SLAG

Sympathy and prayers for you , Deb, and the whole family. Hang in there . SLAG, & Marg.

Shogun San, $4.00/lb.? I think you got lost in the perfume aisle. The $4.00 price is insane., $2.00 is still nuts. And Centaur Forge and Kayne & Sons's price of $1.00 a pound is still incontinent. (but they ship the stuff 'free" !) Tractor Supply Company sells anthracite coal for $6.00 per 40 pound bag. That is the St. Louis area, and Belleville South West Illinois, price. There are two T. S. C. stores in Manitoba. One is in North Brandon, and another in Winkler. I suggest that you phone them to get a price and whether it is in the store. They will order it if you ask. Anthracite handles differently than bituminous coal. Check this site for information on it. (e.g. it requires continuous air blast or it goes out). But, it has more energy per pound than bituminous coal. I use it and like it Try a few bags before you commit to a large order. Good luck, SLAG.

Look up Tecnicus Joe, (a.k.a. Joe Van der steeg ? ? ?). Sorry about the mangled spelling. Just sayin. SLAG. His videos are well worth a look, too.

It has been discovered that our brain uses most, if not all, of our senses to determine taste. I just came across this recent reference with new research findings. Try this article, if you are interested. (it's a short read). ttps://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/08/160831133706.htm SLAG.

Dr. Martin Luther King had a profound way with words, and extraordinary insight. I came, independently, to the same observation years ago. My aphorism is a bit more earthy / prosaic. " when we are stuck outside, our trousers are gone, and the wind picks up; NOW count our friends". SLAG. Frosty, Hang in there. You have many friends. I feel your pain.

Jen, WOW !! SLAG.

Welcome to I.F.I. We just came back from the country dacha last Monday night. You are in the late "Tom Clark" country. (Potosi, Mo.) You may wish to check out the "local" Blacksmiths of Missouri group. at www.bamsite.org Regards, SLAG.

Frosty, I believe you are onto a good idea. Smell and taste receptors often work in concert together. For example, a blindfolded person that has his/her sense of smell blocked cannot tell the difference between pureed apple and macerated onion. The nasty cooking odor of brussels sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli, etc. (that is found in all the members of the Brassica family). Are caused by the breakdown of proteins that have sulfur amino acids, such as cysteine, cystine, methionine, etc. have sulfur atoms in their make up. Those amino acids are essential for life. Proteins are composed of amino acids. Sulfur compounds often have a strong smell when boiling, etc. breaks down some of those proteins For example, a prominent sulfur compound found in nature is diethyl-mercaptan, the main constituent of skunk odor, & a host of others, stink. Frosty, a few people barely or do not smell skunk odor. They are rare. For example. one such person is Dr. Dragu who is the Worlds foremost authority on skunks. (figures). By the way, one way to suppress the odor when boiling brussels sprouts is to put a slice of sandwich bread in the water. Regards, SLAG.

You, Deb, and her Dad & family, are on our prayer list, SLAG, & Marg..

Aessinus, Thanks for the definition of E.D.F. There is no need for an apology. (incidentally, your technical knowledge is impressive). Kozzy's two cited references explain what is going on. Metals are not being smelled, they do not seem to have a smell by themselves. But they chemically react with skin compounds and that produces chemicals that do have a smell. The reaction products of skin oils and low molecular fats with metals that are being perceived. The oils are short straight chained hydrocarbons with 6 through 10 carbons that react with phosphorous compounds that smell. They found on the skin. The metal ions promote the reaction. come of those chemicals are e. g. phosphines, methyl-phosphines, dimethyl- phosphines, and oil octenes (skin oils) such as octene aldehydes and ketones. The latter two groups of chemicals are odorous. etc. etc. (some of them have been used as perfume ingredients in the past). Different metals create different odorous compounds. (e.g. Cu., Fe., Zn., etc.) . I have a sneaking suspicion that I am not being terribly clear. So if you are interested, in the subject, please read Kozzie's two cited references. They are short reads, & not too complicated for non-chemists. The fresh smell of the ground, after a dry spell, is called petrochore, (that would be the preferred search term.) and it does not involve metal ions. I don't know about hedgehogs. Perhaps they don't bathe. SLAG.

Muddawgchuck, You are right, Kanca does indeed make leg vises and Centaur Forge sells them. I had not noticed it. But they are pricey little devils. Then again, I keep running into leg vises and cannot justify buying yet another one. Try to score one second hand Good luck with your quest. SLAG. Regards

Check the older I.F.I Kanca thread. I think there were evaluations there. SLAG.

Kanca is a Turkish company. They are experts at casting metal. Especially steel. They cast engine blocks, among other things for some large European automakers among other things. I am not certain that they make leg vises. There is a thread dedicated to Kanca anvils on I.F.I. They claim that they, and Reflinghaus are the only two companies currently making cast STEEL anvils. Some other companies do not mention that their cast anvils are malleable cast iron. Please note that these anvils are NOT the useless gray cast iron anvils, like the A.S.O's coming out of the Peoples' Republic of China and Russia. Those "anvils" are useless as smithing anvils. Examples of malleable cast iron anvils are T.F.S. (Texas Farriers Supply Corp.) They and their dealers (e.g. Centaur), do not mention the anvil metal's identity. Kanca anvils, offered in the U.S, are not cheap. I, personally,do not know if there are any other U.S., Kanca dealers.. Don't get me wrong, Malleable cast iron makes a good anvil, but I personally, would spend the extra money if I were buying an expensive new anvil to get a cast steel one. SLAG.

Aessinus please define EDM, A net search defined EDM as Electronic-Dance-Music. I do not believe that is the correct meaning in this thread's context. Kozzy thank you for the metallo-lipid-carbonyl references, they are wonderful. (& I have "bookmarked" them for future reference / research.) SLAG.

Others will follow in your footsteps, more than your advice. (posted by) SLAG.

T.P. Thank you for the reference. I'll bet good odds that J. & J. appeals. The court's venue is, somehow, not a great surprise. Looks like the "product" of an incontinent, emotionally, unstable jury. Soon to be overturned. Have a safe and productive business and Quad state trip. SLAG.

TP would you please cite the reference for this egregious products liability case, for me? I very much want to read it, & will be much obliged for the citation Negligence law requires proof of causality, proof of connection between the plaintiff and the defendant corporation, and proof of damages. This is a fixture of tort law. (Which includes negligence). Such knowledge is required of first year law students, and all candidates sitting the bar exams. It is so basic and universally accepted by all jurisdictions of the Common Law, (U.S., Cda., G.B., N.Z., Aus.), that it is a candidate for judicial notice. The judgement is so perverse that it will be struck down by an appeals court. There are a very few legal jurisdictions that are notorious for their manifest ignorance and idiotic decisions. Those courts' cases are readily struck down upon appeal. The company's insurance carrier will be, most probably, be taking the decision on appeal. I suspect there will be a raft of other large corporations that will be assisting by filing amicus curiae briefs to that appeal court in question. SLAG.

Canadian Inuit rarely lived to age fifty, about four generations back and earlier, and the cancer mesothelioma, ( a cancer of the lung outer sac) was rare or more probably unheard of before 1950, in northern Canada Soapstone carving is an ancient craft. It was done on a casual basis for thousands of years. (even the Cape Dorset and the Thule Inuit cultures carved pieces in the very distant past). They did so to pass the time when the weather got savage, forcing them to hunker down, often for days. In ancient times the carvings were created and then abandoned, as the people had to travel light, surviving on the very edge of existence. Some of these carvings are discovered, from time to time and are very important cultural relics. Inuit carving got discovered, by the wider art public, in the 1950's. Intense carving really got started in the early 1960's. From then on, some Inuit got into carving full time. I am not aware of any recent mesothelioma epidemic in the Canadian high Arctic (& I have not heard about the same in Alaska, but I'll take Frosty's word for it.) Mesothelioma was very common for workers mining, producing, &/or using asbestos for a span of many years. It takes years to develop, just like lung cancer. Incidentally, Quebec province was one of the biggest sources for asbestos on the world, and where you find asbestos there is soapstone nearby. Yes soapstone is still being sold to sculptors. I would get it at a store in Montreal, namely Omer Deserres. Inc. There are hundreds of soapstone suppliers on the net. I just checked it, to make sure. For example try http://www.blackpearlsoapstone.com/. As for soapstone road, Frosty, I am very jealous. I will not be finding much soapstone here in Missouri, and, alas, the road & you are very far away. Oh by the way, please do not zap this old retired patent lawyer Regards, SLAG.

Soapstone is readily available at art supply stores. It is a soft rock that carves easily. As such, it is widely popular with stone carvers. As far as I know, It has not been banned yet. I cannot fathom how the authorities could successfully ban it. It is widely found in mineral deposits in North America. (heck we used to pick it up off the ground in Eastern Quebec). A small block of the mineral should last, a smith, for a lifetime. There would probably be enough to pass on to one's survivors. Be sure to stipulate the soapstone in your will. Your next of kin will thank you for it. This whole soapstone concern is passing strange. I think "Big Brother" is concerned with the trace amounts of asbestos fibers in the mineral. They constitute a minute percentage. But YOU NEVER KNOW we could all DIE!. Regards to all, SLAG.

Gote The appellation "Eskimo" was a term bestowed on the Inuit by one of the tribes in the Canadian far north. (Dene?, Dogrib ?, I don't remember which tribe). The term in their language translates to the pejorative, "eater of raw meat". The Indians and Inuit were traditional enemies and encounters, many years ago, usually resulted in bloodshed or worse. Most Inuit, now, object to that term. So most of us, these days, use the term Inuit as a matter of respect. That also includes the Canadian Federal and Provincial governments Just a little trivia,

Cornelius, Indonesian food is one of the premier cuisines in the world. (along with classic French, Provincial French, regional Chinese, & Indian, to name a few.) I love & have been cooking Southeast Asian cuisine for 50 years.. Thomas if you could remember the name of that satay, I would be happy to send you the recipe. (or perhaps you could describe it. I know that it has been a long time but you never know.) Southeast Asian ingredients have been available since at least the time when many Vietnamese emigrated to the U.S and started ethnic grocery stores. (I now had a source for ingredients like galangal, trassi,, kenchur, krupuk etc., etc.). As for hot food; sliced cucumber is the antidote for a hot spot eruption. I think we are getting off topic Herr SLAG. Cheers.

Temperature measurement of Centigrade (Celsius) -20 to -15 to Fahrenheit is -4 to+5. Try an electric blanket overnight. You do not want the chance of having the heal separate when using a hardy tool. T.P. is right A cold anvil will suck out the heat from a piece of hot iron in double time. SLAG.

Charles, Great spelling is overrated. SLAG.

What's with the minus 40 degrees F. or C.? Edmonton winters can get cold but minus 40 is not common. The Inuit, in the far north stop all non essential activity when the temperature gets that cold (& colder) They hunker down in their homes or igloos. They then wait it out. That strategy is a matter of survival. I came across that fact in "Paradise below zero". The book, published in the mid 1940's, was in print for decades It is still a good read today. Incidentally, Inuit is their preferred term for themselves. (and not Eskimos). I would not smith on days much below zero degrees Fahrenheit. Incidentally, you can use open fingered wool gloves, when necessary. (I never did, but was acutely aware of potential frost bite). Thanks Notownkid for the Nomex reference. That is a piece of new information for me. Just saying, SLAG. P.S. Charles, they close the schools down, when it gets that cold.

When I smithed in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, I used a leather jacket for fall and late spring. In late fall, winter , and much of the spring I used a WOOL duffle coat and leather apron. Please do not use a ski jacket or parka. They are made of synthetic fiber. Those fibers are usually highly flammable. When they catch fire you would become enveloped in a ball of flame. I bought a number of leather jackets cheaply at the Salvation Army thrift store. Come to think of it , I also got a great wool duffle coat there too. You could try an electric blanket to warm up the anvil. I suggest that you put a wind breaking, water/snow resistant cover over the anvil and blanket. (and a hammer or two). Hope that helps, SLAG.