Sam Thompson

Whatever happens, you should always defer to women in matters of interior decoration and soft furnishing.

Did you watch the video? Good marketing, more blacksmiths need to learn this part.

You need Molybdenum disulphide (MoS2).

Yes, I agree, sorry, I didn't realise that the price is a problem. I'd spend the money on a good 'how-to' book.

What type of thread is it? UNC or Metric Coarse are the most common in the UK; there are also Metric Fine, UNF, Whitworth, BSF, CEI and pipe and cycle threads (to name but a few). Even if the die is a bit blunt, as long as there's no chips out of it or teeth missing it may come in handy at some time for cleaning up a bolt or stud. It's not exactly expensive!

What's a 'banana'?

Isn't it a punch?

The striker part needs to be as hard as you can get it. If you make the piece from an old file it will be too brittle and easily broken; an old spring will work best.
I would have thought that, if it's cold enough to light the fire one would need to keep the blanket tightly wrapped.

That's a nice looking job, how come you didn't earn on it?
There aren't many human activities that can't be improved with the addition of a dog. The only two that I can think of are eating and sex, even then - if you've got a sense of humour...

According to my mother, I was nearly christened Stuart Henry Innes.

Ah well... That's capitalism for ya!

I know it's a bit puerile but "johnson " has another meaning.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190453983664&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

FWIW, I have a good friend that is the service manager at one of the major welding suppliers here in town and he says that Miller and all the other major welding machine manufactures will only last about 5yrs. I have a display board in my Miller Syncrowave 200 that has gone bad, machine has less than 19 hours on it. Cost for new board==$648.97+tax, cost of complete new machine==$2800.00range. It is out of the 3YR warrantee and Miller won't make it good. go figure. He told me that is typical with all of the "new technology" welding equipment, also goes with Plasma cutters.

Is it soft enough to drill out?

They're also known as "stevedores' hooks".

It was a bit of an impulse buy-I got a very good deal from a tool company that I use a lot. GYS are a French firm. trying to expand into the UK and their reps seem very keen; I'm hoping that they'll be just as keen to keep the thing going!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/300-YEAR-OLD-BLACKSMITHS-ANVIL-NO-RESERVE-/190453788700?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item2c57ee301c

Perhaps he carbon dated it!

...one of these:

http://www.gys.fr/pdf/datasheet/uk/017092.pdf

Has anyone got any experience of them?

Is this what you mean? Got these pics off the net somewhere, sorry I have no reference for it, but I thought it would make an interesting project/competition piece, have yet to try making one.

A bull leader was usually a stick about four feet long with a closable hook on the end. This was clipped onto the ring in the bull's nose and worked like a stiff rope. There's a pic of one at 585.

I,ve posted this here because the site isn't about blacksmith's tools but of more general interest.

http://www.antiquefarmtools.info/index.htm

Mick Bengry supplies Hereford Colege and sends stuff all over the country.:

R & H Bengry
01568708434
Kingsland Station, ,
LEOMINSTER,
HR6 9SF

It's possible to buy a variety of key blanks (even the huge cast ones that fit old churches, castles etc.) It may be worth asking if any of the companies that supply them can cut a batch; for 200 you should get a good discount.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Old-vintage-anvil-/250699076086?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item3a5ed451f6

Has anyone any idea what this was for?