Saw a news report saying those bins were designed with a latch that just couldn't handle the weight when they got full. Supposedly the city replaced over 200 of them in the first month alone. Sounds like a classic case of something that looked good on paper but didn't work in real life.

The stiff wire brushes definitely do a number on old masonry. I switched to nylon and even some softer brass bristles a few years back after noticing I was leaving those little scratch marks on the flue tiles. Made a huge difference in how the finish looks after cleaning, way less dust and mess too. It does take a little more elbow grease to get the heavy creosote off but the brick and mortar last way longer this way. Kind of a trade off where you save time upfront but pay for it later with damage you can't undo. Worth trying for a job or two to see if you like how the stone feels after.

That's just counting bolts, not really a milestone worth tracking.

The battery thing is minor once you get into the habit of just dropping the case on the charger when you get home. I leave mine on the nightstand by my phone, so they get topped off while I sleep. The real surprise for me was how much better the cheaper Ankers sound now compared to what I remember from a few years ago. I was expecting that tinny, hollow sound like the old Bluetooth headsets, but these hold their own pretty well. Still not the same as a good wired set, but for listening to podcasts and music while I work, it's good enough that I don't miss the cord.

So what's the "story" you're telling them exactly?