Sunday, February 17, 2008

Lying by omission

This wonderful video (and great illustration of the notion of lying by omission) was linked for my benefit on a forum where I play. This should amuse those of you who, like me, are both Muppet-obsessed and have dirty minds.

The Count (Censored)

Now let me tell you about the [beeeeep!] Dritz Heavy Duty Plier Kit and Medieval Torture Device For the Criminally Insane for applying eyelets and snaps. [beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep!!!] I got one of these things today, on sale no less, as a quick life-improvement tool so that I could stop using safety pins on some snappable essentials. I want to put snaps on things. I even have heavy duty snaps to do the job with! But.... I've been fooling with this thing for about an hour and a half (with Pat's help) without success.

What they tell you: how to use the sucker with normal snaps.

What they don't tell you: that even if you figure out which part of a heavy duty snap is which (there are 4 parts and no, it's NOT obvious, damn it), you may not be able to get the bastard to work. Also, you may tear up your garment in the process of trying to figure it out.

Fuck Dritz. Damn sadistic Drow mofo.

Okay, enough growling. Back to work on this snap-affixing project.

If you're not done shirking yet, though, feel free to go check out Clare's wonderful new blog, Trapdoor Zombie! It will be linked in the margin from here on out.

UPDATE: Poor tool design. I am still bamboozled and frustrated but determined to find either a workaround or better parts... for now, I eventually solved the problem with a hammer and a screwdriver used as a chisel to smash down the superfluous little post. Unpretty, but yeah, it works.

Seriously, there is nothing functional about this design. Either little old ladies who sew a lot know something I don't (very likely) or they don't complain when someone sells them a bum steer (also possible.)

Macha barbarian with a hammer always wins when she combats bad design. Muhahaha.

1 comment:

Calimaryn said...

Those Dritz tools never work! Honest. I have one and still use the insanely cheaper metal post and metal receiving cup thingy. You can buy them right near where you bought the dumb tool and snaps. The name escapes me but seriously a hammer and one of these works best.