Product Review
Burt’s vs. Badger vs. Boticario
The great hand-cream discussion, continued . . .
IN THE COURSE of human events, the typical male receives several containers of hand cream EVERY YEAR from those who know better. So it sits. And sits. And sits. The Burt’s pictured above, I received . . . ten years ago? Maybe longer? The Badger Balm is a year old, and I just opened it. The fancy stuff, the Boticario, was a holiday gift which I do not use. But here are the basics of hand cream for males:
Burt’s – Waxy but effective. Great for landscapers.
Badger – Fantastic in a medicated manner. Perfect for the semi-retired plumber.
Boticario – A bit more water-based, so it seems to moisturize and protect less. The most perfumed. Excellent choice for the stockbroker who commutes by train, walking to the station in all seasons.
In truth, smaller is better. Burt’s sells a little green tin of goo I put on my cuticles just before they begin cracking, and that’s enough. Res-Q Ointment.
SANDOWN FORGE • Custom Knives
Felicità raggiunta, si cammina per te sul fil di lama
THE KNIFE IS the most important tool ever invented. Five of the 20 most important tools are derived from the knife (the chisel, the lathe, the saw, the scythe and the sword, in case you are testing your game show skills). Is it any wonder so many men choose to carry a pocket knife everywhere they go? How handy it is for cutting, prying, poking, and slicing.
An American knife maker came to my attention through his perfectly proportioned work; graceful blade, substantial handle, artistic mating of wood to metal. Although not a hunter, I could not resist doubling my collection of fine cutlery with the addition of this knife.
Why own a knife like this? If you ever go camping (not INSIDE the Franklin Institute with the Boy Scout Troop, mind you), a knife is the #1 tool you’d want to improve your site. This beauty from Sandown Forge features CM154 stainless steel heat treated to a Rockwell C hardness of 59. Bad a§§ hard! Go ahead and hack down the surrounding forest! You won’t hurt the knife. A hunter in the family, you say? This is the perfect belt accessory for wild pigs through bison. Gotta process the harvest for transport.
And for the gentleman philosopher, tilted back in his office chair after another nail-biting day on Wall Street? It’s a really well crafted knife, screaming QUALITY. Great for making your buddies jealous. A gentle reminder that it’s just a few steps from the trenches, knife in hand, fighting for your life.
Brickbat Book’s Benches
“A room without books is like a body without a soul.” – Cicero
PAT GRAHAM loves books. He collected them from childhood. By the time he was in Art School, his 10,000+ volume collection had becoming cumbersome. The logical solution? Open a shop.
First, with a partner, came Big Jar Books on North 2nd Street, Old City, Philadelphia. Big Jar eventually sold; Pat then opened Brickbat Books on South 4th as a solo-owned boutique collection for the more esoteric among the literaria.
Unto this sparse establishment was lent a collection of wooden benches, platforms, and tables, all carved from lengths of 12″ x 12″ solid oak and poplar. The story, not independently verified, is that a local plumber found a pile of giant landscape ties discarded by a century-old insurance firm in West Philadelphia. Inspired hours with chainsaw, belt sander, and angle-grinder transformed some of the wood into the pictured objets d’art.
The collection has become famous although the identity of the artist remains shrouded in mystery.
Chinook Winds Bison Yarn and Fiber • MONTANA
Chinook Winds harvests fiber from bison, or buffalo as they are commonly called, then blends the fiber with varying amounts of alpaca and/or wool.
All fibers come from animals raised on South Dakota, Montana, and Wyoming ranches. The fibers are processed at regional and US owned mills. Once the yarn comes back from the mill, it is sold in its own beautiful natural colors or kettle-dyed and handpainted in deep rich tones.
Why am I so excited?
Because Heather had some extra time, bottled up on her farm in Iowa, during this famously cold winter. And I asked, very nicely, if she’s knit me an extra warm watch cap with extra special yarn. AND IT’S DONE !!!!!
It’s 70% Rambouillet which is one of the softest wools with high crimp for warmth and bounce, 25% bison which is strong, light, warm, and soft with a micron count comparable to good cashmere, and 5% Suri which is strong, light, warm, and soft. There are two types of alpacas, and Suri makes up only about 10% of the total population. – Heather
Hats by Heather of Iowa. From $55 to $225 delivered. This example cost $125.
Meiser Tire Pressure Gauge
Pressure Drop Toots & The Maytals
LONG long ago, a son gave to his father the nicest tire pressure gauge one could get from the auto supply store. It was made in the USA, and featured a hose and easy-to-hold brass chuck. But the father didn’t 
bother with tire pressures; he allowed the garage to handle any and all routine maintenance. So, as often happens after the best intentions, the gauge was given back to the son several year later with a rueful excuse and a smile.
I used the gauge for over two decades before something went amiss. It began giving off-readings, telling me a tire was flat when visual inspection clearly showed a healthy sidewall. What to do? Meiser, the manufacturer, apparently had all their domestic market product made in China, sold under the Accugauge label.
I called Meiser, and discovered the gauge had a lifetime warranty. “If I would only mail it in with $3 return postage, they would repair or replace the product.” WHAT? No, sir, I want the gauge repaired. “Fine. Note that you want REPAIR, NOT REPLACE on your contact information.”
“Why don’t you make gauges here anymore”, I asked. The short answer was that their distributor stopped carrying domestic production gauges, so production stopped. I offered to take over sales, accepted the financial impact of a one hundred gauge order, and began selling them on eBay and sportsmen’s forums. The venture, after postage, fees, and promotional samples, does not make any money. But Meiser is very pleased to keep their guys busy, and Meiser’s suppliers can’t but feel the same way. Buyers invariably rave about the quality.
Never has an unfavorable comment been received. A quality gauge and a fair price
Michelin Primacy™ MXM4®
Rolling Rolling Rolling
EVERY DRIVE, long and short, was rumbling thunder. Head-rattling, tension-inducing, muscle-cramping agony. Especially highway miles. I was in sales, a genuine road warrior. 300-400 miles a day was not uncommon. The 1994 850 Turbo I bought from a lawyer in Haddonfield was well-maintained, but he had his mechanic mount a cheap set of tires before the sale. The tires were aggressive, but loud!
After a purchasing decision was made, several months were spent scouring online resources. Lengthy visits to tire stores, exhaustively gleaning every last bit of information regarding tread noise, durability, performance under all driving conditions, price, looks, and country of origin. Tires are classified by their characteristics. Given my wants, I chose a Luxury Performance Touring tire.
The best tire in my speed rating is made by Michelin. The best price? Costco [spend some time becoming familiar with their Road Hazard Warranty, which is excellent & free]. Tirerack is the 
acknowledged go-to resource for online information and comparisons of tires.
Michelin manufactures tires in six states: Alabama, Indiana, Ohio, Oklahoma, North Carolina and South Carolina. In addition, there are three plants in Nova Scotia, Canada and one plant in Queretaro, Mexico. All of the Michelins I’ve purchased have the words MADE IN U.S.A. imprinted on the tire.
When I sold my Volvo, the Primacys were over 60,000 miles old but still had usable tread. I next mounted a set on an ’01 Acura TL, and again enjoyed excellent handing and wear characteristics. We put a set on the Subaru. The car is unstoppable in all weather. When my GMC Sierra pickup needs tires, alas, the Primacy will not be chosen because it is not a truck tire. But I will purchase the Michelin LTX M/S2. From Costco.
SF12-BB • Box of 12 SureFire 123A Lithium Batteries
In honor of President’s Day,
Surefire offers free ground shipping this weekend.
Remember the American Toolbox post about a great headlamp? The batteries that it uses, the CR123, can be bought this weekend direct from the manufacturer with free shipping. A great value just made better! 10-year shelf-life. Made in U.S.A.
18″ Arctic Blast Aluminum Snow Shovel
την σκαφην σκαφην λεγοντας
IN 1925, a builder constructed a row of attached brick homes on farmland outside Philadelphia, across from a new high school. In time, sidewalks were added. Travel forward to the year 2014. I am standing on the same sidewalk, in front of my home, contemplating the approaching nor’easter. 10″ of snow is due to begin falling at midnight. My neighbor’s shovel, borrowed by me since time immemorial, was stolen off his front porch a week ago. A hanging crime in these parts.
With reluctance, I visit the big box home center, expecting end-of-season flimsy imported garbage. And what greets me at the door? Giant boxes stuffed with excellent domestic-production snow shovels!
Selected was a mid-level product, suitable for home owners and perhaps even contractors. 18″ wide, all aluminum, heavy-duty riveted steel wear strip. Roomy handle for gloved hands. About $20 at The Home Depot.
Mid-Century Revere Ware
Soup’s On!
WHAT American kitchen has not been graced by the 3 quart Revere Ware pot with lid? Everyone I’ve spoken with remembers at least one of these iconic copper-bottomed pots, pans, or skillets on the stove top every dinner, usually the 3 quart pot. The perfect size for soup, mashed potatoes, boiled or steamed vegetables & eggs, even popcorn!
It is no wonder so many people bought Revere cookware. In 1929, Revere Copper and Brass Corporation was the largest copper manufacturer in the US. Before teflon, Revere Ware would have been your first serious set of cookware. First pot you’d buy when starting out on your own. A gift or purchase that was meant to last from one generation to the next.
Although the company has long since been sold, broken up, bankrupted, and humiliated upon the machines of corporate profits, good deals in sturdy, second-hand Revere Ware persist to this day. My most recent Revere acquisitions were rescued from a house clean-out. Saved from the Dumpster®, these will be stored among the basement joists until a friend or relative starts their first house-keeping.
Craftsman All Rubber Garden Hose 5/8 In. x 50 Ft.
When it’s time for a scrubby
WE HAD a quick nip above freezing today, up to 44˚F. Since it is headed to 8˚ tonight and firmly nestled below freezing temperatures all week, what could be more constructive this balmy afternoon than to hose off the 
vehicles! Goodbye winter road grime, slush, & dried de-icer.
Out back, I dug my faithful Craftsman hose out of the snow. She came willingly, eager to once again bend her supple curves across the pavement. After a bit of ice pushed forth from the nickel-plated brass end coupling, I had full water flow from the generous 5/8″ inside diameter hose. Once again, the hose had performed perfectly. And well it better!
Although the cost is a bit more than most hoses, the diameter is larger, the rubber does not crush and kink as easily, and it has a lifetime warranty from a company that will probably outlast the hose’s eventual demise under a lawn-mower blade. Ever have grand landscaping plans dashed after finding your skinny green hose kinked, flattened, and beyond the best medical attention? Doesn’t happen with the premium Craftsman hose. Restless from anemic water flow from a cheap hose? You’ll get professional, problem-solving volumes of water from the Craftsman! And for play, you’ll want a second mortgage to pay your water bill if your kids get unlimited use of this hose!
This garden hose works best with unreduced water flow. Have your plumber cut a 3/4″ tee right after the meter, pipe it to a 3/4″ full port ball shut-off valve in the basement, and through the wall to another full-port ball valve with hose adapter. You’ll be playing with the big boys, with water flow like that!
Not all Craftsman tools are made alike, a sad commentary to profit and globalization. But this hose has been made in the U.S.A. since I’ve been buying them for business and pleasure.
Minimus™ Vision Variable-Output LED Headlamp • HS2-B-SL
Lamp of Learning
NOTHING is as annoying as inadequate lighting when you decide to read in bed at night. Eye strain, wrist cramp, and thought interruption are all symptoms of a poorly designed book light.
Whether camping with the kids at the Franklin Institute, assaulting a defective circuit breaker in a blacked-out debris strewn basement, or preserving your marriage during marathon midnight Machiavellian mental musings, a quality headlamp is an investment which, time after time, will pay handsome dividends.
Personally recommended is the Surefire variable-output LED series of headlamp. Designed for our nation’s fighting forces, this item has crossed over as a favorite of spelunkers, tradespeople, bookworms, and Hollywood [recently featured on “Glee” during the power blackout episode].
Variable-output means that you can crank the brightness from a super-dim to a blinding beam. LED means it is a low-power-consumption, practically indestructable light bulb. Meets Department of Defense qualifications for being US origin. Order a box [12] of Surefire CR123 batteries to go with it. You’ll be set for a couple of years.
The list price is pretty high, as one would expect for a device that can blink S-O-S for days on a tossing life raft, but that online photo video place has them for much less. I buy my batteries direct from Surefire, however, two boxes at a time, and suck up the delivery charge.
DeFeet Aireator® Running & Cycling Socks
Survival With Clean Socks
A FEW years back, when a hundred miles riding bicycle through the open country *on an empty stomach, without water* was a lark, I was given my first set of DeFeet cycling socks from the Bicycle Coalition of Philadelphia. Snazzy white socks, open mesh across the top of the foot, low to the ankles, with a bright yellow stripe at the top. So began my stylin’ bike gear collection.
Despite care and hand-washing, these socks began to fall apart after about ten years. The horror! But since The Internet had by now been invented, I was able to track down the manufacturer. Interesting story here, but the short copy is that a cycling guy wanted a better sock, invented it, and used his family background to open a knitting facility. It was the first open mesh weave airflow design sock, totally customizable. DeFeet was born. The year was 1992. –DeFeet
The Grab Bag is recommended. A dozen pair of seconds or over-runs, delivered, works out to about $3 per pair. Significant savings over standard per-pair price. You get an eclectic mix, possibly including logo’d socks from Triathlons in far-off lands as well as Benefit Runs for well-deserving causes.
Editor’s note: The Grab Bag apparently comes and goes. At the time of this edit, Web Deals appear to be the only “special”.
Uvex S3960C Stealth Safety Goggles
SAFETY IS NOT AN ACCIDENT
BACK when starting out, a few years into the manly occupation of tradesman, I quickly discovered one thing about cheap eye protection. It didn’t work well. Uncomfortable, foggy, loose, scratch-prone, easily broken. Did I mention uncomfortable?
Searching high and low, it turns out that good eyewear could not be bought off the shelf. Specialty eyewear = specialty supplier. I headed to Grainger [pre-internet].
This is where I discovered the Uvex S3960C 
Stealth Safety Goggles. Great fit, even over my eyeglasses. Replaceable lens. I eventually bought them for all my people. Anyone swinging a hammer or grinding an old pipe apart would get eye protection. Then came replacement lenses, 10-to-a-pack. Everyone got new, clear replacement lenses when required.
You can’t spend too much to protect your eyes. Quality eye protection, at about $10 a set, is cheap. Uvex by Sperian. Anti-fog. Scratch-resistant. Gap-free fit. Made in USA.
Klein 5139L 12-1/2-Inch Top-Grain Leather Zipper Bag
ANYTIME PRESENT
GIFT-giving time again! With the giving comes the re-gifting. But not all is bad. This year I received a post holiday re-gift, more of an Anytime Present actually, from my dad. A tool pouch I gave him last year. But not just any pouch.
One I’ve wanted for years but never splurged on. Usually, I buy the canvas bags for cost savings. But Klein makes a beautiful bag in leather. This one is made in the USA with mostly domestic materials.
Mmmmm! Smell that leather! See the brass zipper glint! Built to last. Lifetime warranty!
Klein offers a lifetime warranty on material defects and workmanship for the normal life of the product.
Klein makes tools and supplies for the hardcore professional. Any task you set out to accomplish is easier and more enjoyable with top-quality tools. Next time you need hand tools, treat yourself to the best. The job will turn out better, and you’ll have invested in tools that will last. – jim s. –
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