Favorite Steampunk Item, Part 1

[Rafael Fabre]

A while ago, I had started a small psudo-questionaire, on one's favorite RL Steampunk item. I was actually intending on proceeding to that vantage point to here, but then the small affair of the election popped its head, (and things took a bit of an unpleasent twist for a bit - which would have detracted of the light-heartedness of this thread). Regardless, I would like to proceed with the mini-project that was started, which was to list one's favorite SL Steampunk item.

I would put forth that in one's inventory, everyone has a certain Steampunk-ish item that they consider their favorite, from the plentitiude of virtual cogs and gears. As such, I propose a constructing a small list of the items, with the following guidelines...

1) Please provide the following information to the best of your ability for your one favorite item...
a) Name of the item
b) What it does
c) Why it tickles your fancy
d) If you wish to disclose how others may obtain said item, how to do so
2) The item not be a vehicle or piece of attire (those particular topics will be done later on)
3) Most importantly... only one item per person (more difficult than one might imagine!)

(if you are a merchant, and your favorite item is one you made, as long as it meets the above critera, please do post!) With that being said, I'll start the first post (just below...)

[Rafael Fabre]

The BFS Steam Clock

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The BFS marking time with its steam whistle!

Name: BFS Steam Clock
What it does: Tell time!
Why I do like this item?: It tells time, most certainly fits the era, has copy/mod permissions (you can apply your own texture - I "brassed" mine), and at every quarter hour, it provides a "steam whistle", along with a little tune!
How to find it: I found it on SL Exchange (I disdain the "new and improved" Xstreet monkier), and the price for said work is amazing... I would easily pay four times the price and be quite satisified!

A close up of the clock face

[Capt. Red Llewellyn]

Oooh Rafe, i also admire you clock greatly! and have enjoyed its chimes and ticks near our adjoining land! Hmmm picking one will be difficult indeed! and not to be taken without thought!

[Ceejay Writer]

*grin* My steam powered gear pasties, created by the most-clever Nix Sands. They really shoot steam! (that tickles my fancy and THEN some). And no... I am not providing a picture. *halo* Saving them for an upcoming show.

I even dissed my beloved lemming gun in favor of mentioning these little wonders. :)

[Breezy Carver]

laughs @ Ceejay .. grins .. @ Red .. ahh Rafael you indeed chalenge one's mind don't You Sir .. Wonderful Clock !!!! *warm smile* .. I shall return with my "Just one item" Sir !!

[Skusting Dagger]

Dagger ponders his inventory....

[Breezy Carver]

humm had to go hunting for this .. as things do move quick around here .. alrighty then it wasn't an easy task .. sighs ...... laughs ......... here we go ..

Now I took some times on this as I do wish to follow the good Dr Fabre's rules ... (( i was thinking a hat trick .. that would entail a photo of me with the vertical clock loading pistol standing on mr jack's new steam grid .. in-front of my favorite build ... sigh .. a bit over kill .. )) .. soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo I went with my heart here ....

for not only is her creation my favorites she indeed is one of my favorite creators . It is her witty and clever means to bring facts and period creative with a most fun sense of humor .. I am hoping i can nudge her in the future ( she is in such high demand to someday release something for the many fans we be )) ..

so if you Please a toast to Ms Ordinal and another to YOU Dear Sir for this most creative idea .. Cheers indeed ..

What better way to descibe it then from the creator her .. self ..
Dear one of a kind herself Ms Ordinal Malaprop


The Ordinal Wilks&Co Vertical Clock-Loading Pistol



"The Vertical Clock-Loading Pistol was originally designed by Mr Peter Wilks, a clockmaker with no prior experience in Gunsmithery, yet a keen interest in the support of bold Partisans and Rebels fighting against Oppression. In the cellar of his Whitechapel shop, Mr Wilks (an autodidact by temperament) worked for two years on the design of the Vertical Clock-Loading Pistol. His bold idea was to incorporate a loading mechanism driven by a combination of Gravity and Cunning Clockwork Mechanism, thus avoiding any Jamming of the Mechanism due to Misfiring and also an unusually high Rate of Fire for a pistol, and in this he succeeded admirably. Yet Mr Wilks was not merely a talented engineer, but a man with a keen interest in Morale and its Maintenance. He included in the Vertical Clock-Loading Pistol a durable music-playing device operating from a series of punched tapes, which would re-energise its revolutionary wielder with one of several inspiring pieces of music. Several hundred Vertical Clock-Loading Pistols were constructed and distributed around the world to Rebel Movements, where they were greeted with some Non-Plussed Expressions, but used to greater or lesser effect. Unfortunately, the reputation of the Pistol suffered something of a blow as it was discovered that, whilst Jamming was not an issue, the main spring of the Pistol was a tad fragile, and the mechanism required winding at unpredictable times. The final blow was dealt at the same time as the final blow to Mr Wilks himself. Of Ruritonian extraction (his family having changed their name to more easily enter English mercantile society) he had returned to his homeland with a case of Pistols and six of Ammunition, in order to free Ruritonia from the depradations of the (depraved) Tyrant of the time. He quickly associated himself with a band of Rebels and it was determined that the only course of action would be Assassination. From the accounts of the sole survivor of his final expedition, the Pistol proved extremely effective in eliminating Lackeys protecting the Palace of the Tyrant, and within a short space of time the plucky band had reached the opulant Bedroom of the fiend. Alas, at the precise point that they were preparing to enter, the stroke of midnight was reached, and the Pistols of the entire band had been set such that they simultaneously chimed in an inspiring but somewhat noisy manner - alerting nearby soldiers, who quickly emerged into the corridor from their guardroom. Even at that point, the combined Firepower of the rebels’ Pistols might have overcome the Defenders of Tyranny, but Fate combined with Poor Metallurgy conspired to thwart this; fully half of the band’s Pistols were afflicted with popping main springs, and the soldiers made unpleasantly short work of them with their crude but non-clockwork rifles and sabres. Ordinal Industries is pleased to be able to provide some support to the family of Mr Wilks, and has of course fixed all of the construction issues that plagued previous models. (Customers are however advised that, legally, the Vertical Clock-Loading Pistol has been designated a Historial Reconstruction rather than a Firearm, and thus all Liability for Injury or Death caused by Aspects of this Reconstruction has been most thoroughly Disclaimed.)"


for more infomation on each of her wonderful creations you can go here ..
http://ordinalmalaprop.com/engine/2008/06/22/the-ordinal-wilksco-ve...
or right in town @ Ordinal Industries – New Babbage Office
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Babbage%20Square/151/86/105/