The material underneath your cars looks like it would be perfect for organizing MPs…
5 Likes
It’s a yoga Mat
1 Like
hadn’t thought to look at these types of materials before. Something new to inspect when I’m stuck in a retail outlet 
1 Like
Are most of these 1:64 scale? Matchbox / Tomika / etc.?
When I was a kid, there were pretty much 2 choices for palm-sized cars: Matchbox for 1:64 and Corgi for 1:43. I was really taken by Corgi but frustrated by the much higher prices. So I’d save up my allowance and odd jobs cash to buy them periodically. Of course, a vast majority were foreign cars, and some super obscure & weird, like the DAF City. I still have most of what I’d collected, but only a few that escaped a lot of paint chipping and other damage. Today there are so many brands and an extreme range in pricing. And good ol’ Matchbox produces 1:64 with some seriously impressive detail (although a lot of skimping on material, like mixing more plastic than metal into “diecast” cars).
3 Likes
Most of my collection is of 1:64 scale models. then I have ten or fifteen 1:43 scale models and a few good 1:18 ones.
Mostly hot wheels and very few matchbox, kyosho, tomica.
2 Likes
Reminds me very much about my younger days! I collected my fair share of matchbox/hot wheels Cars, i believe somewhere in the 300 range eventually. fell out of love with it eventually, once my creativity died enough for me not to play with them anymore.
Still have a good place in my heart though, for sure!
edit: Younger being under 10-12
4 Likes
World silver crown coins (1850-1900)
Al Mar Hawk folding knives
Stanley 750 chisels
4 Likes
Glad to hear you are excited - the offer stands, I’d be happy to scan a chapter or so if there’s something specific. But I suspect your own copy is on its way already 
Years ago I bookmarked a “print your own graph paper” web site that you could use to get custom linear and log scaling options, which seems like a related topic.
I’ll also look for the insane polar-coordinates reactance nomogram I have stuck in my memory, I saw it in some electronics context, it was a thing of beauty.
The “Elements” printing is indeed an example of “they don’t make 'em like they used to.” I’m assuming the clear ruler in the back cover was part of the edition and not a user-added bonus - the whole thing is very high quality as you said.
1 Like
I’m not a major knife collector. But I have gathered up a few interesting pieces over the years. I’m behind on doing a collection shot. I’ll try to do one after my next addition arrives.
Since I’m in an urban area and don’t have a major need for serious cutters, I’ve mostly focused on smaller knives. Simple EDC types. My smallest is a really nicely done titanium TC4 scaled D2 bladed frame lock. Blade is just barely 2" long. So this won’t break any state laws. Easy tuck into a coin pocket.
Speaking of small, I also have some Victorinox knives. My favorite among them is the money clip one with scissors included. Super thin and holds bills nicely.
My most prized small knife is something I don’t carry much. It’s my only Spyderco. A Vrango. Has gorgeous action. Blade is strange, but really works well for small slicing.
My simple low-cost EDC is a CRKT Squid. Fantastic bugger in D2 steel. Fat and short. Very usable. The copper one is a bit scratch prone, so I mostly use the stonewashed model.
My latest addition is something that doesn’t even look like a knife until you open it. Very quirky thing, no locking mechanism (just slip-joint). But I love the black & white motif.
8 Likes
The clip Victorinox is special. Haven’t seen that before. I like the Squids and your new black and white rectangle.
With most of my collecting, I am trying to get the most classic or most essential piece from a period. For knives, I pick the famous brands and look for the ‘one that started it all’. If I like it, I save up for it. I am not a big Chris Reeves fan, but I have been on their waitlist for a couple years for a Sebenza. They have raised the price in that interval and I am left feeling like the knife world is kind of silly.
With coins, I collect the largest silver coins from every country that existed between 1850 and 1901. A lot of countries did not issue gold coins (and I don’t have that kind of hobby cash), so I opted for the silver dollar size as the standard of my collecting. Most large mid and late 1800s silver coins worldwide were modeled on the 8 Reales Spanish coin that had been in worldwide circulation for about 2 hundred or so years. Some countries issued slightly larger or slightly smaller Dalers, Dalders, Thalers, Dollars, Pesos, Yen, Yuan, etc. Also, many countries issued only very small silver coins weighing not more than a few grams. It is fun to learn about the history of currency by selecting a target and uncovering the variances within that sphere. Combing through coin catalogues and databases takes a lot of time and cross-referencing. I also collect coins that I consider beautiful, but that feels like a different hobby because it is not as much about research and self-education.
4 Likes