Real Man's Guide to Fixin' Stuff: How to Repair Anything You Need (or Just Want) to Know How to Fix
Amaze Your Family. Astound the Neighbors. Fix Some Stuff.\ Real men know how to fix stuff...or at least, when something around the house breaks, it gets handed to the nearest guy to fix it. So if you don't know a light socket from a socket wrench, this book will have you looking like Mr. Fix It in no time.\ No longer will you think that something isn't worth fixing or that it would be cheaper to replace.\ You'll be able to fix: Dead remote controls, leaking showers, car scratches, weak...
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Amaze Your Family. Astound the Neighbors. Fix Some Stuff. Library Journal Measurements in this British import are all in metric, the sparse illustrations are poorly placed, and the British slang may seem awkward to American readers. There are a few clever fixes, but the lack of an index makes them difficult to find. Harper (Man Skills) is funny and chatty, but this casual guide is not comprehensive or particularly helpful.
Keeping Up Appearances Image is everything, they say, which means it's not socially acceptable to turn up at work or a social gathering in a pair of shoes with the heel hanging off or wearing a tiny sweater that shrunk in the wash and now restricts your breathing. Nor is it the right thing to venture out in frayed, ripped, or moth-eaten clothing, nor tights with runs, nor a shirt or blouse splattered with blood and ketchup stains. No, no, no.\ We don't make the rules, but rules are rules and we must all abide by them. So, with your sartorial standing in mind, and to guarantee you make the right impression, we kick off with essential tips on keeping up appearances...\ How to... Fix a Hole in Your Shoe\ If your shoe is letting in water and you squelch with every step, you probably have a hole in the sole that needs patching up. Here you have two options, depending on the type of hole you have.\ Option 1. If it's a hole you could shove your finger through, your best bet is to cut a length of duct tape to size and smooth it out across the hole on both the inside and outside of the shoe. Duct tape is waterproof, of course, which helps keep the water out, plus additional layers can be added if you need to build up the sole. This will provide a temporary fix until you can get home and re-sole the shoe, which is what it needs (details on the following page).\ Option 2. If the sole leaks, but there is no obvious hole to speak of, it's more likely that a crack or cracks in the sole are allowing water in. This again is due to shoddy workmanship at the factory, or the fact you've worn the shoes into the ground. Either way, the cracks can easily be fixed. First, invest in a tube of super-strength, waterproof glue or cement, then gently push and pull the shoe's sole until signs of a crack appear. When you find the crack(s), work a good splodge of glue into it, wipe away any excess, and hold the shoe firm until the glue has set. Your shoe should now be waterproof once more.\ How to... Re-sole Shoes\ This requires proper concentration because you'll be whipping off a defective sole with a knife and replacing it with a new piece you bought earlier. You should only attempt this if the sole has ground right down. So, when you have a replacement sole in the appropriate size and style, available from all good shoe shops, you're ready for what is a fairly simple three-step procedure.\ Step 1. Make sure the sole of the shoe is free from any mud or debris and is bone dry, then take a utility (or carpet) knife and very carefully cut away the defective sole, either all the way if it's a trainer-type affair, or right up to the heel if it's a more formal affair. When the sole is finally removed, sand the surface of the shoe to remove any old glue, giving it a nice rough finish, then sand the surface of the replacement sole. This should help them adhere more easily when you come to put the new sole on.\ Step 2. Unless the new sole is self-adhesive, you'll need to slather a good spread of shoe cement on both the shoe and the new sole. Line the two parts up neatly and push them firmly together. Once the two parts have started to stick, put the shoe on and gently stand in it for a while to encourage a tighter seal.\ Step 3. Unless the new sole was an exact match for the shoe, you will probably have a little overhang that will need to be carefully trimmed away with your utility knife, then filed or sanded to a clean finish. Repeat the above on the other shoe, if required, and if you also need to re-heel the shoes then read on.\ Minor Repairs\ If the sole has merely come loose and can be stuck back into place, pull the sole gently until you're able to squeeze a good splodge of shoe cement into the gap. Push the two parts together, wipe away any excess that leaks out, then apply weight to the shoe to encourage the cement to bond tightly. Let the cement bond fully before using the shoe again.
CONTENTS Acknowledgments xi Introduction xii Basic Toolkit xiiiSection 1. Keeping Up Appearances How to... Fix a Hole in Your Shoe 2 How to... Re-sole Shoes 3 How to... Fix a Broken Heel (on a Flat, Manly Shoe) 4 How to... Fix a Broken High Heel (on a Thin, Pointy, Womanly Shoe) 6 How to... Salvage Shrunken Clothes 9 How to... Save Color-Stained White Clothes 10 How to... Remove Common Stains from Clothes 11 How to... Fix Clothing Conundrums 16 How to... Fix Torn Clothes 17 How to... Fix a Run in Tights 18 How to... Patch a Hole in Jeans 19 How to... Prevent Moth Holes in Clothes (and Exterminate Moths) 20 How to... Fix Holes in Pant/Coat Pockets 22 How to... Fix a Misaligned Zipper 25 How to... Fix a Snapped Handbag/Manbag Strap 26 How to... Fix a Broken Umbrella Stem 27 How to... Fix a Broken Umbrella Spoke 29 How to... Fix Tarnished Jewelry 31 How to... Repair a Broken Wristwatch Strap 32 How to... Fix a Scratched Watch Face 33 How to... Fix Scratched Sunglasses 34Section 2. Everyday Electrical Stuff How to... Fix a Television 37 How to... Fix a Remote Control 40 How to... Troubleshoot a Digital Camera 42 How to... Fix a Faulty Cell Phone 45 How to... Troubleshoot a Faulty Telephone 48 How to... Clean a Scratched Disc (CD or DVD) 50 How to... Clean a CD or DVD Player 52 How to... Fix a Faulty Vinyl Record 54 How to... Troubleshoot a Video Player 56 How to... Troubleshoot a Computer 60 How to... Clean a Mouse 62 How to... Fix a Broken Key on a Computer 63 How to... Boost FM Radio Reception 65 How to... Make a Vacuum Cleaner Suck Up More 66Section 3. White Goods (Big and Small) How to... Fix a Kettle 70 How to... Mend a Malfunctioning Microwave Oven 71 How to... Sharpen Blender Blades 76 How to... Troubleshoot Your Toaster 78 How to... Fix a Leaking Washing Machine 80 How to... Kickstart an Underperforming Washing Machine 82 How to... Fix a Noisy Washing Machine 83 How to... Fix a Washing Machine Door That Won't Open 84 How to... Fix an Underperforming Dishwasher 85 How to... Fix a Faulty Refrigerator 86 How to... Fix a Leaking Refrigerator 89 How to... Fix a Faulty Freezer 92Section 4. Kitchen Conundrums How to... Fix a Broken Plate 96 How to... Fix a Broken Cup Handle 101 How to... Fix a Broken Glass Stem 102 How to... Sharpen Blunt Kitchen Knives (the Professional Way) 104 How to... Sharpen a Can Opener 106 How to... Sharpen Scissors 106 How to... Make Knives and Forks Sparkle Like New 108 How to... Resuscitate a Battered Chopping Board 109 How to... Fix a Burnt Pan 111 How to... Blitz Rust on a Cast-Iron Pan 112 How to... Fix Rusty Baking Dishes 114Section 5. Fixtures, Furniture, and Furnishings How to... Fix a Squeaking Bed 116 How to... Fix a Wobbly Chair or Table 117 How to... Fix Squeaky Stairs 119 How to... Fix Creaking Floorboards 120 How to... Bleed a Radiator 122 How to... Fix Stuck Drawers: Part I 124 How to... Fix Stuck Drawers: Part II 125 How to... Fix a Squeaking Door 125 How to... Fix Loose Door Hinges 126 How to... Fix a Loose Doorknob 128 How to... Fix a Sticking Lock 129 How to... Fix Scratched Windows 130 How to... Fill a Gouge in Wooden Furniture 131 How to... Fix Blistering Paint 133 How to... Repair Damaged Plaster 135 How to... Eradicate Carpet Stains 136 How to... Save an Ailing Carpet 140Section 6. Bathroom Business How to... Unblock a Toilet 144 How to... Fix a Toilet That Won't Flush 145 How to... Fix a Dripping Tap 148 How to... Fix a Tap That Won't Turn 151 How to... Unblock Clogged Sinks 152 How to... Fix a Trickling Shower 154 How to... Fix a Leaking Shower 156 How to... Fix a Cracked Bath 157 How to... Fix a Cracked Bathroom Tile 159Section 7. Garden Guidance How to... Fix a Sagging Garden Gate 162 How to... Fix a Blocked Gutter 164 How to... Sharpen Garden Tools 166 How to... Rescue Rusting Tools 169 How to... Troubleshoot a Faulty Electric Mower 170 How to... Fix a Cracked Flower Pot 174 How to... Piece Together a Broken Plant Pot 177 How to... Fix a Torn Garden Umbrella 178 How to... Repair a Hose With a Hole 179Section 8. Sports and Leisurely Pursuits How to... Fix Books 182 How to... Fix a Fishing Rod 186 How to... Fix a Sluggish Skateboard 187 How to... Replace the Tip of a Pool/Snooker Cue 189 How to... Re-Grip a Tennis/Badminton Racquet 190 How to... Re-Grip a Golf Club 192 How to... Adjust Bicycle Brakes: Part I 193 How to... Adjust Bicycle Brakes: Part II 196 How to... Replace Worn Brake Blocks 197 How to... Patch Up a Bicycle Puncture 198 How to... Repair a Scratched Car 201 How to... Fix a Defective Windshield Wiper 203 How to... Fix a Flat Tire 205
\ Library JournalMeasurements in this British import are all in metric, the sparse illustrations are poorly placed, and the British slang may seem awkward to American readers. There are a few clever fixes, but the lack of an index makes them difficult to find. Harper (Man Skills) is funny and chatty, but this casual guide is not comprehensive or particularly helpful.\ \
