The material underneath your cars looks like it would be perfect for organizing MPs…
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It’s a yoga Mat
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hadn’t thought to look at these types of materials before. Something new to inspect when I’m stuck in a retail outlet 
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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).
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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.
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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
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World silver crown coins (1850-1900)
Al Mar Hawk folding knives
Stanley 750 chisels
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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.
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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.
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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.
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I collect pens, pencils and erasers
I also used to collect hot wheels but I don’t anymore sadly
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always been interested in starting a blade collection, but I don’t know where to start, any tips for me?
Maybe sneakers, got a good bunch of them and looking to get more — I know i’ts a bit childish but…
unlike folding knives (I’ve seriously considered collecting them) or pencils… sneakers can be used and worn all the time and that interests me more nowadays.
Also, as I get older and I get pains and sores from almost every corner of my body, I’m appreciating more and more having good shoes to walk with.
Just like I did with pencils in the past, I’m being stupid enough to try and find the ideal pair of sneakers — which I think right now are the NB Freshfoam 1080 v13s (pure clouds below your feet) or the Adidas Ultraboost v4s (a more cloudy structure). They are like the H-5005 or Pentel QX of foot-wearing 
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Blades can be a major rabbit hole. There are so many styles and variations, it can be daunting. My take is, don’t be seduced by the deal of the week, purely for major savings. Define what you need knives for and set the categories, to determine size, weight, and style. Also, check out BladeForums.com. You can learn a lot there. https://whitemountainknives.com/ is a great inexpensive way to buy some very decent knives. You can also get some good deals on a few other sites, including Amazon.
I never got into very large knives, because of carry regulations. I tend to favor small knives, like 3" blade or less. I have some really small ones, for mini pocket carry, and then mid-size for main pocket carry. I don’t holster. And while I’m very taken by some of the high end designs, I won’t spend that kind of money. It’s just too over the top. You never know what’s going to go up in value.
One major rabbit hole you can get into is aligning with a popular brand, like Spyderco. They have affordable models, but then they have some very attractive higher end models and limited runs. You can get really caught up into “drop watch.”
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I am also a Jordan fan! Lots of colorways, almost exclusively 3s and 4s. I’m stuck in my middle school years when they came out.
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A few recommendations on where to start:
Emerson mini Cqc7-bw or Mini A-100
William Henry t10 or t12
Mick Strider SNG or SMF
Tom Mayo baby bowie, tnt, or koa linerlock
Chris Reeve small Sebenza 21
Protech TR Manual
ZeroTolerance 0450CF
Hinderer Xm-18
Case Trapper
SOG Terminis XR S35VN
Kizer Feist
Snecx Libing IFS-20
Lionsteel TS1, ROK
Al Mar Hawk or Falcon
Benchmade Valet or Pardue 531 or Bugout
Spyderco Paramilitary 3 or Caly 3 or Delica
Victorinox Bijou or Gardener
Douk-douk
Opinel No 8
CRKT M4-02
Emerson 6034
Kershaw Launch 4 All Black
Some of these can be had for $20. Some for $1200.
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If that’s the range, you need a Hawk Deadlock on the list too! 
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True. Or Microtech UTX as a starting point. My tastes are a bit more 1980s and I never went down the OTF path.
Jason Guthrie or Shirogorov.