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What are Your Oldest Working Gizmos?

posted by Fnord666 on Tuesday June 09 2020, @08:24PM   Printer-friendly
from the does-an-astrolabe-count? dept.

martyb writes:

A recent story on the BBC posed a question to its readers. If it ain't broke: You share your oldest working gadgets. Folks wrote in with their favorite, longest-lasting devices.

Besides being curious about the latest tech devices and advancements, I've noticed our community also seems to have a number of thrifty folk who thrive on getting the most out of their gadgets.

I'll count myself among those in that category. I'll start with a Sharp EL-510S solar-powered, scientific calculator from the early 1980s. I also have a JVC stereo receiver from the mid 1980s that is still going strong. The computer I am currently using is a Dell Latitude Core 2 Duo from about 2009.

So how well has your stuff held up? What was been your best acquisition for long-term durability?

Original Submission

 
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  • (Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday June 09 2020, @09:01PM (7 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday June 09 2020, @09:01PM (#1005374)

    Does my 1930's lathe count? How about the 36" kick shear stamped 1903--previous owner had set for zero clearance and it still cuts paper...and also 0.062" aluminum sheet (1.5mm).

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  • (Score: 3, Informative) by PartTimeZombie on Tuesday June 09 2020, @09:14PM (3 children)

    by PartTimeZombie (4827) on Tuesday June 09 2020, @09:14PM (#1005384)

    I have a plane that my Grandfather bought before the most recent unpleasantness we had with the Germans.

    My Mother thinks he would have bought it about 1934 or so. It still works fine.

    • (Score: 2, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday June 09 2020, @09:33PM (1 child)

      by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday June 09 2020, @09:33PM (#1005401)

      Stuka?

      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday June 10 2020, @06:03AM

        by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday June 10 2020, @06:03AM (#1005688)

        Heinkel

    • (Score: 2) by martyb on Tuesday June 09 2020, @11:56PM

      by martyb (76) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday June 09 2020, @11:56PM (#1005529) Journal

      I have a plane that my Grandfather bought before the most recent unpleasantness we had with the Germans.

      My Mother thinks he would have bought it about 1934 or so. It still works fine.

      Does the plane still fly?

       

      =)

       

      But seriously, thanks for the reminder! I have my grandfather's "Little Giant" tap&die set that is still in excellent shape. That company arose in 1916. He passed away in the early 1960s but likely got it ~20 years before that. More recently, I have a set of combination wrenches dating back to the mid-late 60s that are still in excellent shape, too. To that add a set of ratchet wrenches from the mid 70s.

      --
      Wit is intellect, dancing.

  • (Score: 3, Interesting) by JoeMerchant on Wednesday June 10 2020, @02:41AM (2 children)

    by JoeMerchant (3937) on Wednesday June 10 2020, @02:41AM (#1005615)

    Does my 1930's lathe count?

    Only if my World War I combat knife counts. Ribbed metal handle and a brass nub on the hilt for cracking breastbones. Hangs on a magnet by the garage door, your basic indestructible tool.

    --
    🌻🌻 [google.com]

    • (Score: 3, Interesting) by driverless on Wednesday June 10 2020, @03:43AM (1 child)

      by driverless (4770) on Wednesday June 10 2020, @03:43AM (#1005640)

      I have some odd-looking stone tools with funny five-sided figurines engraved on them that my grandfather brought back from an expedition to Antarctica, do they count?

      • (Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday June 10 2020, @08:22AM

        by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday June 10 2020, @08:22AM (#1005727)

        Iä! Iä! Cthulhu fhtagn!