About
I've been using ebay since 1998. I don't sell much anymore, and a lot has changed since '98. Nowadays I do my online shopping in several places, but eBay is always where I look first, regardless of what I'm shopping for.
All feedback (1,263)
- gadgetszone (62378)- Feedback left by buyer.More than a year agoVerified purchaseGood buyer, prompt payment, valued customer, highly recommended.
- fortoever (2882)- Feedback left by buyer.Past monthVerified purchaseGood buyer, prompt payment, valued customer, highly recommended.
- ralpht.foster (19570)- Feedback left by buyer.Past monthVerified purchaseThanks--WARNING from the author of the researched book . “Fiat Paper Money the History and Evolution of Our Currency. © Prepare now, the value of our fiat money is changing too fast. Ralph Foster
- coinzio (4124)- Feedback left by buyer.Past 6 monthsVerified purchasePleasure to do business with, highly recommended!
- apmex (565003)- Feedback left by buyer.Past 6 monthsVerified purchaseHope to deal with you again. Thank you for purchasing from APMEX on eBay.
- buccaneerbullion (53)- Feedback left by buyer.Past 6 monthsVerified purchaseAvast, Virtual*1! ⚓ Swift as the trade winds with payment—this matey knows how to claim treasure without delay! 💰 A smooth and seamless transaction, just the way we like it on these silver seas. Hope to see ye back aboard for more plunder soon! 🏴☠️ -Captain of the Silver Seas
Reviews (28)
Nov 07, 2017
useful marker
I've been using the larger fine-point sharpie markers for some time, carrying them around as my regular pen for the most part. Sharpies will write on almost anything, including glass, metal, and plastic. (they will fade with UV exposure however) But that marker would sometimes bleed. I just discovered these newer fine-tipped sharpie pens, which are basically the same fine tip I look for, but using an ink that's not quite so likely to bleed. The pen is also not quite as wide (3/8 rather than 7/16") and the cap is easier to remove and to park on the back, which is nice too. Even for an everyday pen they're great because there's absolutely zero chance of them skipping or globbing on ink like even the large roller ball ink pens, especially if you write a long straight line. I prefer blue rather than black, both colors are available. The body of the marker is all black except for the colored cap, which looks a bit more professional than the grey bodied blue capped markers I've been using.
Aug 29, 2017
a great portable torch
1 of 1 found this helpful From time to time I need a handy source of high temperature, mostly for soldering or desoldering large components that my 45 watt iron just can't handle. I've used a large propane torch with click-egnition attachment in the past, as well as trying several other "novelty" grade mini torches. The big propane torch worked but isn't very convenient and is often overkill. It's also difficult to use as a self-supporting torch when working, due to its instability and height.
I've bought several butane soldering irons in the past, and while they work, even the expensive ones tend to be tricky to light and have a short runtime before refueling. (Weller makes the only good ones, all the rest are a waste of money - but they're still a pain to light)
Recently II discovered this new class of freestanding "desk torches". They're being made by several companies, and are of varying quality and features. I spent some time researching options and decided I wanted something that ran on butane, had a fairly good gas capacity, adjustable flame size, easy to use and RELIABLE trigger ignition, and with a locking gas supply and stable base to free both of my hands for work.
Several of them are of a similar design. They're all made of a mix of chromed pot-metal, plastic, and rubber, have a shape a bit like a hot glue gun, an extra-wide base for freestanding work, and gas delivery dial. Some have a locking gas supply while others require you to keep your hand on them. I read quite a few reviews of the different brands, and then focused on more reviews when I had narrowed my list down. Product information on these tends to be spotty, not getting specific on things like gas capacity and whether or not it has a locking gas delivery, so my final choice was based mainly on performance reviews. (youtube is also a good source of product reviews)
I found the Zico on ebay for a very reasonable $20 shipped. This cost about the same as some of the novelty hand torches I'd bought in the past, and several times less than the large Weller butane soldering iron I own, so I wasn't sure whether to expect much out of it or not, given my disappointment with the novelty torches. The zico arrived in a nice but basic "presentation box" that didn't jive with the low price tag. Most of the shell is a gold-chromed pot metal, but has a good solid feel to it. I'd worry about it cracking if I dropped it on the pavement though. The base is almost twice as wide as the neck of the torch, and has a felt ring on the bottom, making it very stable freestanding for use. You can bump it without it falling over, as a butane torch would.
The flame size is variable by a slider on the side, but it slides easily and is rather course and easy to bump. A dial would have been better because I don't need to adjust it, I need more of a "set and forget" so I often have to tweak it when getting it out because the slider has been bumped since the last use. The jet has a good ring of "keepers" around it and does a good job of staying lit. The black circular cap you see in the back is just a cap, not a dial or a button. The trigger is well-placed and has a good snap and feel when used to light the torch, and it starts the gas automatically when pulled. To date it has successfully lit on the first try EVERY TIME which really was a nice surprise. Novelty torches can be a pain to get lit, the Weller you have to literally follow a list of instructions, and the propane nozzle is about a 50% success rate. So this torch scores a "10" for ease of lighting.
Gas flow rate adjustment is on a short slider on the side, with a range between "off" and "crazy long" flame. On the top is a very similar looking shorter run slider that is the delivery lock. It's not a safety, it won't turn off the gas, but it will keep it on when you release the trigger. So to use it freestanding, you pull the trigger and hold, set the gas rate on the side, slide the lock back, let go of the trigger, and set it down for use. If you turn the gas delivery all the way down,that will prevent ignition and can somewhat be used as a safety, though the odds of you managing to accidentally pull the trigger are remote. It's not something I'd leave accessible to kids though.
Looking into the nozzle, there's an inner collar between where the jet will go and the outer metal body, looks like it's made of ceramic. This is a really good design feature to prevent overheating and damage to the body from the flame. You can refill it with a standard butane refill can, using the regular flat-ended round refueling tip, the port is on the underside of the base. Mine doesn't seem to leak, but there's no way to tell how much fuel is loaded. There's no view window, and the torch is a bit too heavy to judge by weight or even to feel the liquid butane sloshing around when rocked. This is the only missing feature besides using a dial for gas delivery.
It even came with butane loaded.
Oct 04, 2021
very good quality shears
Scissors work with both hands, the bright contrasting colors make them very easy to spot among gear, and both the handles and the blades are thick and strong.
They come with a hard plastic belt "holster", which I wasn't expecting to be very useful, but the shears "snap into" the holster and seem to do a good job of staying there, but are quick and easy to release for use.
I'm expecting them to last a long time.
And now... after owning them for several months, some updates:
- I didn't care for the belt clip on the guard "holster", so I removed it. It takes some effort but the button can be popped out to separate the guard from the belt clip. I'm keeping the guard for it, it has a very positive lock when you insert the shears, it's not going to fall off like almost any blade guard I've ever seen. Despite the good locking action, the guard easily comes off when you need to use the shears.
- the cutting edge isn't very long, only about one inch, but it's got these micro-serrations on it that give it a great "grip" on what you're cutting. Prevents the object from 'squirting" out of the blades as you close them. When I find I need to cut something longer, it does take a bit more time, but that's a necessary tradeoff for leverage.
- the hinge is very precision. It's got a little bit of resistance when closing, but not too much, and there's absolutely NO slop in it. Very nice, solid feel. Like the difference between a brand new set of scissors and an older set, that quickly gets loose over time. Not this one, still feels like new.
- the holes in the handle are a LITTLE small for my hands. I've got big hands though, it's just a little uncomfortable. But my particular application favors compact tools, so this is actually a fairly ideal compromise for me.
- my application also favors high-visibility tools, and tools that can be quickly identified from a bag of mixed tools. The red and blue color combination makes these shears immediately identifiable in the bag, standing out from the yellow and orange handles on most other high-vis tools - there's no digging around, no pulling out the wrong tool. It's just a little added "perk".
- you know how when you're about to (or are) cutting something tough with a scissors, and you want to get that precision cutting control, or need that extra torque, you open the mouth wide and use that part of the blade right up by the hinge? Even after using it many times it still surprises me a little just how effortless it is. I haven't considered abusing it by trying to cut pennies in half or anything like that, but with this shears I can just stop thinking about / worrying about the material I'm cutting, I can be confident it's going to cut like a sheet of paper, and there's absolutely no chance of it forcing the blades apart and failing to cut.
- in summary, I was a little concerned about the price. it wasn't "luxury" class, but it looked like one of those "it better be at least above average for that price". And it DID NOT disappoint me. After some honest consideration, I really don't think there's anything I'd change about it. Part of me wonders if it would be better to remove the rounded cutting hole at the base for increased blade length, but I think that's just a throwback to my subconsciously thinking I HAVE TO put hard materials in at the base to cut them. I haven't used that cutting hole yet, but I suspect it will come in very handy at some point in the future and I'll be glad it's there.
FIVE STARS