Title text:
"How does the spring not run out almost immediately?" "We pull it back REALLY far."
Transcript:
Transcript will show once it’s been added to explainxkcd.com
Source: https://xkcd.com/3244/
Hand-crank starters were in production until the 90s apparently. The lada niva (a small weird truck thing) had them through 1998. Who knew?
I know it’s not quite the same but.. wind up key part is! I was gunna find a pic but there don't seem to be any showing the crank in use, only videos.