Curta - Wikipedia
The Curta is a hand-held mechanical calculator designed by Curt Herzstark. It is known for its extremely compact design: a small cylinder that fits in the palm of the hand.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CurtaOpen linkView original on sh.itjust.works
The legendary math grenade
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If you have a 3d printer you can make your own 3:1 scale Curta Type 1.
Would this be the first "pocket calculator?"
I actually have one of these! marvelous piece of technology
Have you taken it apart yet to see how it works...
More precise then a slide rule, but much more expensive, I'm sure. My old plastic rule that I used in college, cost around $10.
They were expensive when new.
I got to hold and use one once, friend of a friend had it. It felt so satisfying in my hands.
![email protected] has metal cylinders of about that size with knurling too.
I like that guy's enthusiasm.
Cliff Stoll on the Curta calculator, Curt Herzstark and where he developed his calculator.
Aw, man. Guess i’m not gonna have a cool math grenade for my desk.
Edit: Here’s a Numberphile video about it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDn_DDsBWws
One showed up in the glass case of my local Savers somehow last year for ~$800. I was VERY VERY tempted. It was a Type II, with the case, and the finger-loop was intact.
All in all, that's actually a screamin' bargain, but I definitely wasn't in a place to drop $800 +tax on the spot. I thought about it ALL day and the whole next day after, went back after work to buy it, and it was gone. Wasn't meant to be.