Things that still work

There's a 1910 Singer on the wall named Natasha, and a 1969 Kenworth that one man drove about 3.5 million miles. Over in the ledger, the companies that couldn't leave well enough alone.

5,125 years of service on the wall, added up across 82 things.

An old turned brass doorknob on a wooden door in Quebec City, the paint worn away around the grip. Not the one in the story.

Door handle

c. 1869. Nothing on the wall is older.

This handle on the main door of a bedroom is about 150 years old. The previous owners lived in the house for 26 years and told the new ones that all the door hardware is original. The knobs are very wobbly, and they work perfectly. There are no keys.

Running about 157 years

Still Running

The newest tags on the wall.

All 82 tags

No. 0117Around the house

1975

Bryant furnace

A home inspector rarely sees one past 20 years A 1960s McClary-Easy natural gas furnace in a Winnipeg basement. Not a Bryant, and not the one in the story.

A 1960s McClary-Easy natural gas furnace in a Winnipeg basement. Not a Bryant, and not the one in the story.

Running 51 years

No. 0116Odds and ends

1963

York multistage M chiller

10,000 pounds of R-12, driven by a steam turbine A York centrifugal water-cooled chiller in a plant room. A newer model, not the one in the story.

Running 63 years

No. 0115Tools

1964

Chrome vanadium socket set

Three mechanics, one socket set, no lost 10mm A modern socket set with two ratchets, every piece in its slot in a metal case. Not the set in the story.

Running 62 years

No. 0114Tools

1959

Dormeyer drill

The ray gun drill turns at thinset speed

Running 67 years

No. 0113Tools

1989

Estwing 22 oz framing hammer

The waffle face wore off 20 years ago A classic Estwing hammer with the stacked leather handle. Not the one in the story.

Running 37 years

No. 0112Electronics

c. 1974

Unisonic 749 calculator

43 years in steady use, on the plug A Unisonic 740 calculator with a green fluorescent display, a close cousin of the 749. Not the one in the story.

Running about 52 years

No. 0111Electronics

c. 1986

HP-41CX calculator

Bought for engineering school, mostly adds these days An HP-41CX calculator made in 1986. Not the one in the story.

Running about 40 years

No. 0110Electronics

1988

HP-12C financial calculator

Issued on day one of an accounting job, October 1988 An HP-12C financial calculator made in 1988. Not the one in the story.

Running 38 years

They Fixed It

Somebody improved these. You decide whether they needed it.

The whole ledger

2025

Cracker Barrel

Cracker Barrel logo

Before: A man in overalls, known as Uncle Herschel, leaning on a barrel. In use since 1977.
The fix: Dropped the man and the barrel, leaving just the words 'Cracker Barrel' on a gold background.
Then: Complaints started within hours of the August 19 rollout, and the company lost nearly $100 million in market value. In September it also scrapped the restaurant remodels it had been testing.

Took it back

Old logo back on August 26, 2025, one week later.

Your call

2018

Speed Queen

Speed Queen top-loader

Before: Speed Queen top-loaders with a plain agitator and mechanical controls.
The fix: Redesigned the line to meet federal efficiency rules, with an 'agi-tub' that moves tub and agitator together for a gentler wash.
Then: Consumer Reports gave the $1,000-plus TR7 a 31 out of 100, the worst of the 100-plus washers it had tested. Speed Queen reworked it and brought the old transmission-driven design back as the TC5.

Half took it back

Both designs are sold now.

Your call

2024

Sonos

Sonos app redesign

Before: A Sonos app that worked, alarms and sleep timers included.
The fix: Shipped a rebuilt app in May 2024 without alarms, sleep timers, queue editing and some accessibility features.
Then: Some older systems became nearly unusable. Sonos said the fix would cost $20 million to $30 million, and CEO Patrick Spence stepped down in January 2025.

Half took it back

The old app never came back. The missing features trickled back over months.

Your call

Got something old that still works?

Tell us what it is, what year it's from, and one thing about it nobody would guess. A photo helps. A person reads every one before it goes on the wall.

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