KSSRC is proud to present the DUO-POWER DUO!

[super-sweeper]

 


 


 


 


 


<span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier;">-----Kenmore Southern-States Restoration Center-----</span>


<span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier;">-----September 13th 2014----------------------------</span>


<span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier;">-----Time of Documentation: 11:59 PM EST------------</span>


<span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier;">----------------------------------------------------</span>


<span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier;">-----TO: ALL Kenmore Restoration Centers------------</span>


<span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier;">-----FROM: KSSRC Florida----------------------------</span>


<span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier;">----------------------------------------------------</span>


 


<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier;">From the Desk of Super-Sweeper:</span></span>


 


<span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier;">Good evening once more Astronauts, Hoover-Heroes, And Vacuuming Olympians. It is my honor to present a new addition to the Kenmore Southern-States Restoration Center's Kenmore Army. As of SEPTEMBER, 13TH, 2014, Our infamous mascot, the Duo-Power Canister, is no longer alone. I am adding a second mascot to serve along side the Duo-Power in the same way it did in the Sears Catalog. This mascot is not a canister, not a shampooer, but an Upright, and not just any upright. In all it's Avocado Glory (A phrase once previously confined to use on the Duo-Power Canister), I present The Sears-Kenmore 2-Speed Duo-Power upright! This is the second Duo-Power upright to join the KSSRC fleet (The first, an earlier 1960s model, is still on back-order for a File-Photo). Now, I know the deluxe model had matching wood-grain too, but hey, this isn't 1974, Avocado Kenmores and bell-bottoms doesn't rain from the Sears Catalog like they used to! 

</span>

 

[super-sweeper]

Before I jump to my next witty caption,

<span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier;">Here's some back-story!</span>


 


<span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier;">I picked this little 70s Shag-Master up from a local Kirby shop today! I went down there to grab a bottle of Kirby shampoo (Which I've been using all night to shampoo the carpets and upholstery senseless! everything smells heavenly of Lavender! 

). I wondered, "Is that Duo-Power upright still sitting in that shop (Very Likely)?". I walked in and was greeted by the older gentlemen who runs the shop (Well, he and his dog runs the shop, since the dog was there too!)</span>


 


<span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier;">Our conversation went on as follows:</span>


 


<span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier;">"Hi there, do you sell Kirby Dry-Foam?"</span>


<span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier;">"The Shampoo?"</span>


<span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier;">"Yes, the Kirby Shampoo."</span>


<span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier;">*He walked over and pulled a bottle off the shelf.*</span>


<span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier;">"Thanks, how much is it per bottle?"</span>


<span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier;">"$13." </span>


<span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier;">"ok, is that Avocado upright over there *Points* for sale?"</span>


<span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier;">"Which one?"</span>


<span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier;">*We walked over (Well, I practically climbed through a jungle of Kirbys and Royals to reach it) to look at the upright in question*</span>


<span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier;">"I'll let you have it for $15."</span>


<span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier;">"$15 sounds perfectly fair, can we try it out?"</span>


<span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier;">"Sure, hand it here, son."</span>


 


<span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier;"><span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier;">We walked over and plugged the upright into a power-strip. he flicked it into LO, and the gentle-giant whooshed into life. after a few passes, he shut the machine off, and re-evaluated his judgement on the price of the cleaner.</span></span>


 


<span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier;"><span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier;">"That's a good cleaner, I'll have to get $25 for it."</span></span>


<span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier;"><span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier;">*At this point I didn't care if it was $15 or $25, they were both great deals, especially when he was charging $50 for a UV-Burnt Amway!*</span></span>


<span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier;"><span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier;">"Well, how about we do $35 for the Shampoo and the Upright?"</span></span>


<span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier;"><span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier;">"What Shampoo?"</span></span>


<span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier;"><span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier;">*Looking back, this was hilarious!*</span></span>


<span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier;"><span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier;">"The shampoo I'm buying from you!"</span></span>


<span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier;"><span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier;">"Oh! yes, I can do $35."</span></span>


 


<span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier;"><span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier;">I handed him my cash with a polite "Pleasure doing business with you, I'll be sure to come again", Which I WILL gladly do, he isn't that bad of a guy, and is certainly a much shorter drive than the downtown distributor! Downtown would've charged me 9 arms, 3 legs + tax for that Kenmore!</span></span>


 


<span><span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier;">I walked out with the Duo-Power in tow, happily finding it to fit ever-so perfect in the trunk. I stopped in a thrift store next door to the vacuum shop, it smelled like cigarettes (The guy was still smoking when I was in there!) and wanted $20 for a fertilizer spreader!  </span></span>


 


<span><span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier;">Anyhow, The Duo-Power made it's way home. once home, I got the KSSRC's new File-Photo background installed and went away on a digital-photo archiving rampage! 

</span></span>


 


<span><span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier;">First up, True Grime: Streets of Kirby Avenue.....</span></span>


 


 

 

[super-sweeper]

After a touch-up job,

<span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier;">The Kenmore looked fresh from Sears! I decided only a touch-up was necessary considering how little use this machine appears to have endured. The wheels look new!</span>


 


 

 

[super-sweeper]

Oh and P.S-

<span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier;">In the first picture above this post, in the lower right of the hood is the Television reflecting onto the shine of the hood! If anybody can guest the T.V show, I'll eat a dusting brush! 

</span>


 


 


<span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier;">Can you believe my luck when not only do the brushes have plenty of life in them (AND are replaceable!), but when the owner leaves me a nearly brand-new 5023 bag? It can still nearly fold flat! 

</span>


<span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier;">Unfortunately, the belt-tool is missing, though! Can't win them all! 

</span>

 

[super-sweeper]

but of-course,

the Kenmore Wizard of the south always has a open pack of vacuum bags for a rarely-seen Kenmore! 

 


I remember betting on these being for the Duo-Power, and look who got lucky? 

 

[super-sweeper]

but what about that crumbling foam filter?

<span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier;">The bag-chamber filter still has plenty of spongy life in it, but that poor exhaust filter was a crumbling mess! must be the heat that melts these things!</span> 


 


<span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier;">The filter came apart in 3 pieces, one large chunk, one small chunk, and whatever bits disintegrated onto the floor! it was replaced by a custom-made Super-HEPA filter, thanks to some cheap Miele bags from a thrift store! 

</span>

 

[super-sweeper]

Now for Glory-Shots!

<span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier;">Calem, before you accuse me of betraying the great KIRBYRAMA for this Avocado Dream-Boat, let me say in my defense that this lucky-little Gentle-Giant got to vacuum the house....so that the Heritage I could Rug-Renovate the carpets! 

</span>

 

[super-sweeper]

In other news.....

24-Year-Old Carpet rejuvenated by Kirby miracle! 

 


The lighting makes a part of the carpet look tan for some reason! 

 

[hydralique]

Great find . . .

That's a nice looking vacuum!

 

[super-sweeper]

Well,

<span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier;">Once again, Fellow KRC members, KBI members, and our guests, the VacuumLanders, it has been a pleasure bringing you today's program (But even more of a pleasure to use that Kenmore! It's so smooth and quiet! 

). Today's episode was brought to you by DESOTO, the smart way to go places, and HOOREKA, The vacuum for those who want the best of both worlds! 

</span>

 

[super-sweeper]

<span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier;">lol, Thanks Hyrdaligue, for both the comment and the interruption! whenever there's a KSSRC thread, there's always a premature comment! I forget who did it last time! 

</span>

 

[marks_here]

Ahhh the sight of fond distant memories as seeing them at the Sears & Robuck store where they had a huge display of their vacuums & usually a canister with the hose set on blowing a rather large beachball towards the ceiling.

 

[cb123]

Hey Alex, you wickedly destroyed my KIRBY lineup FIRST, I was just getting even when I destroyed yours. You know what they say, " Revenge is a dish best served cold"...HeeHeeHeeHee...gotcha!

 


P.S. Your KIRBY made your carpet look like fresh blown snow...simply, simply beautiful!

 

[super-sweeper]

No, Calem, revenge is best served on an 8-Track cartridge! 

 

[cb123]

Two shay my friend, well said, well said indeed!

 

[DesertTortoise]

Wow. Very nice find. The vac shop owner sounds a touch flakey changing his mind on the price but nonetheless you grabbed a great vacuum at a great price. You can see the shared heritage with your canister in the shape of the bag chamber lid and the lip you grab to open it. Is the red bag adapter the same part used in the canisters?

Can't wait for the side by side images of the two, but borrow a different camera. Yours just doesn't focus well any more. I have to buy a new one too for the same reason.

 

[super-sweeper]

Lol, there's a Kodak on sale I've been eyeing, are they good digital cameras? All my Kodak products take film! 

 


And yes l, as soon as I find some SHAG carpeting, I'll do a side-by-side! 

 

[DesertTortoise]

Home Depot sells a really ugly piece of shag carpet I use as an entry mat under the dog door.

Some Minolta digital cameras can use the same lenses as your old auto focus Minolta 35 mm film SLRs. If your Minolta SLRs were manual focus like mine you're SOL and have to buy something more modern. Gasp, the infamy of having to buy a modern product. NOOOOOOooooo.

Just borrow your neices or nephews cell phone. You would be surprised how good the cameras in them are. It's actually pretty amazing.

Awww uncle, you taking pictures of your vacuums again? You are soooooo weird.

 

[super-sweeper]

LOL,I don't use Minoltas! I used to use a Sears automatic 35mm camera from the 90s, then it refused to work (it was always a little gimmicky, but I loved it!).now I use a Kodak 35mm, manual everything! It had batteries left in it that expired in 2003! 

 


Speaking of Kodak,I bought a 12 megapixel or so Kodak digital camera on sale today, it went from $80 to $20! Hope it's a good camera! 


 


Thanks for the SHAG tip, something tells me you can't wait until the photo-shoot!