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.
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I like that guys enthusiasm.
Cliff Stoll on the Curta calculator, Curt Herzstark and where he developed his calculator.
If you have a 3d printer you can make your own 3:1 scale Curta Type 1.
The legendary math grenade
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I actually have one of these! marvelous piece of technology
Have you taken it apart yet to see how it works…
Would this be the first “pocket calculator?”
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.
It felt so satisfying in my hands.
[email protected] has metal cylinders of about that size with knurling too.
The machines have a high curiosity value; in 2016 they sold for around US$1,000, but buyers paid as much as US$1,900 for models in pristine condition with notable serial numbers.
Aw, man. Guess i’m not gonna have a cool math grenade for my desk.
Edit: Here’s a Numberphile video about it:
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.
