SLAG

T.P., Life, for many of us, is a life-long learning experience. I'm still acquiring …, after all these years. Regards, SLAG.

T.P., Thanks for the , ("new to me"), terminology. I'll store it in memory. SLAG.

If there is no come-along handy, an alternate method is using an inclined ramp and a parbuckle set-up. SLAG.

Mr. Dave, Another source, that sometimes has such records, are the City, or State, archives. Also, the various historical societies may have records containing the information that you are interested in. Regards, SLAG.

Curmudgeon club?, Practice, more practice. BUT do not take my advice very far. My application was rejected! I think that Mr. Thomas Powers is the registrar. Not sure though. SLAG p.s. Mr. Powers beat me to the punch, and posted whilst I was crafting my response.

Mr. Nazz, Respectfully, your female student that you related about, is in SLAG's opinion, NOT right. Good knife making, and forging skill, knowledge, experience, and accomplishment does not have much to do with race, color, nationality, religion, etc. Indeed you yourself are not female, oriental nor aged. Why, indeed would she study with you. Obviously, you, and many of us do not qualify, to instruct her in these arts. We are not racially pure, nor of her approved gender. A lot of us, on this site are "are old white dudes". If she spends a little more time looking than superficial: she would discover female smiths, knife smiths etc. There may, even, be some female practitioners of oriental ancestry. She is not off to a very good start. It appears to me that her, flippant "toss off" is indicative of valleity and not a serious desire to gain smithing skills. SLAG. "an old white dude".

JHCC, I strongly suggest that you get your friend's prior written permission, before you pick his nose. Care must be exercised in such matters. SLAG. p.s. What about picking his brain? Permission or not?

Mr. Davis, There is / was no charge for the advice. I am just paying forward for all the help and advice I have received in the past many years. I would very much appreciate some wood, and will be very happy to pay for the shipping. Regards, SLAG.

Mr. DVSH …, I sealed the cut ends and put the wood pieces aside, out of the rain. I debark them after a year. (i.e. the ones still drying). I would suggest burning them after they are dry. I do not know if the one inch "rule" applies. You can try an old homesteader trick to speed up drying. They would girdle trees in the early spring and then let them leaf through the spring and summer. Then they harvested them in the autumn. By then, the tree had used up most of the moisture in the trunk as no water was transpired above the girdled bole, from the roots. You should get some nice knife scales from the wood. The closest black locust trees, "near' me, are in the Ozarks west of St. Louis. Don't get there too often. Regards, SLAG.

Mr. DVSH. … I have use some black locust wood, for knife scales, when I could get it. It is one of the hardest woods in North America, and extremely rot resistant. (due to favenoid chemicals in the wood. And bark). Seal the ends and leave the bark on some of the wood. Doing so will help prevent checking in the wood. (though, for knife scales, that shouldn't present a problem). Remove the bark if stored outside. (to discourage insects). Incidentally, the wood gives off almost as much heat as hard coal when burned. SLAG.

Gentlemen, I seem to remember that cadmium is VERY toxic. Please correct me if I am mistaken. SLAG.

The hammer depicted is manufactured by Estwing. You may want to give them a call on Monday. Then again, someone(s), on this forum, will answer your question before then. SLAG.

Your anvil looks like a real old timer. I would not touch it until Mr. Black Frog, or NJanvilman or other anvil maven, (on the site), see it and post to this thread. Generally, anvils are not even considered old except if they are older than about 1820 or earlier. It looks like a colonial anvil. I do not see a hardy nor a pritchel hole in the anvil picture, you posted. And the anvil feet are not large. SLAG.

Fellow iron bangers, The French phrase "dix dollars", means five ten dollars, in English. The French "dix" is pronounced "dee", and not "dix". Just sayyin', SLAG.

Here's for a speedy recovery. SLAG, and Marg.