iris574•15d agoProlific Poster

I finally gave up on trying to fix a corroded Pentax K1000 shutter assembly and just swapped the whole unit. Saved me a day of work.

3 comments

3 Comments

Ever notice how we're all trained to fix things instead of replace them? I spent a whole weekend trying to re-glue a sneaker sole when a new pair was twenty bucks. Or like, deep cleaning a gross microwave for an hour instead of just getting a cheap new one. Sometimes the fix is more satisfying, but man, swapping the whole part is just smarter.

julia_miller245d ago

Wonder if that training comes from watching our parents or grandparents make things last during harder times. Does the guilt of replacing something stem from feeling wasteful, or from failing a test of skill? I still catch myself trying to mend cheap items just to prove I can, even when logic says to toss them.

ross.felix15d ago

Totally get that. My dad tried to fix a lawnmower carburetor for three weekends last summer, buying little kits and soaking parts in cleaner. I finally just ordered a whole new carb off the internet for thirty bucks and had it running in ten minutes. He was mad about it, but also couldn't argue with the mowed lawn. There's a weird guilt in giving up on the repair, even when the swap is clearly the right call.