I live in Arizona, too, but I'm still going to put a mag glass in my purse. You just never know. Thanks for the tip. Even in California I would check. They do have humidity. I know because that's where I came from.

With all the flooding in AZ this last summer we may have to worry about rust. The only rusty things in Arizona I have run into would have been Men. LOL

Thanks for mentioning this...I honestly have never looked that closely.

That's about as bad as a new quilt shop owner shelving cutting mats on end with no support. The mats were bowing and when I said something I was looked at like I was the dumb one. The shop was out of business in less then two years.

I bought a cheap package of sharps at a Rite Aid this spring when I realized I left the house without any needles, and the first package I picked up had some rusty needles---no magnifier needed, easily seen with the naked eye. This is in Pennsylvania, with "normal" humidity. Fortunately the only other package for sale was ok. Like the previous poster, I have several vintage needle packages in paper holders, and those are all fine, despite their years. Makes me think "they're not made like they used to be", which can be said of nearly any product anymore.