Thread Number: 32887
/ Tag: 50s/60s/70s Vacuum Cleaners
NOS Kirby Attachments Dilemma : To Use or Not To Use? |
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Post# 359875   9/25/2016 at 01:26 (2,768 days old) by Suckomatic (Deer Park)   |   | |
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Yes, newbie here.
I grew up with old Kirbies in the family. I've always loved them and I finally just got one of my own, a 1977 Kirby Cassic III, just like my grandmother's. The attachments & accessories I ordered from Ebay just came, rug shampooer, two Handi-Butlers with the grinder, wire wheel, sanding discs, even the jigsaw, and much more. Surprisingly, none of it had ever been used, or even opened, in some cases. It has all the cotton polishing wheels, wool buffer (woolish?), even the 5" sandpaper discs and 4 sticks of Kirby cutting compound & polishing compound, in original sealed plastic. There's even a vintage bottle of Kirby shampoo suds. Should I leave some of these things sealed for posterity (or investment purposes), or just bust it all open and use it? Is this a rare find, or is this sort of time capsule phenomenon common among old Kirby attachments? This post was last edited 09/25/2016 at 07:06 |
Post# 359947 , Reply# 1   9/26/2016 at 12:46 (2,767 days old) by bnsd60m9200 (Akron OH)   |   | |
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vintage vacuums are NOT investments (except to the owner) they generally DONT make any kind of money back unless they are over 60 years old and very uncommon. for a machine terribly common still, its not worth very much. i got an entire box (including the big box) of classic III attachments on ebay brand new for $29 several years ago. i use my NOS attachments, even rare ones. they were meant to be used, not collect dust in a box.
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Post# 359950 , Reply# 2   9/26/2016 at 13:55 (2,767 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina)   |   | |
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Use and enjoy them!
I know this is kind of an 'apples & oranges' analogy, but I've spent the past four months cleaning stuff out of my parents' house as they prepare for their big move this week to a retirement community, downsizing from 4,300 sq. ft. to 1,400 sq. ft. The outbuilding behind my house is now stuffed with a large portion of his toy collection, including literally hundreds—maybe even upward of a thousand—scale, die cast car models that he has had for 15-20 years or more and never taken out of their boxes. I'm in the process of selling them on eBay and I'm lucky if I get what the retail price tag shows on the packages. I'm not terribly worried about it because every penny I bring in is pure profit to me, but the bottom line is what real enjoyment did he get out of them? Not a hell of a lot, if you ask me. He had the thrill of finding and acquiring them, but by the time he brought them home and stacked them with all the others, they may as well have not even existed. All he really had was the knowledge that they were there in the basement, collecting dust and taking up space. What's the point of doing that? |
Post# 359959 , Reply# 3   9/26/2016 at 16:57 (2,767 days old) by dysonman1 (the county)   |   | |
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Post# 359982 , Reply# 5   9/27/2016 at 03:24 (2,766 days old) by Suckomatic (Deer Park)   |   | |
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Well there it is then. :)
I've always collected vintage & antique...whatevers, and usually any unopened 40+ year old find is an amusing treasure, best left unused. What a RELIEF to find this is not the case with Kirbies! I finally get to just tear something open with guilt-free abandon, popping pristine little vintage Kirby accessory cherries like so many bubbles. Heeee! :) Thanks everybody! |
Post# 360061 , Reply# 7   9/28/2016 at 17:26 (2,765 days old) by pr-21 (Middletown, OH)   |   | |
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I use NOS vacuum parts if I have the machine it goes on, I few years ago, I bought a used, but in mint condition Eureka Ultra and the first thing I did was find a NOS outer bag for it and put it on. Recently, I found the rug plate NOS for it. I just got it not too long ago and the old one is still good, but I will put the new one on shortly and store the used one.
We can't take the vintage machines with us and what ever makes them more original and usable is great as far I am concerned. And I do use mine, I try to rotate using them as well as my brand new vacuums. Change the bags and belts as needed, etc. PS, I also found nos bellows for it. I agree with Tom on this as well. PR-21 Bud |