I also remember tearing apart anything and everything I could get my hands on. My bicycles (multiple cheap BMX, 10 speed, etc.) lawnmowers, electronics, you name it, I would try to figure out how it worked! MOST of the time, I got it put back together and working as it should, and sometimes better than before! Anymore, stuff just gets thrown away and replaced. My lawnboy mower is from the mid 80's, and the thing fires up on the first or second pull of the cord, every time.