In Pittsburgh, scrapping is not scavenging but a high-stakes metal hunt so competitive that bathtubs and furnaces vanish overnight, and moving them is a dangerous dance.

The author moved from the West Coast to Pittsburgh dreaming of winter, only to find a house with no heat and pipes so cold they could not even apply thread sealant. Then the cast-iron bathtub in the backyard disappeared overnight.

It turned out Pittsburgh is not San Francisco: no one is hunting for kitchy mugs, but for raw metal. Professional scrappers operate here, and they take anything metallic.

1. The Disappearing Tub

The first bathtub vanished within 24 hours, which puzzled the author. Later he learned that scrappers work the alleys for steel and iron, not for treasures. A dumpster full of moldy carpet attracted them too.

The second tub, broken and rusted, was put out as bait. The next day, a pickup truck with two guys pulled up and hauled it away, along with ductwork from the dumpster.

2. The Yelling Duo's Moving Day

Ron and Wade, one bulky and one scrappy, both hard of hearing, communicated by shouting. They agreed to take an old furnace from the basement. But the stairwell was too narrow, and when the furnace jammed, Wade panicked, claustrophobic.

Author told Wade to climb over the furnace, then pushed him through a gap. Ron returned with an axe and chopped the offending pipe, freeing the furnace.

3. The Price of Scrap

When the author asked how much steel is worth, the answer was four cents a pound. It is hard work for little money, but it is life in Pittsburgh.