KokuZ 200-year old elm wooden mousepad

Look, we're gonna say it straight up: as beautiful as the KokuZ 200-year old elm mousepad would look on our desks, we'd feel a mite guilty mousing all over nature's wonders—and besides, all those gross hand oils and bacteria would break it down in probably a week, two tops. But if you're still down, put your $50 where your mouth is—just check out the review beforehand, yeah?

[Chu Chu @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

What a perfect complement for my carved ivory mouse!

[Morwan @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

It shouldn't have any problems if it's properly treated. It's not like stained decks or tables break down in a week. Who knows, it could actually be *more* durable. =P

$50 doesn't seem TOO bad. I wouldn't buy it, but I was expecting it to cost $300.

[kerry @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

Not to geek out too much, but wood typically contains chemicals that inhibit bacterial growth. That's why wooden cutting boards are actually more sanitary than plastic ones. And oil is nothing but good for the stuff, so your greasy, filthy hand won't harm this loverly mouse pad. It's sort of sad that it came from a 200-year-old tree, though.

[bizarobot @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

Wood grain mouse pad? I have enough trouble as it is trying to use an optical mouse on my wood grain desktop! My wife uses a mouse pad just because of the terrible tracking issues. & 200 year old tree? ug.

[Mark @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

Are mouse pads even necessary, practically speaking, these days with optical mice being used more commonplace? I guess a mice pad helps to protect the desktop surface.

[John Laur @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

It's worth noting that everything made out of old wood is necessarily made by cutting down old trees. I have furniture in my house made out of wood that is a lot more than 200 years old -- but it's because the furniture itself is over 200 years old. There's also a lot of new furniture built from wood salvaged from very old buildings, barns, etc. The furniture looks brand new, and while the wood is very old, nobody cut down a tree to get it. Trees also die for various reasons or fall down naturally. While an American elm can live to be about 300 years old, an elm dying naturally after 200 years would not be that uncommon either. Making $50 mousepads is probably a very profitable thing to do with a fallen elm, too. You can make a lot more money selling small easily machined parts for $50 than large parts for hundreds. So before you go getting all greenpeace treehugger on the people who manufacture this thing, consider that it's possible they aren't doing anyone any harm.

Of course it's also possible that they are slicing down 200 year old healthy trees, in which case they can go to hell.

[Shane @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

John said it like is. yee-haw

[Samuel Lago @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

Thta 200 year old tree should have had a protection order.

[homer @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

cool. I can put my mouse and chop the meat on the same place.

[TJC @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

This thing just screams for a matching 'Ginsu Mouse'... a dynamic duo that will undoubtedly be pounced upon by Benihana's, where ancient elm theming just cannot be overdone

[TJC @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

This thing just screams for a matching 'Ginsu Mouse'... a dynamic duo that will undoubtedly be pounced upon by Benihana's, where ancient elm theming just cannot be overdone

[jazzay @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

a mouse pad is neccasary for me (glass desktop)

does anyone sell wireless ball mouses? if not, why?

also, does that logitech laser mouse work on glass? it said it can work on more material than other mouses, but i cant see a laser mouse working on a glass desktop

[Spike_J_Wolfwood @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

I'd love something like this but I do a lot of imaging work and I'm guessing that there's no chance of getting a tablet version.

[Sly @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

Jazzay, I have the new logitech laser mouse and a glass desktop, and it doesn't work (the cursor doesn't move). That said it works on everything else I've tried from super glossy surfaces to woody surfaces. I made a mahogany mouse pad for myself and its works great... so I suspect that it'll work fine with this one.