Eric,
When I was in engineering school in South Dakota, my home, we discovered 
Reed's Cave on Easter Sunday, 1966.  Pretty soon we were mapping and 
used the mining engineering department Brunton (pre magnetic damping) 
and the tripod.  The case went from shiny new leather to cave mud and 
scuffs in a few weekends of hard work. Department head said it was the 
best thing we could do, USE the damned thing.  Lots of miles and lots of 
survey points under that tripod.

God bless.
I still have two K&E pocket transits.  And all the K&E drafting stuff, 
Paragon for the most part.  And an almost fifty year old, 'new' LeRoy 
set.  Polar planimeter, proportional dividers and a Paragon Transit.  
Fun stuff, all for sale now.