Wichita Material Recovery LLC

01/23/2026

10/17/2025

This week’s treasure? A vintage brass shaving set that just trimmed its way into WMR!

We’re not saying it’s old, but it’s probably seen more sideburns than Elvis. Complete with duck head handles and old school charm, this set proves that back in the day, even your shave had style.

A feather-light shave, with heavy metal value!

10/10/2025

Fun Find Friday

Looks like our brass bull is charging while the bear’s taking a nap — and no wonder! Copper’s on the rise, giving the metals market some extra shine this week.

They say when copper climbs, it’s a sign the economy’s flexing its muscles and we’re feeling that energy right here at Wichita Material Recovery!

So whether you’re feeling bullish or bearish, remember: we’re always buying copper (and plenty more). Come cash in while the market’s hot!🔥

09/26/2025

Fun Find Friday!

Check out what came in the yard this week! Ever tried kicking your boots off after a long day, only to nearly topple over? Enter this clever contraption: a boot jack – but not just any boot jack! This one’s a cast-metal beauty featuring a longhorn head and stamped “101 Ranch” – a nod to the famous 101 Ranch in Oklahoma, one of the largest and most historic ranches in the U.S. back in the early 1900s.

Boot jacks like this saved countless cowboys (and ranch hands) from wrestling their boots off by hand. Just press on the flat side, hook your heel in the U-shape, lean back, and presto boots off, balance intact! Practical AND decorative!

From the pasture to the parlor, this little gem tells a story of cowboy ingenuity and western heritage.🤠

09/19/2025

Fun Find Friday!

Check out this a full set of steel letter punches (2mm / 5/64”) that came in for scrap this week. They are ready to stamp names, initials, or ID marks. Before lasers and label makers, these tough little punches were the go-to tool for permanently marking steel, aluminum, brass, leather, or even wood.

Each hardened steel rod has a letter engraved on the end - line it up, give it a solid hammer strike, and you’ve got an impression that lasts as long as the metal itself. These were staples in machine shops, scrap yards, and tool benches everywhere.

They may be small, but they pack a punch (literally)! Perfect for adding an old-school personal touch to metalwork, or just a neat reminder of how craftsmen left their mark.

09/12/2025

Fun Find Friday!
Six Humboldt Brass Sieves just landed in the scrap pile—and they’re gleaming like gold! These precision tools are used in labs and construction to separate sand, soil, gravel, and other media by size.
Sieving has been around since ancient Egypt, and even though Humboldt wasn’t around back then, they have been around for over a century and Humboldt is still one of the biggest names in testing equipment today.

A reminder that treasure comes in all shapes, sizes… and meshes!

09/05/2025

Fun Find Friday
We almost forgot to show you these treasures. They came into the yard a while back and got tucked away, but they’re too cool not to share!

⛽ Texaco Ethyl Pump – Back in the day, this bright red pump dispensed Texaco’s premium “Ethyl” gasoline, loaded with tetraethyl lead for smoother, more powerful rides. These pumps were road-trip icons from the 1920s through the 1950s.

⛽ Skelly Regular Pump – Skelly Oil was founded in 1919 in Tulsa and quickly became a household name across Kansas and the Midwest. Their bold diamond-logo pumps once dotted small-town filling stations everywhere—maybe even the one your grandparents pulled into!

They don’t make ’em like this anymore, but we’re glad they still find their way here!

08/29/2025

Fun Find Friday
Just in time for Labor Day weekend cookouts, we dug up the ultimate grill gadget from the scrap pile - a vintage Futuro “Turbo” burger press made in Argentina.

Labor Day is all about honoring hard work, taking a well-earned break, and of course, firing up the grill. This press is proof that even scrap metal comes with a taste of history (and a whole lot of BBQ spirit).

We hope you get the chance to kick back, relax, and enjoy a burger that’s as perfect as this patty press.

⚠️ Holiday Hours Reminder:
We’ll be CLOSED Saturday & Monday for Labor Day — so bring your scrap in today and then enjoy your long weekend!

08/22/2025

Fun Find Friday
This week, we had a real Texas-sized treasure roll through the yard, The Pan Handler.

It’s not just any pan, it’s a Texas-shaped baking pan made by the Texas Metal Casting Co. of Lufkin, TX. That’s right, everything really is bigger in Texas, even the bakeware!

A few fun facts for ya:
⭐ Texas-shaped pans like this were sold as novelty bakeware, perfect for cornbread, casseroles, or anything you wanted to give a Lone Star twist.
⭐ Lufkin, TX, where this was made, has a long history in metal casting and manufacturing - this pan is a piece of that legacy.
⭐ Collectors love unique regional cookware like this, and “The Pan Handler” has become a bit of a cult classic in cast aluminum kitchenware.

Whether you’d use it for brownies, biscuits, or a Texas-sized cookie, this pan screams southern hospitality with a cast-metal backbone.

08/15/2025

Fun Find Friday – Eagle Edition

The scrap gods have spoken, and over the past few weeks, a whole flock of brass eagles has landed here at Wichita Material Recovery! From majestic wings spread wide to fierce eyes ready to soar, these beauties are a reminder of strength, freedom, and the American spirit.

Did you know? The bald eagle has been the national bird of the United States since 1782, symbolizing courage, freedom, and resilience. These metal masterpieces may not take flight, but they carry the same proud presence!

Special Bonus: Fly in and mention this post, and we’ll hook you up with a FREE WMR Eagle T-shirt while supplies last.

08/08/2025

FUN FIND FRIDAY

Hold onto your banana seats, folks. This week’s Fun Find is a total blast from the past!

A 1969 Schwinn Stingray Stardust rolled into the yard, and it's absolutely dripping in retro charm. We’re talking sparkle paint, sissy bar, sky-high handlebars, and that iconic glitter banana seat; the whole groovy package. This bike was part of Schwinn’s “Sting-Ray Bikes for Girls” line, made for cruising sidewalks, showing off to your friends, and maybe even outrunning your big brother.

These bikes weren’t just transportation, they were a statement. But here’s the real kicker, it still has the original Hamilton’s “The Bicycle Store” sticker from E. Central right here in Wichita. And if that’s not local enough for you, there’s also a 1975 Wichita bicycle license still proudly stuck to the frame.

Someone loved this ride. Maybe it rolled to school, the pool, or around College Hill on a summer day. Wherever it’s been, it carried a lot more than just its rider; it carried memories.

Not everything that rolls into the yard is just scrap… some things come in with soul.

08/04/2025

Please plan accordingly, as we will be closed for the Labor Day holiday Saturday, August 30th and Monday, September 1st.