around here. It's part of why we hang out here. Five paragraph back stories kind of fit in the territory. I'll have to tell you about my experiences in the Army with palm slappin politics and the story of I learned about how going round the barn could often be more productive than straight line efficiency. Like I said, we tell stories here. Heheh.