Shortcut to His Tobacco Dilemma

Ralph Holland of Venice is trying to locate a chewing tobacco cutter , but so far he has come up short. Can you help by finding at least a spitting image of one, or will the realization that he might have expectorated too much give Holland something to chew on?

For her husband, who is a do-it-yourselfer, Ruth Blosser of Santa Barbara would like to find a square Mr. Omelet pan or something similar. Can you help keep the home fires burning in the Blosser kitchen, or will Blosser wonder whether the yolk is on her because she may have laid an egg?

Needra P. Aulmann of Laguna Hills, who has arthritis and finds it difficult to bend down, is looking for a 30-inch-high folding laundry cart on wheels with a washable liner. Can you help set a few wheels in motion for Aulmann, or will she feel that she’s being hung out to dry because her request simply won’t wash?

Reader-to-Reader Help Line: Two readers are causing a brouhaha in the kitchen: Cheryle Sarkin at (818) 795-9760 will pay up to $300 for a Toshiba HCD850 My Coffee Mill and Drip with automatic timer. And Ellen at (619) 325-8578 is unhappy because she can’t find the filters and instruction manual for an old Filtron Cold-Water Coffee Extractor. Please make sure that our two readers perk up again without too much of a stir.

Note: The Reader-to-Reader Help Line is only for one-time items or for products no longer available in stores. And you must give us written permission to publish your telephone number, so that others may contact you directly.

Shawn Wilson of Pasadena, who was looking for a product that is able to repair the non-stick surface on Silverton kitchen pans, is out of a sticky situation. We have two mail-order sources: Eric Miller of Arcadia and Alice Pierret of Santa Barbara both mentioned a product made by Du Pont and called Cookware Repair Spray that costs $3.99 (plus tax and shipping) and is listed (No. 612267) in a catalogue put out by Spencer Gifts, 901 Spencer Building, Atlantic City, N.J. 08411-0003. According to Kathleen Walcek of Mission Hills, a similar item is put out by Starcrest of California, 19465 Brennan Ave., Perris, Calif. 92379.

Martina Flores of Pomona, who wanted old-fashioned photo albums with plastic corners, no longer needs to feel cornered. G. Wenz of Los Angeles says Pioneer Photo Albums Inc., 9801 Deering Ave., Chatsworth, (818) 882-2161, has scrapbooks that can be used with corners. And Dorian Dunlavey of Rancho Palos Verdes says you can get the corners (and probably the albums too) from Exposures, 475 Oberlin Ave. South, Lakewood, N.J. 08701, telephone (800) 222-4947. We also heard from two readers who have some of these albums. If Flores (or anyone else) wants to be in the picture, please send a stamped, self-addressed envelope.

The juices should soon be running for Marilyn Stein of Los Angeles and Else Ditmars of Palos Verdes, both of whom were looking for an old-fashioned aluminum citrus squeezer with a lever-like handle. We have many sources in the area: Bob Smith Restaurant Equipment Co., 1890 E. Walnut St., Pasadena (from N. Geiger); By Design in the Beverly Center, Los Angeles (N. Reuben); Best Products (Jonie Craig); Clark-Dye Hardware, Santa Ana (Claudia Edwards); Cookin Stuff, 350 W. Whittier Blvd., La Habra (Mae Nemec); Fedco (Shelly Baum), and Williams-Sonoma (John Willheim). Alice Oshaben of Cornucopia in Beaumont, (714) 845-1411, says she has a Rival Juice O Mat in stock.

Hain cannot answer mail personally but will, space permitting, respond in this column to readers who need--or have--helpful information. Write (do not telephone) to You Can Help!, You section, the Times, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles 90053.