tool

Roman Army Knife

9 November 2010

I love a good knife and my Swiss Army Knives are a lot of fun, but this is an amazing bit of technology. It allowed a legionnaire to pack a fork, spatula, pick, spike, and a knife into a pocket sized device.
Notice too the handle flourish that’s purely decorative. And it looks great for something [...]

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New project enables mobile phone use in areas with no reception

14 July 2010

(PhysOrg.com) — Australian scientists have invented software that enables mobile (cell) phones to work in remote areas where there is no conventional coverage and in locations where the infrastructure has been destroyed through disaster, or is not economically viable. The technology enables ordinary mobile phones to make and receive calls without the need for phone [...]

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Abusive Lab Test Shoots Locks With Bullets – Padlock Test With Guns – Popular Mechanics

7 July 2010

A padlock can be all that stands between a burglar and a shed or lockbox full of property. But how well can it really handle the tools of a determined thief (or years of bad weather, for that matter)? To find out, we enlisted the expertise of our friends at Minnesota’s Environ Labs testing facility, [...]

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On Knives

6 July 2010

Master bladesmith Bob Kramer: “Bob Kramer’s handcrafted knives take more than a full day to make and cost $300 per inch (8′ chef’s knife is $2400).”
It is always amazing to watch a master at work. After watching the video, I’d say that is a very good price. I doubt any of my knives could pass [...]

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I GAVE UP FOR A DAY: 19 Unintentional Discoveries That Changed The World

10 June 2009

I GAVE UP FOR A DAY: 19 Unintentional Discoveries That Changed The World
Very useful.

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From Stone tools to Silicon Chips

25 May 2009

How sand is transformed into silicon chips | News | TechRadar UK: “Sand is composed of silica (also known as silicon dioxide), and is the starting point for making a processor. Sand used in the building industry is often yellow, orange or red due to impurities, but the type chosen in the manufacture of silicon [...]

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The Invention of the Sewing Machine

30 April 2009

The Volokh Conspiracy -: “With respect to the mechanical issue, the invention of a practical and commercially successful sewing machine comprised ten complementary elements. These ten elements were first explicitly identified by Andrew Jack in an oft-cited 1958 article: (1) the sewing of a lockstitch, (2) the use of an eye-pointed needle, (3) a shuttle [...]

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Time Travel Essentials — TopatoCo: We Sell T-shirts by the e-Shore

17 April 2009

Time Travel Essentials — TopatoCo: We Sell T-shirts by the e-Shore: “Sure this means that some of those bums like Copernicus and the Wright brothers will end up having to get real jobs, but it’s gonna be your name in the history books, and that’s what what matters.”
LOL. This is pretty cheeky but it would [...]

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