Things that have withstood the test of time

briantrumpet

In a spirit of positivity, how about things that have lasted well?

Here's a personal one: my Olds Super trumpet made in 1934, which I bought from America via eBay several years ago. It warms my cockles to think that it was made before Count Basie went to New York (1937), and might well have been played by one of the swing musicians of that era. It's still an absolute corker to play.

johngti

My Japanese squier JV 62 Stratocaster. Made in February 1983, bought for me by Mrs gti in or around 2004. Plays beautifully although to be fair, it’s due some maintenance now.

focuszing723

The internet. Microsoft didn't bother with a web browser for a while because they thought it would amount to anything. Now it's the backbone of business, entertainment, communication and a part of our lives.

surrey_commuter

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)

lettingthedaysgoby

My Sony reel to reel tape machine. Made in 1972.

focuszing723

The original Star Wars films. They look more realistic than the modern ones.

focuszing723

The 747. Fifty years of services and although airlines are retiring them, they are still being used as cargo planes. I can't believe they have already stopped production of the A380! The amount that must of cost via R&D.

focuszing723

The 911. Evolved, but completely recognisable in design.

focuszing723

The great British Brompton.

Charlie_Croker

lettingthedaysgoby said:

My Sony reel to reel tape machine. Made in 1972.

The Compact Cassette hasn’t lasted through my TDK MA-XG 90N’s are still going strong

Edited: Got threads confused

focuszing723

Sir Frank Whittle's jet engine.

briantrumpet

Who knows the name Malcolm McClean? No??

Well, he invented the shipping container, pretty much single-handedly. That's certainly withstood the test of time.

https://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/5026.html

kingstongraham

Knives - they're great. Been around for a few million years, and still work.

briantrumpet

kingstongraham said:

Knives - they're great. Been around for a few million years, and still work.

Oh yes, especially personal ones that one has been honing for a long time (I've got a nice non-stainless one which I acquired, second-hand, 37 years ago, and would easily chop a finger off). I won't let anyone else near them to sharpen them. Frustrates me enormously if I have to work with someone else's rubbish knives.

briantrumpet

Obviously loads of churchy stuff, but one of the ones that still takes my breath away is the bishop's throne in Exeter Cathedral. I'd always assumed it was 19th-century gothic, but when I realised it was about 1330, my mind was blown: you can still see the chisel marks from the people who made it. Stunning.

elbowloh

briantrumpet said:

kingstongraham said:

Knives - they're great. Been around for a few million years, and still work.

Oh yes, especially personal ones that one has been honing for a long time (I've got a nice non-stainless one which I acquired, second-hand, 37 years ago, and would easily chop a finger off). I won't let anyone else near them to sharpen them. Frustrates me enormously if I have to work with someone else's rubbish knives.

Yeah, its so difficult to skinning your latest victim with a crappy knife.

focuszing723

Pancakes!

kingstongraham

elbowloh said:

briantrumpet said:

kingstongraham said:

Knives - they're great. Been around for a few million years, and still work.

Oh yes, especially personal ones that one has been honing for a long time (I've got a nice non-stainless one which I acquired, second-hand, 37 years ago, and would easily chop a finger off). I won't let anyone else near them to sharpen them. Frustrates me enormously if I have to work with someone else's rubbish knives.

Yeah, its so difficult to skinning your latest victim with a crappy knife.

Not difficult so much as messy, I find.

briantrumpet

kingstongraham said:

elbowloh said:

briantrumpet said:

kingstongraham said:

Knives - they're great. Been around for a few million years, and still work.

Oh yes, especially personal ones that one has been honing for a long time (I've got a nice non-stainless one which I acquired, second-hand, 37 years ago, and would easily chop a finger off). I won't let anyone else near them to sharpen them. Frustrates me enormously if I have to work with someone else's rubbish knives.

Yeah, its so difficult to skinning your latest victim with a crappy knife.

Not difficult so much as messy, I find.

Is there a reporting button for 'mass murderer'?

bompington

The lightweight metal BBQ tongs that we bought in Sydney in the mid-90s for something like 30p - you could buy them in most corner shops.

Ours are still going strong.

ddraver

briantrumpet said:

Obviously loads of churchy stuff, but one of the ones that still takes my breath away is the bishop's throne in Exeter Cathedral. I'd always assumed it was 19th-century gothic, but when I realised it was about 1330, my mind was blown: you can still see the chisel marks from the people who made it. Stunning.

I should know more about that! Thanks.

kingstongraham

briantrumpet said:

kingstongraham said:

elbowloh said:

briantrumpet said:

kingstongraham said:

Knives - they're great. Been around for a few million years, and still work.

Oh yes, especially personal ones that one has been honing for a long time (I've got a nice non-stainless one which I acquired, second-hand, 37 years ago, and would easily chop a finger off). I won't let anyone else near them to sharpen them. Frustrates me enormously if I have to work with someone else's rubbish knives.

Yeah, its so difficult to skinning your latest victim with a crappy knife.

Not difficult so much as messy, I find.

Is there a reporting button for 'mass murderer'?

Sorry. I should have said

Lets you get away with anything.

secretsam

Various bits of Brunel's engineering. Clever guy.

briantrumpet

kingstongraham said:

briantrumpet said:

kingstongraham said:

elbowloh said:

briantrumpet said:

kingstongraham said:

Knives - they're great. Been around for a few million years, and still work.

Oh yes, especially personal ones that one has been honing for a long time (I've got a nice non-stainless one which I acquired, second-hand, 37 years ago, and would easily chop a finger off). I won't let anyone else near them to sharpen them. Frustrates me enormously if I have to work with someone else's rubbish knives.

Yeah, its so difficult to skinning your latest victim with a crappy knife.

Not difficult so much as messy, I find.

Is there a reporting button for 'mass murderer'?

Sorry. I should have said

Lets you get away with anything.

Maybe Trump should have used a few more in his tweets... although having an entire principle-less political party behind you probably helps.

surrey_commuter

QWERTY keyboard

briantrumpet

surrey_commuter said:

QWERTY keyboard

AZERTY's not doing too badly either - since the late 19th century. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AZERTY

ballysmate

Classical music.
Music fads come and go with each generation but classical stays popular.

rjsterry

My set of J B Addis & Sons carving chisels. Old when my grandfather picked them up as an apprentice joiner in Chatham Dockyard.

briantrumpet

rjsterry said:

My set of J B Addis & Sons carving chisels. Old when my grandfather picked them up as an apprentice joiner in Chatham Dockyard.

It raises an interesting question as to what's the oldest thing that one regularly uses, in either domestic or work setting. I suspect mine would be the trumpet at the top of the thread.

pblakeney

A 1983 Casio fx-450 calculator would be the oldest in use but it doesn't see much wear and tear. I was wearing my 1992 Timberland leather gloves yesterday morning...

Pross

Sliced bread, not sure what the best thing was before it came along.

Fire.