fatchap

Simply put.....money, all my company cares about is its customers get their materials delivered on the day at the time they have asked and they pay promptly. I have always argued that Battersea power station should be done on its own by one van, maybe another delivery or collection added on but not done on a full route, its just not possible because you just have no idea how long you are going to be held up there.. But get told that using one van and one driver for just one job is not financially viable. But customers not getting their gear because of stupid site rules and booking times/slots on other sites is also not financially viable. They just don't listen because they are not out there on the roads they have no idea what its like, My boss is under the impression that all the traffic lights in London are constantly green, there's possibly 10 other vehicles tops on the road, no congestion at all the congestion charge took care of that, and when we get to the site, the contractors are waiting outside for us mob handed to take in their delivery/or collection. I have reached the conclusion that traffic marshals know or are trained to say 3 phrases when you turn up on site... 1 who is it for? 2 Have you rung them? 3 Your not booked in. After that they are of no use at all.

Christmas has come early for me, yesterday I finally got Red Carded from Battersea Power Station. I am barred permanently from delivering to the site. My boss however does not share my joy and happiness, but he has no idea of the sheer hell and stress it was to deliver to that place, told him on numerous occasions how bad it was but he just laughed. The logistic side of the delivery system there is not geared toward multi drop drivers. Its based on a lorry being booked in with say 8 tonne of steel that is going to be on site for several hours and said lorry driver basically has all day with nothing left to do when he leaves site except head back to his yard. I however have most of South West London still to cover delivery and collection wise. And I have been getting pretty stressed lately, Yesterday I had a hand test bucket to deliver, that was it. I was booked in at 10.30am, arrived at 10.25, just because your booked in at 10.30 does not mean you will be going in at 10.30. At 11.15 I was still sitting in the que despite the traffic marshalls knowing I was there, I gave them my booking reference and they confirmed I was booked, then walked off as usual. 12.00pm now fuming I am finally let in only to be sent to the internal holding area as the loading bay I wanted had an over running delivery. I was told by a marshall to put my hazard lights on whilst in the holding area, by now my urine was boiling and I seriously had the need to kill someone. I had a further 12 jobs to do out as far as Wimbledon and it was now 12.20pm. I told the traffic marshal to "go **** himself. My boss was now ringing asking about what time I am getting to other jobs, he knows where I am the van has a tracker so starts having a go at why its taking so long to deliver a test bucket. The company I am delivering to are also on the phone wondering where I am. So with the phone going 90 to the dozen and the traffic marshall I told to go **** himself asking for my name, I have lost me rag and promptly exploded, Rammed the van into reverse and backed out of the holding area, this got the attention of the Banksman who has started blowing his whistle and waving his arms. I stopped and he screamed through the window NO REVERSING WITHOUT BEING BANKED. He also got told to go **** himself. Out came the camera and his phone. Called the main contractor Mace, who sent over a man in a brand new Hi Viz, spotless steel toecap boots, gloves, safety glasses and a clipboard. After listening to what can only be described as ******** he issued me with my dream, a red card for" Flagrant disregard for the safety method statement" And I was to be removed from site immediately and never ever ever return. They will inform my employer, I gave them the contact details, And got the hell out of Dodge. I have this tremendous sense of well being now. Boss seems to think me apologising will get me back in but he can go **** himself as well.

Would that be a boy with his finger in a Dyke?

Too true, I like their recruitment advert...... Did you used to knock on peoples doors and run away before they answered when you was a child? If so then you may be an ideal candidate for a career as a Hermes Parcel delivery driver.

HOLY MOLY!!!! His merchandise is a bit on the taking the **** side price wise, Some good stuff but way way over priced.

I'm with Virgin and get around 410mbs its advertised as 500 but I've never got it that fast, The problem I have with Virgin is their customer service, it sucks in all honesty. Online all you deal with is a talk Bot which is about as much use as a one legged man in an **** kicking contest. And if you are prepared to wait on hold indefinitely on the phone you may get transferred to completely the wrong department and when they finally put you through to someone who may be able to help, the line goes dead and your back to square one ringing the options. The only thing that keeps me with Virgin is the internet speed, its seriously fast. The Tivo V6 box is pretty useless, freezes a lot, records stuff you don't want it to. And as for the remote, when the batteries are running low, all sorts of **** starts happening.

Mate of mine is a pest controller and he uses Tomcat poison, Online or at Ernest Doe shops.

Agree with that M&S best prawn sandwich is the dogs danglies, Their smoked salmon is also very good. The filling is throughout the sandwich, unlike Tesco Sainsbury where the entire filling is put in the middle so when its cut it looks like you have a packed sarnie then you discover there is nothing in there apart from a lump of what ever in the middle and just bread after that.

Thats an idea! I'll drop them an email see what they say, least then I've covered my ****!

Cheers for that, Definitely a no go, logo is protected by Crown Copyright.

I have been asked to make a knife as a congratulation gift for someones son who has made it into the Paras, he wants me to obviously have his sons name on the knife plus the Paras symbol, its this that I'm asking about. He says putting their symbol on the handle would not be a problem, its not a problem technically but the legal side is. I'm not sure without permission you are allowed to copy that symbol, after all I believe it belongs to the Queen. I'm pretty sure his superiors would have something to say about if they saw it. Anyone on here have any info or is there no problem at all with doing it?

Sorry Waitrose or Mark and Spencer. Not so much me but the wife, she wouldn't be seen dead in Lidl or Aldi's Bought a few middle isle items in the past, Parkside do a few good tools but thier bench grinder stops just showing it a bit of metal. Apparently Aldi do some mighty fine Smokey Bacon crisps

That's our new cat, he knows I'm on to him so has had a few attempts at opening up an artery or two.

Got a bit fed up with making new shiney knives so decided I would go back to basics when I made my first Stickleback. Made from a circular saw blade, I gave it a rough full scandi grind but left some rough stuff on the blade to give it that used rough and ready look. The Handle scales are some form of Antler not %100 on what they are but the more you sand them the more interesting imperfections you find, which I love, Polycarbonate bright red liners which due to my complete lack of photography skill you can't see clearly. Due to the design of the blade I couldn't get my emblem to fit so used the last of the pins to make Red vStag toggle a bit more interesting. I still as usual believe it needs a tickle here and there But I do think in more ways than one its very similar to my first ever Stickleback..... instant photo upload Ta for having a butchers

Anyone watch his YouTube channel? Yes he is a tad annoying, has all the toys, brilliant at damascus, obviously from a well heeled family possibly Surrey or Oxford. And now he's sold out, His apprentice does most of the video's now, As Alec Steele has shunned blacksmithing in favour of making jewellery, not sure if there is more money in jewellery. But despite his annoying enthusiasm and use of the phrase "Holy Moly" every thirty seconds, I used to enjoy his video's he made some stunning stuff, swords, knives, made a damascus block with the English and American flags pattern, bloke was a master. One thing that always bothered me was how he never caught his barnet on fire, I find having no hair or very little to be quite beneficial while operating a full heat forge. Sporting a Rick Astley mop like Alec Steele has can only really end one way.

I used to live on corned beef, can safely say I've had corned beef in every way possible, fritters, stew, sarnies, salad, all mum and dad could afford back then along with good old spam. so naturally I can't stand the sight of the stuff now.

Mammoth molar is extremely expensive over £100 for two pre cut scales or block, does make a stunning knife but at that price and the work and hours put in if you want to sell it what could you get for it? I don't even think the knife makers adage of the blade makes the knife the handle sells the knife would count there. Also at that price there is no room at all for error. There's a fella on you tube don't know his name big bloke always sitting down at this funny looking work bench, its just a flat piece of steel really, he makes THE most stunning knives I have ever seen, turns tool steel into a work of art, always has some kind of patterns cut into the blade which is never ever shown on the video how he does it, you just see the end result, anyway he made one from mammoth molar and I have to be honest it was a thing of beauty so much that I was sporting a semi.

Some the Americans get totally wrong such as Coriander is cilantro and spring onions are scallions???? Basil is Bayzil.

Not wanting to pick fault Dave but that's a Sabre grind on there mate, A scandi is a taller single bevel, A sabre is shorter and more shallow hence the double grind/bevel on your blade, But as usual sir very nice work!!

It was a very enjoyable weekend. This bloke had every single bit of kit imaginable must have cost him a fortune, had 3 rods on the go, bite alarms (which never made a sound while he was there) looked like a mobile tackle shop. and he looked like he was going deer stalking rather than fishing, not sure sitting on a realtree camo chair on a bank in full realtree camo jacket, trousers and boots is beneficial for catching fish or he just wanted to look the part. I had a padded shirt in bright white and blue check, grey jogging bottoms and Jack and Jones cap. After all I was going to the bar straight after. As I said I am not a fishing person, I enjoyed it and I can see the appeal but to get annoyed because you don't catch anything, surely that's fishing isn't it? after all if it was easy it would be called Catching. Could have been beginners luck on my part I have no idea, but it was fun while it lasted, and thats in my opinion what fishing should be.

Take the woofer over the manor which is a huge country park that the local council really don't bother with. There are loads of mushrooms out at the moment. but you can get nicked for picking them. The "park" was part of King Harolds hunting grounds and Epping forest and has a 500 year old law banning the picking of mushrooms or taking game which apparently still stands even today. I picked a bag full of field mushrooms which I had in a Tesco's bag, got collared on the way back to the car and was told by some jobsworth warden about the law and it would be advisable to throw them rather than take them from the park. I cannot see any court enforcing a 500 year old law but is it worth finding out for bag of mushrooms?

Not a fishing person myself but can thoroughly recommend Kingslakes in Devon. 7 lakes packed with trout, tench Bream, carp. I went because Kingslakes sells my knives, slingshots in their tackle shop. Went with a pal of mine who is seriously into his fishing, he set me up with a split cane rod and center pin reel on a lake called The Kitchen lake, had some little basket on the line which he put bait into and a worm on the hook, wasn't long before I was panicking as the tip of the rod started to bend off to the left, next the reel was spinning and I didn't have a clue what to do. My mate supervised and eventually a 7 pound mirror carp was safely in the landing net. Went on to catch another two, the last weighed in at 14 pound. Stuart the owner is a damn fine chap, very hospitable and friendly, if you need anything he will do his best to get it, The clubhouse does some serious food and all in all had a great weekend. Rained all weekend but that weren't a problem sold a few knives and got a few orders so pretty productive. But for someone who has never been lake fishing in his life I don't think I did too bad, my mate had 5 that day, but some bloke with all the gear not 10 yards away blanked, he was looking over everytime we caught. My mate said I bet he's up early in the morning and sets up where we are. True enough walked down to the lake at 8.00 in the morning and there he was all set up where we was fishing. Sad or what? Well worth a visit. https://kingslakes.co.uk/

First rub it down get the shellac off, bring it back to at least an 800 grit then a coats of boiled linseed oil wipe off any that doesn't soak in after two coats. I would use carnauba wax, melt it on to the wood work it into the grain with fine wire wool and buff the granny out of it, repeat with the wire wool and again with the wax for three times, then when its nice and shiney hit it again with 400 grit up to 800 grit should go white, wipe it off and apply a coat of car body wax preferably one that contains carnauba wax and again buff the granny out of it. And it should almost have a glass like finish.Auto Glym is a good one.

Thats very kind of you. appreciate the compliment.