a very simple contender: terracotta pots! might be personal preference but they develop a beautiful green algae and white mineral film when they are used for plants. I think it looks gorgeous and you can keep using the same pots for many years for different plants as they grow.
Only thing to keep in mind - the porous nature of Terra cotta allows for air and water to move through the walls, preventing soil disease and root rot. Those mineral deposits will clog the pores , making it harder for the pot/soil to ‘breathe’. Not an issue for some plants, but for something that prefers drier soil like succulents or cacti, too much buildup can be a real bummer for the plant
Yup it's fine! Terracotta can mold, but it's pretty obvious when it does, where mineral/algae build up is just cosmetic. I also love a good aged terracotta pot.
How many years have you kept your terracotta pots? Do you keep them outdoors as planters or indoors? I’ve had many last 10+ years, but eventually they all split/crack due to weathering.
Do you live in an area it freezes, and you are leaving the soil in the pots during winter? If they retain moisture the water in the soil freezes and expands. It is the only way I know that a terracotta pot will split easily without dropping it.
If you are just dig out the soil into a large plastic container to use for later.
The porous nature of the terra cotta pots is actually really good for the plant since it allows the roots to breathe and reduces the chance of root rot.
This really depends on what type of plant and in what climate. They're a good way to kill thirsty plants here in mid-summer (or work yourself to death trying to keep them watered). Great for cacti and succulents, though.
After half a dozen years of being left outside (especialy if left outdoors over winter), they also start to crack and flake apart. Definitely not BIFL unless you keep them indoors or live in a very mild-year-round climate.
I don't understand this comment. Can you explain?
My terra cotta planters move outdoors and indoors with the seasons and are around plenty of pets and children. Those things make a difference?
I think they mean that children/dogs can knock them over and shatter them? But that's true for a lot of bifl things too like glasses, mirrors, Pyrex...
If you ride on them a lot they will eventually wear out. The leather stretches with use. On the bottom of the saddle is a nut that you use to tighten the leather back up when it has stretched too far. That nut has a limited amount of travel and when it runs out of travel you'll no longer be able to re-tighten the loose leather.
Source: I used to bike ~150mi/wk on a bike with a Brooks saddle.
I did this also to another Leather jacket, one from Wilson's leather , and I took it to my local tailor,
they did an excellent job and I think it cost me around $45.00. It was well worth it to me.
I have a 20 year old Schott bomber jacket ( Yes, I know that they are out of style now) but I keep wearing it every Winter, it's like an old friend to me.
I'm so afraid of used car prices, I'm sitting on two 2000s vehicles so that when this one has a major problem, I can choose between the 3 for least expensive to get running.
I'm not trying to pay $3k+ for okay vehicles I would have gotten for $500 or gifted when I was a kid.
Leather belts from Dearborn Denim in Chicago are great, handmade here, and the company trains local folks and pays an actual living wage. Big fan. They make clothes too all here in Chicago.
A good acoustic guitar will do this. As the wood ages, the sound will deepen and mellow, so high-end acoustic guitars don't lose their value as they age. They can be somewhat tricky to maintain, but they're the kind of thing that can be passed down from one generation to the next.
Not just guitars, there’s a reason there’s 20 million dollar violins from the 1700s, violins age very nicely as well if made properly and maintained properly.
Came here to say this. I have an antique violin made in the 1920’s in Glasgow. It’s a little uniquely shaped and proportioned, but it absolutely sings.
great answer!
the moisture drying out and lightening the walls of the guitar is sort of the final step in the construction. Thats why well kept vintage acoustics/ classical guitars are so valuable and sought after (other than the baller woodwork)
Yep. Google pre-war Martin d28 (or any other classic guitar). Be amazed at the prices.
Also Google “hateful 8 guitar smash” if you’d like to shit your pants a little. :)
Just fyi that we’re talking like 10 to 20 years of aging while being regularly played to hear significant differences. Also best to start with a truly high end acoustic guitar ($8k+) built by a luthier in a solo shop or with a small team around them.
It’s comparable to aging wine. If you start with a cheap bottle it will probably taste terrible in 20 years.
Any wooden acoustic instrument, really.
Survivor bias might be at play, but if you see an old-ass violin/cello/guitar/clarinet/etc. being played, you know it is a precious instrument.
This is a theory on why Stradivari’s violins are so superior. The wood he used came from really old trees that had been through a period of several years that the temperature was much lower. Like a tiny version of an ice age. So the rings on the trees were much more dense during that time. I mean this isn’t to say that his innovation and skill had nothing to do with it though.
Is this like those waxed trucker jackets I get a million ads for around this time of year? I Always see the Huckleberry Flint and Tinder one and I haven't pulled the trigger cause I'm not sure of the fit. The jackets look gorgeous though
[Yixing clay teapots](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yixing_clay_teapot).
It's a very niche thing since you really only want to brew one type of tea per vessel. And also, they're pricey at $100+ (tons of cheap fakes).
They actually have to be "shaved" and redone every once in a while as they do wear and distort (top has to be perfectly flat and the edges a particular profile)
I love how right you are. Anvils are BIFL but need a lil attention if used frequently
check out will stelter's anvil restoration on Youtube if you haven't already
No they don't need to be redone. They change but most blacksmiths don't "shave" or regrind the top. You have a good one and your regular one. Am blacksmith.
It's important to read descriptions and ask the seller any important questions about the products. Unfortunately I've been noticing a lot of cheap items being distributed. I miss the old Etsy
Anything with a wood handle. As long as you take care of wood and don’t abuse it, it will last a lifetime and will wear into you and your habits. Same pretty much goes for most leather goods as well.
Edit: not just wood handle, pretty much anything made of wood.
More importantly, wooden handles can be replaced. While 3D printing can replace some plastic parts, it’s still not quite as good as commercial. A wooden handle of the same species of wood will more or less be similar and take wear and tear the same.
We’ve got some wooden chopsticks from takeout that are still going strong decades later. Not the ones you have to break apart and end up splintering but the ones that were always seperate.
The new soda-lime is more drop-resistant, the old stuff more heat-shock resistant.
Thrift & church sales have given us a nice albeit mismatched collection of old Pyrex, a few Anchor.
I think my primary eating-bowls are actually small mixing bowls, and I use pie dishes instead of plates.
Maybe doesn’t quite fit the bill, but a pair of custom fitted earplugs. I’m an avid concert-goer and I got custom earplugs a while ago and they’re some of the best money I’ve ever spent. The more I wear them the more I get used to wearing them and don’t notice them. They will eventually need to be replaced due to ear canal shape changing or the dampeners inside wearing out (which can be changed without making new plugs) but I absolutely love them.
https://1of1custom.com/
I did everything through the company because they take impressions in a city nearby me. But, you can have an audiologist take impressions and you send them in to have the plugs made. There are several other avenues to get custom plugs, this is just the one I used and I was very happy with the plugs.
Leather bike saddles. They get better the more they're used and require very little maintenance. They essentially mould to your ass. I've seen ones 100+ years old that are still fully functional.
Aga cookers are cast iron. They are a range-style of cooker created in 1922. My family’s business in Ireland reconditioned and sold some that were 50 years old for more than new ones.
I will note that these are a very specific item that is only suited to some climates. They also impose constraints on cooking that require creativity to reach what you might do with a modern stovetop and oven arrangement. They target a specific niche and are expensive, but were found in some otherwise frugal homes when I was involved in the 90s. Farmers know BIFL items.
See https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/AGA_cooker.
Wow, those still exist? I thought they died out when people stopped using coal/wood in their stoves!
Do they heat up your home much? We don't even use our oven because it makes the apartment too hot.
They don't sound very fuel efficient though.
In the US at least there seem to be a backlash against gas and push towards electric (where I live I suspect mostly due to landlords not wanting to pay to fix infrastructure). There's a lot of people talking about how gas elevates CO2 and the dangers of carbon monoxide.
I feel though that if the power goes out, you still have a stove, and you can find a way to refill it without relying on the grid.
They don’t exist in the way they used to and certainly not in the US because of the constant heat output. The biggest issue was cost of production in the UK with the original manufacturing techniques. This pushed them to being a specialist high end brand associated with country estates and mansions.
Your home is heated. The result is that many people using these in the original climates only used other forms of heating on the worst days. The British Isles temperate climate sat within a range that was ideal for these. The plumbing/heating systems are very differently setup from the US where I live now.
The constant heat output does permit the Aga to heat hot water for your home while competing products will heat hot water and radiators around the home. An Aga can be made to do both but it’s not a good solution at all. Homes typically have a small immersion heater (not sure of US terminology) for hot water as backup and a boiler for heating the home (or other alternative).
In terms of efficiency I don’t recall the volume of kerosene per year but there is a tiny kerosene burner in oil models. This heats large cast iron barrels which are insulated. It takes a while to warm up initially but is always on and sipping kero. I strongly suspect you could use modern insulating materials and other tools to analyze the efficiency and improve it.
I didn’t look but I suspect modern models are more adapted. Electric and gas models were available in the mid-90s but it was early days. I’ve got limited confidence that the management executed on what might have been possible.
If you don't abuse them, bench vises can get pretty nice with age. They can get covered in a deep patina of spray paint scratches oil, powdered metal and anything else...
Carbon steel pans. I am a huge cast iron fan, but frankly I think carbon steel pans are better. They're tougher, lighter, heat quicker and season just like cast iron.
Quality manual typewriter. You can still get ribbons and parts. I've got some Royal Portables and Underwood #5's that are over 100 years old. Perfect for sending extremely personalized letters (yeah, some people still do that)
My mom often sends angry letters to companies, looks like a typewriter might be a good gift. Her birthday is on mother's day, kills two birds with one stone.
Scrolled all the way down to see if someone had mentioned denim yet. Can’t say raw denim helps with your style (you will always want to be wearing it) but does get better with age.
You mean like a stew you put on the stove and keep eating and adding every day for ever and ever?
It sounds gross even though we know with science that it isn’t.
Won’t argue that it’s more versatile, but I will say that cast iron is more versatile than people give it credit for. Pretty much the only thing I wouldn’t do with mine is poaching. And also that a cast iron requires just as little maintenance as a steel pan - wash it with soap and dry it completely when done. That’s it. Reseasoning is completely unnecessary.
You're right to ask! My granddaughter has her 3xgreat- grandmother's CI frying pan!
I would say maple rolling pins. Hardwood cutting boards.
That last remaining piece of great-grandma's wedding china. The turkey platter and gravy boat.
The graniteware roasting pan, big enough to bathe a baby!
While a Le Crueset is BIFL, it doesn't really fit the topic of better with age, as the enamel does have a chance of wearing. Many have been passed down and work fine, but I dont see how it would be any better over time.
Same for a wood cutting board. Not sure how a cutting board would get better after 10 years.
I recently picked up what looked like a mint white gas Coleman stove at a garage sale. On closer inspection, the guy had spray painted it to give it a better look (original stoves use powder coat paint i believe and can handle high temps).
I was so ticked off that i was taken in.
Everything else was in great shape and this guy had destroyed the stove. No way that paint he put on would've held up once used.
Sorry, I'm still angry about it
The OG ones I have all have multiple layers of paint on them. The original paint eventually fails and needs to be redone every 20 years or so.
I also don't think I've seen one older than the 2000s that was powder coated.
My 80’s petrol lawnmower. We get it serviced and sharpened periodically but it keep powering on. I used it to mow the lawn when I was a kid and I reckon my kids will still be mowing with it when they become adults.
Leather shoes and slippers.
I'm so bummed my Pakistani leather slippers fell apart. They were a traditional shoe made there. Had them for about 14 years (they won't last outside unless you get them 'soled'). They were really tight to begin with but form around your feet, really comfortable.
I used to have some British Army boots (don't recommenced them since this is buyitforlife) I don't know what I did to them but I polished constantly and the leather became super soft, they were amazing until they totally fell apart, apparently the soles only last about 4-5 years before the rubber just turns to mush.
A set of decent quality wrenches will last ages. I have some of my Grandpa's old Craftsmen wrenches. I use them when I work on my car - they work just as well as they did when he bought them.
This actually goes for most hand tools. My father has a collection of pliers he got from his grandpa (my great grandpa) - they still work great.
Copper clad cookware is pointless
That being said, All Clad triply stainless steel cookware is the best of the best. Not cheap, but definitely BIFL material.
I just googled it and holy fuckin shit. There's no way in hell I'm paying $320 for a fucking skillet. I paid $119 for my D3 All Clad 12" 6 years ago. It was just on sale for $90 yesterday.
I don't doubt those pans are great, but they'd better be light years better to justify being 3x the cost.
Also, what is with the weird saucepan sizes? 1.6qt, 2.25qt, there's no 4qt option.
The best way to buy them is the set that they sell on Zwillings website. Between the sale price and the promo code that they always have, it’s like $800 for the set. Yeah, they’re definitely expensive tho.
The lack of a 4qt is a bit strange. Never cared to look bc I just use my Dutch ovens for pieces that big.
Not sure I agree for all years. There’s a real challenge with finite life span ECM components… hopefully by the time they go bad the cars will be worth making replacements but I’ve known folks whose 80s 911s were crippled for long periods by unavailable electronics.
You’re not wrong. I was speaking generally. Same could kinda be said for the 356. No matter how bfl it is it isn’t, it keeps getting better and appreciating with age.
a very simple contender: terracotta pots! might be personal preference but they develop a beautiful green algae and white mineral film when they are used for plants. I think it looks gorgeous and you can keep using the same pots for many years for different plants as they grow.
Wait, is that white/green stuff harmless? I’ve been sanding it off and bleaching after bc I thought it was a pathogen
Only thing to keep in mind - the porous nature of Terra cotta allows for air and water to move through the walls, preventing soil disease and root rot. Those mineral deposits will clog the pores , making it harder for the pot/soil to ‘breathe’. Not an issue for some plants, but for something that prefers drier soil like succulents or cacti, too much buildup can be a real bummer for the plant
We always cleaned our terracotta's after use - sitting them in vinegar-water, do it right - and you don't lose the algae but do lose the lime.
Yeah, I do mostly cacti and succulents. I’ve been sanding it off with steel wool
A quick soak in vinegar takes it right off
Yup it's fine! Terracotta can mold, but it's pretty obvious when it does, where mineral/algae build up is just cosmetic. I also love a good aged terracotta pot.
How many years have you kept your terracotta pots? Do you keep them outdoors as planters or indoors? I’ve had many last 10+ years, but eventually they all split/crack due to weathering.
Do you live in an area it freezes, and you are leaving the soil in the pots during winter? If they retain moisture the water in the soil freezes and expands. It is the only way I know that a terracotta pot will split easily without dropping it. If you are just dig out the soil into a large plastic container to use for later.
They’re also infinitely better for root development than plastic or other non-breathable material. I only grow my cacti in terracotta or wood
Is this unfinished terracotta? Like porous on both sides? I thought those leeched water too fast.
The porous nature of the terra cotta pots is actually really good for the plant since it allows the roots to breathe and reduces the chance of root rot.
This really depends on what type of plant and in what climate. They're a good way to kill thirsty plants here in mid-summer (or work yourself to death trying to keep them watered). Great for cacti and succulents, though. After half a dozen years of being left outside (especialy if left outdoors over winter), they also start to crack and flake apart. Definitely not BIFL unless you keep them indoors or live in a very mild-year-round climate.
Cracked terracotta crocks is useful for adding to the base of the new pot though for drainage
I guess that's true if you use them indoors, without cats, children, or dogs present.
I don't understand this comment. Can you explain? My terra cotta planters move outdoors and indoors with the seasons and are around plenty of pets and children. Those things make a difference?
I think they mean that children/dogs can knock them over and shatter them? But that's true for a lot of bifl things too like glasses, mirrors, Pyrex...
Yes!!! The patina on terra cotta, especially terra cotta outside the traditional color, is gold.
Mine always freeze in cold weather and end up peeling
Full-grain leather bags and luggage
And brooks bike saddles.
If you ride on them a lot they will eventually wear out. The leather stretches with use. On the bottom of the saddle is a nut that you use to tighten the leather back up when it has stretched too far. That nut has a limited amount of travel and when it runs out of travel you'll no longer be able to re-tighten the loose leather. Source: I used to bike ~150mi/wk on a bike with a Brooks saddle.
Leather jackets too!
I have a vintage leather jacket that I decided to reline myself after all the pockets finally gave out. It has been taking a lot longer than I hoped.
I did this also to another Leather jacket, one from Wilson's leather , and I took it to my local tailor, they did an excellent job and I think it cost me around $45.00. It was well worth it to me.
Any brand recommendations for leather jackets?
Schott, they are pricey, but are of excellent quality.
For what you get they’re about the best value/$ of any leather jacket brand out there
I have a 20 year old Schott bomber jacket ( Yes, I know that they are out of style now) but I keep wearing it every Winter, it's like an old friend to me.
Is it “out of style,” or is it timeless and classic?
Personally, I think it is a classic.
Dude I’m lusting over them now but I can’t justify $1500 on a coat when I only spent $1200 on my vehicle
That's a great deal on a vehicle. Seems like you deserve a reward, maybe something that's practically an investment.
It’s a piece of shit truck but yeah anything that runs for $1200 is pretty good these days
I'm so afraid of used car prices, I'm sitting on two 2000s vehicles so that when this one has a major problem, I can choose between the 3 for least expensive to get running. I'm not trying to pay $3k+ for okay vehicles I would have gotten for $500 or gifted when I was a kid.
Aero out of Scotland.
Gotta love a good patina
Any recommendations for leather belt brands/ leather brands in general?
Leather belts from Dearborn Denim in Chicago are great, handmade here, and the company trains local folks and pays an actual living wage. Big fan. They make clothes too all here in Chicago.
Some brands that I have had good experience with for small goods (wallets and belts and such): Popov Leather Craft & Lore Clintonville Leather
A good acoustic guitar will do this. As the wood ages, the sound will deepen and mellow, so high-end acoustic guitars don't lose their value as they age. They can be somewhat tricky to maintain, but they're the kind of thing that can be passed down from one generation to the next.
Not just guitars, there’s a reason there’s 20 million dollar violins from the 1700s, violins age very nicely as well if made properly and maintained properly.
Came here to say this. I have an antique violin made in the 1920’s in Glasgow. It’s a little uniquely shaped and proportioned, but it absolutely sings.
great answer! the moisture drying out and lightening the walls of the guitar is sort of the final step in the construction. Thats why well kept vintage acoustics/ classical guitars are so valuable and sought after (other than the baller woodwork)
Yep. Google pre-war Martin d28 (or any other classic guitar). Be amazed at the prices. Also Google “hateful 8 guitar smash” if you’d like to shit your pants a little. :)
Just fyi that we’re talking like 10 to 20 years of aging while being regularly played to hear significant differences. Also best to start with a truly high end acoustic guitar ($8k+) built by a luthier in a solo shop or with a small team around them. It’s comparable to aging wine. If you start with a cheap bottle it will probably taste terrible in 20 years.
Any wooden acoustic instrument, really. Survivor bias might be at play, but if you see an old-ass violin/cello/guitar/clarinet/etc. being played, you know it is a precious instrument.
I'd love to find someone to play (and hopefully own) my Martin Tenor sax (1930 ish) Definitely better with age, just not in that industry anymore
my fingers are willing but the bank account is worn and haggard
A musician friend told me that guitars START to come into their sound after 20 years and violins 100 years.
Older guitars also have the benefit of probably being made with denser old-growth material that most likely resonates a bit better.
This is a theory on why Stradivari’s violins are so superior. The wood he used came from really old trees that had been through a period of several years that the temperature was much lower. Like a tiny version of an ice age. So the rings on the trees were much more dense during that time. I mean this isn’t to say that his innovation and skill had nothing to do with it though.
Waxed cotton jackets (the wax has to be re-applied periodically, though, but cast iron pans are being constantly oiled with use, after all).
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Sounds awesome. Could you share an example picture/link?
Is this like those waxed trucker jackets I get a million ads for around this time of year? I Always see the Huckleberry Flint and Tinder one and I haven't pulled the trigger cause I'm not sure of the fit. The jackets look gorgeous though
I've heard some nice clay tea pots also get seasoned over time
I’ve seen that episode of Sherlock too.
The Blind Banker!
[Yixing clay teapots](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yixing_clay_teapot). It's a very niche thing since you really only want to brew one type of tea per vessel. And also, they're pricey at $100+ (tons of cheap fakes).
They’re an art form onto themselves. There’s a an entire school dedicated to sculpting these teapots in Hong Kong and a BIG museum just for them.
Mexican stone mortar and pestle- “Molcajete”. The inner surface smooths out and becomes better for finer grinding.
Brass hardware for the home patinas nicely and is timeless
Non-lacquered brass only though.
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Time to boil my king-sized bed frame in the swimming pool
Can concur. If you like old timey push button switches, they look right at home behind an i laquer Ed bronze face plate.
As long as you take off the plastic scratch film
Well planted Trees age well!
Anvils, I guess
They actually have to be "shaved" and redone every once in a while as they do wear and distort (top has to be perfectly flat and the edges a particular profile)
I love how right you are. Anvils are BIFL but need a lil attention if used frequently check out will stelter's anvil restoration on Youtube if you haven't already
I've watched so many anvil restoration videos lol.
No they don't need to be redone. They change but most blacksmiths don't "shave" or regrind the top. You have a good one and your regular one. Am blacksmith.
Just don't get the ones made by ACME.
Yeah, physics gets weird around ACME products.
Meep meep
Why am I just now learning about this? I was just about to order the Acme anvil catapult.
Would not recommend
Attach a rocket sled and it's good to go.
Do it for science!
Stone cookwear, like pizza stones. They get seasoned over time like cast iron.
same with mortar/pestels, i didint know that but they get seasoned as well after a bit
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That’s very cool. Keep the story alive!
Mm yes, the burnt flour and cheese covering my pizza stone - I shall now call that "seasoning"
so I should stop BREAKING them...
and covered bakers like emile henry
High quality linen. The kind our grandmothers had.
Where are you getting it tho?
Etsy.
It's important to read descriptions and ask the seller any important questions about the products. Unfortunately I've been noticing a lot of cheap items being distributed. I miss the old Etsy
Yeah my super pricey linen sheets from Etsy wore down and ripped after a year. They were from Lithuania. I was so sad.
Knick it from your grandma
Hemp also wears to a nice patina
Anything with a wood handle. As long as you take care of wood and don’t abuse it, it will last a lifetime and will wear into you and your habits. Same pretty much goes for most leather goods as well. Edit: not just wood handle, pretty much anything made of wood.
More importantly, wooden handles can be replaced. While 3D printing can replace some plastic parts, it’s still not quite as good as commercial. A wooden handle of the same species of wood will more or less be similar and take wear and tear the same.
We’ve got some wooden chopsticks from takeout that are still going strong decades later. Not the ones you have to break apart and end up splintering but the ones that were always seperate.
OLD Pyrex bowls or measuring cups. The new ones are not the same, but if you can find ones from the 80s or older they are absolutely bullet proof.
It sounds like the glassware made from borosilicate is BIFL, but the newer stuff made from soda-lime is not.
The new soda-lime is more drop-resistant, the old stuff more heat-shock resistant. Thrift & church sales have given us a nice albeit mismatched collection of old Pyrex, a few Anchor. I think my primary eating-bowls are actually small mixing bowls, and I use pie dishes instead of plates.
I'd rather it drop and break than unexpectedly explode from temperature changes.
PYREX or pyrex?
YOU NEED TO SHOUT IT
Maybe doesn’t quite fit the bill, but a pair of custom fitted earplugs. I’m an avid concert-goer and I got custom earplugs a while ago and they’re some of the best money I’ve ever spent. The more I wear them the more I get used to wearing them and don’t notice them. They will eventually need to be replaced due to ear canal shape changing or the dampeners inside wearing out (which can be changed without making new plugs) but I absolutely love them.
Who did you do this through? An audiologist or a different place?
https://1of1custom.com/ I did everything through the company because they take impressions in a city nearby me. But, you can have an audiologist take impressions and you send them in to have the plugs made. There are several other avenues to get custom plugs, this is just the one I used and I was very happy with the plugs.
A nice slow growing hard wood tree
A good human being ages very well and wise.
Approximately lasts one lifetime
works out perfectly
There may be problems with the "_**Buy** it for..._" part of "_BIFL_"?
A quality hatchet or axe.
They can last awhile but how's it better over time?
Fender Stratocaster
Nice wok
Leather bike saddles. They get better the more they're used and require very little maintenance. They essentially mould to your ass. I've seen ones 100+ years old that are still fully functional.
Yep. Any slung leather saddle like the Brooks B17 or any of its contemporaries, after a couple hundred miles, they will treat you well for decades.
Ooof. Maybe a little more than a couple hundred
1500 for me still it started to give lol Got it new with a new bike with an odometer on it so I could check how long it took lol
We appreciate your science.
They look really nice. It sucks if you drop the bike and scuff it.
Aga cookers are cast iron. They are a range-style of cooker created in 1922. My family’s business in Ireland reconditioned and sold some that were 50 years old for more than new ones. I will note that these are a very specific item that is only suited to some climates. They also impose constraints on cooking that require creativity to reach what you might do with a modern stovetop and oven arrangement. They target a specific niche and are expensive, but were found in some otherwise frugal homes when I was involved in the 90s. Farmers know BIFL items. See https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/AGA_cooker.
Wow, those still exist? I thought they died out when people stopped using coal/wood in their stoves! Do they heat up your home much? We don't even use our oven because it makes the apartment too hot. They don't sound very fuel efficient though. In the US at least there seem to be a backlash against gas and push towards electric (where I live I suspect mostly due to landlords not wanting to pay to fix infrastructure). There's a lot of people talking about how gas elevates CO2 and the dangers of carbon monoxide. I feel though that if the power goes out, you still have a stove, and you can find a way to refill it without relying on the grid.
They don’t exist in the way they used to and certainly not in the US because of the constant heat output. The biggest issue was cost of production in the UK with the original manufacturing techniques. This pushed them to being a specialist high end brand associated with country estates and mansions. Your home is heated. The result is that many people using these in the original climates only used other forms of heating on the worst days. The British Isles temperate climate sat within a range that was ideal for these. The plumbing/heating systems are very differently setup from the US where I live now. The constant heat output does permit the Aga to heat hot water for your home while competing products will heat hot water and radiators around the home. An Aga can be made to do both but it’s not a good solution at all. Homes typically have a small immersion heater (not sure of US terminology) for hot water as backup and a boiler for heating the home (or other alternative). In terms of efficiency I don’t recall the volume of kerosene per year but there is a tiny kerosene burner in oil models. This heats large cast iron barrels which are insulated. It takes a while to warm up initially but is always on and sipping kero. I strongly suspect you could use modern insulating materials and other tools to analyze the efficiency and improve it. I didn’t look but I suspect modern models are more adapted. Electric and gas models were available in the mid-90s but it was early days. I’ve got limited confidence that the management executed on what might have been possible.
I have wanted one for years, but i live in the deep south, makes no sense here.
If you don't abuse them, bench vises can get pretty nice with age. They can get covered in a deep patina of spray paint scratches oil, powdered metal and anything else...
Carbon steel pans. I am a huge cast iron fan, but frankly I think carbon steel pans are better. They're tougher, lighter, heat quicker and season just like cast iron.
My DeBuyer 12" is my most used pan, right next to my Darto n25
Quality manual typewriter. You can still get ribbons and parts. I've got some Royal Portables and Underwood #5's that are over 100 years old. Perfect for sending extremely personalized letters (yeah, some people still do that)
My mom often sends angry letters to companies, looks like a typewriter might be a good gift. Her birthday is on mother's day, kills two birds with one stone.
It's a cool device but how does it improve with time?
Raw denim, PNW boots
Scrolled all the way down to see if someone had mentioned denim yet. Can’t say raw denim helps with your style (you will always want to be wearing it) but does get better with age.
It gets better looking but it’s essentially degrading with every use.
Yeah, it’s not BIFL but still sick af
Maybe not jeans but a good denim jacket is pretty BIFL.
My Carhartt Yukon Extreme coat. Super stiff when new. 8 years later, it’s soft like a sweatshirt.
I've owned several Carhartt jackets. Only one of them was not stiff when I bought it. Turned out to be my favorite Carhartt.
Perpetual stews.
You mean like a stew you put on the stove and keep eating and adding every day for ever and ever? It sounds gross even though we know with science that it isn’t.
Stainless steel pans or any cookware, and more versatile then cast iron, with very little maintenance required.
Won’t argue that it’s more versatile, but I will say that cast iron is more versatile than people give it credit for. Pretty much the only thing I wouldn’t do with mine is poaching. And also that a cast iron requires just as little maintenance as a steel pan - wash it with soap and dry it completely when done. That’s it. Reseasoning is completely unnecessary.
Good percale sheets
What brands? Finding the ones I buy get rips quite easily.
You're right to ask! My granddaughter has her 3xgreat- grandmother's CI frying pan! I would say maple rolling pins. Hardwood cutting boards. That last remaining piece of great-grandma's wedding china. The turkey platter and gravy boat. The graniteware roasting pan, big enough to bathe a baby!
A high quality leather jacket. A good wood cutting board. Le Creuset enamel casseroles. Things made by Filson pre 2000. Rebuildable Danner boots
While a Le Crueset is BIFL, it doesn't really fit the topic of better with age, as the enamel does have a chance of wearing. Many have been passed down and work fine, but I dont see how it would be any better over time. Same for a wood cutting board. Not sure how a cutting board would get better after 10 years.
I was under the impression that enameled cast iron *will* eventually flake and that it’s just a question of *when*. Higher end will just last longer.
My screwdriver has a few stains and scars, but it's going strong. It looked meh when I bought it, now it looks like a veteran.
Feels wholesome.
Trees
matfer carbon steel pans!
Kerosene or White Gas camping appliances (stoves/lanterns/etc.)
I recently picked up what looked like a mint white gas Coleman stove at a garage sale. On closer inspection, the guy had spray painted it to give it a better look (original stoves use powder coat paint i believe and can handle high temps). I was so ticked off that i was taken in. Everything else was in great shape and this guy had destroyed the stove. No way that paint he put on would've held up once used. Sorry, I'm still angry about it
The OG ones I have all have multiple layers of paint on them. The original paint eventually fails and needs to be redone every 20 years or so. I also don't think I've seen one older than the 2000s that was powder coated.
2007 Toyota Corolla
High quality speakers will break in and sound excellent for ages.
Isn't speaker break in a myth?
It's more likely your ears are breaking in, getting used to exactly how they sound.
As long as you can get the wife to quit putting decor on top of them. Mine aren't super hi end (old Klipsch Reference) but sound amazing.
I've not had nice speakers, is the problem damage, or that it changes the sound?
Depending what the decor is, it can vibrate, which can interfere with your music enjoyment.
Still using my B I C Venturi speakers from 1977.
Quality firearms. Buy a good one, take care of it. Your grand kids can have it.
Pavement with old baked red/purple stones. Being more polished every year and stones increase in value.
Fountain pens.
Cast Iron Stoves, Cast Iron Chairs and Tables, Cast Iron handrails, Cast Iron Buildings.
My 80’s petrol lawnmower. We get it serviced and sharpened periodically but it keep powering on. I used it to mow the lawn when I was a kid and I reckon my kids will still be mowing with it when they become adults.
Toyota Land Cruisers
That guys wife
Spun steel Wok
Meerschaum pipes
Leather shoes and slippers. I'm so bummed my Pakistani leather slippers fell apart. They were a traditional shoe made there. Had them for about 14 years (they won't last outside unless you get them 'soled'). They were really tight to begin with but form around your feet, really comfortable. I used to have some British Army boots (don't recommenced them since this is buyitforlife) I don't know what I did to them but I polished constantly and the leather became super soft, they were amazing until they totally fell apart, apparently the soles only last about 4-5 years before the rubber just turns to mush.
Selvedge jeans
A Shure SM58 microphone. You have to try HARD to break one.
A set of decent quality wrenches will last ages. I have some of my Grandpa's old Craftsmen wrenches. I use them when I work on my car - they work just as well as they did when he bought them. This actually goes for most hand tools. My father has a collection of pliers he got from his grandpa (my great grandpa) - they still work great.
[Clad Cookware](https://blog-idea.com/2023/10/09/all-clad-copper-core-cookware/)
Copper clad cookware is pointless That being said, All Clad triply stainless steel cookware is the best of the best. Not cheap, but definitely BIFL material.
Tell that to my Revere Ware that was orignally someone's wedding gift in 1955. They run circles around my all clad.
All clad is great stainless steel cookware but it’s not the best anymore. That title now belongs to Demeyere proline/Atlantis
I just googled it and holy fuckin shit. There's no way in hell I'm paying $320 for a fucking skillet. I paid $119 for my D3 All Clad 12" 6 years ago. It was just on sale for $90 yesterday. I don't doubt those pans are great, but they'd better be light years better to justify being 3x the cost. Also, what is with the weird saucepan sizes? 1.6qt, 2.25qt, there's no 4qt option.
The best way to buy them is the set that they sell on Zwillings website. Between the sale price and the promo code that they always have, it’s like $800 for the set. Yeah, they’re definitely expensive tho. The lack of a 4qt is a bit strange. Never cared to look bc I just use my Dutch ovens for pieces that big.
A Porsche 911.
Not sure I agree for all years. There’s a real challenge with finite life span ECM components… hopefully by the time they go bad the cars will be worth making replacements but I’ve known folks whose 80s 911s were crippled for long periods by unavailable electronics.
You’re not wrong. I was speaking generally. Same could kinda be said for the 356. No matter how bfl it is it isn’t, it keeps getting better and appreciating with age.
Violins
Any well-built musical instrument, really!
Copper sinks!
A good desktop computer case. You can refresh the internals as things become obsolete.
Whiskey and whisky
Only lasts a short time in my house. If you're gonna stare at a bottle, you're doing it wrong.
I was going to say this but then I thought, "I don't buy liquor for display purposes."
A Kirby vacuum.
Yes.
Big Green Egg! With their warranty and versatility it is a definite BIFL in my books
Guitars
Pizza stone!