1. Are you a current member with password issues? Click Here

What old tech gear can't be replaced by new tech?

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by Brisket, Nov 9, 2012.

Thread Tools

Thread Tools

Page 1 of 3
    • +1 Supporter

    Brisket Loaded Pockets

    As a gear junky I like new product technology as much as the next guy but there are a few pieces of old technology gear that I can't see myself ever doing without. I'm curious what gear others have they feel the same way about.

    Here are a few oldies that I can't see myself doing without:

    Cast Iron Cookware - Sure cast iron skillets & dutch ovens are heavy and have to be handwashed and seasoned but they simply do some things better than my fancy All-Clad or ceramic coated green pans. I could extend this to stick burning cast iron bbq pits as they are so efficient at low & slow smoking.

    Stuff made of leather - Boots, belts, jackets, gloves, bags, straps, sheaths, cases, etc. They require special care & treatment and are expensive but well worth it.

    Stuff made of waxed canvas - Jackets, upland chaps, bags, etc.. They smell funny, are hard to clean, don't breathe well and require retreatment but wear like iron and have great looks.

    Stuff made of wool - Socks, clothes, blankets, etc. Expensive and requires special care but hard to beat as comfortable and effective insulation.

    Beaver Fur Hats - Expensive and requires care but so comfortable and so efficient.
    Brisket, Nov 9, 2012
    #1
    Fukurai likes this.
    • In Omnia Paratus

    CatherineM Uber Prepared

    My biggie is my sewing machine. It's almost 40 years old. I have no desire to buy a new computerized model. Mine is built of metal and designed like a Swiss watch. The new ones are plastic. I could run mine off a treadle in an apocalypse. The computer models can be blown out by a power surge.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    CatherineM, Nov 9, 2012
    #2
    Brisket, SAKplumber, bigfoot and 1 other person like this.
    • +4 Supporter
    • In Omnia Paratus

    amacman Uber Prepared

    Carbon steel knife blades. Can rust and need oiling. But they can take an edge and hold it better than lots of stainless wonder blades. Plus, they get better looking with age.

    Compass and map. If you know how to use it, it works anywhere, anytime without batteries, chargers, and is EMP proof.

    Bow and Arrow (stretching a bit here) You can get a very good one and enough arrows to last almost forever while spending less then what some guns run if you factor in ammo costs. Once you own it, it costs nothing to use and develop proficiency with. In some situations (Eastern whitetails from stands) it gives nearly the same range and effectiveness as rifles

    Car control skills. Spend some time at a high performance driving skill doing skidpad training, and you will out perform the "wonders" of automotive stability control systems.
    amacman, Nov 9, 2012
    #3
    Brisket, Fukurai, SAKplumber and 3 others like this.
    • In Omnia Paratus

    Synaptic Misfire Uber Prepared

    I have a newer Husqvarna digital machine and I use my 100 year old Singer 31-15 WAY more!
    Synaptic Misfire, Nov 9, 2012
    #4
    mole likes this.
    • In Omnia Paratus

    mooshi Uber Prepared

    Notebook and pen?

    Sure you can take notes on your electronic gadget, but nothing beats the feeling of transcribing your thoughts from mind to pen to paper. And then the satisfying feeling of crossing things out and tossing finished tasks into the trashcan. :D

    It's just about instantaneous and no worries about battery life. :)
    mooshi, Nov 9, 2012
    #5
    AcesQ, defjus, Fukurai and 4 others like this.
    • +2 Supporter
    • In Omnia Paratus

    kertap75 Uber Prepared

    Tooth brush.
    kertap75, Nov 9, 2012
    #6
    SAKplumber, mole, IMWILSON and 1 other person like this.
    • Administrator

    JonSidneyB Uber Prepared

    Electric fans, the build quality dropped a huge amount in the 50's. House hold mixers, in the 60's I was always hearing "They don't make things like the used to". By the time the 70's hit most kitchen gear was shoody.

    Rifle barrel cutting machines. Most world records are shot with barrels cut on WW1 and between the wars tooling. Modern machines make barrels fast. The old gear made barrels good. The single cutter method puts less stress on the steel.

    Go to the HK plant in Germany, the place is modern and hi-tech until you get to where the precision barrels are made. It is dirty and things are made like they were 100 years ago.

    European world record setting barrels are made on the tools that made Mausers barrels and their contemporaries. American world record setting barrels are made on tools that used to make barrels for 1903 Springfields and their contemporaries.
    JonSidneyB, Nov 9, 2012
    #7
    Brisket, Jean, Fukurai and 5 others like this.

    mwoj Loaded Pockets

    Fountain pens - if you buy a nice fountain pen and maintain it properly, it will work for a long time, and I can't see myself not using one.
    mwoj, Nov 9, 2012
    #8
    Phyxiator, Brisket, Fukurai and 5 others like this.

    echo63 Uber Prepared

    Mine is a Similar age (maybe even older)
    It was my Grandmothers, my mum learned to sew on it.
    When my grandmother died my mum handed the machine on to me (mum already has 2 sewing machines, an older singer, and a newer computerised embroidery machine)

    Also - i really like the colour of a properly driven incandescent bulb
    Led is great for runtime and efficiency, but i prefer the way stuff looks under an incan beam (although leds are getting much better - my SF Minimus Vision is the closest i have seen so far)
    echo63, Nov 10, 2012
    #9

    xtrajack Uber Prepared

    I would venture to say that almost anything made prior to the 70's is/has better build quality than anything of recent manufacture.

    I have two Hudson Bay blankets. One used to belong to my grandfather. It is at least 52+ years old, I have another that was new in 1982.
    The one that belonged to my grandfather is in better shape (except for one repair) than the one that was new in '82.
    xtrajack, Nov 10, 2012
    #10
    SAKplumber, JonSidneyB and bigfoot like this.

    parnass Uber Prepared

    Claw hammer.
    Magnifying glass.
    parnass, Nov 10, 2012
    #11

    hatchetjack Uber Prepared

    Analog watch with automatic movement
    Model 1911 .45 acp
    Dan Post elk hide boots
    hatchetjack, Nov 10, 2012
    #12
    Brisket likes this.
    • +4 Supporter
    • In Omnia Paratus

    catfishdan Uber Prepared

    - Pendleton wool shirts from the 70's and before. The newer ones just don't fit the same.
    - Acoustic guitars. The wood in new guitars is seldom as nice as in vintage ones. Plus every new design since the dreadnought just seems to get uglier.
    - Tube amps. Nothing solid state can match the sound of an overdriven tube.
    - Bic lighters. I've yet to find anything that works better. Possibly my favorite object on earth.
    - Lugged steel bicycle frames. They ooze class while a modern carbon bike looks like a plastic toy.
    catfishdan, Nov 11, 2012
    #13
    Brisket, JonSidneyB and SAKplumber like this.
    • +3 Supporter
    • In Omnia Paratus

    Omega Man Uber Prepared

    Paper day planner. I've forgone Wizards, Palm Pilots, phones, etc to a day planner and pen.
    Wool- sweaters and blankets for me. Loooove 'em. Alpaca too! I used to think my Under Armour Cold Gear was the pinnacle of warmth, until I found a Duluth Trading Co. wool sweater at Goodwill. It weighs about a pound, folds to the size of a small Buick, but man-alive, that thing is warm!
    Omega Man, Nov 11, 2012
    #14
    Fukurai and SAKplumber like this.
    • +3 Supporter
    • In Omnia Paratus

    Fabregas485 Uber Prepared

    A good pen :D
    Fabregas485, Nov 11, 2012
    #15
    • +4 Supporter
    • +3 Supporter
    • +2 Supporter
    • +1 Supporter
    • In Omnia Paratus

    stax Uber Prepared

    Vinyl records!!
    stax, Nov 11, 2012
    #16
    Blade9876, david57strat and phil_kelly like this.
    • In Omnia Paratus

    billybag Uber Prepared

    Automobiles.
    You used to be able to fix them with ease and knowledge.
    Now you need this and that and another that with a card for this.

    Wool..... Love It.

    I'll always keep my paper and pen forever.
    billybag, Nov 11, 2012
    #17
    Gnarly, Revi138, Fukurai and 1 other person like this.

    filjos Loaded Pockets

    Wool anything. Since I've been ill I've had trouble staying warm in winter (consistently low blood counts), but I have a collection of various wool socks, a Filson wool sweater, a woolrich (I think) blanket, and some various wool hats that all keep me snug as a bug. High tech fabrics don't seem to keep me as warm, whatever their claims, and they will never be as comforting as wool. Wool is the perfect textile.
    filjos, Nov 11, 2012
    #18
    Brisket and JonSidneyB like this.

    Westerdutch Uber Prepared

    I found that almost everything has a modern counterpart and each the old variety and the modern ones have pros and cons.

    Old fashioned aka quality stuff (be it clothing, machines, tools or whatever) is built for life IF you take proper care of it. Its the kind of stuff you know in advance will cost you quite a bit of an investment but in the back of your head you also know that you could pass it down to your grand-kids if you wanted to.

    Modern gear very often does not requite maintenance, its pretty cheap and you know that if its life is over (or when you lose it/want something more hip which is not uncommon in todays fashion driven lifestyle) that you can just go out and buy new junk.

    I have an old Singer sewing machine that does the five thing it can do really well!
    I have a collection of fountain pens that are a joy to write with...
    I have quite a few mecanical watches that are just brilliant little pieces of precision engineering....
    I have some lovely oiled leather boots that fit like you would not believe!

    But i also have a plastic Toyota sewing machine, it does more fancy stuff tho nothing as good as the old one (and i know itll break sooner or later and when that time comes fixing it will be more expensive than buying a new one)
    I also have some nice ballpoints i can just throw in a bag and loan out to people knowing they will write (tho not very nice) and that i can live with if they disappeared
    I have digital watches that can take a beating and 9 out of 10 times will come out just fine (1/10 ill have to buy me a new one)
    I have some nice Goretex boots that are light/low maintenance but if the sole wears out ill just buy new ones cuz they just dont age well

    I am someone who likes the convenience of modern stuff, but i also love to have things around me that i can trust on..... things i know that will outlast their modern counterpart, and that when they break i know it can all be fixed (and will actually be worth doing so).
    Westerdutch, Nov 11, 2012
    #19
    Brisket likes this.
    • +3 Supporter

    AK Adventurer Uber Prepared

    All firearms should still be Blued steel and Walnut. Period!
    AK Adventurer, Nov 11, 2012
    #20
    mud80, wildborego, JonSidneyB and 1 other person like this.
Page 1 of 3