Duct Tape and Cable Ties - The modern man's answer to everything

 

Duct Tape and Cable Ties - The modern man's answer to everything

16 April 2024

I have a certain family member, who delights in seeing any potential breakage in his home, his car or anywhere else for that matter, as a challenge to whip out some duct tape, and create some magic.

 

Forget the old super glue or finding-a-new-screw method. That’s so old school and yesteryear. Why bother, when a good old strip (or rather a multiple amount of strips) of duct tape can do a much better job. Creating a delightful addition to a formerly beautiful item of furniture, or whatever else tickles your fancy. I suspect that this guy, finds the addition of a colourful strip of blue or silver duct tape far more aesthetically pleasing to the eye. Creating a wonderful uplifting effect on a previously functional item.

 

In fact, he takes his artistic creativity and flair to the next level. Not merely “fixing” something, ensuring that it looks almost the way it once did before he "fixed" it.. He rather opts for a quirky curve to a former straight up bedside lamp. Clearly improving on what was once there. After all, why not?

 

And then I started thinking about it a bit more. Doesn’t My Grantie do exactly the same? Our snackwhich maker is a missing a screw that we cannot find an exact replacement for. Hey, no problem! Blue duct tape to the rescue. Is it pretty? Hell no! But does it work? Hell yes! Problem solved.

 

Which started me thinking even more. Is this creative fixing obsession, merely limited to the humble duct tape in order to cure all ails? Why no, there’s another equally awesome fixer-upper solution to any problem that the humble duct tape can’t fix. Yip, you guessed it, cable ties. We have a variety of colours and lengths. And boy, does he love those bad boys.

 

And then once I started investigating, it came to light that the original family member I mentioned first, is also a firm believer in the restorative properties of cable ties.

 

Do you think there’s a pattern emerging here? Do they teach it at Boy/Man 101. Maybe there’s a subsection of the course material titled, “Duct Tape and Cable Ties – How to effectively use these on anything and everything”. Perhaps the follow-up module is titled, “Uplifting a once-broken item into a fixed creation of unequalled beauty”.

 

But hey, I’m not going to knock it. I’ve got a few fixer-upper tricks up my own sleeve as well. Albeit of a slightly different variety. Dinner a bit boring? Hey, presto! Just add garlic. Supper need a spot of pizazz? No problem. Cream and mushrooms will perk that unappetising sucker right up. Still no culinary joy? Fear not! A spot of chilli will effectively nuke and mask absolutely anything.

 

So, there you’ve got it. Men have their go-to tricks. And us gals have ours.

Please note that certain names were not mentioned in this blog. In order to protect "the innocent"...