Grim's Tales: One man's junk is ... well, probably still junk

I was recently feeling somewhat embarrassed. I was at the recycling bins at the Backus Fire Hall and I was picking through the plastic bottles, removing colorful caps and bagging some of the more unique glass bottles as well.

I wore gloves and had a long reacher and a camera on my head when someone I knew pulled in and gave me a weird look.

I had to explain I had a project and was getting video for my YouTube channel. She uncapped a couple of the bottles she had before throwing the bottles in the bin.

After she left, yet another acquaintance pulled in, and the look she gave me convinced me that explaining what I was doing would not make me look less crazy.

Once home, I ordered a package of business cards that explain my channel, to simplify explanations in the future.

Of course, if you know anything about me, you probably know I do a lot of "things." Those plastic bottle caps will eventually become homemade HDPE cutting boards.

I grabbed warm colors (red, bright green, yellow, orange, white, gold) and cool colors (black, blue, forest green, silver, purple) so I can make two cutting boards once I have enough caps.

As for the glass bottles, I have long been fascinated with glass work. Until recently I had a whole box of uncut or half cut bottles I intended to make into glass tumblers.

Having finally acquired cheap tools that I can use to A. cut bottles, and B. smooth and polish cut edges, I burned through about every bottle I had.

Now my cupboard is full of bottles embossed with the national seal, the liberty bell, cowboys riding horses or coming through saloon doors, green swirl patterns, cobalt blue bumps, art deco designs, vertical flat panels and even a triplet of Buddhas raising the roof.

I get pretty excited any time I can find a new bottle where the label is printed directly on the glass or where there is a unique design or embossing. I kind of wish I were a whiskey drinker as they seem to have some of the most unique bottles.

That's only the start of it. My day there at the dumpster I snapped up a wine bottle and a square liquor bottle. The wine bottle became an olive-green whiskey-style cup and matching guitar slide.

The flat sides of the liquor bottle will be the material I use to practice flint knapping arrowheads (another of my oldest fascinations).

Oddly, you'd think with my fascination with bottles and bottle cutting that I would be into bottle dump or privy digging.

I'm not crazy about the idea. It may be because I'm not too keen on being at the bottom of an 8- to 11-foot deep, straight sided hole just barely wider than me with no cribbing to keep the dirt from collapsing.

In addition, bottle diggers dig for collectible bottles so they can be sold as rare and valuable. I have a natural aversion to destroying collectibles, be they antiques or glass bottles.

My greatest goals in digging bottles would be the rare, big soda bottles with raised letters spelling out a local town, and a smashed bottle neck. In that way I'd get what I want without destroying something someone else might want complete.

I suppose I could buy bottles. However, even SoBe and IBC bottles sell as "rare" and "vintage" for upward of $7 on eBay, in spite of being sold on store shelves 10 or fewer years ago.

So while I don't think I am ready to dive into bottle digging the way I have metal detecting, wild food and glass cutting, I might just have to dip my toe in the hobby or at least make friends with some folks who find damaged bottles they usually have to toss.

That being said, if any of you readers dig damaged bottles or have bottles with unique shapes or applied color labels, let me know if you want me to take them off your hands.

If you have multiples, I'd be happy to cut one for me and one for you, or even demonstrate how I do what I do. After all, the more, the merrier.

Travis Grimler is a staff writer for the Pineandlakes Echo Journal weekly newspaper in Pequot Lakes/Pine River. He may be reached at 218-855-5853 or [email protected].