Honestly, my first few were so bad I'm surprised the hammers didn't just fall out on their own. I was eyeballing it like an idiot. The feeler gauge was a wake-up call. Now I keep one in my kit that's permanently bent from checking too many Glock connectors.

Totally get that with the airlock gunk, had the same sticky mess once. A tight weave cotton cloth, like a clean tea towel, is the real move for kimchi. It lets it breathe and bubble over without making a lid pop off. Just make sure the cloth is big enough to tie down tight so nothing sneaks in.

Heard some guys set up a rule to run interference checks on a simpler visual style first, right @andrew_harris3?

Man, that's smart. I got stuck in Rome once with a dead phone and no way to find my hotel. Total nightmare. Now I keep a tiny charger in my bag at all times. It's not even fancy, just holds one full charge. That thing is a lifesaver.