Erands and Projects

I've been the Denver Trail Runners moderator for the month of November. It's not so hard when there's no races in my schedule.

I've been very busy doing things that I kept putting off while racing all the time. It's been years since I've bought any civilian clothing, like jeans. I ran out of things like shaving razor blades and shampoo. So I've been doing lots of shopping instead of lots of running.
My brothers and I have wanted a 1qt-1gal gallon paint sprayer, so I shopped online and found some with real good reviews. Finally, I bought one.

I also got to do some computer work for an old friend I hadn't seen in a couple of years. It's nice to catch-up.

My brothers and I are going to try to get several of our engineering ideas patented. Then maybe we can get some things into production. These are long-term plans we hope will allow us to be self-employed.

My Colt Navy 1851 revolver was missing the barrel catch for the reload plunger. I tried to order one from Dixie Gunworks, but instead of coming, I got an invoice that stated it was canceled - no explanation as to why. But my powder flask came. Well, I really, REALLY needed that barrel-catch! No kidding! So why didn't' they call or email? The order asked for my phone#. So I was pissed - partly because they charged $7.95 postage and handling and all I got was one item. I guess I won't be doing business with them ever again.
So I looked into my junk, grabbed a piece of metal, started sawing and grinding and filing and sanding. Geez, it only took me an hour to make the damn thing from scratch, and even had a bottle of gun-blue to darken it. I hammered it into place and now my Navy 1851 is whole again.
The flask had three set-screws that were loose. I had to take them out and apply Lock-tite before reassembling and filling with powder.
Then I made a percussion cap nipple-wrench from a piece of steel tubing and made a handle out of brass.



This working-with-my-hands stuff is what I have always liked. I don't have a real workshop, but I do have tools. I just do what I can with what I have.

I'm not sure when I'll be able to shoot it for the first time.

I now want an old-fashioned straight-razor. Extra shaving cartridges were on my list. What a scam! Ten cost $20.59 at Target. But I can buy 4 disposables of slightly better quality, also by Gillette, for $6.59 ($1.65ea.) This is moronic. The small cartridges cost nearly twice as much as disposables that will add 300% more crap to our landfills. I can't fathom why they do it this way. They also made deals so that no cheaper store-brand knock-offs are made to compete. This is kind of good in that crap Asian stuff doesn't push out the quality items, but it's still a racket that has a different kind of penalty. Shaving stuff has been this way for many years. The industry rewards you for choosing the big, wasteful packaging with more disposable junk.
So I'm ready to give up. Just give me a straight razor and some soap. I'll shave the old-fashioned way. I already have a brush.
I'll still be trimming with my little Wahl beard-trimmer, but the shaving-to-the-skin will be done with a blade.