More carboot tools

[British Red]

I've been following your advice on files Tom - managed to find three nice 14" old Sheffield ones yesterday (two with nice if dirty Python #3 handles on). Some surface rust but not bad. They cleaned up very nicely. I should have bought more really as they came from a house clearance box but I cherry picked the best for a fiver

 

[tombear]

Good stuff! Files are some how addictive, I have great trouble passing by a unused Stubbs or Bedford. Aye I like python safety handles myself, unfortunately some of the really big, 16+ inchers don't fit in them so I've been having to pick up cheap beech rolling pins ( not having enough seasoned to do it ) and turn handles wide enough at the working end. I'm a bit stuffed at the moment as I've no suitable thick metal pipe for the reinforcing collars although I've thought of a source, car boot sockets. I can get them for pence and saw the bases off.

ATB

TOM

 

[Robson Valley]

Tom/Post #356: 15 for the draw knife (condition and age) is a good buy. That's approx $30+CDN. I expected to pay at least $50 as I needed one. Surprise gift!
Question: Where do you keep all these tools? Have your own museum?

 

[tombear]

Cheers! By luck rather than judgement ive ended up with the top floor of the house ( late 18 th C weaving sheds ,bottom two floors converted to housing in the 19th C when weaving went over to mechanisation in mills around here ) as workshop/ family room so I've a abundance of dry airy well lit space. I do need to get more drawer space as currently the green woodworking tools I've been picking up of late are languishing in a old army wooden bottomed hold all, not the best for the wooden handles banging about. What I need to do is get some wood to make the old school open topped tool boxes like I was looking at doing in another thread.

ATB

Tom

 

[tombear]

The last axe, another Gilpins Chip Chop No.1 but with bevels on both sides this time. i fitted a home made beech handle, I managed a very tight fit and put a wooden wedge in. You can't see it in this pic but there a pronounced bulge below the head and flare at the base on the sides of the handle. I kept removing materials from the grip area until it was comfortable.

now for the masks and when the oils cured I may paint the bottoms of each handle. I'm in two minds about lanyard holes on the smaller ones.

ATB

Tom

 

[tombear]

And through the generosity of some one on the forum I now have the perfect container for soaking handles up to 2 foot long.

24 hrs in a warm room and the wood will swell up even tighter in the heads and they will never dry out. I've been soaking handles for 20 years or more and the most I've had to do is give a handle a quick wipe if I've had to wash or sand a corner down, and thats because I'm a tart!

ATB

TOM

 

[tombear]

The youngest had a inset day today so we went for a wander via the flea on Accrington market. After filling a 35 litre bag with Manor green Denby for herself and a few bits of bone and, I think ,baleen I picked up these at Ramsbottom and just derusted them.

The flat brace bit is just marked MARPLES . No visible size but it Is lobb sided, it measures 2 1/4 across but would cut a wider hole, say 2.5". I'll put it in a brace and see what it does. 50p and bought on a whim since it seams odd.

The pliers are un named, but sturdily made , hand forged I think. Anyway they are listed for both upholsterers ( stretching webbing ) and leatherworkers in the catalogues and I've seen pics of them in cordwainers tool kits alongside lasting pliers. Anyroad, they were £3, more than I'd normally pay for pliers but this is the first pair of this sort I've come across.1

The book was a quid from a charity shop, very nicely done if you can get a copy.

OK this I'd decidedly off topic but I mentioned restoring and making live the blade and making a sheath for a reenactors seax I was given so I may as well carry on! In another charity shop I picked up rather a nice disc bead/ donut stone on a silver chain in a little velvet bag for a quid. That will do as a sword stone thought I so I tied it on with some plaited flax I'd been given.

As my friend stated. "tarty".

ATB

Tom

 

[tombear]

Made the first of the five axe mask / covers , for the tiny HB. Treated with a coat of neetsfoot oil and a polish with Grangers G-wax.

The flat leather thong remarkably secure just wrapped under itself.

Just 4 more to go....

ATB

Tom

 

[British Red]

Good stuff! Files are some how addictive, I have great trouble passing by a unused Stubbs or Bedford. Aye I like python safety handles myself, unfortunately some of the really big, 16+ inchers don't fit in them so I've been having to pick up cheap beech rolling pins ( not having enough seasoned to do it ) and turn handles wide enough at the working end. I'm a bit stuffed at the moment as I've no suitable thick metal pipe for the reinforcing collars although I've thought of a source, car boot sockets. I can get them for pence and saw the bases off.

ATB

TOM

Yeah these are going to be a squeeze but without a lathe its the best I can do!

They are soaking away in boiled linseed right now. Hopefully I'll finish the job tomorrow.

 

[tombear]

Made the two masks for the Chip Chops today, dipped the leather in hot beeswax and buffed off the excess under a hair dryer. If things run par to course the things will shrink a might so i may have to add another hole on the straps.

ATB

Tom

 

[British Red]

Very smart masks there Tom - loving your work!

 

[British Red]

Finished those files off btw

Four files finished by British Red, on Flickr

 

[tombear]

Cheers, now they have masks I can put them into my green woodworking kit and can carry them safely/ so they don't wreck everything else.

ATB

Tom

Very nice files!

 

[British Red]

Thanks - they are cleaner than they look in the picture but they work well now, and thats good enough for me!

 

[Blundstoned Love]

In another charity shop I picked up rather a nice disc bead/ donut stone on a silver chain in a little velvet bag for a quid. That will do as a sword stone thought I so I tied it on with some plaited flax I'd been given.

That looks really neat. Can you explain what a sword stone is? - it's not a term that's familiar to me.

Thanks

 

[tombear]

Also know as sword beads, life stones, healing stones etc and taking many forms such as glass beads, pieces of amber or similar they are objects that have been found in conjunction with swords in Anglo Saxon and Scandinavian burials. They could have been something to do with belt or scabbard fittings but its widely though that they were some sort of ritual item/ good luck charm. There's references to them, especially in Norse sagas, as being able to heal wounds caused by the sword. There's better descriptions on the net but that's my take.

for me they are a nice bit of bling to go on a couple of replica Anglo Saxon seaxs I have. Tillerman Beads do some really lovely copies of glass ones that have been excavated but I couldn't justify the expense.

ATB

Tom

 

[dwardo]

The wide step pliars are perfect for picture framing. Specifically for stretching canvas over stretcher bars before pinning.
You really do find the best boot bargains. As I have said before its all tat near me. There is occasionally a trad tool guy about but no bargains in fact a total rip off. He last had a small billhook in poor nic and wanted ,£45 for it!

 

[tombear]

Due to car issues this will be the first proper boot I've been to for something like 8 to 10 weeks. I've been subsisting on the flea markets at Accrington and the odd charity shop find ( twitch twitch ).

sad to say the more rundown a rea the better the boots and the lower the prices. It helps to become a regular and then they will actually find stuff for you.

atb

tom

 

[Blundstoned Love]

Also know as sword beads, life stones, healing stones etc and taking many forms such as glass beads, pieces of amber or similar they are objects that have been found in conjunction with swords in Anglo Saxon and Scandinavian burials. They could have been something to do with belt or scabbard fittings but its widely though that they were some sort of ritual item/ good luck charm. There's references to them, especially in Norse sagas, as being able to heal wounds caused by the sword. There's better descriptions on the net but that's my take.

for me they are a nice bit of bling to go on a couple of replica Anglo Saxon seaxs I have. Tillerman Beads do some really lovely copies of glass ones that have been excavated but I couldn't justify the expense.

ATB

Tom

Thanks Tom, that's really interesting.

 

[tombear]

No worries! There's a lot better descriptions but that's basically it. The middle sons beeeg broken back seax has another, bigger donut stone dangling from it that I got in another charity shop, dark gren with veins ( I do hope it's Europeon or middle eastern in origin, some stone that would have had a chance to get to the UK way back when ).

We were a bit late getting to the two local books, lots of tool stalls but they had been well picked over by then. I did get some excellent large clear plastic bags and zip locks for storage of materials ( one lot a freebie, which was nice). And 6 lovely, delicate wooden cups for a pound total.

herself bought me this for £12

I've a couple of nicer braces to go in it and a couple of rolls of bitts. With any luck my hand drill and chest drill ( think that's what's it's called ) will also fit in it.

As well a the brace there was a nice rabone folding rule it came with a bunch of drills and 10 including 5 new Ridgeways, 3 still in their crinkly wrappers ! I'll still restore the brace at some point.

ATB

Tom