SLAG

T. P. I have the same problem as you. You are not alone. Sometimes it feels that way. We could trade stories and anecdotes by the hour. Multiple choice questions generate many answers depending on which criterion the questioner meant but did not enunciate. I much preferred oral examinations to written ones. My ex used to tell folks, at parties, that "if you ask him to put tab A into slot B he'll ask you from which side." This impediment has its uses. It came in handy when I was asked to construe contract clauses, or patent claims. I had a high kill rate. Often, reading the material with a mind willing to misconstrue. Which the client wanted. It proved invaluable for many of them! Regards, SLAG.

Thanks, SLAG

Welcome to the site and to blacksmithing. Is Mr. Riendeau still selling coal, in Mtl? Spent many happy years growing up & living there. Now retired, I moved away from the grinding politics of Que. regards, SLAG.

Several daylong soaking in acetone should get rid of it. Do it outside. The solvent is poisonous. But it cuts grease like no ones business. SLAG.

Jock Dempsey has an article on post vises. He states that the basic design was perfected in the 1600's. long before the 1840's. The vises were exported to the Americas by British manufacturers well into the first half of the1800s. (as were a majority of the anvils in the 1700's and the early 1800's). SLAG.

I have been there, too. SLAG.

Claw hammers that are meant for driving nails have soft heads. The steel can deform, even mushroom. Hammer head pieces can spall off and sometimes could hit you. The worst case would be losing an eye. I suggest you pick up a cross pein hammer or engineers' hammer at a big box hardware store. (like Lowes etc.). They are not that expensive. Vaughn is a good make & there are many other makers, too. In a pinch use a ball pein hammer. They are used all over the third world. The head is hardened steel. SLAG. Wear eye protection please.

Dedicated borax cooker? Why? I suggest that you try to obtain a large can of food. A can that has a rolled bottom. Not a soldered flanged bottom closure. Enjoy the contents. Then clean said can. It now can function as a borax cooking device. The can may be discarded after the dewatering procedure, if it is crudded up. In other words we have a disposable borax cooker Do the job outdoors, because it produces a prodigious amount of objectionable smoke. Just a random thought that appeared after breakfast. I eat late. SLAG. P.S. Need a lot of surface area large cans can be had at restaurants. Especially Italian dining establishments. They use very large cans of tomatoes and prepared sauces.

JHCC, Horticultural vinegar sounds useful, and double strength vinegar , (new to me), also. But muriatic acid (40% H Cl), is probably cheaper. There are better and more specific herbicides & fungicides on the market that will not pyrrolize the soil and trash the lawn for a half decade or so. Isn't chemistry wonderful? Regards to all at I.F.I. SLAG.

JHCC, Thanks for the information. I was not aware of horticultural vinegar. Do some garden centers carry it? What would a horticulturist use it for? I personally use glacial acetic acid, and cut it to desired concentration. (great care is required). SLAG.

Frosty, The goon show was a radio show by the B.B.C. home service. The show ran from 1951 to 1960. The B.B,C. transcription service marketed the show in most countries of the British commonwealth. But not the U.S. 4 people were involved in the show as characters. Peter Sellers, Harry Seacombe, Spike Milligan, and a third chap, whose name I forget. The show was very fast paced, & jammed full of gags. Much of it biting satire. They pilloried politicians, public personalities and all manner of conventional symbols & conventions. Older friends of mine maintain that they usually had to hear the script 4 times to catch all the gags. I am a little surprised that T. P. knows of the series. I'm not aware that it was broadcast in the U.S. Perhaps years later in "reruns" His knowledge and scope of interest is very impressive. Check out an article in Wikipedia it a must read & a real hoot. It seems that it was televised. I wasn't aware. SLAG.

Frosty, Thanks for the information. My suggestion was a dud. I tried. Sorry, SLAG

Also price. SLAG.

Would a garden hose, with the water running at maximum rate, work? Or, better yet two hoses. Or pour one or more pails of water on it. Those methods would require ready access to the outdoors Or a large sturdy garbage can filled with water A purposed built jig is better if you are going to make many forks. It would justify the storage space in your smithy. Just a thought. Regards, SLAG.

Vinegar, Buy pickling vinegar. It is a little more concentrated than the standard solution. SLAG.

Mr. Jackdawg, I must respectfully disagree. The posts and pictures have had a very limited exposure. Public media usually reveal much more details, and pictures concerning crimes. They are most always not ordered to remove their coverage. A judge has limited authority to issue a gag order in a case or require "in camera" judicial court proceedings (i.e. the case would be heard in private). Such orders requires extreme circumstances. Open trials are a hallmark of Common Law jurisdictions.(this includes the U.S.A.). I suspect that this particular case may have had minimal public exposure. In my opinion, striking I.F.I.'s thread contents is not necessary. I speak with some authority. I am a retired attorney. (N.Y.S. & On. bars). and studied criminal law at school & for the respective bar exams. Although I mainly practiced intellectual property & licensing law.

Elihu Burrit is known to some of us folks well beyond the borders of the great state of Connecticut, & long before this particular thread. SLAG.

T. P. Forget the rust it's not septic enough. Instead dip the "twisty big nails" in Fido's last movement. Just trying to help. SLAG.

Thanks for posting your pictures. It looks great for a, I presume, first shot at a leather apron. The next one should take a lot less time. Or any other leather project. SLAG.

Pfeew! Thank the Lord. None of my steak knives have violent messages engraved on their surface. So, it seems that I am in the clear. Great Britain is blessed with public servants, (& social do-gooders), that are prepared to go the extra mile to protect Englishmen from themselves. SLAG.

NOOO !!. No more elongated steak knives?? English folks will have to eat steaks with their hands. Why not ban all table knives and forks. They can kill you know. SLAG.

Rendoman, Are you planning on doing a lot of leather sewing? Or will you be doing this current project and, occasionally, other jobs. The suggestions already made, are good and will work. But there are two tools that will make the job much easier. Get a "speedy stitcher" - like leather sewing awl and a leather stitching punch. See, ttps://www.tandyleather.com/en/category/stitching-lacing-tools/3 for an example of one such punch. Using a tracing wheel to mark the leather and an awl, such as a fork, will work, but the job will be tedious, and very slow. The Tandy Leather reference is there for viewing. Tandy is expensive . There should be many leather and tool supply shops in Milan. That city is one of the foremost European centers for clothing and other product design. Glovers needles are really good for sewing fine leather. I would use one for sewing fine thin leather. Or thick cloth, for that matter. The needle resembles a standard sewing needle but the tip is different. The tip comes to a very sharp point but the point is not round It resembles a sharp 3 beveled spear. (somewhat like a bodkin arrow point).The needles usually come in standard needle sizes but they may be made in more robust sizes. The sewing awls's needle will work just as well. With those 2 suggested tools the job will be a breeze. Please post pictures of your finished apron and the stitching methods you use. Bonne chance & ciao, SLAG.

Charles, You & Sandy are still on our list of intentions. Getting a specific diagnosis is a real step forward. Chances are that the new meds to be prescribed will prove to be more effective than kitchen sink of the past years. We are all on your side, and I assure you that you can count on me for support, (& sometimes new medical information as I come across it). Best regards to the both of you. SLAG.

Sefano, Have you come across a leather sewing tool called a "speedy stitcher" ? They are very handy, helpful, & useful. It makes leather stitching much easier. They cost about $12.00 in the U.S.A. and have several attachable needle types. The tool should last a lifetime if treated with care. SLAG

Gentlemen, gentlemen. I believe that ya'll have gotten it wrong. It looks, to me, like it's a very sturdy, dwarf. park bench. Check it out again and I'm sure that it will now make sense. Regards to all. SLAG.