The Great American Duct Tape Scam

[Michael Z]

Have you noticed how paper thin duct tape has become? And even the pricey 3m tape is very thin. So I started buying TRex tape a few years back and found it to hold incredibly well - I even taped a bumper back together (was in two pieces) and it held up fine several months until it could be replaced. That Trex tape was so sticky that you could barely get your fingers unstuck from it. The downside was that it was very hard to rip off a piece.

So I bought another roll of T-Rex a few months ago and tried to use it to tape up the bottoms of some old slippers last week. It had virtually no tack at all! Luckily I had a little of their old tape to make the repair.

So what I found out is that they now have a T-Rex BRUTE Force tape at a much higher price!

I am going to try a tape called Nashua 357, an American made product. Otherwise, I will just buy the cheapest I can find since none of the formerly respected brands can be trusted anyway.

It is so sad when quality brands go south.

 

[jujube]

You only need two things in life: duct tape and WD-40.

If it moves, and it shouldn't, use duct tape.

If it doesn't move, and it should, use WD-40.

Easy-peasy.

 

[MACKTEXAS]

I know exactly what you mean. There are some applicaitons where only a strong tape will do, but on occasions when an adhesive can be substituted, I have found the product pictured below as outstanding.

Three years ago, I bumped the underside of my car on a pothole so hard that it caused the front fender to separate at a seam. [Otherwise, there was no dent or damage to the metal, just a separation at the seam.] A quick trip to the body shop got me a $1200 estimate. I decided to give E6000 a try first. I applied it to the seam, then duct taped it until throughly dry, then removed the tape, and it is still holding. The repair is undetectable.

 

[Ted01]

Have you noticed how paper thin duct tape has become? And even the pricey 3m tape is very thin. So I started buying TRex tape a few years back and found it to hold incredibly well - I even taped a bumper back together (was in two pieces) and it held up fine several months until it could be replaced. That Trex tape was so sticky that you could barely get your fingers unstuck from it. The downside was that it was very hard to rip off a piece.

So I bought another roll of T-Rex a few months ago and tried to use it to tape up the bottoms of some old slippers last week. It had virtually no tack at all! Luckily I had a little of their old tape to make the repair.

So what I found out is that they now have a T-Rex BRUTE Force tape at a much higher price!

I am going to try a tape called Nashua 357, an American made product. Otherwise, I will just buy the cheapest I can find since none of the formerly respected brands can be trusted anyway.

It is so sad when quality brands go south.

I've noticed the same thing Michael and think that it is very sad.
What makes it worse in my opinion is that while I used to the same
thing in years//decades gone past... that there seems to be a corporate theme
to purposely degrade a good product just in order to make more money. Or perhaps
there are other reasons involved but the end result is the same... I like the product, tell others,
then "product loyalty" is built... and then it turns to dust in my hands.
I know that's dramatically stated but it's true in my own mind.
I had recently bought another roll of the T-Rex "ferociously strong" white tape an threw it in my
grab and go tool kit, unopened... hoping that it lasts awhile and will be useful in that unforeseen
emergency.

But I think that we both know that relying on God is the only wise choice.

 

[Michael Z]

I know exactly what you mean. There are some applicaitons where only a strong tape will do, but on occasions when an adhesive can be substituted, I have found the product pictured below as outstanding.

Three years ago, I bumped the underside of my car on a pothole so hard that it caused the front fender to separate at a seam. [Otherwise, there was no dent or damage to the metal, just a separation at the seam.] A quick trip to the body shop got me a $1200 estimate. I decided to give E6000 a try first. I applied it to the seam, then duct taped it until throughly dry, then removed the tape, and it is still holding. The repair is undetectable.

I will definitely be trying this as a good glue is hard to find. Thanks!

 

[C50]

I first noticed the thinning trend with masking tape, suddenly it was so thin it was hard to get it off the roll without it ripping.

Any you're right duct tape has become the same, thin garbage unless you search for super strength or heavy duty.

 

[Sunny]

The newspapers got thinner and smaller the same way. Many columns disappeared. I finally cancelled, and moved into the 21st century by switching to the electronic version of one paper, just cancelled the other one.

Besides the above reason, I finally realized that on paper, I was getting yesterday's news.

 

[RambleTamble]

 

[Imogene]

Everything is thinner yet costs more these days.

Duct tape, terlet paper, paper towels, aluminum foil. I even stuck my thumb through the brown paper bag my food from Fazolis was in yesterday.

 

[OneEyedDiva]

Nothing is as it used to be Michael. So many products have had a decline in quality.

 

[Sunkist]

Nothing is as it used to be Michael. So many products have had a decline in quality.

Yes, that ^ .

 

[Tazx]

I bought 2 under armour shirts last week.
Same shirt, same size, same fit, same color, same code on the tag, (which shows when and where it was produced, which batch, etc-the numbers were identical).
Yet one was a full inch longer and noticeably tighter.
How?

Absolutely no quality control. But prices seem to go up perfectly!