#scavaging

   Recently I completed another laptop bag. Well, almost, all except the strap. The last one I made I purchased nylon strapping. I like the nylon strapping because it's strong and I don't have to spend time making the strap. However, $2.70 per strap can be rather costly. So I decided to head out to the junkyard and see if I could reclaim some seat belts and save some money. 

   The first place I went they looked at me like I was nuts when I told them I just wanted the straps, but shrugged their shoulders and sent me out back.The guy lead me to some cars which had already been crushed, there was glass everywhere! You have to pull the stuff out yourself, they don't do it for you. So I dove in and started yanking out the seat belts I could get to. He stood there watching me for a minute than asked, "Why isn't your man out here doing this for you?" I looked at him and said, "Because it's not his job and I'm perfectly capable of doing it myself."

   He stood there for a minute more than suggested I take my zip up hoodie off and lay it over the glass so I didn't cut myself. Good idea I thought so I took the hoodie off. At which point he says, "Damn, you have a shirt on under that."

WHAT!!! "Did you just say what I think you said?"

He looked down, "I think I'll go back in now."

"Good idea." Pig.

It took me half an hour and I was only able to reach 10 straps. I had glass shards in my hand and I was wondering if it was even worth it. 

They sold them all to me for $5.

On to the next place.

The next place was a much more pleasant experience. A very nice and polite man named Emmanuel lead me to some un-crushed cars and handed me a pair of gloves.

"You might need these; take as many as you want."

 It took half an hour but I ended up with 30 straps, each over 80 feet long. They sold them all to me for $10.

 In the end I ended up with enough length to make roughly 80 adjustable straps for $15. If I had bought the nylon strapping new (and I'm not taking about the heavy duty seat belt kind) I would have paid almost $200.

It took about an hour and a half and less than a gallon of gas; it was well worth it. I'm going back next month. Although I think I'll avoid the first place with the pig and the crushed cars.

Things I learned about junkyarding:

 Wear gloves, even if the cars your ripping belts out of aren't crushed there's still glass everywhere.

 Wear boots, preferably high ones. Junkyards are really muddy, whether or not it's rained recently, and you sink in it.

Use scissors. There is a special tool for removing a belt from a car completely, however it's difficult and complicated and unless your yanking the belt out to reuse in your car, it's unnecessary. Scissors, as opposed to a box cutter, give you a bit of extra reach. Even in un-crushed cars the doors don't always open and you have to go through the window. (I'm 5' 2" and my arms are short.)