What do you buy spares of?

22-rimfire

22-rimfire

Joined
Nov 20, 2005
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I notice a lot of people buy spares of selected knives. I did or have with a couple SAKs that I use a lot. But there is other stuff we might buy spares of that we consider important to our lives. So what do you buy spares of?

I buy spare cameras because they are important to me.
I have multiple sets of certain tools.
Multiple SAKs (of the same model).
Flashlights? Yep.
Battery lanterns? Yep
Watches? Yep
 
Some SAKs because that can always be useful :) a Spartan, a climber and a huntsman are redundant in many ways but they are all great tools

otherwise for boxing and martial arts I have some spare protections like gloves and shin protection as I may have different needs depending on the discipline or type of training

but in fact I usually don’t have “doubles”
 
Shoes that fit!
In 1982, I bought ~10 spare knives from the same supplier. They were discontinued, and I'm one of the only people I know who has an abundant supply. (All imitators are poor quality and not the same steel.)
 
I have an extra Mora Eldris and Kansbol. An extra SAK Walker. Theses are the knives that I use. I have 2 White model 782 sewing machines. They are from the early 60's and heavy duty work horse machines
 
Underwear.






Definitely useful. Clothes in general. Lucky brand jeans fit me well, always, no matter weight/waist size I am. Most of my life I've been 38"+ waist. Now I'm 34, and it's hard to find 34/34 in store or online that's in stock. Duluth trading flex fire hose pants relaxed fit.

Otherwise, I replace, but rarely buy backups.
 
eveled said:
I buy spares of any thing I like and use. Especially if there is any chance it will be discontinued or changed.
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IME, the more I like it, the higher the odds that it will be discontinued or “improved” beyond recognition. (I must have tastes well outside the norm, maybe because I don’t mind paying for quality and value.)
 
K.O.D. said:
Underwear.

Definitely useful. Clothes in general. Lucky brand jeans fit me well, always, no matter weight/waist size I am. Most of my life I've been 38"+ waist. Now I'm 34, and it's hard to find 34/34 in store or online that's in stock. Duluth trading flex fire hose pants relaxed fit.

Otherwise, I replace, but rarely buy backups.
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+1 on underwear. I wear the Duluth stuff now and like it.

Try finding 33" waist stuff. But I don't wear 34" lengths. Did that a long time ago when it was cool to have your pants drag the ground. But no more.
 
22-rimfire said:
+1 on underwear. I wear the Duluth stuff now and like it.

Try finding 33" waist stuff. But I don't wear 34" lengths. Did that a long time ago when it was cool to have your pants drag the ground. But no more.
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I remember those days. I found myself dressed in "80s/90s garb yesterday. Jeans, t-shirt, flannel, black leather boots. Still have my leather trenchcoats too.
 
I buy spare Titanium SAK’s. I’m afraid I’ll wear the originals out.
 
I buy duplicates of my favorite firearms, knives and flashlights.

I like the idea of having multiple firearms that all use the same parts, magazines and ammunition.
 
I used to have alot of redundancy in my power tools. For no other reason than having the same thing in three iterations.
Now I do it with my Milwaukee penlight, because it is amazing, and I do have a couple Spyderco advocates since I liked it so much.
Work pants also. I can never find any that fit me right, being tall and skinny.
 
J-RAY1989 said:
I used to have alot of redundancy in my power tools. For no other reason than having the same thing in three iterations.
Now I do it with my Milwaukee penlight, because it is amazing, and I do have a couple Spyderco advocates since I liked it so much.
Work pants also. I can never find any that fit me right, being tall and skinny.
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I'm the same with Milwaukee 18v tools. Whenever something new comes out I'm always tempted to sell my old stuff and upgrade. I gave my Dad a complete set a couple of years back when I bought a Fuel set.

I lost my Milwaukee 100 lumen penlight a couple of nights ago. I have others similar to it, but I will be buying one (or two) or those in the near future.

To the OP I like variety so I don't get many backups of my gear. Only folder I have two of is the Manix2, and they're quite different.
 
marcus52AR said:
I'm the same with Milwaukee 18v tools. Whenever something new comes out I'm always tempted to sell my old stuff and upgrade. I gave my Dad a complete set a couple of years back when I bought a Fuel set.

I lost my Milwaukee 100 lumen penlight a couple of nights ago. I have others similar to it, but I will be buying one (or two) or those in the near future.

To the OP I like variety so I don't get many backups of my gear. Only folder I have two of is the Manix2, and they're quite different.
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Those pen lights are the best in the smallest footprint I've found. $20 a piece I normally keep 2 in the car in case. The machines I work on could snap the thing in two, so I always need at least one spare.
 
Batteries, vape pods, beers, torx bit sets (because my son uses shit and doesn’t put it back :rolleyes::mad:), JB Weld, Spyderco G-clips, quarts of synthetic Harley oil.

I gave up buying multiples of knives a long time ago. I’d use the hell out of one, holding the pristine one for Justin Case. I never seemed to move on to using the backup, so I wound up dumping all of them.

I do have one or two doubles left, but only because they have different steel or handle types.
 
AntDog said:
....I gave up buying multiples of knives a long time ago. I’d use the hell out of one, holding the pristine one for Justin Case. I never seemed to move on to using the backup, so I wound up dumping all of them.

I do have one or two doubles left, but only because they have different steel or handle types.
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I know Justin. The only true duplicates are two SAK models that I have. Both of those knives are heavily used; if I damage badly or loose one of the ones I use all the time, it can be immediately replaced the same day. Yeah. I really depend on them for EDC. Other knives.... nope, just not interested in duplicates as often one is as good as another to me. I like variety and to explore different knives.

I find these battery powered lanterns to be really handy as a stationary light source for work or emergency use such as when the electricity goes out for a relatively short time (couple of hours max). They are not all the same model. Variety and different lumens/power. Been known to use one in the late night or early morning when I might not want to turn on a regular room filling light. But they are primarily for emergencies and I can light up a number of rooms for comfortable general use with them.

I only have multiples of a couple power tools I use often on jobs. They are for instant replacement or as a tool for a second person doing the same task.
 
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Starmate, got one, they discontinued it, got another just in case.
Still sitting in the safe.

Honestly, I could be a "discontinued" compass, if I really like something, it is a foregone conclusion that it will be discontinued or improved till it is unrecognizable.

I think companies do it on purpose, to get you to shop other products of theirs and spend more money.
Or they are just assholes.
 
heresthedeal said:
Starmate, got one, they discontinued it, got another just in case.
Still sitting in the safe.

Honestly, I could be a "discontinued" compass, if I really like something, it is a foregone conclusion that it will be discontinued or improved till it is unrecognizable.

I think companies do it on purpose, to get you to shop other products of theirs and spend more money.
Or they are just assholes.
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EXACTLY how I feel and what I stated above.
The worst part is that "they" replace the good stuff with cheap crap and charge the same or more.

Currently, I'm licking my wounds about a product I have used and loved since 1975. At that time it cost $800 and is now up to $14000+/unit. I consider it the best in its class and reliably made by the same 3-man shop who "invented" it. Planning ahead, I purchased a spare and to my disappointment, they had changed things, moving key parts by as much as 1/4" and making it 1 mm shorter. Some of the mechanical parts are different--new castings or something I suspect. I just spent $500 trying to get it retrofit, and it can't really be done: no parts exist. They recreated one key part, but it's not the same.

I called them, and it sounds like they cave to peer pressure or the need to feel current in their design or offer something "new." What a disappointment. I also think they were surprised that I could feel that 1 mm. They tried to tell me that it doesn't make any difference--so why do it?

When you really know a product, every detail can be important. :( I'm trying to adapt...

They also never advertised or had a fancy website. Now they are doing the FB thing and all the other crap that make businesses of that type look stupid IMO. Everyone knows their quality, worldwide, so that just makes them look like they are pandering to imbeciles. Can you tell I'm annoyed?
 
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Hats, namely the US ARMY patrol cap in woodland camo.

As a kid my dad gave me the first ond he was issued during his 12 years and I've been wearing them exclusively since I was around 11 or so years old, luckily I'm still a 7-1/4 :D
The first which was already old and worn when I got it lasted me about 10 years of constant wear and the replacements were not quite as durable only giving me about 3 for the last and I'm heading a year on my 2nd replacement and I've got another to replace this one when I wear it out.
I plan to actually start stockpiling them, because the patrol cap or " Cap, camouflage pattern , class one " depending on the manufacturer really is the only general daily wear her for me.
I've got a few other hats I wear for yardwork and stuff, plus the required uniform hat for work but I do not claim ownership of the darn thing and really can't stand it.

I guess you could also count tools but I don't have any duplicate of the same exact thing, just more wrenches individual ratchets or socket sets than I need.
But if you're a tool enthusiast it's easy to have more tools than you'd ever need and still not have every tool you need, having a lot of excess tools I don't exactly " need " while there will always come situations where I could have used something I didn't have.
 
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annr said:
EXACTLY how I feel and what I stated above.
The worst part is that "they" replace the good stuff with cheap crap and charge the same or more.
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Cut costs by any means necessary seems to be the rule. I notice it with revolvers, especially S&W stuff. Tennis shoes are another..... they move production to China saying they are doing it for the consumer and yet they charge the same price as before. I tend to rebel against this and not buy anything I don't absolutely need and generally speaking I have not been wearing your typical "tennis shoes" much these days at all.

Hickory n steel said:
Hats, namely the US ARMY patrol cap in woodland camo.

As a kid my dad gave me the first one he was issued during his 12 years and I've been wearing them exclusively since I was around 11 or so years old, luckily I'm still a 7-1/4 :D
The first which was already old and worn when I got it lasted me about 10 years of constant wear and the replacements were not quite as durable only giving me about 3 for the last and I'm heading a year on my 2nd replacement and I've got another to replace this one when I wear it out.
I plan to actually start stockpiling them, because the patrol cap or " Cap, camouflage pattern , class one " depending on the manufacturer really is the only general daily wear her for me.
I've got a few other hats I wear for yard work and stuff, plus the required uniform hat for work but I do not claim ownership of the darn thing and really can't stand it.

I guess you could also count tools but I don't have any duplicate of the same exact thing, just more wrenches individual ratchets or socket sets than I need.
But if you're a tool enthusiast it's easy to have more tools than you'd ever need and still not have every tool you need, having a lot of excess tools I don't exactly " need " while there will always come situations where I could have used something I didn't have.
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Hats.... I have a lot. Years ago I thought "collecting" ball caps was interesting. Then I got bored with the whole deal and I have a box of them just sitting and taking up space. My standard cap is a Bass Pro medium brim length that I find to be just about perfect. I tend to buy a new one every time I visit Bass Pro in case they discontinue them. I suspect they aren't big sellers. I think I'm going to rummage through the hat box and trash most of them. Just have no interest in them and the majority are "cheap caps" with some company logo on them I got for free.

Generally speaking other than power tools, I really don't count duplicates of hand tools as being duplicates per se. They are part of a different tool box assembly of tools.... one for work and one I keep inside the house. The smaller inside the house tool bag often goes with me on trips.
 
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