Wednesday 27 February 2013

Glove Weather.



It's been freezing here lately, and we've even had our second load of snow; albeit very little.

So it's been out with the scarf and gloves again, only I have a problem. My gloves (above) don't seem to make any difference to the warmth of my hands. I suspect they're made of some synthetic material (probably a horse derivative), that does not have any insulation properties.

But it's not only in the glove department where such things happen. I once bought a hammer who's head came off on its very first nail-whack, I was once given a cheap 'slinky' that didn't 'slink', and I've had a series of stone drill-bits with 'Tungsten' tips that just melted away. There have been plenty of other examples.

So it makes me wonder why certain manufacturers (probably mostly in China or Taiwan) even bother to make such things. Wouldn't it be so much simpler to do the job properly, charge a bit more for the product, and avoid all the bloody client anger.

Of course it's also up to the buyer; a bargain is not always what it seems, especially when it comes to gloves.


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18 comments:

  1. My sentiments exactly, unfortunately "build once, build well, build to last" goes against all quick-profit-now industrial mentality. With seven thousand million souls on the planet (and that's nowhere near seven billion yet, despite rumours) there's always a fresh supply of suckers.

    Besides, what else would keep eight trillion tons of container ship plying the high, and low, seas if not useless tat being moved from pillar to post?

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  2. It's the throw-away society that does it - nothing is made to last or perform well these days - my friend is still using a non-steam iron that was her mothers and it's still going strong.

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  3. I don't work anymore, but I'm using kitchen tools that are older than I am, and do.

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  4. Re. OW's comment, we're not even building humans to last these days. With talk of us outliving our children, Toys R Us will have to morp into Wrinkes R Us.

    LLX

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  5. Have you ever used Hand Warmers? My husband and two of my children have Raynaud's Syndrome so we buy a large box of them every fall to get us all through the cold weather. We put them in our gloves and boots and they help enormously. Inexpensive and a great help in winter. They are also made in the USA so I have confidence in their quality.

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    Replies
    1. Lady M was given some a few years back, but they've stayed in the box. I think my best solution is simply to buy a better quality pair of gloves. I shall make enquiries.

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  6. I hear you - its a constant grumpy old woman gripe of mine!! Things just ain't built to do the job any more. That old adage is true - you buy cheap you buy twice! Trouble is, faced with instantly accessible and cheap - or save up for a month and buy better quality - the cheaper option usually wins. Bake more bread - that will keep your handies warm! ;) x

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  7. The cheapest is not always the best....hubs bought a pry bar a few years ago, brought it home and tried to use it and it snapped in half. You get what you pay for.

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  8. Mittens Cro! Gloves only separate the fingers and divide the heat in your hands....I say woollen mittens - works for me!

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  9. Yes, mittens. Keep some rabbits; stew and mittens x

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  10. I often shop at the thrift store near us where all clothing is pre-worn and 99cents. A large amount of crap lives there but from time to time I will find a beautiful sweater or other piece from a well known designer. So yes, qulaity can be found for less if you are willing to give up a Saturday morning to find it.

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    Replies
    1. In the UK, such shops are everywhere. Here, there is none!

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  11. I vote for wool, it keeps you warm even when wet! Gloves offer better dexterity, but mittens are better for warmth.

    I have some polar fleece gloves that are good, too, but when i've got a lot of shovelling, my double-knitted mittens are my hands-down favourite.

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  12. I have to say that when it comes to gloves. My preference has always been to have a pair of soft leather gloves, as I find them good and supple when working outside during the cold months.

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  13. I go with Megan - either wool (preferably with possum in it) or polar fleece.

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  14. I guess most of us who hang around your blog are (ahem) mature. We can still remember when companies and workers took pride in their products, and those products were made to last. Nowadays, most people are more interested in "inexpensive". The trouble with that is, when we buy on the cheap, we get exactly what we paid for. Darn it.

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