Author Topic: Curious - What are the last 3 things you used until they completely wore out?  (Read 29098 times)

Heather in Ottawa

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Bike rear wheel
A sock
Bike tire

Stache-O-Lantern

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1.  A pair of corduroy pants so threadbare you could see the color of my boxers through them.  I only wore them around the house.  I finally retired them.  Now they are in the garage waiting for when I need a rag.  Or maybe a tissue.

2.  A rather large reference book used frequently for work.  The spine is held together with duct tape.  In all fairness, this is a book that gets used in the office, and outside, and gets constantly tossed in the backseat of my car.

3.  Many years back I got a hand-me-down backpack from my wife.  It was already several years old.  I put it through hell for many years more.  By the end, the main compartment had zipper disease, and was only held shut with some clever looping and tying of one of the side straps.  I used it for several months that way until, for Valentine's Day 2015, she got me a new backpack!  In red.

Sayonara925

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Pair of boots with rubber soles.  The soles cracked open and I didn't realize it until it was raining and felt my socks were wet.  Rest of day was so uncomfortable, but I was 10,000 miles from home in another country during monsoon season.  I liked those boots so much, leather and still in great condition except the soles gave out.  Quote was $80 to replace soles, so I opted to just start wearing my 2nd duplicate pair.  Still have the worn sole boots.

Roof on my last house.  The asphalt shingles finally started to fail and I had to do an emergency roof replacement.  Had to buy a giant plastic tarp large enough to cover entire roof as interim protection until it stopped raining and I could start the roofing job.

Clutch on prior car.  No one except me could actually use the car.  I was used to it so I could cruise around like normal.  Finally replaced it.

Gosh, I have a lot more than 3 things...hah


bzzzt

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Harbor Freight 1/2" drive Torque wrench - 1 or 2 teeth left.

HF Aluminum Car jack - quit pumping, Chinese galled the threads in the pump body so couldn't R&R the O-ring

Dewalt 18v 1/2" Hammer drill/driver - Needed trigger and brushes. Started using my backup that I don't like as much.

NoraLenderbee

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Rear brake pads on my Saturn--100,000 miles.
Leather hiking boots. Resoled once, but now the leather is coming apart.
Innumerable bicycle tires.
Many pairs of underwear worn with holes, elastic shot, etc
A couple of t-shirts worn until there were so many holes in the fabric, it looked like it was made that way.

Bracken_Joy

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Hiking boots (...quite a few pair, actually. I could get my 3 right there).
A northface backpack I used for my unreasonable number of years of school (it lasted from grade 7-college graduation until the bottom completely split out past where I was able to sew it back up)
A pair of northface shorts. Lasted 12 years and quite a few countries.


This makes me sound far more outdoorsy than I really probably am, ultimately.

Melody

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A toe stop on my rollerskates (no rubber left, just metal). A plastic drink bottle (well it randomly got really dirty even though I was washing it regularly so it was way too gross to keep using. It was a freebee from work so no real loss there.) Numerous pairs of socks. I tend to buy socks in bulk lots so they all tend to break around the same time. The elastic went in three pairs in a two week period.

Sailor Sam

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1. Tube of toothpaste. I get such a sense of satisfaction of mooshing them as flat as possible;

2. My left ACL;

3. ummm...ummm...a shirt? I tend to lose and/or ruin things instead of truly wearing them out.


lemanfan

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I've actually managed to empty two different ball point pens before losing them recently. :)

MMMaybe

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My flipflops. They fell apart.
My skin cream.
My trousers wore through completely at one spot, making them unsalvageable.

homehandymum

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My pyjamas
My lambskin slippers
My leather boots.

Actually I'm still using the first two of those, despite them being full of holes.  The pyjamas are not for public consumption anyhow, and the slippers have responded well to duct-tape repair :)

Threnn

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Pair of Sandals, they were basically in pieces by the time of their "death".

My first laptop, I used it for 7 years. In the end it had trouble starting up, I used a mini-fan that you could plug into the USB port, always pointing it on the literal hot spots, and an external keyboard I got for  few bucks in order to replace the already broken original one.ī

Pair of Wrengler Jeans. First I wore it in the office, then when it was more worn out in private, in the end for gardening and maintenance work only. Damn good quality, shame they donīt make them liek that any more.

pbkmaine

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1) It takes me forever to find A Perfect White Shirt, and when I do, I wear it until it falls apart. And I can never find the same shirt again.
2) Generic UGG boots I got at BJ's. Wore the soles down.
3) A fleece jacket I bought 20 or so years ago. Wore the fleece clean off the wrists and elbows.
« Last Edit: August 06, 2015, 02:35:22 AM by pbkmaine »

Adventine

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My favorite pair of leather office shoes. 
My favorite giant laundry bag.
My favorite lunch box.

I've replaced them all with serviceable alternatives, but it just isn't the same! I used the old ones for so long, I'd grown attached to them.

climbgirl

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A pair of Birkinstock sandals. They have been glued numerous times but I think I have to accept they're completely worn out this time

My hiking boots. I get a lot of miles out of them but they've developed a hole that will be too difficult to repair, so time for some new ones

A ballpoint pen. I was excited about this as it's the first time I can remember having a pen that was fully used up. Normally they get lost or nicked long before that happens!

patrickza

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1. Tube of toothpaste. I get such a sense of satisfaction of mooshing them as flat as possible;
How about when you cut the bottom off and get another couple of days out of scraping them dry!

I wear out clothing all the time, much to my SO angst as she considers them worn out long before I do!

Schaefer Light

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Lawnmower
Weedeater
Set of Ping Eye 2 irons

GuitarStv

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Guitar strings
Underwear
Shifter cables/housing on my winter bike

Kitsune

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Wearing things out, the girly edition:

My eyebrow pencil (as of this morning, I cannot actually squeeze another use out of it)
Bright red slingback heels (which I've worn to work multiple times per week for the last 7 years)
Flat summer sandals: I wore out the tip so badly they're now half an inch shorter than they were when I started out with them. So comfortable, though!

dude

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1. My last car, 1995 Subaru Legacy GT, at 257,000 miles (its replacement, my current Outback, has 202,000 miles on it).
2. My Eureka Mountain Pass 2XT tent -- the fly is riddled with small holes from the fabric wearing so thin, the bathtub floor was no longer waterproof.
3. Also, I have a t-shirt from my college club volleyball team that is @25 years old; if it were any other shirt, I'd have tossed it years ago -- the fabric is actually tearing away from the printed graphics on the shirt -- but it has too much sentimental value! And yes, I still wear it on occasion!

patrickza -- YES!  I do that with the toothpaste tube all the time!
Kitsune -- bright red slingback heels . . . yowza!

MudDuck

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1. I got a cheap warehouse club backpack in 7th grade and used it for school for the next 9 years in addition to numerous vacations and long weekends. I only had to repair it twice.

2. Jeans... I buy them used and wear them until they're completely destroyed.

3. Boots. My last pair of Docs were my daily drivers for the fall, spring, and winter of about 8 years (and I'm no slacker!). Finally got rid of those because the soles were gone and I slipped on a wet sidewalk, but the tops were still waterproof!

AZDude

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Shoes - I destroy shoes because I wear the same pair 90% of the time until they get holes and have pieces falling off of them.
Pair of jeans - I hate shopping for pants, so I wear them until they become no longer socially acceptable(as in there are holes showing too much, not that they are not fashionable).
Car - Drove my old Mazda until it was totaled by a reckless teenager.

forummm

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Underwear and socks (purchased many years ago). All the food I buy.

I tend not to have things get completely worn out because I take good care of them.

TravelJunkyQC

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1. My 1998 subaru impreza with approximately 275,000 miles (I learned to drive on her and kept her until she *retired* on my sister's farm last year - she then stopped working).

2. Underwear - I wear them until they get holes and my boyfriend starts to insist that I throw them out lest there be consequences.

3. My parents' and my boyfriend's parents' 15 to 30 year old cooking pots. I got tired of eating Teflon flakes.

Bolshevik Artizan

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My bike, which was interesting (only cost me $300, but parts and labour over three years have been nearly double that - still not bad for >15,000km ridden ($1000 all in, approx 6c/km)

My cell phone, which is on its last legs and will be the last fancypants smart phone I buy (am switching to an old-school job when I FIRE in January)

My underwear, about which I won't trouble you with any more detail.

Bolshevik.

Mr. Green

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1. A t-shirt. Cut the sleeves off and it became a gym shirt once it wasn't acceptable for casual wearing anymore. It got so worn after that it started getting big holes as it became threadbare. Looked like it took a shotgun blast to the back. It finally hit the trash about a week ago.

2. My Jawbone bluetooth. It's several years old and should be replaced because the battery doesn't live very long anymore but I keep on using it.

3. A pair of running shoes. I got a replacement pair but I keep them for when I might get into mud. The soles are almost worn through and they stopped providing the intended cushion over a year ago.

WranglerBowman

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1. Socks - last week I had someone comment at work that I had holes in my socks, I had holes about 3 inches long on both sock heels that came up well past my shoe back height...guess it was time to retire them when they start to effect my career.  They were 3 years old.

2. Front Brake Calipers - the calipers kept seizing up so I would pull them off and move the cyclinders in and out a couple times to free them, have done that three times prior till I replaced them on Tuesday.  They were 10 years old.

3. Running shorts - there was probably only 1 piece of elastic left to hold them up, it finally gave way about 2 miles from home last week, I had to keep pulling them up every other stride till I could get back to the house.  They were 12 years old though.

GuitarStv

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It's important to get shorts with a drawstring for just that reason.

takeahike

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1. Always my favorite pair of jeans that die a slow death until the inevitable hole wears in the worst spot. Will be my favorite yard jeans now.

2. My car at about 220,000 us miles has so many annoying electrical problems. I have to replace a fuse every time I drive it just to be able to roll the windows down and to set the alarm. Actually, I can no longer set the alarm.

3. Garden sprayer. Leaks all up my arm.. it's just really annoying.
« Last Edit: August 06, 2015, 02:49:10 PM by takeahike »

BrandonP

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Socks X3

Mrs. Crackin' the Whip

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Shoes and um, deodorant.  I can't think of a third thing.  I'm headed to the store tonight for deodorant.  Mr. Crackin' has used mine in a pinch but I REFUSE to use his.  Guys deodorant is super smelly!  Can you imagine going to work smelling like your spouse?  Not cool!

MrsPete

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An old, faded plastic hair clip that finally "snapped". 

A measuring cup that had had a crack in the handle forever that finally "snapped", taking with it a chunk of the glass rim. 

And a pair of grey shoes. 

Bob W

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Car -385K  - replaced with 148K car
Underpants - 3 years/200 uses?  Replaced with unused thrift shop sets
Jeans - 10 years?  Replaced with thrift shop pairs
Boots - no heals left -- did not replace


Whoops 4

GetItRight

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Shoes - My number one item to completely wear out. Soles falling off my work boots and wet feet if I even look at a puddle. Other shoes are pretty worn out too. I've been set on getting new boots at least, probably be until winter before I get around to it. I hesitate on pulling the trigger because I know I'll have them a very long time.

Clothes - Usually let them get translucent and usually takes a big tear or blowout before I chuck them. Thin and holes typically become car/yard work clothes for a while. Jeans with holes in knees become shorts for summer work. Holes elsewhere is air conditioning for those really hot days.

Vehicles - And parts get completely used and repaired/restored indefinitely.

Heather in Ottawa

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Wow, the shoes, socks, and backpacks don't seem to be holding up well here... are we a bunch of hikers?

wordnerd

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Purse, shoes, underwear.

Bracken_Joy

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Wow, the shoes, socks, and backpacks don't seem to be holding up well here... are we a bunch of hikers?

I think most of us walk quite a bit! (Well, some people cycle quite a bit, but there's still gotta be some shoe wear going on...)

FIRE Artist

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1.  My Sorel winter boots, the rubber cracked across the toe.  These still have to be replaced unfortunately, so will have a large expense in a couple of months, winter boots are not something I scrimp on.
2.  My down jacket, the zipper finally gave out, and it had been molting feathers all last season.  Got a killer end of season deal on a replacement one so all is good there.
3.  Underwear, it is as embarrassing as my love life is right now...likely there is a correlation.

Dollar Slice

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I said goodbye to a lot of socks this summer - partly because I bought a bunch in bulk a few years ago that wore out all at once, partly because my favorite shoes wore through the inner lining and exposed a rough edge that was hard on my socks. (Not counting the shoes yet, I still have them.)  Not a hiker but one of nature's pedestrians - I've been rocking public transit and my feet as my sole mode of transportation since 1999.

A dinner plate that I got as a hand-me-down from my mom developed a spontaneous crack all the way through. I'm afraid to try to carry food on it at this point because I feel like it's about to snap in half. No idea how it happened, I didn't hit it or drop it or anything... it just gave up the ghost all on its own.

Hole-y underwear.

I ran a pen dry today but it was more Murphy's Law than wearing something out - I grabbed it off a colleague's desk to jot a few deadlines on the calendar and it ran out just as I was about to write the final word. I have run a lot of pens out of ink, though - I've been working with a pen kleptomaniac* for 16 years and I've developed paranoid habits about hiding my good pens and never leaving them around the office where someone could take them.

*She owns the business so she's not stealing as such, but she chews them, and it's gross, so I try to keep my pens safe!

oneday

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Pinstripe slacks - 1 of 4 pairs of slacks for work (Friday is jeans day). They actually wore out about a month ago & getting dressed for work is much more difficult these days!  I expect to be able to replace them in another couple weeks when the fall fashions are back in the stores.

Pen - well, the refill.  I have one pen at work which I replace the refill every couple months.

Lip balm - Not gone yet, but almost.  This brand came in a squeeze tube much like toothpaste.  I cut the end off & have been scooping the product out for MONTHS!

CU Tiger

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Blue jeans that wore completely through in the thighs so the seam split.
Fitted sheet. It became so threadbare you could practically see through it, and one day I caught a toenail in it and left an 8" rip. I did cut it up for rags, so I am still getting use out of it.
A wool sock.

The_Dude

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I feel like consumable items society doesn't notice is sort of cheating on this thread (e.g. vehicle tires, brakes versus the vehicle itself). So excluding those items.

1. My grandpa's tape measure :( he was a journeyman machinist and my grandma gave me his tools. I get an inner thrill whenever I use his tools but I was super bummed when it broke this week. It had to be at least 40 years old and the metal tape failed at the end where one of the rivets was.

2. High end pair of leather motorcycle gloves. After 17 years and ~85k miles they have worn enough in the palm to no longer offer protection in event of a crash. One finger actually wore a hole through.

3. Jeans. Now that I can wear them to my office job the top of the thigh area wears out first. Think that area gets rubbed against the desk. 

Great thread. I get a lot of satisfaction from long lasting durable goods and get a little sad when they do wear out.

Just for fun here are the three oldest durable goods items I own and still use (not including Grandpa's tools):
1. Key chain ring from 6th grade or 27 years ago.
2. Bike lock from 6th grade or 27 years ago. About 25 of those years has been with only one key...
3. Pliers and a screw driver from a small kids toolkit that I think I got in 3rd grade. 30 years ago.

PizzaHawk

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1. Work gloves
2. Several pairs of jeans
3. Camera (used on construction sites, it took a good beatings for several years)

OlyFish

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Dansko clogs... The sole broke in half under my arch after 7 years of wear

Jeans. Bought them 13 years ago. They are currently knee length cut offs with holes (after the knee holes got too big to support the bottoms)

Some scrubs that I wore until they were threadbare and see through. You look more professional if people can't see the color of your undies through your scrubs.

I do have two pairs of shorts I bought as a freshman in high school that I am still wearing 17 years later.

aneel

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Black flats, undies, running shoes turned play shoes turned garden shoes

MauiNut

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My 1st ex-wife.

Bob W

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I have a nice ski coat I bought around 1985 that I have worn an average of 30 times a a season as a winter coat.   I anticipate it lasting another 30 years.   Bought it on sale at season end. 

1967mama

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Great thread! Someone needs to invent underwear that lasts and is guaranteed like Darn Tough brand socks! I can't wait to see how long they last and then will attempt to return them as per their guarantee.

Judging from some of the posts in this thread, I need to wear out a lot more things -- posting to follow (and learn from black belt Mustachians)

nobodyspecial

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The great Canadian hat maker (http://www.tilley.com/)  guarrantees their stuff for life
A friend has been  wearing their shorts everyday for 20years

 ( edit 3 years for socks/underwear)

11ducks

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Running shorts- they tore down the left thigh, which was fine, I safety pinned it. Then tore down the right thigh, now they look a bit like the safety pin dress Liz Hurley wore in the 90s.

Socks, a million pairs (my toenails are like eagle talons apparently)

The padding on my old desk chair. I'm not overweight, but after 5 years of daily sitting I can't even pretend a cushion exists there anymore (will replace cushion)