After a lengthy and deserved hiatus from looking at my compass project, I have decided to terrorize you all with the final result. I'll also explain some of the features this 40 to 50 year old, but modernized compass has.
Compass closed:
Compass open. At the bottom of the right rear corner, not the little "claw" that is in locked in the upright position. It can swivel:
The compass closed, standing upright. You are looking at the bottom that I fabricated. The tiny cover allows access to the declination adjustment screw:
The compass with its original leather case. In the case fits also the included, foldable ruler, which can be used for measuring distances and object sizes by holding the ruler at 50 cm distance from your eyes. The ruler can also be attached to the two "claws" at the back of the compass, which aids in determining bearings. On the string is the declination adjustment tool (screwdriver):
This is not exactly how you hold the compass for sighting, but taking a picture with the other hand, I wasn't able to hold the compass properly.
Anyway, you see the sighting slot in the upright cover. Each side of the cover has a slot. Each slot has a horizontal wire, which allows leveling the compass. After sighting your target (Uh, mountain peak, old goat, pirates, Pablo's rock, etc), you turn the compass bezel until north is boxed. You can then read the bearing ("where you want to go") off the dial. You do this of course by looking in the mirror:
This is the original clinometer. It measures in degree and mil ("Strich"). Mil are of course used to calculate target size or object distance:
The small red line with the red indicator dot is the fluid dampened clinometer that is inside the compass that I installed in the old housing. In this case it shows a 20° angle (incline).
The included ruler may be attached to the back of the compass to extend the base:
Normally, if you use a compass with a map, you have to orient the map towards north. With this compass you do not have to do that! The map may point any way. How does it work? Let's say you are at point A and want to go to point B. Place the compass on the map and orient its base to point from A to B. Now turn the compass bezel until the black line in the compass is parallel to either text on the map or to a line of latitude (L - thin red line and yellow line). Now you can read the bearing that will take you to point B off the dial. In this case your bearing is 334°:
I'm afraid this whole thing isn't over just yet. This thread contains so far about 54 pictures.