Someone broke a watch by soaking it in oil, so this guy resurrects it with a thorough cleaning.
This kind of intricate machinery is always impressive. I'm a big proponent of restoration instead of replacement wherever possible. I've seen plenty of examples of "oh, that can't possibly be restored" where I've been proven wrong.
Then again, some restorations seem to go too far in my opinion. It's the Ship of Theseus paradox all over again, replace too much and I can't call it the same thing as the original in good conscience.
I'm confused at the comparison between the Ship of Theseus and the Cutty Sark, frankly. One is internal restoration, one is external restoration. I call the Ship of Theseus the same ship because the onboard crew was able to take raw materials and do the restoration en route. The Cutty Sark needed complicated parts from elsewhere and wasn't functional in the interim.
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mudshark: Nate's just being...Nate.
Zeke: It comes
nateurally to him.
mudshark: I don't expect Nate to make sense, really -- it's just a bad idea.
Sa'ar Chasm on the 5M.net forum: Sit back, relax, and revel in the insanity.
Adam Savage: I reject your reality and substitute my own!
Hanlon's Razor: Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity.
Crow T. Robot: Oh, stop pretending there's a plot. Don't cheapen yourself further.