Off Topic The Hand Tool thread

[Welshie12]

Thanks for such neat historic note.
Not many realise what an important tool it was...The entire developement and wealth of so many areas of British Isles was pretty much hung on this very implement...(i only know very little,and about a small part of it all-the Cotswolds,but from what i understand some of the greatest cathedrals,Gloucestershire,Chester and like,were all built on revenue collected by means of this very tool).
The progress of steel development itself was greatly influenced by process of manufacturing of shears."Shear steel",at the time the fanciest grade of carburated and piled steel,was the industry's definition of excellence...

Yes wool was massively important to the British economy up until about 100 years or so ago I think. Like you said the revenue built a lot of the churches and cathedrals and made the big landowners rich. I think the Highland clearances happened so that big landowners could farm sheep for their wool. (Imight be wrong about that though I'm no historian) there is still a wool sack used as a seat, I think by the speaker or the house of commons but again might be wrong about who sits on it, in the houses of parliament as a symbol of how important wool was to the British economy.
Wool isn't worth very much now sadly with all the plastic fibre clothes that are so cheap.

 

[Ernest DuBois]

I've kept left over wool in the workshop and it use to wipe down axes. The lanolin heats up with rubbing and makes them look shiny and polished for a little while, the fibers have a burnishing effect. Good stuff.

 

[jake pogg]

Oh yes.
Sheepskin-lined cases,scabbards, for all your axes,Ernest,for that very special Gleam,when drawn at penultimate moment...
People have learned to polish their swords a very long time ago,but what use was that beautiful,mirror surface,without lanolin-laden sheepskin to maintain it?

 

[Square_peg]

Wool is also naturally fire resistant. Good cloth to wear when forging or welding.

https://www.iwto.org/flame-resistance

 

[jake pogg]

The Letters of Cassiodorus, written for Theodoric [r.493-526], by his secretary Cassiodorus.
5.1 King Theodoric to the king of the Warni:
“…So resplendent is their polished clarity that they reflect with faithful directness the faces of those who look upon them…”

 

[jake pogg]

Yes,and of course the sails and the cordage,And the chinking in those early lapstrake vessels,was all wool...The clothes that fishermen wear to this day...But pretty much all seagoing and exploration would not have been possible if not for wool...

 

[Ernest DuBois]

I can confirm it. It sure makes sense that wool saturated in wood tar was used as marine chinking, in addition to flax.

 

[phantomknives]

there's something we can learn from how they swing but what it is i havent figured out yet

 

[Yankee Josh]

I always swing my slug devil thattaway. . It's incredible. I'm going to have to try windmilling a 7lb track sledge now. But, if I can even do it, I highly doubt I can repeatedly hit a 1 inch round spike head every time!

 

[Hairy Clipper]

There is a lot of wrist action going on there. It makes me wonder what those fellows could do with a baseball? Not many fat guys like me working those rails.

 

[npace]

Time gone by. It’s incredible to think of the skill every old timer possessed compared to men today. Even the crane in that video. Nothing smooth about it like the cranes I run today are but it’s obvious the operator knew how to make her work. Everything I run these days is nice and smooth with short levers and air conditioning. Needless to say I am thankful but I never forget the men before us were a lot tougher.

 

[thunderstick]

learn to swing a maul "accurately" that way and you will significantly increase the maul speed and your splitting ability while minimizing the effort.

 

[Square_peg]

there's something we can learn from how they swing but what it is i havent figured out yet

I never set track. But I busted a fair amount of concrete with a sledge when I was younger. We used 20 lb and 16 lb sledges.

25 years ago I was showing off after a driveway demo. I grabbed a 20 lber and started throwing roundhouses one-handed at some of the bigger chunks on the pile we had created. The trick to that is momenum. When the head rebounds off the strike snap it straight back. While it's moving back you roll your wrist and arm and then convert that backward momentum into your roundhouse swing. It's easier than you think it would be.

A dozen years ago I performed the same trick for some guys at work with a 16 lber. I was still able to do it with relative ease. But my wrist hurt like hell for a few days afterwards. I wouldn't try it again today but I bet I could still do it with a 16 lber.

 

[Hairy Clipper]

When that slippery under footing we call white and fluffy here on the Minnesnowta prairie decides to leave until old man winter comes to reclaim it's inhabitants, thanks to your coaching, I am going to give that a try. I should probably have a doctor present and I know the arthritis in my wrists and thumbs will not like me for a while, but, I will give it a go. I must confess my ignorance, my father mentioned a roundhouse swing a few times when I was quite young ... under 5 years old, and I never knew what he was referring to. Now I know, thanks Square_peg! I have said something akin to this before, but, if I live long enough, thanks to the combined knowledge that all you fellas here on the BLADE FORUM'S--Axe, Tomahawk & Hachet Forum freely share I might end up having all of life's questions answered!

 

[phantomknives]

I'v been working for the last few days on this and i got to drag out quite a few tools i never get to use, namely a thread repair file for the checkering. the black plastic didnt match my Henry too well!

 

[flexo]

what kind of hand tool is this; a hole borer?

 

[phantomknives]

what kind of hand tool is this; a hole borer?

yep, can poke a 1/4" hole at 100 yards if you can handle it

 

[Miller '72]

27lbs
3½" jaws
5" jaws open

Sweet little vise

 

[the-accumulator]

That's a beauty! Nice restoration. Wish mine was made in England, not China! T-A

 

[Meek1]

27lbs
3½" jaws
5" jaws open

Sweet little vise

Man that turned out good. What a beautiful vise! That set screw is unique with the flat lever. Is it threaded to tighten down or does it drop into a hole for different positions? Have not seen that style before. Great job bringing it back to life! Turned out amazing! Love that dark blue!