scrappers: a misunderstood breed (what factors into outsiders' opinions?)

I am thinking aloud…so be warned! The subject of outsiders' perspective of scrappers kinda overlaps with my other thread. But this isnt about closet scrapping. It's about what influences individual opinion/perspective of scrappers? If you ask me, scrapping is one of the most misunderstood/misjudged professsions there is! What has led to and influenced the narrow-minded conclusions some conclude about scrappers?

Replaying in my mind is a movie that depicted an alcoholic/down-on-his/her luck man/lady walking thru the alley, putting cans in a grocery cart. To me this gave the impression that can collecting was done by people down and out on their luck. Somebody going nowhere, stuck in life collecting cans. It almost doesnt seem to occur to people that anyone would scrap for reasons other than last ditch financial survival. Why is this?!

Maybe we're perceived negatively because we do have piles of metal and debris that (to the untrained eye) appear to be junk messily strown about. But there are messy stages to making a sculpture, performing surgery, painting a masterpiece, flipping a house, etc. i do know people whose opinion was influenced by rats nesting in outdoor scrap piles and who dont want to look at scrap in "their" neighborhood. I personally keep my scrap indoors and there's not enough to encourage varments nesting. Inside I can work on breaking things down anytime vs. weather imposing. But…if I had acres I wouldnt be against collecting scrap outdoors as well.

Of course there is the uncaring "smash and run" wanna-be scrappers. Selfish and thoughtless way to go about scrapping. IMHO. This is the folks who break the glass from tvs and leave scattered glass. Not good for our image, the neighborhood, or the environment.

During the Great Depression, when most people were in the same 'boat' of financial suffering, was recycling/reusing/scrapping thought of with the same connotations?? Maybe scrapping during that tough time contributed to it being seen as something you do as a last ditch means of survival? Does the reason we scrap even matter?? But it does seem to factor into outsider opinions. I think all of us dont let others' opinions bother us, we still do what we do and smile at the bank.

Let it be known, I like scrapping!! I see nothing wrong with working hard, making money and saving the environment all in one! I admit scrapping is much harder (physically) than I ever imagined! it's not as simple to identify metals, etc as I once thought! I'm learning everyday from this forum. if you ask me, anyone who bothers to get out of bed and scrap, from pushing a grocery cart or wagon, riding a bike, to driving a truck or car, it is doing something productive! And after gathering, there's scrap piles to take apart! I have started looking at the piles and saying "i've got piles of money everywhere!!" It sure helps my motivation!

So, this has been my current thoughts (maybe rants?) on what influences outsider opinions about us scrappers…

there's so many funny things I want to say but I know I will get banned.

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So, this has been my current thoughts (maybe rants?) on what influences outsider opinions about us scrappers…

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For me life's too short to be worrying about what people think about me.

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Originally Posted by Mechanic688

For me life's too short to be worrying about what people think about me.

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I saw a sign on a church the other day:

"Be yourself. Everyone else is taken."

Another issue with our image is that of the thief. I'm on many other message boards/forums and I look for info there about scrapping as well as my other hobbies/interests. One guy was talking about how a scrappers were stealing manhole covers and stealing the wheels off of people's bikes. I had to remind them that this person was first a foremost a druggie and a thief, and although he sells scrap metal for money I wouldn't consider him a scrapper.

I don't mind being missunderstod as a scrapper, if I was understood, I'd have more competition.

A older fella walking by told me once "Its not the scrapmetal that makes you money, its what you do with it".

That's sooooo true, its what I know, not what they know.
I don't really tell others how to do it, but I do 'share the bread' in ways that's to both of our advantage.

Actually, now I think of it, someone gave me a handfull of Copper wire a week ago.
I weighed it, 1.5 kg (3lbs). So when I saw them today, tried to give him $10.
"Nah, thats alright, its only a bit of Copper wire I had around".
So I tried again, "But that's two pizzas, it pays a small bill so you have more for a big one"
"Nah, don't worry, keep it" etc etc.

A few hours later it come to me.. Its because I see the Copper as Money, Copper money.
Its as if, to me, he lent me $10, so I have to pay it back. Easy.
But to him, its a handfull of reddish wire.
I look at it and see currency, just like as if it was a American $10 note, or a Aussie $10 note and he said "Since you are going to America, here's a US $10 note I have laying around"
I'd owe him for it after I got back.
Weird, I will have to figure out a different way to get it to him.

buy him lunch or somsthing

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Originally Posted by eesakiwi

I don't mind being missunderstod as a scrapper, if I was understood, I'd have more competition.

A older fella walking by told me once "Its not the scrapmetal that makes you money, its what you do with it".

That's sooooo true, its what I know, not what they know.
I don't really tell others how to do it, but I do 'share the bread' in ways that's to both of our advantage.

Actually, now I think of it, someone gave me a handfull of Copper wire a week ago.
I weighed it, 1.5 kg (3lbs). So when I saw them today, tried to give him $10.
"Nah, thats alright, its only a bit of Copper wire I had around".
So I tried again, "But that's two pizzas, it pays a small bill so you have more for a big one"
"Nah, don't worry, keep it" etc etc.

A few hours later it come to me.. Its because I see the Copper as Money, Copper money.
Its as if, to me, he lent me $10, so I have to pay it back. Easy.
But to him, its a handfull of reddish wire.
I look at it and see currency, just like as if it was a American $10 note, or a Aussie $10 note and he said "Since you are going to America, here's a US $10 note I have laying around"
I'd owe him for it after I got back.
Weird, I will have to figure out a different way to get it to him.

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That's true, as long as there are people who dont know the value of scrap,we will have a little less competition. Saw an episode of Shark Tank where the sharks laughed at the inventor, until they realized the money, then he was offered literally millions. Knowing about money can change peoples' minds quickly! That's thoughtful,honorable of u to offer to share the copper profit. Even if he wont let you pay him cash, the favor will come back around to him…

Most people don't care. That's why they put out there "junk" to get rid of it! Of course you have the people that think you are up to no good picking thru someone's "trash". I had a guy say that is out for the city to take and not you. I tell him ok by me give it to the city as they charge you a monthly fee for trash and recycling. Other people have said you can take items just don't leave a mess like the last jerk that came by. Even if people know the value of scrap metal, they are lazy and don't want to deal with it. If the guys wife want's the old BBQ gone even if he knows the value of it, out the door it goes!

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Originally Posted by MattInTheHat

buy him lunch or somsthing

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problem is
sometimes people then begin to think were making more money than we actually are


all he wants to do is repay the mans kindness
but human nature being what it is, people sometimes think we scrappers must be getting rich off scrap-instead of just making a living.

my advice:
just forget about it- u thanked him, its enough

if he gave u like 500kg's of scrap, then u can think about paying him something.

I've heard other woman make a few comments when mom and I would go out but now its funny that I'm working at a yard most of the customers there are woman!

I think the junk trucks, the junk clothes we wear to scrap because lets face it folks, I'm not scrapping in an evening gown and who knows what else. I don't think folks realize how hard, dirty and tiring scrapping can be.

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Originally Posted by newattitude

I've heard other woman make a few comments when mom and I would go out but now its funny that I'm working at a yard most of the customers there are woman!

I think the junk trucks, the junk clothes we wear to scrap because lets face it folks, I'm not scrapping in an evening gown and who knows what else. I don't think folks realize how hard, dirty and tiring scrapping can be.

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Evening gowns and hand me down tux's for the guys and you have "the Blacktie Recycling Center".

be the one to chang the image. choose a title with less negative preconceived image.

90 % of our business is business to business the other 10% is scheduled residential

when asked what we do we simply tell them we purchase used computers / electronics refurbish and resell what we can and practice proper recycling for what we cant. I would never tell anyone that we are scrappers

In my opinion, any job that is not "traditional," with a boss and building and management hierarchy, is looked a as being somewhat shady. I have been a self employed handyman since '98, and I have noticed that until I get to know the people, I am looked at with some suspicion. I think it also has to do with methods of income that people think are beneath them or require little intelligence. I deliver pizza and people think stupid, unmotivated people deliver pizza (truth is, I have found pizza guys are motivated, second job guys). I have a feeling many scrappers are using scrap to augment income from their more "traditional" jobs (I do).

In the end, I would bet a days worth of scrappers at a yard would survive on an island better than an equal number of DMV employees... I would make an equal bet they would kick their a$$es at Jeopardy, too.