Saving Old Utility Knives and Tin Cans

As us scrappers say every little bit helps so I was wondering if anyone else is like me and tosses in there old cutting blades be it the tiniest of snapped off peaces from there utility knives? I've started a business scrapping in 2 states and 10 counties apparently no one wants to pay for trash pickup or go to the recycle so I’m the trash girl I guess...LOL I’ve got 10 helpers who are friends and I’ve got 3 of them doing various stripping jobs while the others are out collecting on the calls and emails we are getting in. We're gonna save up the Gold, Silver and Platinum to get rid of once a year near Christmas that's gonna be everyone's bonus checks for such good work done. I also take off my Aluminum and steel once or twice a year and we smelt it all down first before we take it in. I honestly wish I’d a started this YEARS ago but with my son out of prison he'd a taken over everything. Another tip some may not know is this check out your local Goodwill, Salvation Army and other private thrift stores in you area you'd be surprised at the good deals you will find on all kinds of computer equipment not to mention telephones. Remember yard sales and flea markets they can also net u a bunch free or for very little. Also this might sound crazy but I also save tin can's like soup, tuna etc comes in and melt those down. I know it might sound crazy but to me every penny count's Literally after living on 50 bucks a month for years and watching my daughter cry for things she wanted I can now give her little things here and there.

its not crazy I think all of us do the same vs. throwing money out.. happy hunting

I do keep good track of what gets tossed and not. Tossed meaning that it has little other use. I'm very good at sorting things. I even scrap the staples from the magazines and such that I end up cutting up for the advertising and such in them.

I also scrap the used utility blades in with the staples, hack saw and other blades, odd scrap metal bits, used steel wool and such. I have magnets everywhere as well as flashlights and other items that are handy to have handy.

I also keep any broken drill bits and other tool type steels for other use. I have repaired many items using old drill bits and other odd tool steel.

I hold on to any round or larger interesting cutting blades if I think that they might be of use for art and such. I figure that such metel can sit for now and if I don't find a use or market for it I can always toss in the scrap metal pile later.

Why toss it or scrap it if it has a value that is more to the right folks.

Even glass, plastics and wood items can have a value if you have enough of it. It is amazing what crafters, artists and others are interested in.

Used disposable items such as lighters, bottle caps of plastic or metal, popsicle sticks, interesting small tins and such and the list goes on.

More then scrap value is where it at and more then trash value is the cat's meow in recycling and scrapping.

I do that too. Each time I go to the yard I usually have a small bag of tin cans, sawzall blades, bottle caps etc that I throw in with the light iron. I don't throw away any metal. When I used to keep my scrap in a basment of an apt. buildings would take all the food cans that got put in the recycling crush them with a sledge hammer and put them in a yard trash bag until it was full, and the full bag was pretty heavy and added nice weight. Everything add up.

Our yard will only give .03 a lb if you take the tin cans inside on the smaller scale but I usually smash them down and those and smaller bits of metal go inside computer /microwave carcasses for .07 1/2 a lb.

You're starting to sound like me Connie with my can tabs :

Originally Posted by RevenantDusk

I do that too. Each time I go to the yard I usually have a small bag of tin cans, sawzall blades, bottle caps etc that I throw in with the light iron. I don't throw away any metal. When I used to keep my scrap in a basment of an apt. buildings would take all the food cans that got put in the recycling crush them with a sledge hammer and put them in a yard trash bag until it was full, and the full bag was pretty heavy and added nice weight. Everything add up.

I Have gotten so bad i've started asking my friends not only for there soda cans but there food cans they think i'm nuts but hand them over anyway...LOL Our area alot of elderly are charged for garbage pickup and some aren't able to get to recycle so we agree to take off there garbage when they make a request other junk needs hauled off. We then bring everything to the yard pour it out go over it all and grab out the cans and stick in a bucket to wash out I keep the $1 big bottle Awsome cleaner from Dolar Tree just for this and by it in a bulk case at a time. My daddy god love his heart brought home a BUNCH of old green marbles so i just toss one in each can before placing it in the Bucket's to soak I let soak over night in HOT water then rinse next day with a garden hose and let air dry then smash like U said with a Sledge hammer I've got a peace of heavy steel I set on top of the can to beat on flatening the whole thing with a few swings. I am wondering if a Log Splitter would work just using the peace of metal as a stop before it gets to the splitter part?

Originally Posted by logansryche

You're starting to sound like me Connie with my can tabs :

I save my can tabs but for a closet project they make dandy outfit makers u can hang 2 wire hanger's at one time just by slipping the smallest end of the first hanger and slide the 2nd wore coat hanger in the other....:-)

Originally Posted by ChildhoodDream

I even scrap the staples from the magazines and such that I end up cutting up for the advertising and such in them.

You just gave me a bright idea. I use magazines and catalogs of all sorts to make roll paper art with for craft fairs in the fall and there is NO TELLING how many staples i go threw in a year NEVER THINKING until now.

Originally Posted by Mechanic688

Your cheating your yard and you'd scream if they did it to you. If you insist on doing it then don't broadcast it on a public forum. It has been known for yards to get on here and read. Just sayin,,,

Yup, that will get you banned from a yard really quick.

Originally Posted by Connie28705

I Have gotten so bad i've started asking my friends not only for there soda cans but there food cans they think i'm nuts but hand them over anyway...LOL Our area alot of elderly are charged for garbage pickup and some aren't able to get to recycle so we agree to take off there garbage when they make a request other junk needs hauled off. We then bring everything to the yard pour it out go over it all and grab out the cans and stick in a bucket to wash out I keep the $1 big bottle Awsome cleaner from Dolar Tree just for this and by it in a bulk case at a time. My daddy god love his heart brought home a BUNCH of old green marbles so i just toss one in each can before placing it in the Bucket's to soak I let soak over night in HOT water then rinse next day with a garden hose and let air dry then smash like U said with a Sledge hammer I've got a peace of heavy steel I set on top of the can to beat on flatening the whole thing with a few swings. I am wondering if a Log Splitter would work just using the peace of metal as a stop before it gets to the splitter part?

Yep I've got a tote here where I separate the tabs into groups: the first group is for the normal aluminum tabs found on soda cans. The second is for large aluminum tabs found on food, the third is for large steel tabs found on food, the fourth one are for monster tabs, and the fifth are for bud tabs that have the crown punched in em. You'd be surprised but each group has it's own weight. I've been getting most of my tabs from my father-in-law an the monster tabs from listia(I trade coke codes for em).

Originally Posted by mechanic688

your cheating your yard and you'd scream if they did it to you. If you insist on doing it then don't broadcast it on a public forum. It has been known for yards to get on here and read. Just sayin,,,

can't none of u read where did you go to school anyway.....i did not say i kept them in the cans to take to the scrap yard i said when i washed them out read better next time

I understood what you did. You used the marbles like a spray paint can so you could shake it and loosen up the stuff in the cans. The marbles you used most likely came out of spray paint or such cans. I cut the old paint cans open and get the marbles out of them. Now and then they will have one or two small steel bearings instead of a marble. The marbles from the cans I have opened are most times a clear green. Some are clear.

Oh thank you so much for telling me where those **** marbles came from. I racked my brain thinking daddy had just lost him before he past and noone had noticed...:-) Daddy even collected STUMPS sis said the other day I want that stump to plant flowers in I laughed and said Little Lawrence do ya now?

Brings back memories when I hung wall-cover & I'm talking serious paper hanging I used classic razors single edge box after box year after year
I'd fill gallon paint cans made of metal back then BTW . I did what any contractor type did during the 1980's 90's 2000's
when the can got heavy into the trash remember back then a car was worth $60 like a 4500# car no less . My thoughts merged to the man back then
I would be a millionaire but who wouldn't also