About 12 years ago, I had what I half-believe was a mystical experience at a Lowe’s outside San Francisco, CA. I was doing an electronics project, and my wire strippers were ragged and not handling small gauge wires well; it was causing me a lot of frustration.
So, I was staring at the kinda shit Chinese options on the shelf at Lowe’s, when an impish older employee in a Lowe’s uniform rocked up and asked if I needed help. We talked about what kinds of stuff I was making, mostly microelectronics with the occasional home repair, and I explained the typical range of gauges I was working with. He was extremely knowledgeable and mentioned he had just retired out of 40 years at PG&E, then said, “I think we carry exactly what you need,” and wandered off.
Ten minutes later, he rematerializes carrying some new German wire strippers that are obviously way better made than the stuff on the shelf and wishes me well. They have been god-tier precision strippers; I’ve stripped thousands of tips without any issue.
Here’s the thing: I’ve shopped there many, many times since. There’s no other section for electronics tools, and there isn’t a professional-trade Lowe’s next door. And, this guy must have quit pretty much immediately, because he was never there again and other employees had no idea who I was talking about when I asked if he was around.
