Ok time to delurk I think, so I'd better introduce myself to the porch.

I'm a Scottish born New Zealander who currently resides back in 
Scotland, I'm a biological scientist who shreds wood for a variety of 
reasons (SWMBO step forward) and became a convert to hand tools for 
both financial reasons and the challenge to see how good I can make 
myself with that #7 jointer...
So to tools, my Father was a Mechanical Engineer and he instilled in 
me a love of a well made tool and to have respect for one when you 
have it. I don't have many of his tools (shipping from NZ to UK being 
uncheap) but I have several of his apprentice pieces, two small metal 
clamps and a pair of calipers. I have the aforementioned Stanley #7 
(early 1960s) which fettled will take a fine shaving, I tested an end 
grain shaving from pine taken on the shooting board the other day 
with my new dial calipers and it came out at 0.045mm (about two thou 
Paddy). I also have a new Stanley handyman plane (spit) with plastic 
handles, plastic depth knob and a lateral lever that nearly breaks my 
thumb. This plane is what made me read up and realise oldtools are 
the way to go. Fortunately I live not far from  toolbazaar dot 
freeserve dot co dot uk and that is where I found my #7 and three 
stout mortise chisels, the 1 1/2" one is the sharpest I have and has 
been pressed into service as a paring chisel on occasions where its 
size is required. I also have various other things like a nice 
mortise gauge. I spent yesterday flattening the sole of my latest 
acquisition, a Stanley USA #4 Bedrock using a glass plate, engineer's 
blue, a file and a scraper, the area in front of the mouth now 
touches and I am very happy. I can see that this take old 'user' tool 
and make it work again thing could become a habit....

 From the above you may gather that I am not yet, quite a collector 
(he says, teetering wildly on the edge of the precipice, arms 
cartwheeling). But if it wasn't for the combination of my heritage 
(Father was a Yorkshireman, I'm Scottish), SWMBO and the lack of 
money I'd take the plunge, the water looks nice in there.

Peter
Dundee Scotland

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