Tied and Polished

I recently bought some new computer keyboards and mice for both work and home. The one which stands out to me as the most useful, and the coolest, is the Logitech M950t.

This mouse is relatively large but ergonomically designed to support a natural hand ‘cup’ shape. There are a number of side buttons and pressure points for web navigating and image zooming etc, see here for Logitech’s features list, but the most useful for me is the scroll wheel with accompanying selection button. The measured scrolling feels natural and comfortably paced when every 8th of an inch movement is made and clicks, but press the selection button and the scroll wheel is untethered. And boy does it scroll quickly, gliding through the longest of iTunes playlists or PDF novels.

The soft ‘foamy’ thumb rest also offers support, and I was amazed at how quickly my hand adapted to the shape of the mouse, and felt completely normal.

Plug in the USB cable to charge the battery and continue to use the mouse while charging, increasing workflow. The other cool element about this mouse is that it connects via a micro USB unifying receiver. This receiver can have up to six compatible devices added, negating those days of multiple USB attachments to pick up multiple devices.

Image from: http://www.logitech.com/en-au/product/performance-mouse-mx

It’s adequate for gaming, but if you’re a hardcore gamer you may need more customisable options in a mouse. If you however like scrolling quickly when necessary, free up USB ports and using a weighty, ergonomic mouse, then the M950t is for you.

Here’s a comprehensive review from Geekanoids.

It took around a decade to plan and build, but Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee State Coach was surely worth the wait when one considers the amount of history contained therein.

Image from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamond_Jubilee_State_Coach#/media/File:Coach_Britannia.jpg

Australian carriage maker W. J. Frecklington constructed this incredible masterpiece to commemorate the Queen’s 80th birthday, however it wasn’t actually used until 2014, largely due to the continued interest of antique owners and curators. The full list of priceless artefacts built into the carriage is astonishing, but here are some of my favourites:

An oak crown from HMS Vistory, wood from Sir Isaac Newton’s apple tree, Westminster Abbey and the Ferriby boats, a Gallipoli button, part of a musketball from the Battle of Waterloo and handles comprising of 24 diamonds and 130 sapphires.

Image from: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2647757/The-Queens-new-palace-wheels-Wood-Newtons-apple-tree-A-bullet-Waterloo-Metal-Dambuster-Unveiled-today-carriage-thats-mobile-museum-history.html

Truly this is a mobile palace, and must be one of the most irreplaceable pieces of modern history, containing ancient history, in the world.

Image from: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2647757/The-Queens-new-palace-wheels-Wood-Newtons-apple-tree-A-bullet-Waterloo-Metal-Dambuster-Unveiled-today-carriage-thats-mobile-museum-history.html

Bentley of course needs no introduction. The company has survived in the modern age of instantaneous gratification and advancements by maintaining a balance between venerable history and addressing the necessary market changes. A Bentley motorcar is simply still a fabulous luxury vehicle.

The design of a Bentley is perhaps the most important element, at least initially, as it’s what prospective buyers and admirers first take in. One of my favourite elements of a Bentley is the interior, and even more particularly, the use of wood.

A finished veneer job on a Bentley interior is a thing of absolute beauty. This is due not only to the craftsmanship care taken in it’s creation, but the wood itself. The pieces often originate from a root burrow, which is a root formation found in trees. They are relatively rare, provide exquisite grain and patterns and, as this article stipulates, is the diamond of the wood veneer industry. What a perfect fit then that one of the most previous forms of wood is installed into one of the most exclusive motor cars.

Image from: http://www.automobilesreview.com/gallery/bentley-azure-t/azure-t-interior-finished-in-newmarket-tan-and-porpoise-leather-hide-with-burr-walnut-wood-veneer1.jpg

If you haven’t ever visited Wheelers Luxury Gifts, you should. It has the best brands and exquisite products, although along with that comes a heftier price tag.

For when a little luxury is required.

I love books, period. I particularly love old books, although that can be such a non-term. Old, leatherbound books are what I think of when I think of old books. I’ve visited and worked libraries before, and find it a joy to walk down a long hallway or corridor and gaze at rows upon rows of dark brown and russet books; ancient tomes which have stood the test of time, war and famine to survive as not only a repository of knowledge but also a testament to the craftsman who printed, bound and created them.

I enjoy learning about the books, and the binding process fascinates me as do many crafts. Cue the youtube search for ‘how to do book binding’. There are of course many videos on the subject, but this series of four offers one of the most accessible insights into the time-honoured practice, focusing on restoration.

Image from: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Timeless_Books.jpg

One can buy traditionally constructed books now of course, often in the form of blank journals and diaries. They don’t have the dust that the old ones do, and while they’re a more dear option than something from the local news agency they continue to satisfy book lovers and admirers of admirable craftsmanship all the world over. Here’s a link to some journals from scriptum, one of my favourite stationers located, aptly, in Oxford, UK.