Th 8 Most Wildly Irrisponsible Vintage Toys

[Atomic Age]

My little brother knew all about how to use a cap gun. He didn't mess around with caps or any of that foolishness. Instead, he walked up behind me as I was sitting on the floor watching television and cold-cocked me across the back of the head with it. Put me out cold for ten minutes.

Guns don't cold-cock people, little brothers do!

Doug

 

[AtomicEraTom]

Just blows my mind, it does. Everyone had toy guns in my childhood. Mind you, my childhood was still going on less than 15 years ago! We had tons of toy guns, as did all the other kids. My brother and sister's first words were both 'gun' (Okay, Dad's in the gun business, so it's a little different for us) I had handled firearms from the time I was very little and started shooting guns at age 6 or so when I had a little Red Ryder. Now THAT was a toy!

I also used to have cap guns. I'm from the days when the caps were made of paper not plastic. The truth of the matter is that his parents probably didn't show him the right way to use the cap gun, was because they didn't know themselves. Guns, and toy guns in particular have become so politically incorrect, that many people in their late 20's and 30's have never even held a toy gun, much less a real one.

Doug

 

[Shangas]

Talking about irresponsible or dangerous toys and guns reminded me of another toy I used to play around with as a kid.

This one originally belonged to my cousin. But he got bored with it, so one day he gave it to me for keeps. I don't have it anymore...I forget where it is. Probably in the basement somewhere.

Anyway...

Any of you guys who ever played 'Cops & Robbers' as a kid, ever beg their mommies and daddies to buy them a pair of authentic, police-style handcuffs? The type made out of solid steel, with the keys that unlock them all that stuff?

The handcuffs we had were very similar to these, except that they were a LOT more battered, from years of heavy use

That was what my cousin gave me as a present and me and my brother used to have so much fun with them. I remember once, I took them to school and my friends and I mucked around with them. One of our teachers wasn't too happy, but he relented when I told him that I brought them because two of my friends has asked for them specifically. They were putting on a small performance in drama class and one of them was playing a police-officer. He wanted the handcuffs for the big 'arrest' at the end.

 

[The Wolf]

I had handcuffs like those a child. They were the type that had the safety lever on the side so you didn't need the key to open them.

Sincerely,
The Wolf

 

[Shangas]

I don't remember if my handcuffs had the safety catch. Perhaps they did, but I don't recall.

 

[PrettySquareGal]

Here's another wonder, as in, it's a wonder no one was killed while playing:

Lawn darts, or 'jarts.'

They were killed, sadly, and have been banned by the CPSC.

http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/5053.html

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

Effective December 19, 1988, all lawn darts are banned from sale in the United States. Lawn darts, used in an outdoor game, have been responsible for the deaths of 3 children.

It was tragic that three kids died but was that enough to ban the whole thing???? And what's the population of the US???

 

[PrettySquareGal]

It was tragic that three kids died but was that enough to ban the whole thing???? And what's the population of the US???

I don't make the rules....[huh]

 

[scottyrocks]

Pretty soon we'll all be required to live in little plastic bubbles.

 

[PrettySquareGal]

Pretty soon we'll all be required to live in little plastic bubbles.

I would if I could!!!!!!!! I'm cootie-phobic!

But I agree that likely many toys can possibly cause harm if used improperly, imprudently or without proper supervision.

 

[LizzieMaine]

The worst injuries I ever got as a child were when one of my cousins knocked me across the top of the head with a rock he found in the yard, and when a hideous fat baby bit me on the cheek because I wouldn't share my Kool-Aid with her. If it comes to banning rocks and requiring all hideous fat babies to wear muzzles, I'm all for it.

 

[PrettySquareGal]

The worst injuries I ever got as a child were when one of my cousins knocked me across the top of the head with a rock he found in the yard, and when a hideous fat baby bit me on the cheek because I wouldn't share my Kool-Aid with her. If it comes to banning rocks and requiring all hideous fat babies to wear muzzles, I'm all for it.

Me too!!!!!

 

[LizzieMaine]

"THIS IS A RAID! PLACE THE LAWN DART GENTLY ON THE GROUND WITH THE POINT FACING DOWNWARD AND PUT YOUR HANDS UP!"

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Hey! It's that guy on the left side of the picture!

 

[LocktownDog]

My dad tells us a story of when he was a kid (7 brothers and a sister). They were too poor for store-bought toys, so they "made their own entertainment". One of those horrifying "games" consisted of throwing the youngest, Sam, into the dark root cellar and firing a shotgun down in his general vicinity. Sam was probably 10 or so at the time. He was never hit, but my Dad and uncles laugh hysterically talking about it.

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

My dad tells us a story of when he was a kid (7 brothers and a sister). They were too poor for store-bought toys, so they "made their own entertainment".

Looking at the toys in vintage Sears catalogs from that era and translating the prices into their equivalent in today's dollars, it's interesting to note that toys were more expensive back then than they are today.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Even the ones that were "Made in Japan"?

 

[Philip Adams]

if it comes to banning rocks and requiring all hideous fat babies to wear muzzles, i'm all for it.

I like your thinking Lizzie.

I really did laugh out loud when I read that. ound: ound: ound: