USES FOR SLINKY - NOT JUST FOR ANTENNA THOUGH

Slinky is a toy that  was invented and developed by naval engineer Richard T James 1943 and first shown to the waiting World  at Gimbels department store in Philadelphia USA in November 1945.

Not surprisingly, the toy was a hit, selling its entire inventory of 400 units in ninety minutes. James and his wife  Betty manufactured Slinky and several related toys such as the Slinky Dog and Suzie, the Slinky Worm. In 1960, James' wife Betty became president of James Industries, and, in 1964, moved the operation to Hollidaysberg Pensylvania In 1998, Betty James sold the company to Poof Products, Inc..

Slinky was originally priced at $1, but many paid much more due to price increases of spring steel throughout the state of Pennsylvania, and has remained modestly priced throughout its history as a result of Betty James' concern about the toy's affordability for financially disadvantaged customers. Slinky has seen uses other than as a toy in the playroom: it has appeared in the classroom as a teaching tool, in wartime as a radio antenna, and in physics experiments with NASA. Slinky was inducted into the  National Toy Hall of Fame in 2000.  Further accolades followed with Slinky became Pennsylvania's official state toy in 2002 and again in 2003, Slinky was named in the Century Toy List.  In its first 60 years Slinky has sold 300 million units.

Now, not all of them were used as toys and a few enterprising radio amateurs utilised them as antenna elements 

The alternative uses are legion as you can see from Glenda's example below, pretty good huh?  Although Mullard Magic does not stock hair products nor any antenna elements, we do have some cracking amateur radio items on sale - why not have a look here.... and.....here