Still in production! Buy yours now!
I’ve never used one of these. I want one, though. I’d have to RTFM.
The slide rule was originally designed in the mid-1600s shortly after the logarithm was developed. Like anything else, it went through a development phase until the modern form we know and love was released in 1859 by a French artillery lieutenant. With engineering now a real profession the slide rule became an invaluable tool for the complex calculations that engineers are known for. Other professions, like carpenters and accountants also found a use for the slide rule. Astronomy also required the abilities of this magical device. In fact, the most accurate slide rule in existence is at a German observatory. It is 2 meters long and has a microscope attached to make readings to the 6th decimal place.
Slide rules diminished in use after 1974 when the personal calculator started permeating the work place. Between calculators and personal computers the slide rule became all but extinct. You can buy your own on the Bay of E or even a new one from Think Geek.
[Image Credit: Think Geek]
When we tore down the old school, I put out a message to the teaching staff that I wanted any slide rules that were found. We found three. I still have them and have not learned how to use one. They are new enough that they are made of plastic. Want one?
Hell yeah!
A few years ago I inherited my grandfather's Dietzgen 1739-L slide rule he used back in the Navy and in the FAA. According to the slide rule museum (http://sliderulemuseum.com) it dates back to around 1954. I've tried to learn how to use it and was able to do some pretty cool calculations, but can never remember what I learned for more than a few hours.
I keep it on prominent display on my library shelf along with his old math, electronic and Radio engineering books from the 40's & 50's that includes "Electrons and Holes in Semiconductors (With Applications to Transistor Electronics)" by William Shockley.
It means a lot to me because we both had essentially the same jobs separated by about 50 years, and even worked on some of the same equipment; he in WWII & Korea, and I in Desert Storm.
Every time I pick up that slide rule I can't help but feel enormous pride and awe. The dude was amazing. That entire generation was amazing.
As a graduation present, an aunt gave me a slide rule watch. I used the slide rule quite a bit, though mostly for showing off.
I took it off one day when I was working on my car and set it on the radiator support to keep it clean. I think it fell while I was working; it must have landed on some intermediate place and not fallen directly to the ground. I went on a spirited test drive and heard a clunk. I didnt realize until an hour or two later that I couldn't find my watch and when I retraced my test-drive loop, it was nowhere to be seen.
<img src="http://www.ashford.com/images/catalog/seiko/flightmaster/SNAD08_FXA.jpg" width=500>
<img src="http://www.taylorspilotshop.com/product_images/k/615/9280__85695_zoom.jpg">
I still use a slide rule on a regular basis!
As for the general use type shown in the article, I have had an exceedingly difficult time trying to find one. All the ones I've found have been antiques (many were made from ivory), and were more than I was willing to spend just for the novelty of learning something new. I didn't know about the ThinkGeek one; I'll have to check that out.
Papa_Biggles still has his, which he inherited from his father when he started his undergrad in Mech Eng. It used to sit on the desk in his study when we were kids, but I haven't seen it in over 30 years. I always thought it was plastic, but I guess it could be ivory given its age. I'm not sure I would have known the difference in feel as a punk kid. I have absolutely no doubt he still knows how to use it.
I had a stepdad with an engineering background back in the seventies, and he had a couple of sliderules sitting around when I was a kid. I actually learned to use one, for simple tasks like multiplication and division. Of course, I'd have no idea how to do that now. I remember seeing geeky catalogs back then for slide rules that had multiple slides, for figuring out seriously arcane shit that to this day is way over my head. However, there's a lot to be said for a simple mechanism like this that will allow you to compute crazy math instantly, and will never crash or run out of battery power. Kind of like the manual typewriter, which will allow you to put your thoughts down on actual paper, without going through programs, CPU's, cables, printers, or using electrons in any way. Maybe our parents and grandparents really had it going on, hell, look at what they got to drive, after all.
Finally found mine and was I glad the instructions were still with it.