Block, Strap, Gib and Cotter

As apprentices (apprentii?), we were required to produce a '3 way fit' - circle square and triangle piece had to fit into the appropriate holes in a piece of 1/4 steel plate. Some made it look easy, but many struggled, including myself.

I left it stuck in a horse's hoof

Of all the things I have lost over the years my ex-Army knife with blade, bottle/can opener and marlin spike is one of the most missed. Much more rugged and therefore much more useful than a Swiss Army Knife.

Neil

Phew - I knew you researched forest canopies but rather you than me on that one!

Neil

In my apprenticeship we fitted a "Tee Block" and an" Octogen" into a block of mild steel 1" thick using only bench tools can't remember how many fits there were for each one but they were numerous. Mine were exhibited in a model engineering exhibition (my Gramps was the Chairman). There were some apprentices from Winfrith Nuclear est. there who could not believe I had't used machines, I explained that at sea machines were usually absent although a lathe was usually carried

Mick

Neil - One of the reasons I liked working abroad is the lack of health and safety silliness. Of course I took safety seriously, both for myself and for my colleagues. As an example of the silliness - in the UK I would be required to wear a hard hat and have a safety harness around my waist attached to the tower. With tower sections only 1.96 m high, you are constantly banging your head on the section above - so distracting you. When you are building these towers - you stand on the top and open out the section and then attach "clawed" poles to create a stable cage. You don't need a hard-hat - there is nothing above you. And the harness is connected to the section below you - so you constantly fall over it. Fear is a great safety function. To get the cables attached to the tower, I used to fire crossbow bolts with fishing line attached at 45 degrees declination to targets on the ground beneath the trees. Colleagues on the ground would then attach nylon cord to the bolt and I would reel in the fishing line. Then the ground crew would attach the 10mm diameter woven steel cable to the nylon cord and I would then pull the cord and steel cable up to the tower. With cables at the top being nearly 80m long and having a set of 4 cables every 4 sections, this process was rather tiring. Crossbows are probably banned in the UK now.

Erm.. I hope not...?

Michael W

Edited By Michael-w on 24/11/2017 17:50:18

I remember seeing a documentary over twenty years ago about putting up the ariel mast array south of the M1/M6 junction and remember seeing the engineer climb the mast and use a cross bow to fire the cable lead through the cables of all the other masts. Obviously the best way to do it.

Edited By Chris Trice on 24/11/2017 18:02:58

In tropical rain-forests it's the only way - you can't meander cables through the canopy. Quite often the crossbow bolt would strike a branch and fly off at a tangent. The guys on the ground generally hid behind wide tree trunks when I was cross-bowing.

Neil, if you still miss your army knife you can obtain a replacement, they are available from the website of "Soldier of Fortune" , they are genuine unissued army knives I recently purchased one, never managed to acquire one during my 22 years service to her Majesty, be careful though they are very sharp, I am sure that you could shave with it the blade is so sharp.

Dave W

I still have my wheelspanner for operating valves which I made 55 years ago

Mick

http://www.sofmilitary.co.uk/british-army-clasp-knife-by-joseph-adams-product,19487

Want one. Actually, I want one of several things on this website!

Neil, isn't there an army surplus place in Burton-on-Trent? Is it any good?

Regards,

John.

http://www.sofmilitary.co.uk/british-army-clasp-knife-by-joseph-adams-product,19487

I have an earlier version dated 1941 - carbon steel rather than stainless and without the spike but with the traditional black chequer grip. I wonder why this last feature was abandoned?

That appears to be a 'rigging kinife' - although I would have said the marlin spike is essential for rigging.

Ones with a grip are much more expensive

Had one of those as a boy, 70+ years ago, when there were horses around to have stones removed from their hooves!! Inevitably, it was lost and my long term employers (the R A F ) didn't provide them - only 'roughy-toughy soldiers' can be trusted with them As I recall, they were almost 'de rigeur' for Boy Scouts and it was suggested that the spike was for removing Boy Scouts from Girl Guides!! B-P would not have been amused!

rgds

Bill

For those who don't know, iot's a 'marlin spike' (think the fish) and intended for loosening knots (and no doubt many other things including making holes in the top of Party Sevens, not that scouts would drink beer...)

Neil

Gents, the same web shop also has the old carbon steel versions at rather cheaper prices; http://www.sofmilitary.co.uk/shop-re-enactment-military-swords,-bayonets-and-knives-knives-category,1128

 Filter it on "knives", and "cheapest first". 

I've actually ordered a 1950's pair to replace the the one I lost years ago. This post prompted me to get round to it; I'd been intending to do so for ages.

Look on the re-enactment part of the web site.

Also have a browse in The Famous Sheffield Shop, where you will see versions by both Rogers and Eggington (now the same parent company)

Please consider carefully before ordering a pocket knife with a locking blade, due to knife legislation in the UK.

There are further proposals to restrict mail order sales to private addresses included in a government consultative document . This link leads to a pdf download. See Proposal A, page 11

If I and others read this correctly, you will no longer be allowed to order even a craft or kitchen knife for home delivery.

I accept that this is an engineering and not a political website, so I won't go further in my opinions of some of the other pdf contents. (depending on Neil's reply )

Bill

Edited By peak4 on 25/11/2017 21:13:33