Bill Webber wrote: "On the one hand, I'm certain the metal for the sole of his
kits is
malleable enough to fill around the filed dovetails.  One the other 
hand, I think making the triangular divot in the sole is easier to do 
but then I need more information on how malleable his provided brass 
might be.  The idea of annealing it doesn't appeal as I don't have the 
the required torch or experience."


Hi, Bill,Probably that you have far more experience working brass than I do, but
for what it is worth I offer my impression that all copper alloys workharden
abnormally quickly. Like: one blow of the hammer and it moves and spreads as
sweet as you please, just as you want it to. Two blows of the hammer, it moves a
scutch more, not much. From the third blow of the hammer, you can wale on it
with a three-pound sledge all day and it won't move a bit until a big divot
cracks out of it. I made a few small bookbinders' tools with random brass, and I
ended up annealing it after every single blow. Even copper itself, which is
worked by bending, will workharden with shocking speed, at least when I am
dealing with it.
Just my 2 cents (and modern pennies aren't even copper any more. The world is
going to the dogs).
Tom Conroy