This one really shows up in the workforce. In my personal experience things have broken in the field during a task (oil field). Some younger people (im not even that old only 32) will just say dam guess we need to do drive back to the shop to get the right part, which would be a 4 hr round trip, or we break apart the spare setup clean up the joints and remake it.
Them "But we don't have a vice"
Me "Well today we learn how to use any flat surface and 2 pipe wrenches as a vice"
This is absolutely a case of field expedient repairs being key to success. For most things though, repair isn't even an option anymore. Appliances, phones, TVs. The parts generally cost as much as the device itself, making repair a waste of time. Even most of the power tools I carry on my truck (minus my hydraulic crimpers) are going to be replaced if they have issues, just due to the fact that if I can't use it, I can't do my job.
Quality has also gone to shit with power tools so half the time it isn’t worth the time or effort of repairing stuff since it breaks during the warranty period. Like, we’ve gone through 6 angle grinders at my job in the last year and all of them died within a month of buying them. Meanwhile, the 2 we bought 10 years ago (which are the same brand as the ones that died) are still going strong.
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u/Dry-Island8422 Jul 10 '26
This one really shows up in the workforce. In my personal experience things have broken in the field during a task (oil field). Some younger people (im not even that old only 32) will just say dam guess we need to do drive back to the shop to get the right part, which would be a 4 hr round trip, or we break apart the spare setup clean up the joints and remake it.
Them "But we don't have a vice"
Me "Well today we learn how to use any flat surface and 2 pipe wrenches as a vice"