CaptainBeaky

Sorry!Heat it up to red/orange - check by touching the piece to a large magnet. When the steel is no longer attracted to the magnet, that is the critical temperature. Keep it at that point for 30 seconds or so, then quench it as above, and test with a file. If it does prove to harden sufficiently, then you need to anneal it do it can be worked: heat it as before, hold at the critical temperature for 30 seconds, then leave to cool as slowly as possible. When cold it will be as soft as it will get,, and ready to cut/file.

The two pieces of kit go together -one of the hoses on the demand valve has a quick release connector to go onto the spigot on the breathing tube on the ABLJ. This is to inflate the jacket (to adjust buoyancy) direct from your suit tank.

Spiro gear was always highly regarded when I was diving, although this was some 30 years ago now. These are actually the same sort of gear that I was using, so they could be that old. BSAC or PADI may have web forums, so exercise your Google-fu. Also, have a look at the last test date stamped on the neck of the bottle in the ABLJ (Adjustable Buoyancy Life Jacket). That should give you an idea of age.

Re the file test - it may not be tempered very hard. Better to heat it to non-magnetic, quench in oil, then try the file. If still soft, try quenching in hot water and test again. If it's an old pair of shears, it will probably make a decent knife.

Yup, barrel off, bolt handle elsewhere.

Make sure the sxs fits you properly...

You may have some cack stuck under the dovetail - once you have given it a good clean in situ, try the removal technique again.

Yes, and the cameras are now coming out again, because they have been found not to be cost effective - they don't reduce crime, or provide evidence which stands up in court.See BBC news website today for the article.

Don't worry, we won't tell her! And it is gorgeous

Welcome to pw - from another member of the Kent Massive

I managed to bend several of the pressed type plier punches, until I bought a forged pair from LePrevo. £30 as am end of line reduction. I've since seen them elsewhere for well over the hundred :eek: Lovely to use, with replaceable cutters, but if you only want to punch a couple of sizes, then hammer punches might be the way to go. Incidentally, why are you punching stitching holes with a punch? Wouldn't an awl be better? edit: image added - Osborne revolving punch

I can definitely see one of these making it's way into my cabinet at some point

Good grief - 3 "nothing to hide, nothing to fear"s already while I was struggling with autocorrect!

This comes up every time a terrorist sneezes - the security services and the Home Office have been after extended powers for years. What the powers actually mean is the equivalent of opening all your postal mail for checking before it it's delivered. The talking heads spout the usual "nothing to hide, nothing to fear" non-sequitur, and imply, or even state explicitly, that anyone opposing the extension of monitoring is a terrorist sympathizer. They forget to mention that anyone with reasonable knowledge would be able to circumvent the surveillance anyway - the dark web exists, despite all efforts to the contrary - but function creep would soon mean council officials monitoring your email to check on benefit entitlement, or school eligibility. Sorry guys, but civil liberties are hard won, and once relinquished, are almost impossible to get back. Mr Franklin's quote is most apposite here: "Those who would sacrifice essential liberties in exchange for security, will end up with neither".

No, no and thrice no...It is NOT an 'illegal' knife. There are some knives which come under the classification of "Prohibited Weapons" - automatic openers (flick knives), Bali-Song knives, punch daggers, gravity knives are a few examples. The op's bowie is simply a fixed blade knife. Yes, it would be an offence to have in a public place without 'good reason' (Criminal Justice Act 1988, section 139), and if you wore it in the pub on a "Friday night is fight night", you'd be looking at an offensive weapons charge (whole different kettle of fish, and much more serious), but the knife itself is perfectly legal. Incidentally, it is also not an absolute offence, otherwise section 139 would not include the phrase "it shall be a defence... etc" - the "good reason" is, when push comes to shove, something of which you have to convince a jury, or more strictly, something the prosecuting counsel have to prove beyond reasonable doubt that you didn't have. The list given in S139 are examples, not an exclusive list. Personally, if I needed a blade that big for cutting stuff for hides etc, a bill hook would be much more discreet, as it gives off the 'garden tool' vibe, rather than 'big scary knife likely to worry policemen and NKPs (non-knife-people)'.

Good call - at least you got to christen it Hope the graft goes well.

If you're looking at an auto for wildfowling in your price range, you could do worse than have a look at the Baikal auto (MP153). Couple of folk on here have them and rate them. They're not pretty, but they do the job, and have a good rep for reliability. New might be a bit above your set limit, but you'd get a good second hand one and several slabs of cartridges for your £500.

Nice place to shoot, although it can be a bit breezy! It can also get a bit "interesting" at this time of year with the low sun later on in the day as well... Glad, er, your mate enjoyed shooting your 870 for you

I hope we shall see their like again. I fear we shall not. RIP, soldier, and thanks.

It's pre-1987, which was when the date code system changed. Closest I can do! If you ask on Baikal owners sub-forum on shotgunworld, there is a guy on there who goes by the user name "humpty dumpty", who will be able to tell you fairly exactly.

York Guns have the chokes, and can get most spares, as they are the Baikal importer.

A number of Baikal shotguns were sold under the Remington label for a while - the MP153 auto, sold as the Remington 453, a couple of sxs and a couple of o/u , although I don't recall the model numbers of those. Have a look in the "I love my..." sub forum at shotgunworld.

How many digits is the serial number, and are there any letters?

Thanks - could you let me know, please?