Hey Unboxista, I’ve just cobbled together a working 1960s mechanical calculator—care to see if it’s as unboxable as your gadgets?

Ah, the little wonder I built is the G.P.&W. Model 42, the so‑called “Mechanical Marvel.” I’ve polished every gear with a cotton swab and a whisper of oil, swapped the original brass mainspring for a fresh one, so it runs on pure inertia—no battery required. The box itself was a dented tin with a 1963 paper sleeve, the kind that smells faintly of printer ink. Unboxing was a ritual: I lifted the lid, heard the faint hiss of air, then opened the drawer to reveal the brass frame and the tiny clockwork heart. When I turned the first key, the gears sang like an old piano. And there you have it, the complete story in a nutshell.