BIFL: Buy it for Life (the Good Stuff General) - or, Anti-Consumerist Consumerism

[Pignat]

I'll simp for Ikea. I freely admit 95% of the store is made of consumable goyslop, but they have some gems.
They are the only big company that still produces true and honest wooden furniture, and because of their economy of scale, they can produce it cheaper than if you went out and paid for the raw lumber. It is made out of new growth pine, so it is very soft and easy to dent and scratch, but it's furniture, not a riflestock or baseball bat. If you're ar/au-tistic, you can stain and paint it to your preferred color and it will look much nicer than the plastic veneer furniture that costs multiple times as much.
lol @ this thread turning into another caliber sperg fest, anything made since the advent of smokeless powder will outlive your grandchildren as long as it isn't khyber pass-tier.

 

[A Cardboard Box]

Yes there have been. And in at least one study the average documented amount of rounds of 9mm necessary to kill is literally triple that of .45 ACP or 10mm. This is ignoring the reality that if you are concealed carrying you are going to have about 7 - 10 rounds anyway. The last thing you want is for the person robbing you to return to full health after a hospital visit and then testifying that you were actually the bad guy. Combine this with both Glock and Hi-Point producing cheap weapons chambered in fuddy-five now (something they would not realistically consider if 9mm was truly good enough) and there is no reason not to carry your grandpa's fat bullets, outside of you having weak girly wrists. Don't bring up P+ either because that just causes the same problems I just listed, where cops and lawyers will try to fuck you for using "murder bullets."

I'm personally not familiar with a single case where someone was found guilty solely on what ammunition they used for self defense. This is fuddlore. Again, the FBI specifically mentions in their press release how much folklore and "common knowledge" shape people's perception.

I will simply say that I trust the facts and the evidence, and I do not agree with you. Here are the stats I use for my positions. There is absolutely no statistical data to support your assertions.

I consider the matter closed.

https://www.buckeyefirearms.org/alternate-look-handgun-stopping-power

 

[Canuck Breaker]

Unless you're buying a custom, craftsman-made piece, you quite literally better off going to a Salvation Army thrift store for your furniture.

The truly based furniture route is to head to East Ohio/West PA and get your stuff handmade from the Amish. It's expensive, but it's really about the only way to get quality materials and traditional carpentry/upholstery.

Lawnmower: John Deer. Husqvarnas are garbage and catch on fire.

For a push mower, find yourself an old toro and a local mechanic for yearly service. My dad finally bought a 'new' Toro about 5 years ago after 30+ years on the previous. He arguably could have had it repaired, but wanted a wider base and to move to a 4-stroke. But, for $50 a year his mechanic picks up the mower at the house, changes fluids, sharpens the blades, does whatever other maintenance, and drops it back off during the winter.

 

[Lord of the Large Pants]

where cops and lawyers will try to fuck you for using "murder bullets."

There is no round you can use that won't be accused of being a magic murder bullet. You cannot avoid this, ever, so don't bother trying and don't let it determine your ammo selection. Kyle Rittenhouse used the most basic bitch FMJ imaginable and they STILL tried this shit.

 

[Pendulous Dong]

View attachment 5830244
The boomers are right. You should be carrying fuddy-five if you don't want the guy who robbed you to be alive to sue for damages.

Given the choice between a Glock 19 (a comfy, inexpensive concealed carry pistol with 15+1 capacity) and a 1911 (an uncomfortable, overpriced, bulky piece of shit that weighs twice as much with literally half the capacity), the choice is pretty obvious. You're not putting someone down with one shot from either of them, and in a real self defense situation your accuracy isn't going to be the same as it is at the range.

 

[PFM]

Given the choice between a Glock 19 (a comfy, inexpensive concealed carry pistol with 15+1 capacity) and a 1911 (an uncomfortable, overpriced, bulky piece of shit that weighs twice as much with literally half the capacity), the choice is pretty obvious. You're not putting someone down with one shot from either of them, and in a real self defense situation your accuracy isn't going to be the same as it is at the range.

Since when is 1911 the only choice for .45?

 

[Pee Cola]

Someone mentioned RM Williams but they haven't been Australian made for like 15 years.

I bought my last new pair of RMs in 2013 at their factory outlet just outside Adelaide. The factory next doors was still making boots, and they still are last time I checked. Maybe you're thinking of Blundstone? Blunnies have been made in China since the late '00s or thereabouts.

That said, all the other RMW apparel is made offshore now, mainly China and Fiji.

As for other Australian made boots/shoes, Redback and Rossi are both great for work boots.

Citizen watches. Made in Japan, tough as an anvil. Mine is 15 years old and has seen A LOT of abuse, yet it ticks along with no complaints. I paid like $100 for it new (though that was pre-Biden).

Citizen make great analog dress watches, which is something Casio really doesn't do. Either brand is going to last a lifetime though.

I work at a steel mill so I get to hear a lot of things car related; and I don't know how true this is, but I heard here at my job that the Ford 302 engine that was sold and manufactured in Mexico has impurities in the cast mix on top that they are thicker in some areas, making them more resilient in the long run than the American ones

The Barra has a cast iron block, which contributes to its reliability. If you're in Australia or NZ and you want a cheap BIFL car, a B or F series Falcon is the way to go. Pissy little things will break on them such as clock springs, front lower ball joints and ignition barrels, but spares are dirt cheap. I wouldn't bother with an XR6 unless you're an enthusiast, though the XR6 Turbo is one of those cars that'll be ridiculously expensive to buy in 20 years time.

The only big ticket items that let go on Falcons are rear suspension bushes on the sedans and ZF 6 speed trannies. The suspension bushes are cheap but the control blade IRS setup is a ballache to remove and replace, and the tranny issues can be mitigated with regular servicing an a decent aftermarket trans cooler. A BA or BF wagon with the old BTR 4 speed and leaf springs is tough as nails.

At least the USA has the Crown Vic, which sounds like it's nearly as robust as the Falcon.

 

[DavidS877]

So you really ought to keep summer tires and winters/snows, or just get all seasons (aka "three seasons") that won't have quite the summer or snow grip but will do a pretty good job without wearing excessively.

There's a newer intermediate between all-season and winter tires. It's "all-weather" I haven't had them on ice but they seem fine in rain and snow. Things like the Nokian WR and the Michelin CrossClimate.

Probably less useful if you live somewhere where it's doesn't rain 382days/year.

Or, you know, all-seasons and a set of chains, which you should carry even with winter tires.

 

[Blasterisk]

As a forum user who has never killed anybody, let me be extremely clear: if you don't use the biggest possible bullet for the job, you will fail.

Frankly, anything less than 155mm is just asking for trouble, and even then they might be driving an MRAP.

 

[TruffleSpark]

Hardly a firearm expert myself, but since people are spergin about pistol calibers I'd just like to bring up Ivan Chesnokov's thoughts on the matter:

 

[DavidS877]

As a forum user who has never killed anybody, let me be extremely clear: if you don't use the biggest possible bullet for the job, you will fail.

Frankly, anything less than 155mm is just asking for trouble, and even then they might be driving an MRAP.

MOAB or GTFO.

 

[Olive D. Cox]

So I see a lot of people saying to 'buy secondhand furniture'--However I wouldn't since I've known THREE PEOPLE that got royally fucked buying used furniture recently.

One got a dresser that looked perfectly fine -- EXCEPT THERE WERE ROACHES HITCHHIKING IN IT.
One friend bought an upholstered chair that had fleas (surprise!).
Worst of all though was a college buddy of mine who bought a couch that had FUCKIN BEDBUGS hidden in it. That shit just about ruined her life for a solid year.

So it's a hard pass from me.

Buy it if you want -- but inspect the ever loving fuck out of it before you bring it into your house.

 

[Dysnomia]

I feel like the answer is "No" but I'd love to hear others input and then just hope I can buy it in Australia.

Someone mentioned RM Williams but they haven't been Australian made for like 15 years. Everything is fucking made in China now. My pair from 2020 have given me a bit of grief so I barely ever wear them anymore. Maybe I got a dodgy pair?

Prada boots suck and are also made in China. I've never regretted a purchase more than those stupid leather boots. I imagine a lot of other fashion boots would be the same.

Doc Martens have sucked for ages.

Merrell used to be a decent pair of hiking boots - no idea what they did to the soles because now they don't seem to grip properly in wet weather which seems to defeat the purpose.

I absolutely hate foam runners (?sneakers in the USA?) because they're so fucking wasteful. They're literally the only shoe you can run in but if you run everyday, you go through several pairs a year because the soles wear through. Once the sole goes, the whole shoe is a bin job. Even if you try and keep the worn ones as "crappy outside shoes" your house just becomes the landfill.

I don't bother with high heels anymore because they're bad for your Achilles, are always cheaply made, and I'm very tall anyway.

Anyone ever worn Timberlands boots? What are they like?

I loathe the quality of women's shoes. It's like they think we tiptoe around atop posies for half an hour a day then gingerly put them away on a satin pillow. I need to walk miles sometimes. And I'm an avid winter walker anyway.

My mom used to by me Timberland and I hated them. I found them uncomfortable. But that might be an issue with me and not the boots. For me everything has to be very light and flexible. With boots I choose wool. But my waterproof boots are a little too heavy for me. Still better than getting soaked. I also have some slip ons. All my shoes are Skechers and your mileage with that stuff will vary. They have really gone downhill and I suspect it's Chineseum that's the culprit.

My favorite shoes used to be those Skechers bike shoes with the crisscross strap. They were easy for me to walk in. The sole really does last. I've never worn it out. However, the insole and velcro does not. I had to sew new velcro onto the straps. I couldn't find any in the sewing section so I had to use some poster hanging velcro I had laying around. Some of the older shoes had buckles and you could get both buckles and velcro at one point. Now it's cheap ass velcro where the soft side frays after a few months. The insole goes fast too and I had to buy insoles. I don't think I'd buy them again.

I assume men's shoes are still ok. But I don't wear those kinds of shoes. So that's not a go. But it always seems to me than men's shoes look sturdier. It's like they think women don't walk at all and just want purty colors.

 

[Mr Bones Wild Ride]

I bought my last new pair of RMs in 2013 at their factory outlet just outside Adelaide. The factory next doors was still making boots, and they still are last time I checked. Maybe you're thinking of Blundstone? Blunnies have been made in China since the late '00s or thereabouts.

That said, all the other RMW apparel is made offshore now, mainly China and Fiji.

This thread made me go "wear your RM Williams boots today"

Aaand look what's on the tag

Lol so you are 100% correct. I've been sick all week and confused myself like a moron. I got it into my head that they'd offshored all of their stuff.

I'll check out Redback and Rossi - thank you for the recommendation

 

[JustSomeDong]

So I see a lot of people saying to 'buy secondhand furniture'--However I wouldn't since I've known THREE PEOPLE that got royally fucked buying used furniture recently.

One got a dresser that looked perfectly fine -- EXCEPT THERE WERE ROACHES HITCHHIKING IN IT.
One friend bought an upholstered chair that had fleas (surprise!).
Worst of all though was a college buddy of mine who bought a couch that had FUCKIN BEDBUGS hidden in it. That shit just about ruined her life for a solid year.

So it's a hard pass from me.

Buy it if you want -- but inspect the ever loving fuck out of it before you bring it into your house.

After I bought my own place, I had a good think on it, and its exactly these kinds of horror story that drove me to an Ashely Furniture Home Store for my living room. I went with my lazyboy and patio furniture for a few months. I can't recommend any BIFL furniture besides my ancient but awesome Lazyboy recliner I inherited from my granddad, but I can certainly recommend people avoid Ashley. Overpriced shit, poorly constructed. Since I'm soon looking to replace my couch and love seat, this thread came about at a good time.

 

[millais]

I see a lot of leather boot recommendations, which are good and comfortable for temperate/cold climates. I have a pair of Red Wings that I have been slow to break in.

For hot, humid climate and working conditions, I prefer canvas jungle boots with rubber sole. For this type of footwear, the brand I have been most impressed by is Wissart, which is still made in France. I have been wearing the same pair for 1.5 years so far, and it has suffered minimal wear and tear despite constant heavy use. The canvas and rubber parts of the boot are bonded together in the vulcanization process, so there is no glue to go bad or come apart, and the sole is very thick so it will take a long time to wear through. Not too expensive either, I think it was maybe $50 - $60 for a pair.

Any recommendations for durable, hard-wearing sunglasses?

 

[CumDumpster]

I wonder if they are ashamed of the poor history of "Made In Japan" or if they have a culture that frowns upon disposable products. Both seem reasonable explanations to me.

Pre-80s Japanese tech was the barrel's bottom, that dishonour is now with the People's Republic of China.
Of course it could also be an arms race to compete with Taiwan since they're pretty good at performance-for-value.

One thing to note about keyboard is that open-body mechanical keyboards with plate-mountable switches can ride for a long time. I have a full-size Glorious PC keyboard (that I bought bare with 120 Blue Gateron keys [Yeah, mechanical keys are sold in packs]) made around 2017. It's still holding up like a champ (in spite of it's Chinese make) and typing like a dream now.
Keycap sets aren't too expensive if you need them, but anything made to mount on MX switches will fit.
Rubber buttons are hard to repair when they inevitably fail, and that's doubly true for keyboards. Third-party controller manufacturers are making skews with magnetic analogue sensors for a reason...

 

[CumDumpster]

I've had really good experiences with HP laptops personally. They usually last me 4 years, and the only reason I upgrade is the hardware simply falling behind. I still have my first laptop from 2010 and I can still use it for random dev shit

I remember buying a bottom-shelf HP mid-tower in 2010 that I used for 8 years before making my current custom mid-tower in a Corsair 500R I'm daily-driving. Desktops are great for scale.
Since first making that thing, I changed out the boot drive for an 4TB M.2 drive, added two hard drives (one 4TB Toshiba X300 and recently an 18tb Seagate Exos), along with changing out the old DVD rewriter for a Blu-Ray rewriter (that I flashed LibreDrive firmware to).

 

[Freshly Baked Socks]

Any recommendations for durable, hard-wearing sunglasses?

The opposite. No matter how much I try to coddle a pair of sunglasses they will ALWAYS get lost, stolen, or scratched.

As a result I buy a handful of cheap locs, so I can always change into a fresh pair without dispair.

 

[56 others]

I can certainly recommend people avoid Ashley. Overpriced shit, poorly constructed. Since I'm soon looking to replace my couch and love seat, this thread came about at a good time.

I can second this. People who worked at Ashley told me they priorities output over quality. Base pay sucks, but you get paid per unit you complete over the minimum, and they increase the minimum if you are an achiever. One of their factories is staffed almost entirely by fresh spics.

Drove by one of their trucks yesterday and the motto on their semis is literally "We are the world's largest manufacturer of furniture."