O-Ring Availability Question

[andrewnewman]

In the 1970s when I was a kid, most garages claimed not to be able to fix "foreign" cars. Either they lacked the expertise or couldn't get the parts. Despite the proliferation of small hardware stores back then, if I wanted a metric bolt, I had to bother the old hippie who fixed Volkswagens and had a yard full of rusting microbuses (seems every town in the 70s had one of these guys).

I figured that this would change and for the most part 35 years later it has. Metric hardware is available at just about every hardware store. Garages generally acknowledge foreign cars as within their realm as well.

So why is it that while every hardware store and automotive store in town has a full selection of AS568 "standard" o-rings NONE carry the metric o-rings that just about every "foreign made" flashlight uses? Is there really no other utility for these? You would think if you needed an o-ring for just about any purpose, it's a decent chance in today's world that it might be metric sized.

What gives? Anybody have ideas?

 

[jamesbeat]

No idea, but my local Ace doesn't carry one single metric drill bit.
I ended up having to order one online.

 

[tam17]

Flashlights are more of a specialty application, so I guess there isn't much interest for B&M store owners to keep metric o-rings in stock, they simply won't sell. I'm not sure about other stuff in U.S. that uses metric standard, apart from European cars and other imports. I do know that vast majority of plumbing o-rings here (Southeast Europe) aren't metric but U.S., and I can get them in any hardware store :)

Cheers

 

[Yamabushi]

For metric O-rings, try suppliers of hydraulic and pneumatic equipment and fittings, especially those that handle Japanese and European brands.

 

[WoodMan]

Harbor Freight has a couple of inexpensive metric O-ring assortments.