Worth grabbing a proper pick if you're working with shale all day.

Honestly I used to be one of those people who thought newer always meant better when it came to vehicles. Then my buddy let me borrow his 95 Ford Econoline while my truck was in the shop and I got like 18 mpg highway with a van that's older than me. That kind of changed my whole view on how much tech actually helps fuel economy versus just adding weight.

Yeah @emma349 nailed it about the wheat paste hydrating first. I've wrecked a couple of cheap Bibles by rushing that step, it's basically a science experiment if you skip the wait. The veg vs chrome tan thing is huge too, chrome tanned leather just laughs at your schedule and takes forever to grab. And you're right about the brittleness, I've had straight PVA jobs crack on me after the first dry winter. Definitely sticking with the 50/50 from now on, no question.

Is it just me or does this same mindset apply to pretty much everything these days? I've noticed it with lawnmowers, washing machines, even my kid's toy car. Everyone wants to sell you maintenance packages and replacement plans before anything actually goes wrong. @hayes.elliot is totally right about dealers pushing this stuff hard. I talked to a mechanic buddy who said the real trick is just knowing your vehicle and checking things yourself when you can. Most people end up paying for a bunch of stuff they never needed just because the manual says to do it. It feels like we've all been trained to fix things before they're broken and it just lines someone else's pocket.

I read somewhere that subtitles actually help you focus more on the show.