All About Slide Rules Book (PDF)

[rkf]

I'd like to thank Egan for the useful link to the PDF, and Mark for the hint regarding Faber-Castell online shop. Now I have not only one more slide rule in my collection (Castell-Duplex 62/82 N), but that one awakened the curiosity of a colleague, who afterwards asked me to explain the basics of slide rule calculations, and thereafter ordered at Faber-Castell for himself.

[Mark]

Hi rkf,
You're welcome ! Happy to know that the "slide rule virus" is spreading :-) Indeed, I owe a tribute to the fellow who first talked about F-B still selling silde rules, one year ago on this forum.
Marc

[David Shenk]

Very well done PDF, thank you for the link.

I inherited my dad's slide rules and had them out one day with a booklet that teaches you how to use them (I didn't know). My 10 and 12 year olds had never seen them before and spent a good hour following the book and making calculations. They had such a good time they occasionally bug me to get them out again. What's old is new again.

[tubegeek]

Well, *I* stumbled on this forum Googling some slide rule info, and I'd like to say thanks for both the link to the Slide Rule Book PDF and to Faber-Castell's online shop. I had had the itch for a 2/83N (and failed to pull the trigger) a few years ago, but today the Euro has fallen enough that I decided to go for it. With the VAT subtraction and the favorable exchange rate, it's like they were giving those puppies away. Less than $100 for the slide rule "considered by some to be the finest and most beautiful slide rule ever made."

That's why we consort with like-minded individuals on the Internet, isn't it? For the enabling?

[aurelio]

I completely missed this post, how did it happen?
THANK YOU EGAN for sharing!!!

[pier4r]

(04-16-2015 03:57 PM)MarkMason Wrote:  One can appreciate the mentality of an organization that, when faced with a dead market 40 years ago, decided to keep it's inventory and keep selling slowly!!! In today's climate of short term business thinking, I find Faber-Castell's approach quite refreshing.

(04-17-2015 06:37 AM)Mark Wrote:  One of the slide rules I ordered never found its way to my home. About 2 weeks later, I told them about that. They answered me that a new one was to be sent 24 hours later with a better packaging (related to the French Post Office not able to track the previous one, I presume).

Impressive! (yes I know, it is an old topic but it is good) I am going to buy more faber castell when I can.

Also I always wanted a slide rule but I found difficult to find one, I may snatch one of those for 20 € .

[Guenter Schink]

(12-13-2017 09:02 PM)pier4r Wrote:  Also I always wanted a slide rule but I found difficult to find one, I may snatch one of those for 20 € .

Look here

[larthurl]

(03-30-2015 03:35 PM)Egan Ford Wrote:  Stumbled on this looking for something completely unrelated:

http://www.oughtred.org/books/AllAboutSl...121001.pdf

i was too young for slide rules but appreciated the read.
I've always been fascinated by them and I have my fathers slide rule that he had for decades.
Thanks for sharing.

.....Art

[larthurl]

(04-15-2015 04:52 PM)Mark Wrote:  Hello,

Speaking about NIB slide rules (and wondering if it wasn't already told somewhere else on the forum) : especially for some of you who live in Europe, Faber-Castell still has some NOS silde rules. As a collector, 2014 was my "slide rules year" after 35 years of electronic and mechanical calculators. The first slide rules I got were from Faber-Castell. Problem, the prices are high ! Next I got a big stroke of luck, the best I can wish to other collectors : getting in touch with a (French) collector who began selling away everything he had. One month later I was (and still am) happy with slide rules from Europe, Japan, US.... And learning their use was a pure joy ! I couldn't help sharing all that with you :-)

Marc

Faber-Castell's shop (German only) : http://service.de.faber-castell-shop.com...chenstaebe

Marc:

any suggestions for a newbie buying is first (general purpose) slide rule?
Or anyone else for that matter?
And maybe a intro book recommendation.
thx

.....Art

[rprosperi]

(12-13-2017 10:28 PM)larthurl Wrote:  any suggestions for a newbie buying is first (general purpose) slide rule?
Or anyone else for that matter?
And maybe a intro book recommendation.
thx

.....Art

Start out with a K&E bamboo rule like this one.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-K-E-Keu...2826379193

They aren't expensive, and they feel much better than plastic or aluminum models. And they should look and feel retro after all.

This is a very common model and likely has all the scales you'd want to explore. Note: In the photos, the slide is installed backward (or maybe upside-down is more correct?) but you just simply pull it out and insert so that the scales match (C with D, A with B, CF with DF, etc.).

[Benjer]

K&E's wood-based slide rules generally used mahogany, not bamboo. As far as I know there were no American manufacturers of bamboo slide rules. All the ones sold by American companies were imported from overseas. Frederick Post was the most notable of these and their Versalog is highly-regarded. It was imported from Hemmi in Japan. Pickett sold at least one such model called the B-1, imported from Ricoh/Relay in Japan.

Ricoh/Relay imported to possibly dozens of American companies such as Lafayette, Jason, Alvin, Scientific instruments Co, and others.

Mahogany and bamboo feel a little different during operation (and I believe the general consensus is that bamboo is superior) but after so many decades it's really going to depend on the condition of the slide rule you end up with. A mahogany slide rule stored in optimal conditions after several decades will feel much better than a poorly-treated bamboo model. This could be extended to plastic and metal models as well.

As rprosperi said, K&E models are common and generally affordable. K&E slide rules are not affordable because they are undesirable, it's just that so many were made. In their day, K&E models were well-regarded although perhaps not quite on the same level as as a Versalog.

Dietzgen made models similar in appearance and construction to K&E and some of them have all-metal cursors which are well-regarded. Some Dietzgen models also contained teflon inserts on the slides and of all the slide rules I've handled these are smoothest-running ones I've come across. The previously-mentioned Versalog and models made by Hemmi also look similar but use bamboo and generally cost more on auction sites.

K&E's Deci-Lon is probably the most "space-age" looking if that appeals to you. This model is considered the most advanced slide rule K&E ever sold and was in production into the 70s, possibly up to when K&E ceased slide rule manufacturing.

For intro books I think a search for slide rule manuals will turn up dozens of suitable results, perhaps including a manual for the very model you end up with. There's a website called the slide rule museum and they have PDFs of dozens of manuals and other slide rule literature. Two model-specific manuals that come to mind are those for the Deci-Lon and the Versalog. Both can be used for basically any scientific/engineering slide rule and also contain examples and practical applications. Both manuals are hardcover.

[Bill (Smithville NJ)]

(12-13-2017 11:26 PM)rprosperi Wrote:  Start out with a K&E bamboo rule like this one.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-K-E-Keu...2826379193

They aren't expensive, and they feel much better than plastic or aluminum models. And they should look and feel retro after all.

This is a very common model and likely has all the scales you'd want to explore. Note: In the photos, the slide is installed backward (or maybe upside-down is more correct?) but you just simply pull it out and insert so that the scales match (C with D, A with B, CF with DF, etc.).

I agree about getting a bamboo one. But I lean towards the Post Versalog 1460:

Post 1460

Mainly because that's what I used in college back in 1967. Mine still operates as silky smooth as it did back in '67.

You can't go wrong with either one.

Bill
Smithville, NJ

[rprosperi]

(12-14-2017 12:10 AM)Benjer Wrote:  K&E's wood-based slide rules generally used mahogany, not bamboo. As far as I know there were no American manufacturers of bamboo slide rules. All the ones sold by American companies were imported from overseas. Frederick Post was the most notable of these and their Versalog is highly-regarded. It was imported from Hemmi in Japan. Pickett sold at least one such model called the B-1, imported from Ricoh/Relay in Japan.

Ricoh/Relay imported to possibly dozens of American companies such as Lafayette, Jason, Alvin, Scientific instruments Co, and others.

Mahogany and bamboo feel a little different during operation (and I believe the general consensus is that bamboo is superior) but after so many decades it's really going to depend on the condition of the slide rule you end up with. A mahogany slide rule stored in optimal conditions after several decades will feel much better than a poorly-treated bamboo model.

I stand corrected, I've thought they were bamboo for 40+ years. I also had a Hemmi rule, so that could be why. Thanks for explaining.

(12-14-2017 12:10 AM)Benjer Wrote:  This could be extended to plastic and metal models as well.

I bought a Pickett aluminum rule in high school (with about 30 scales), thinking they would be the best of all, but I've never liked the feel of metal rules.

I don't like most plastic rules, but I do like my Faber Castell Duplex 2/82. I'd even pay good money just for the plastic case it came in. Wasn't cheap though.

(12-14-2017 12:10 AM)Benjer Wrote:  ...Dietzgen made models similar in appearance and construction to K&E and some of them have all-metal cursors which are well-regarded. Some Dietzgen models also contained teflon inserts on the slides and of all the slide rules I've handled these are smoothest-running ones I've come across. The previously-mentioned Versalog and models made by Hemmi also look similar but use bamboo and generally cost more on auction sites.

Broken cursors are the bane of all old rules, especially K&E. Be sure to closely check the photos (and/or ask questions) to be sure the cursors aren't cracked or even broken (I'd say > half are). All metal cursors with Teflon inserts would be lovely. Now I have to go look at Dietzgen rules...

[larthurl]

(12-14-2017 12:10 AM)Bill (Smithville NJ) Wrote:  

(12-13-2017 11:26 PM)rprosperi Wrote:  Start out with a K&E bamboo rule like this one.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-K-E-Keu...2826379193

They aren't expensive, and they feel much better than plastic or aluminum models. And they should look and feel retro after all.

This is a very common model and likely has all the scales you'd want to explore. Note: In the photos, the slide is installed backward (or maybe upside-down is more correct?) but you just simply pull it out and insert so that the scales match (C with D, A with B, CF with DF, etc.).

I agree about getting a bamboo one. But I lean towards the Post Versalog 1460:

Post 1460

Mainly because that's what I used in college back in 1967. Mine still operates as silky smooth as it did back in '67.

You can't go wrong with either one.

Bill
Smithville, NJ

Thanks Bill, I just bought the Post model.
Should be interesting.
Now I need to find my fathers SR - I may have two - a pocket one and a regular size one. Don't know off hand what brand/models they are. Just know that for many years, as I was growing up, he always seemed to have the pocket one in his shirt pocket.
Thanks to you and Bob for your help.
I also put a bid in for the K&E model Bob suggested. I may end up with two.

.....Art

[larthurl]

(12-14-2017 01:15 AM)larthurl Wrote:  Now I need to find my fathers SR - I may have two - a pocket one and a regular size one. Don't know off hand what brand/models they are. Just know that for many years, as I was growing up, he always seemed to have the pocket one in his shirt pocket.

I found my Dad's pocket slide rule. Seems to be a K&E Doric. Don't know much about it yet.
.....Art

[Benjer]

Doric is a name K&E applied to many of their plastic slide rules to further distinguish them from the celluloid-on-wood models they had been producing. They called this plastic "Ivorite" and I would say it lies at the better end of the spectrum of plastic slide rules that I have handled.

The number of interest on your slide rule is 68 1555, which is its model number. K&E switched to 68x model numbers around 1962 and used them until production ended in the 70s. Your slide rule may also have a serial number which might provide a more specific date if that interests you.

This model contains a fairly standard set of scales and can be used to perform most computations that slide rules were capable of.

[larthurl]

(12-15-2017 05:40 PM)Benjer Wrote:  Doric is a name K&E applied to many of their plastic slide rules to further distinguish them from the celluloid-on-wood models they had been producing. They called this plastic "Ivorite" and I would say it lies at the better end of the spectrum of plastic slide rules that I have handled.

The number of interest on your slide rule is 68 1555, which is its model number. K&E switched to 68x model numbers around 1962 and used them until production ended in the 70s. Your slide rule may also have a serial number which might provide a more specific date if that interests you.

This model contains a fairly standard set of scales and can be used to perform most computations that slide rules were capable of.

Thank you Benjer.
the serial # may be 681555 - it's on the end opposite the word "Doric".
On the other side of the sliding scale, the flip side as it were with the B ST and S scales, it has a number - 043428. Not sure which could be the serial #.
Also says "made in U.S.A." at the top.
My father was a civil engineer and hydrologist, and used this rule up until he got an HP-35 in the early 1970s. I have no idea when or where he bought this.

Really is fun to learn, especially after 2 decades since his death, what one of his instruments was/is. And as I learn how to use it, feeling it in my hands like he did, is a thrill.

.....Art

[salvomic]

(03-30-2015 04:41 PM)rprosperi Wrote:  

(03-30-2015 03:35 PM)Egan Ford Wrote:  Stumbled on this looking for something completely unrelated:

http://www.oughtred.org/books/AllAboutSl...121001.pdf

Thanks for sharing.

thanks!

[Benjer]

68 1555 would be the model number. The old model number is 4168.

043482 is the serial number. K&E generally started serial numbers at 0, went up to 999999, then started over. They rolled over several times through the decades.

Presuming your slide rule was not made before 1962 (when K&E switched to 68x model numbers) I would guess it was made after 1965 based solely on the serial number but this gives no indication of its sales date. From what I've read serial numbers aren't a strong method of dating K&E slide rules in any event.

This link contains much more information than I can provide.

[klesl]

Friend of mine gave me his father's slide rule with addition and substraction - Castell Addiator DRP, Darmsatdt 1/54A.