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That said, 3.5 is fine - I've tooled some 2.5mm stuff that was OK, but I'd prefer not to repeat the experience (too thin and it gets mushy - calfskin is a real sod). I've never had acceptable results tooling splits other than with a hot creasing tool, which has fuelled a prejudice against...

I'd say go and have a look and make your own mind up :) I'd far rather buy what I can mail-order, even though I only work a few miles away from them.

I know the site next door - access was a problem to that one (through someone else's field), which put me off somewhat. I doubt that Combat South have the same problem. I don't think I remember any boggy areas, but this was probably 5 years ago so I may be mistaken.

The "out of bounds" area was up for sale a couple of years ago. Nothing much in the way of interesting crops IIRC, the occasional redwood (!); not much in the way of stuff to forage, although there were some impressive funghi - although I didn't check to see what they were.

Well, they have some shotguns. A couple of air rifles that they sneer at. And a bloody awful approach to customer service.

Please be aware that few engravers will be overjoyed to be asked to engrave already hardened blades - fundamentally, that puts the hardness of the graver at not much over the hardness of the blade... Engraving bolsters is possible, etching or burring (possibly drag engraving, not tried it) are...

I think they'll deliver the pair for that cost.

http://www.abbeysaddlery.co.uk too.

Hmm. I *was* going to say read Bladeforums - I haven't been there much the past few years, that's where I contacted him. Googling it, however... Yikes. I have a Roger Linger knife, I had no problems in the purchase, but that was at least 5 years ago, possibly more. O1 vs D2 - both are...

I had a box with a number of BB in it. 2 mice got into it, shredded one pack... And died in the box. None of the other packs were touched. Never did work out a suitable LD50 for the things. (and they're not bad with Primula :) )

I dunno, these people who use different usernames around the place...

The resulting shape is the one that needs to be balanced, not the sheet. Look at it this way - if you take a rectangle, the balance point will be at the centre. If you then cut a shape out of one end, that end will be lighter and shift the COG towards the other end.

Personally, I'd saw it & carve it out of sheet, patinate it and then magnetise it. I don't think I'd bother forging for that kind of project.

That's just the problem. They are designed to hold heat - so they take ages to warm up in comparison with, for example, soft firebricks. They don't reflect well (nor are they designed to). Got some, I use them as a shield for brazing outdoors occasionally, but they really are all-but useless.

OK, here's a better idea - DON'T USE GALV. Seriously. If you really, really have to use galvanised metal, pickle the zinc off with brick cleaner or something; it's a lot safer than inhaling the resulting vapours. As for breeze blocks, Thermalite-type blocks stand up to forge use quite well...

http://www.shorinternational.com/pliersend.htm Bottom one. I have a similar pair, but I've no idea where to get them in the UK.

Makes a good start point for all sorts of things... Bowls, for example? Funnily enough, I've just been doing much the same - although the insulation on this one peeled off fairly easily (assisted by a paint scraper) as it had been outside for a while. A colleague of mine just offloaded...

From what I remember of the video, it was just a bog standard grinder - albeit on a pedestal. I think that David Boye's book also covers the method. Not something I've done recently - no real point with a KMG sat there.

Would Bill Moran be enough of an exception? :D Non-hollowground is doable with a stone grinder (and not on the flat side); with practice it doesn't take all that much subsequent cleanup - but there's a reason for preferring belt grinders, they're a lot easier to work with. They also cost a...

8th is probably better for me, but only fractionally. Prince of Wales seems to have new landlords - which would account for things being more peacful in the village again...!