[Uncle Erik]

Interesting that the old school clocks came up.  Those are slave clocks.  No real internal clock mechanism and they run off a signal from a master clock.  That's why they always had the same time from room to room.  You can find salvaged ones on eBay cheaply, and even impulse control units to run them.

 

[jr41]

​

 
The Barbour Beaufort Classic Waxed jacket. The classic british waxed jacket, as worn by the queen don't you know. This jacket will last me for the rest of my life - I'm 28. It even has a large game pocket in the back to stuff the rabbit or pheasant you just shot - or in my case, the Sunday paper I just brought from the newsagent!

 

[J W]

I have an IBM Model M keyboard within grabbing distance should a burglar break-in and need a decent bludgeoning.
 
It's also good for keeping loved ones awake at night with its clickety-clacks. 
 
 

 

[Samgotit]

My 60's era M-Line Invincible Metal Furniture desk will last forever. I forked over $13.80 @ the Habitat ReStore. Now, on occasions when I'm subjected to IKEA, Sauder, and their ilk, I scoff and recoil.
 
Company still in business and making the same style of desk:
 
http://www.invinciblefurniture.com/products/desks/mline.asp
 
But my sea-foam green example is a tarmac, a carrier deck, the Pampas comparably, measuring 6x3 feet. 

 

[seaskimmer]

Quote:

I have an IBM Model M keyboard within grabbing distance should a burglar break-in and need a decent bludgeoning.
 
It's also good for keeping loved ones awake at night with its clickety-clacks. 
 
 

 
Ahhh the good old Model M. I had one of those before since it is a mechanical keyboard which is great for gaming because mechanical boards don't ghost. It's in storage now as I upgraded to something fancier but I'm keeping it around just in case
 
If only they still made keyboards like that today...

 

[Currawong]

Quote:

My 60's era M-Line Invincible Metal Furniture desk will last forever. I forked over $13.80 @ the Habitat ReStore. Now, on occasions when I'm subjected to IKEA, Sauder, and their ilk, I scoff and recoil.
 
Company still in business and making the same style of desk:
 
http://www.invinciblefurniture.com/products/desks/mline.asp
 
But my sea-foam green example is a tarmac, a carrier deck, the Pampas comparably, measuring 6x3 feet. 

Second-hand stores in Japan are full of desks like this.I was lucky enough to get all the Brownbuilt filing cabinets from my father's old office. All his furniture was solid wood stuff too. I regret not being able to keep any of it.

 

[fubar3]

* Cast iron frying pan... builds up a layer of carbon so gets better with age.
* Ginsu knife... $8 ... cuts everything edible.. so heavy that gravity does the cutting
* Pioneer sx3700 receiver .. cool flourescent display, flywheel tuning... and did I mention "burn-in" wow
* Sony MDR-V2 phones.. gotta find replacements for the rotted cups.
* a transistor
* software

 

[fubar3]

Quote:

 
Ahhh the good old Model M. I had one of those before since it is a mechanical keyboard which is great for gaming because mechanical boards don't ghost. It's in storage now as I upgraded to something fancier but I'm keeping it around just in case
 
If only they still made keyboards like that today...

Das Keyboard  .. I have 2, one with letters, and one blank so I don't get lazy.  See daskeyboard.com
 

 

[seaskimmer]

I got a WASD board with Cherry MX-Black switches. Holding up good so far.

 

[Maverickmonk]

Anything designed for the armed forces. I've got a Tactical Tailor backpack I've been using for 4 years, not a single loose thread anywhere on it. Plan to keep the thing around as long as I can.
 
At home we've got an old dutch chest well over 200 years old, and an oak hutch from about 1830, still going strong.
 
As for those invincible desks, we have one in the basement, it's navy blue with peeling veneer on the top and its ugly as sin. If I had a dollar for every time the corners of that thing hit a knee/ankle/hip/head and made me shout obscenities at the top of my lungs, I'd be going to MIT, hahaha

 

[ardgedee]

Quote:

Ahhh the good old Model M. I had one of those before since it is a mechanical keyboard which is great for gaming because mechanical boards don't ghost. It's in storage now as I upgraded to something fancier but I'm keeping it around just in case
 
If only they still made keyboards like that today...

Similarly, I've got a couple Apple Extended Keyboards (a I and a II). With an ADB->USB adaptor, either is still fully usable on modern Macs, and the AEK II is my default home office keyboard.
 
They're not as tanklike as the Model M, but they're remarkably sturdy. When I clean one, I disassemble and clean it with a utility brush and a bucket of hot soapy water. After rinsing and letting it dry for a few days, it's good as new. The AEK is easier to maintain than a Model M, since all parts are accessible after removing a couple Philips screws (although the keyswitches are soldered to the board rather than socketed).
 
Keyswitches eventually fail, but this is true of the Model M, as well. As long as there is a donor keyboard handy, you've got a lifetime supply of switches. The controller IC or diodes are going to wear out first. The keyswitches on the AEKs are Alps models similar to the ones used on gaming keyboards today; the AEK I has a softer touch and noisier clack, while most versions of the AEK II is stiffer and quieter (although some use the same keyswitches as the AEK I).
 
The only downside to these keyboards is that despite all, they're pretty bad for gaming. The ADB protocol is slow and bandwidth-limited by modern standards, so it's good enough for typing 180 WPM but can't handle the responsiveness and keychording necessary for computer games. I don't game much, so I don't mind.

 

[Anaxilus]

Quote:

Anything designed for the armed forces. I've got a Tactical Tailor backpack I've been using for 4 years, not a single loose thread anywhere on it. Plan to keep the thing around as long as I can.

You're kidding...
 
MOLLE packs sucked, plastic frames crack.  I've torn and ripped many nylon straps.  The M9 has all those open crevices for sand to chew through, build is not up to HK standards.  The E-Tool had a PoS plastic locking ring that would lock.  I could go on as there's much worse critical stuff too but nvm.  Probably the best engineered thing in the US armed forces is the MRE.  Too bad nobody wants to eat them (except the Ravioli).  They do have other uses though.  ;P   

 

[Spareribs]

Quote:

​

 
The Barbour Beaufort Classic Waxed jacket. The classic british waxed jacket, as worn by the queen don't you know. This jacket will last me for the rest of my life - I'm 28. It even has a large game pocket in the back to stuff the rabbit or pheasant you just shot - or in my case, the Sunday paper I just brought from the newsagent!

I recently saw a real Barbour jacket from World War 2 on display only at a Barbour store and was able to touch it too (Yes Barbour made those similar style jackets for the military in the 40s)  Those jackets were thicker but the Barbour jackets even today are still made well. Expensive but worth it IMO if you want quality and longevity.
 

 

[bcasey25raptor]

My 6 year old microsoft mouse that i bang and treat like crap every day. It was $10 and it still works well.

 

[lextek]

1998 Toyota Tacoma with 221,128 miles!