Results 1 to 17 of 17

Thread: General Tips

  1. #1
    Junior Member Stever60's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Location
    North Alabama
    Posts
    27

    Default General Tips

    I would like to read what general tips folks have that may have been handed down. Things learned from our fathers/mothers // and their parents. People who lived through the depression. I think since I have a few others will likely have more. In that these may not fit any specific category I thought to start a general thread to see if there is any interest. Could be things handed down or just things that work based on your personal experiences. Either way I like to read about others personal experiences.

    A few of mine -

    Growing up we never purchased chain saw bar oil, we strained used motor oil through a wire sieve - then through a cloth. I can't say this is the best for a saw, but it never hurt ours and it was all we had. I would not hesitate to use in my own saw if that was all I could do.

    We fiddled worms - I suspect this is not all this uncommon on this board but it is uncommon with the X-box generation. Cut a small sapling about 8" above grade. Take a hand saw and saw perpendicular on the stump making it and the root system vibrate. If you can feel it in your feet that is perfect. Drives the worms crazy, rake the leaves and hunt.

    I grew up on this and think it came out of the depression same as cornbread and sweet milk or butter milk. Nothing was thrown out including day old hard as a brick biscuits. My grand parents made something "they called," soakie biscuits. They would take a stale/hard biscuit and cut in half, pour coffee over it, a dash of milk on the top sprinkled with sugar. I think this may be how I got hooked on coffee . . . I have not had the soakie biscuits in some time though. They are not bad - especially if you farm all day. I still have the coffee though.

    Some things I like based on personal experiences-

    I sweat a lot and still like to run and work outside quite a bit on weekends. For a sweat rag I use the blue microfiber towels for detailing a car with. They are not as scratchy and they absorb a lot. For running I use only 1/4 a towel. I can keep it squeezed dry with one hand while I run. For camping or working outside I use a whole towel. I will rinse it out with cold water occasionally. For camping you can actually dry off with one. You have to keep wringing it out but they absorb a lot and wring out easy. If weight of a big towel is an issue the small micro fiber ones work. I think they are 12x12 and 16x16.

    I use a small fountain pump to pump out mud holes. If you have an inverter on your truck you can attach a water hose to one of the small pumps and pump out a wet spot that needs assistance. I have used one for years and never had a problem with it. I typically set it on something so it is not sucking the mud bottom. This will get most of the water out of a bad spot - greatly improve the time for 100% dry out.

    For every day knife use working around the land I really like the inexpensive knife / razor knife combos. Razor blades are dirt cheap (Harbor Freight) and you don't mind so much what you cut with them. The change out of blades is just a few seconds compared to an old Stanley razor knife. If you lose it or break it they are easy on the pocket book. Kobalt makes one for Lowes.


  2. #2
    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    SE/SW Wisconsin
    Posts
    26,866

    Default

    I sure something will come to mind.....but just a word of caution.
    Just because some did it years ago....example: drain oil instead of bar oil on chain saw....doesn't mean it the best thing to do now.

    I guess if I had nothing else to use....maybe, but bar oil is cheap insurance ofr a hard use application.

    OK just thought of one....

    In the city, we have to pick up doggie do do....so I used double paper and plastic bags to place it in.
    But the twist....I mix in old bills and papers....making it more fun to go thru the "do do" to steal information.
    Geezer Squad....Charter Member #1
    Evoking the 50 year old rule...
    First 50 years...worried about the small stuff...second 50 years....Not so much
    Member Wahoo Killer knives club....#27

  3. #3
    Senior Member randyt's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    tip of the mitt
    Posts
    5,258

    Default

    fresh cows milk and cornbread is about the best breakfast there is, been quite a spell since I had some. Have used old motor oil for chain oil in the past but with these high rpm saws available these days I go regular bar oil.

    I've had onions boiled in milk, haven't seen much mention of that lately. I haven't seen anyone pull taffy lately either. Then there's dandelion honey made from dandelion flowers. Lots of fritters too, corn fritters, squash blossom fritters, those always hit the spot. Pinto beans and cornbread with some chopped onion, still a favourite some places.
    so the definition of a criminal is someone who breaks the law and you want me to believe that somehow more laws make less criminals?

  4. #4

    Default

    Corn fritters and conch fritters! What? My Mom couldn't get half them corn fritters to cool off before they were gone!

    I remember the first time I told my wife a long time ago. We just passed 29 years of marriage last night and some good 32 years of being together. I am a south Floridian and we don't have much of an accent. She couldn't understand me some times. I asked her to pick me up some bar oil. LOL I had to spell it out. She said what is bar-all!

  5. #5
    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    SE/SW Wisconsin
    Posts
    26,866

    Default

    DD is from Wisconsin and has a hellish accent after living in Louisiana for 10 years......
    It's pronounced..."all".... in Louisiana as well....I suppose a shopping cart is a "buggy"?
    Geezer Squad....Charter Member #1
    Evoking the 50 year old rule...
    First 50 years...worried about the small stuff...second 50 years....Not so much
    Member Wahoo Killer knives club....#27

  6. #6
    Super-duper Moderator Sarge47's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    The People's Republic of Illinois
    Posts
    9,449
    Blog Entries
    32

    Cool Well, since you asked...

    Hmmm, well Dad's not going to be any help, he lived in Chicago and wanted to be another "Al Capone."

    My Grandmother went through the depression, lived on a farm. She'd shoot an occasional squirrel for supper with an old Flintlock rifle. Never drove a car, only a buggy. She raised chickens and would use those for dinner. I seen her bring beef steak back to an edible state when it was covered in a green slime by soaking it in vinegar. Her cornstarch pudding was out of this world, used a large old porcelain crock. She never wasted a thing. One of the "desserts" she would make was to lay a slice of bread on a plate, pour milk over it and sprinkle sugar on top. One thing she told us about was her siblings that lived in the city at that time and how they made tomato soup for free by going into a restaurant and taking Ketchup packs home to dissolve in hot water. Later on she sold her farm and moved to the city. Later she remarried and was pretty well off when she died. Even though she still was "depression wise," and always used those old habits....
    SARGE
    "Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe."
    Albert Einstein

    Proud father of a US Marine....SEMPER FI!

    They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.
    Benjamin Franklin

  7. #7

    Default

    Kelly says "Bald" (boiled) peanuts. Her first trip out west she asked for Suhweet Tuhee. Even when I said it in Northern accent the waitress looked blank and shook her head. Finally gave her iced tea and 2 sugar packets. She drank my coke.

  8. #8
    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    SE/SW Wisconsin
    Posts
    26,866

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Sarge47 View Post
    ............................ One thing she told us about was her siblings that lived in the city at that time and how they made tomato soup for free by going into a restaurant and taking Ketchup packs home to dissolve in hot water. Later on she sold her farm and moved to the city. Later she remarried and was pretty well off when she died. Even though she still was "depression wise," and always used those old habits....
    ....Aaaaah...pretty sure they didn't have ketchup packs during the depression......?
    Just saying........LOL
    >Quote
    1968 Ketchup on the go!
    Heinz ushers in the first individual foil ketchup packets
    >
    Last edited by hunter63; 08-11-2015 at 10:40 AM.
    Geezer Squad....Charter Member #1
    Evoking the 50 year old rule...
    First 50 years...worried about the small stuff...second 50 years....Not so much
    Member Wahoo Killer knives club....#27

  9. #9
    Super-duper Moderator Sarge47's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    The People's Republic of Illinois
    Posts
    9,449
    Blog Entries
    32

    Cool Oops!

    Quote Originally Posted by hunter63 View Post
    ....Aaaaah...pretty sure they didn't have ketchup packs during the depression......?
    Just saying........LOL
    >Quote
    1968 Ketchup on the go!
    Heinz ushers in the first individual foil ketchup packets
    >
    Yeah, but I know they did something with Ketchup and hot water to make tomato soup....
    SARGE
    "Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe."
    Albert Einstein

    Proud father of a US Marine....SEMPER FI!

    They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.
    Benjamin Franklin

  10. #10
    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    SE/SW Wisconsin
    Posts
    26,866

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Sarge47 View Post
    Yeah, but I know they did something with Ketchup and hot water to make tomato soup....
    Yeah, I know, heard that one myself....just messin' wit ya.
    Geezer Squad....Charter Member #1
    Evoking the 50 year old rule...
    First 50 years...worried about the small stuff...second 50 years....Not so much
    Member Wahoo Killer knives club....#27

  11. #11

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by madmax View Post
    Kelly says "Bald" (boiled) peanuts. Her first trip out west she asked for Suhweet Tuhee. Even when I said it in Northern accent the waitress looked blank and shook her head. Finally gave her iced tea and 2 sugar packets. She drank my coke.
    I was coming out of a Kwik Stop that sold Hawk's Cajun Boiled Peanuts. A couple of ladies from up north stopped me and asked what I had. I told them and they asked if they could try one. The loved them and were going to go get a cup. Then one of them asked me why they called them bald peanuts.

    Most people from up north don't like the texture of boiled peanuts. And they eat the turnip root not the greens.

  12. #12
    Senior Member randyt's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    tip of the mitt
    Posts
    5,258

    Default

    I love boiled peanuts. Of all things too, came across some prepackaged boiled peanuts at a walmart located in johnson city tenn. I wonder how those would have tasted.
    so the definition of a criminal is someone who breaks the law and you want me to believe that somehow more laws make less criminals?

  13. #13

    Default

    Depends on the brand. You can get Peanut Patch brand boiled peanuts in cans and bags and they just aren't the best. They don't appear to be graded and are small and inconsistent.

    You get Hardy Farms boiled peanuts and these are awesome. They are picked green with as little as 15 minutes passing from them being dug up and picked. And they are really consistent. If you get the bags you can just nuke a serving in a cup or bowl and they are good.

    I am a goober pea eating fool. But, these store bought in a bag peanuts are entirely acceptable. My favorite way to make them though is in a crockpot at home. You just have a harder time getting really fresh green peanuts like Hardy Farms use to make theirs.

  14. #14
    Senior Member randyt's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    tip of the mitt
    Posts
    5,258

    Default

    I usually get them at the flea markets
    so the definition of a criminal is someone who breaks the law and you want me to believe that somehow more laws make less criminals?

  15. #15
    Super Moderator crashdive123's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    North Florida
    Posts
    44,846

    Default

    There are roadside stands selling boiled peanuts all over town.
    Can't Means Won't

    My Youtube Channel

  16. #16
    Junior Member Stever60's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Location
    North Alabama
    Posts
    27

    Default

    Good stuff - hopefully the future is not the past but life tends to repeat. My grandfather would say back in the day when a house burned down they combed through the ash and saved the nails. He never threw a nail or screw away. He straightened nails until you could barely drive them. He said wood was plentiful, nails not so much. He also said they couldn't afford a spare tire but they had a spare rim. If they had a flat they saved the tire so they could patch it. They drove on the spare rim to get to a place to make repairs. I know our recent past, the folks who served in World War One are gone, most of the folks from WWII as well, my dad is a Korean War era Veteran but his parents, my grand parents lived through the depression. They were farmers and did little different. They barely noticed the depression. I wish I could go back in time and know to ask more questions. I am afraid we are headed to a hard place again but maybe I am just paranoid.

  17. #17
    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    SE/SW Wisconsin
    Posts
    26,866

    Default

    Still have a drawer in my work bench....has bed sheets and mattress covers for his resort cabin beds that my GF had in the 30's.

    Made from grain sacks.

    I use them for cleaning patches and shop rags....but they are so old that the cloth kinda crumble......

    My GM and GF saved them after selling the resort...in the 1960's.
    Geezer Squad....Charter Member #1
    Evoking the 50 year old rule...
    First 50 years...worried about the small stuff...second 50 years....Not so much
    Member Wahoo Killer knives club....#27

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •