Man, that's scary. My buddy had a cheap knife snap right at the hilt when he was prying something loose on a wreck. He said it just popped off and sank into the murk, left him holding a useless handle. Makes you realize that gear failure isn't just about being dull, it's about having a total letdown when you really need it. He won't touch anything now that doesn't feel like a solid piece of metal all the way through.

Oh man, "pages are all wavy" really got me. I used to think that kind of damage totally ruined a zine, but I had a batch get damp once and the crinkly texture actually made the handmade feel stronger. You could write a little note about the rainstorm on the first page of each one now.

That broken piece is basically urban archaeology now, so go for it lol.

My uncle found a stack of letters from the 40s in his attic wall. They were from the old owners, just talking about planting tomatoes and a broken radio. He ended up giving them to the town library, they have a little local history shelf. Maybe check if Springfield has something like that.

Sounds like you bought a $2,500 sun glare and clay detector.