ajc31980
Active member
Hi! I've been a long time reader but this is my first post on vacuumland.
I'm not the greatest typist or writer so please bear with me...
I've really enjoyed reading everyones different vacuum stories and seeing the pics of all the cool vintage vacuums of all brands!
I figured its about time I share my small collection of Kirbys and Royal hand vacuums.
first and second pic: Kirby 519, D50, Classic III, Tradition, and a 1981 Heritage 1.
Third pic: 3 Royal prince 501's, 2 red Dirt devils, and 1 Kirby Vacuette hand vac.
The 519 was given to me by my grandmother. She bought it refurbished from a local vac shop when they built their new ranch style house in 1965. My grandparents were farmers and had numerous Irish setters over the years. The machine was run every day for many, many years! The wheels have been replaced more than once and the cloth shake out bag was changed twice! ( the bags where washed a lot because of dog smell) she kepted and still keeps her house so clean, you could practly eat of the floors in that house! I honestly don't know how she still keeps up with every thing at 85 years old. Id say my grandmother got her moneys worth out of this one lol. she only parted with it because she hated the shake out bag and was tired of cleaning it out all the time. I've since upgraded it to HEPA bags and offered to give it back to her, but she is happy with her Oreck.
The D50 I found in the trash in the late 90's around the time I was moving into my first apartment. So this was the first Kirby I could call my own ! all it needed at the time was a new brush roll and the rubber bag guard around the emptor. That's why it's dark brown instead of tan.
The Classic III belonged to my great grandmother. She bought it new in 1977. She gave it to me because it just became too heavy for her to use. She used it until she was in her mid 90's.(around 2006 or 07) She was just a little frail old lady lugging that monster around when she finally decided to replace it with an Oreck. that she never really liked.
The Heritage 1 was given to me by my mom last year. once again, it just became to heavy for her to use as she has had some health issues the last few years that started to effect her mobility. This is the vacuum I grew up using. It's a year younger than me! lol. I can honestly say I put this one through hell when I younger and deftly as a teenager cleaning out my car. I'll say it's on its 3rd maybe 4th fan blade. It was usually me being in hurry and dropping the hose in the drive way sucking up gravel or change. ugh ! I was so terrible about that. I quickly became very fast and good at changing the fan in that machine.( not Sure if she knows to this day how many times I broke the fan. shush its secret
) My mom has often said the heritage was worth every Pennie she paid for it. ($800 in 1983) This machine is kind of like an old friend. If I had a choice of keeping only one out the 5 have I have. This would be the one I'd keep.
The Tradition is my latest addition. I bought it a few weeks ago on eBay. its become my problem child... ugh. new fan blade, new cord, and its going need bearings now. I tried repacking them. with in a week they started squealing again. (I've re-packed the bearings on all the other 4 Kirbys in the past with out issue) then the switch assemble cracked where the cord connects, and the safety switch is kinda wonky, good thing blue is my favorite color or it would become a parts machine lol. I was half tempted to try sending it off to Kirby for a rebuild, as I'm adding the cost of parts up. But then I'd miss out the fun doing it my self... haha.
all of the Kirbys have Been converted to use Hepa bags because I have developed bad allergies over the last few years. I actually miss the shake bags and how they looked all puffed up. sadly, it now only takes using one of them for few minutes and my eyes start getting red and watery. it's funny how you can become allergic to things later in life that never Bothered you before. I have saved and stored away the shake out bags and emptors for who ever may end with machines after me.
all three royals 501's came from either eBay or yard sales. I kinda forget what came from where or when lol. The red dirt devils, one was Given to me by Mom when I moved away from home ( second one in from the right. I also put that poor thing through hell when I was younger lol ) and the other I bought cheap on eBay for spare parts, it was in better shape than expected ! so I ended up cleaning it up and putting it to use. the little Kirby had vac, I found on eBay and just had buy it because I didn't know they existed until stumbling across it on eBay. sadly I can't really use it because there is no paper bag option for it.
side note: Ive recently gained a new Appreciation for the toe touch hight adjustment on the Kirby's. I've recently started a second job cleaning offices in the evenings and I have to use this screaming loud !!!! Green Bissell upright that I have to actually stop, lock the handle up and then reach down to turn the dial for correct hight. After basically using nothing but Kirbys my entire life, I find this bissell to be very annoying!
Thanks for Reading
AJ
I'm not the greatest typist or writer so please bear with me...
I've really enjoyed reading everyones different vacuum stories and seeing the pics of all the cool vintage vacuums of all brands!
I figured its about time I share my small collection of Kirbys and Royal hand vacuums.
first and second pic: Kirby 519, D50, Classic III, Tradition, and a 1981 Heritage 1.
Third pic: 3 Royal prince 501's, 2 red Dirt devils, and 1 Kirby Vacuette hand vac.
The 519 was given to me by my grandmother. She bought it refurbished from a local vac shop when they built their new ranch style house in 1965. My grandparents were farmers and had numerous Irish setters over the years. The machine was run every day for many, many years! The wheels have been replaced more than once and the cloth shake out bag was changed twice! ( the bags where washed a lot because of dog smell) she kepted and still keeps her house so clean, you could practly eat of the floors in that house! I honestly don't know how she still keeps up with every thing at 85 years old. Id say my grandmother got her moneys worth out of this one lol. she only parted with it because she hated the shake out bag and was tired of cleaning it out all the time. I've since upgraded it to HEPA bags and offered to give it back to her, but she is happy with her Oreck.
The D50 I found in the trash in the late 90's around the time I was moving into my first apartment. So this was the first Kirby I could call my own !
all it needed at the time was a new brush roll and the rubber bag guard around the emptor. That's why it's dark brown instead of tan.The Classic III belonged to my great grandmother. She bought it new in 1977. She gave it to me because it just became too heavy for her to use. She used it until she was in her mid 90's.(around 2006 or 07) She was just a little frail old lady lugging that monster around when she finally decided to replace it with an Oreck. that she never really liked.
The Heritage 1 was given to me by my mom last year. once again, it just became to heavy for her to use as she has had some health issues the last few years that started to effect her mobility. This is the vacuum I grew up using. It's a year younger than me! lol. I can honestly say I put this one through hell when I younger and deftly as a teenager cleaning out my car. I'll say it's on its 3rd maybe 4th fan blade. It was usually me being in hurry and dropping the hose in the drive way sucking up gravel or change. ugh ! I was so terrible about that. I quickly became very fast and good at changing the fan in that machine.( not Sure if she knows to this day how many times I broke the fan. shush its secret
) My mom has often said the heritage was worth every Pennie she paid for it. ($800 in 1983) This machine is kind of like an old friend. If I had a choice of keeping only one out the 5 have I have. This would be the one I'd keep.The Tradition is my latest addition. I bought it a few weeks ago on eBay. its become my problem child... ugh. new fan blade, new cord, and its going need bearings now. I tried repacking them. with in a week they started squealing again. (I've re-packed the bearings on all the other 4 Kirbys in the past with out issue) then the switch assemble cracked where the cord connects, and the safety switch is kinda wonky, good thing blue is my favorite color or it would become a parts machine lol. I was half tempted to try sending it off to Kirby for a rebuild, as I'm adding the cost of parts up. But then I'd miss out the fun doing it my self... haha.
all of the Kirbys have Been converted to use Hepa bags because I have developed bad allergies over the last few years. I actually miss the shake bags and how they looked all puffed up. sadly, it now only takes using one of them for few minutes and my eyes start getting red and watery. it's funny how you can become allergic to things later in life that never Bothered you before. I have saved and stored away the shake out bags and emptors for who ever may end with machines after me.
all three royals 501's came from either eBay or yard sales. I kinda forget what came from where or when lol. The red dirt devils, one was Given to me by Mom when I moved away from home ( second one in from the right. I also put that poor thing through hell when I was younger lol ) and the other I bought cheap on eBay for spare parts, it was in better shape than expected ! so I ended up cleaning it up and putting it to use. the little Kirby had vac, I found on eBay and just had buy it because I didn't know they existed until stumbling across it on eBay. sadly I can't really use it because there is no paper bag option for it.
side note: Ive recently gained a new Appreciation for the toe touch hight adjustment on the Kirby's. I've recently started a second job cleaning offices in the evenings and I have to use this screaming loud !!!! Green Bissell upright that I have to actually stop, lock the handle up and then reach down to turn the dial for correct hight. After basically using nothing but Kirbys my entire life, I find this bissell to be very annoying!
Thanks for Reading
AJ
