Designs that were spot-on right from the start and haven’t changed

[Sundayjumper]

I bought another Jerry can today and it occurred to me, this is a wartime design (Google says 1937, even) and yet it hasn’t changed. It works so well it’s not been superseded in 85 years.

Any other items with that kind of longevity ? (not “the wheel”, that’s a shape not an item )

[V8Granite]

Oddly I watched this a few weeks ago….



I picked one of these up on Monday….

https://www.toolstation.com/stanley-99e ... ife/p77828

I have a fold up knife in the kitchen for packages, a couple of chunkier knives in the garage but the original Stanley “safety knife” is such a lovely thing to use.

Dave!

[Rich B]

I watched that the other day too.

[mik]

Airplane seat belt buckles.

I’m not an expert, so don’t know if they were the first design, but as I understand it they haven’t changed since the 50’s.

Minimal number of parts. Extremely simple to use. The way they “lock” simply due to “friction and angles” is sublime. It’s a piece of design I absolutely marvel over. .

[Sundayjumper]

Airplane seat belt buckles.

Good call. This article doesn’t pin down the age of the design but it sounds like it’s similar to the Jerry can.

https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/w ... s-so-weird

[Gwaredd]

Tetra pack?

[Gavin]

axe?

[Beany]

The interlocking zip, or whatever is called.

[DaveE]

The one lots of designers seem to reference is the sheep sheer

That design is 100s of years old and didn't change

I'd say the E39 BMW too - possibly the Zenith of car design. The size, proportions, ergonomics etc. It's just perfect IMO

[Sundayjumper]

axe?

I think I’d put that in with the wheel as being a shape that was (probably) discovered accidentally, proved useful, and was then refined rather than something designed from the outset.

[Sundayjumper]

I'd say the E39 BMW too - possibly the Zenith of car design. The size, proportions, ergonomics etc. It's just perfect IMO

Funnily enough I was behind an E39 530i Sport yesterday and was thinking along those lines too.

[dinny_g]

Pencil Sharpener??

[16vCento]

Velcro?

[Sundayjumper]

Zips & Velcro - approved. Zips more so as they’re c. 100 years now.

Also - and I can’t believe I didn’t put it at the top of the list - the bicycle. The fundamental layout hasn’t changed since the 1880s.

[Rich B]

I'd say the E39 BMW too - possibly the Zenith of car design. The size, proportions, ergonomics etc. It's just perfect IMO

too big, too many doors.

[Mito Man]

I bought a load of Jerry cans at the first War and Peace show I went. This chap was selling a new unused bundle of them banded together from the end of WW2 for £5 each. Then I went to Halfords and bought a new Jerry can just because it had an attachable spout.
The spout never worked with the Halfords can, leaked like a sieve but it works perfectly with the old WW2 cans.

I use a Kelly Kettle for camping which was designed over a century ago. It’s still the fastest way of boiling water over fire.

[mik]

I'd say the E39 BMW too - possibly the Zenith of car design. The size, proportions, ergonomics etc. It's just perfect IMO

too big, too many doors.

And whilst the design of the E39 hasn’t changed over the years the design of the 5 series has.

[Jobbo]

Zips & Velcro - approved. Zips more so as they’re c. 100 years now.

Also - and I can’t believe I didn’t put it at the top of the list - the bicycle. The fundamental layout hasn’t changed since the 1880s.

The bike is basically the wheel x2. And the first ones didn't have pedals so not quite as we have now right from their invention:

[Gavster]

I bought another Jerry can today and it occurred to me, this is a wartime design (Google says 1937, even) and yet it hasn’t changed. It works so well it’s not been superseded in 85 years.

Any other items with that kind of longevity ? (not “the wheel”, that’s a shape not an item )

The paperclip is the zenith of design simplicity and functionality

[Sundayjumper]

The bike is basically the wheel x2. And the first ones didn't have pedals so not quite as we have now right from their invention:

You know full well that's a hobby horse not a bicycle

https://www.sciencephoto.com/media/3630 ... obby-horse

But OK, my bad, I should have specified safety bicycle, the chain drive is a key aspect.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safety_bicycle