"Upscale" wrote in message
...
"Mike Marlow" wrote in message
3X, or 4X for a name? When quality is obvious, then spend the money on
quality, but when it's not then go with the best price. This thread did
start out after all, with a fellow looking for a decent tote to stick
some
tools in for around the house occasional use.

You're right of course and tote bags approach the level of being a
commodity. However, my limited experience with thrift shops most often
tells
me that I'm wasting my time in them unless I'm looking for something that
will fill the quick and dirty usage category and not especially irritate
me
when I have to throw it out.

If I have the time to spend hunting for something suitable in a cut rate
store, then by all means, that's where I'd go. If I'm looking for
something
I know is a quality product, with the knowledge that the guarantee is
absolute and the product is dedicated to a particular task, in this case a
tote bag for *tools*, then I know there's an excellent chance of finding
the
most useful tool bag at Lee Valley. And I know, I won't have to waste a
great deal of time doing it. So it all comes down to how much time one
wants to spend looking and how *decent* a tote bag they're looking for.
IMHO

And yes, I admit it, I'm a little bit of an elitist in the products I buy,
so that usually sways what and where I buy too.



Nothing wrong with being an elitist. We all are in some ways. I agree with
what you say above but my point was that the products which were being
discussed at places like Big Lots are indeed good products. We're not
talking inferior quality here that is going to fall apart with any amount of
use at all. The point that at least one other poster and I were trying to
make is that you can indeed buy some quality stuff at the most unexpected
places. Others never find out about these things unless someone posts that
they are there. Being an elitist aside (again - I'm fine with that), I'll
match my commodity stuff that is in this category of "tool" if you will,
against any brand name or boutique shop product. I just don't get any
doggoned bragging rights.

--

-Mike-