Emory cloth...

I knew my quest of emory cloth around town would be long, exhausting and more than likely a failure. I did what I always do, go to ebay, I found a large pack, reasonably priced, shipped for free and avoided multiple stops around town to get 1000 yard stares from young clerks who wouldn't know what I was talking about.

I think that we used a lot of stuff in our day that was common. The younger guys, under 30 or 35 never used the things we did. They didn't have to. They are merely ignorant of these things, not stupid. Educate them a little whenever possible.

Sidney Smith said:

I must be getting into my old fart stage of life. These kids today are just plain stupid.

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Ya,all think this is bad, try asking for crocus cloth.

I use wet dry paper, works fine. I start at 400 and work up to 1500 for military bright.

Dont use a buffing wheel with compound, leaves with a fake chrome look

firestick said:

Don't be so critical of the youngsters about emery cloth. Plenty of modern technology we use that we really have no clue about. Give em some time and they'll figure it out.

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I have to disagree with you here. These young kids are ignorant to anything that was around or happened before they were born, and they're proud of that fact. Most of them refuse to educate themselves in that regard as well.

[U]Sidney Smith,[/U] NO these children are not ignorant, its our fault because WE DONT TAKE THE TIME to EDUCATE THEM. Who tough you?

Archer 756 said:

[U]Sidney Smith,[/U] NO these children are not ignorant, its our fault because WE DONT TAKE THE TIME to EDUCATE THEM. Who tough you?

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There's no WE about it. It's THEY. Those people, mostly the urbanite variety, who live online, do not walk with grass under their feet, nor have used their hands for anything but punching computer keys.

I taught my son's which end of a screw driver to hold, and how to change a tire. Amongst a zillion other things. It's not WE, it's THEY.

My test is simple. If they don't know who Roy Rogers and Smiley Burnett were, I don't trust them to know much of anything else.

I think it would have been an excellent time to teach or explain to him what emery or crocus cloth is. They don't even teach shop classes in HS anymore around here. No different than most kids have never had the opportunity to set foot in the hills and chase a rabbit or sit in a blind and call ducks. Life circumstances are different for everyone.

Would like to know whom tough you as to black powder shooting. I find it hard to believe that you learn on your own, someone had to answered questions or you must be a genies, god help us !

Archer 756 said:

Would like to know whom tough you as to black powder shooting. I find it hard to believe that you learn on your own, someone had to answered questions or you must be a genies, god help us !

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I read books and articles on black powder shooting and went from there. So unless you count the authors of the books I read on the subject, I learned the rest on my own.

Treestalker said:

When was the last time you saw or used friction tape? Ask a youngster about that sometime!

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firestick said:

Key word here is WAS. Very little use for friction tape today when modern and improved products have replaced it for the most part. The same as emery cloth. It is more or less a specialty item now. I am sure machinist still use plenty of it but I doubt the avg Joe in his garage has any. When I was a kid we always had a sheet or 2 of it around the workshop. My father called it "crocus cloth"

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For friction tape, check out a store that sells hockey gear.

Sidney Smith said:

I read books and articles on black powder shooting and went from there. So unless you count the authors of the books I read on the subject, I learned the rest on my own.

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Me too. I had no one around me that knew anything about them. Fortunately a few years later I joined a club and learned a few things from them too and there was no internet back then.

firestick said:

Key word here is WAS. Very little use for friction tape today when modern and improved products have replaced it for the most part. The same as emery cloth. It is more or less a specialty item now. I am sure machinist still use plenty of it but I doubt the avg Joe in his garage has any. When I was a kid we always had a sheet or 2 of it around the workshop. My father called it "crocus cloth"

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Yeah, crocus cloth! And valve grinding compound, and.... The old friction tape was used by a lot of electricians back in the day, my Dad's house was wired by 'Old Man Siou' pronounced 'see oh' who soldered every joint and wrapped it with about 1/2" of friction tape. built in 1949 and still using the original wiring, last I heard.

Back when I was younger and full of myself-and slightly arrogant ignorance, (anything more wouldn't have lasted long then before I was put in my place), a very patient mentor sat me down to explain the difference between being ignorant and being stupid. Ignorance is not being exposed to information; stupid is when you are, and walk away un changed.

Persistent ignorance (short of stupidity) may require getting the person's attention. I'm reminded of advice of reasoning w/ a Missouri mule, by 1st getting it's attention,-w/ a 2x4.

To me your the problem expecting a big box supplier outlet to have intelligent cashiers.

Why did you think that was OK? Bust the kids balls big guy. That is what it seems.

Next time go to a real supplier and pay the more money for that is why it costs more.

oldwood said:

Guys............Be patient w/ the new generation. There called the "bedroom slipper " generation because most have only been button pushing w/their expensive toys. There easy to spot as they wear bedroom slippers in public.
Emory cloth of every description can be ordered from MSC industrial supply. Grizzly Supply , might have it as they sell a line of lathes , etc..

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Oooops! I'm 88 years old and I still wear bedroom slippers shopping on occasion. I guess I'm pretty goofy … Polecat

tallpine said:

Ok, the kid does't know what emery cloth is but I bet he could straighten out your screwed up computer or I- phone when you can't. Kids today are not stupid they just live in a different world than we grew up in.

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So true, my grandson is not well informed on machining or farming, but he can help grandpa and grandma with our phones

Archer 756 said:

Would like to know whom tough you as to black powder shooting. I find it hard to believe that you learn on your own, someone had to answered questions or you must be a genies, god help us !

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I taught myself everything I don't know. Wait a minute... that doesn't sound right.

I have read this with a bit of interest relating to kids now vs. when we were kids', the times have changed. Most of us here came from back grounds where you were taught to make things last if it broke you fixed it using the items mentioned and some others that was common place. We did not sit behind a control board killing zombies or tweeting for hours on end, we worked our butts off, going to school you used a library, pencil and paper and books. Kids now of days do not have to do that everything is instantly available with a few key strokes. And if something breaks well throw it away and get another. These are the kids who are going to develop into the next generation of leaders, businessmen. Not a lick of common sense in the bunch if you ask me. But the real fault lies with the parents they were the beginning of the throw away generations.