Seems like they ALWAYS torment us with exuberant prices. For some rare and hard to find items - They gloat at us all year, as they know that we have no choice. As only they have such items in stock. Until it's the end of the year sale time. Where the tables get turned! Because now they are in a rush to clear everything out. So this is when we can get amazing bargains at a throwaway price! I found these extremely rare screwdriver bits, they were (believe it or not) being sold for 4,500 Rupees!!! They are so rare, that I would get to use them in maybe once in 5 or 6 years - Usually what everyone does is destroy such an odd screw, and put in a regular screw. Because first of all these bits are extremely hard to find, (95% repairmen won't have them). And secondly, they are often so costly, (as they are so rare), that nobody would bother investing in such tools - Which is why the regular practice is to remove the screw by destroying it. And replace it with a regular one. So I felt pretty tormented when I saw these available for 4,500 Rupees. I was sure that they wouldn't last, as somebody would pick them up - I just thought that they weren't worth it at that price. Specially not for something I'd use maybe once or twice in a decade. However now, at the year's end sale, I found them for just 553 Rupees - Plus free shipping! So obviously, I couldn't resist! And since I was on a roll, I got a set of regular screwdriver bits also. So now I have an entire spectrum! So anyhow, what's been your end of the year bargain item on sale? Shoes? Clothes? Tools? Or anything else? Please do share the story here!
I've never even seen a screw with a head that would fit those bits !! I got my new rug for my dining room for half off on black friday. That's it. I wasn't wanting anything else this year.
Yes that is indeed a lovely rug which you found on sale. As for these screwdriver bits, you're right, as 99.9% of the time you wouldn't encounter such screws anywhere - They are usually extremely fine adjustment screws, which shouldn't be tampered with, or on security equipment, (which they don't want anyone else to gain access to). And sometimes on critical medical equipment also, as well as on sensitive military stuff... That's why such an unusual head shape. Which we normally don't encounter anywhere else. Anyway, since I was on a roll, I looked at what else was now on sale at a throwaway price!? So here are some similar yet rare keys. Therefore now I cannot be denied access! I was actually pretty angry and upset, as these rare screw shapes are nowadays being abused! Yes that's right - ABUSED! How and why? They basically want to deny access to the end user. Because they want only their own repair guys to have these special bits. As that's how their company now makes extra money. By charging the customer extra for repairs - Which someone like me would be able to do easily fo on my own. But only if I had these special bits to open the screws and bolts. Remember my Samsung refrigerator? Which I finally repaired after searching for the error codes it was blinking - Same thing... It's okay to deny access to ordinary people (and pranksters) when it comes to security equipment. As well as on critical things like elevator and escalator maintenance panels. But now they've started abusing this. So here I am, seeking revenge! And that too pretty cheaply! All thanks to the year end sales! My way of sticking it to the man!
As one of the greatest Pakistanis in modern times, (during 1980s), late President General Zia-ul-Haq once said in a TV interview - "I don't want to indulge in self praise, but we Pakistanis are highly intelligent people"...
Another wonderful gadget I got, which will compliment the screwdriver bits I now have - Is this magnetizer & demannetizer tool. With this you can magnetize any steel screwdriver, which is pretty helpful when you're picking up screws. However it can also become an annoyance, as there are times when you don't want a screwdriver that's magnetized. Which is picking up everything. So this wonderful gadget enables us to do both, and that too very quickly! See this short video on how it works. As this is yet another EXTREMELY useful thing to have in the house. Specially if you're a do it yourself repair guy, tinkered, inventor, or Macgyver! Anyway, these were my end of the year bargains. Really amazing stuff, which I got a throwaway price. Feel free to share yours bargains.
Another amazing bargain! This time it's tiny diamond dust coated rotary tools. A set of 30 - Also at a throwaway price!
I've all sorts of screwdriver bits for my two electric hand drills. The problem is that most drill bits you can buy are made in China and they use soft steel. So if you don't use exactly the right size bit, the head of the screw can damage the bit! Mind you, I've never had a problem with this one, which was probably made in the fifties.
Everything made in the 1920s, up to the 70s - Is today worth it's weight in gold! Yes that's right, they really don't make anything like they use to back in those days. Today everything is disposable, while back then they use to make things that would last!
I've just mentioned on another board, that when I was seventeen in 1958, I had my first car, a 1937 Austin Seven. After I'd had it a few months, the bearing on the dynamo needed replacing as being worn, it caused a noise. So I walked into a Lucas spares shop and asked for a replacement bearing. The assistant took less than a minute to find this 21 year-old-part. It cost a shilling and I fitted it myself. Problem solved. Now I'd have to purchase a new generator for a similar problem.
Oh yes, Lucas - That name sure rings a bell alright! As I know many people over here in the vintage and classic car restoration community. Now everything of Lucas (like distributor caps) today costs an arm and a leg - That too if you can find it at all!
