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The pieces shown seem to have separated very neatly, and with no damage to the joints. It is possible that the table was on its last legs, with the glue having failed, and it fell apart sometime during the journey . . . . In that case, who would be to blame?

What is wrong with builders' Sharp Sand sprinkled onto new, wet wood finish? Then brushed off, once dry and set?

Don't be silly

+1 for that. How about masking off the joint faces, then a light dusting with Silicone Release Spray before gluing-up?

Well, this is mostly guesswork. But I would reckon the steel composition is better and more consistent nowadays. In the US, they did a 'longditudinal' analysis of Disston [then the world's leading sawsmiths] saw steels. The manufacturing dates spread from 1865 [for the backsaw] to 1955 [for...

These are domed-nut sawscrews. [Nominally-] plated steel, so they tend to rust together. I would suggest: 1: Using a full-size hacksaw, cut a straight slot across the domed head of the screw. The deeper the better. 2: Use Plus-Gas or Bulldog BDX applied to both screw and nut ends [ or...

Oh dear . . . .

I restore historically-interesting saws [both hand- and backsaws] from the 18th and 19th centuries. Almost all come to me with various forms of oxidation on the blade. By far the best/kindest way to remove this is careful surface 'planing' with a VERY sharp chisel – ty[ically 3/4" or 1". Of...

Not necessarily. Diamond stones have two advantages: 1: They will cope with the hardest steels. I've come across some seels that sintered oilstones won't touch. 2: They stay flat. I got fed up with having to flatten worn oilstones with grit on a flat steel surface plate. That was 65...

No. He's not 'handling' it; he knows about it.

I don't think it's split leather [skivers]; too heavy. Finish is coarse suede – which I use for stropping

Not so. Some time back i was asked by my children what I wanted for Christmas. Mine being worn out, I asked for pair of good-quality pillows. The kids went to John Lewis and bought two pillows to spec: Goose & Duck, Down & Feather. They arrived, i unpacked them and put them on the bed. The...

If it's 26", and only has 3 screws, it's a 'householder-' or 'handyman-quality' model. Could well be a 'general-retail' trademark for one of the recognised sawsmiths. In which case you would only find it in BSSM under the 'prime sawsmith's' other brand-names, not in the Index. If it's...

What business did he have to comment on your choice of hedging? Even in a Conservation area, the controls are on damaging or felling trees; not on planting them. Only a specific Restrictive Covenant covering the area of your hedge could do that. And in strict terms [i.e back to the last Ice...

Probably an '88' from 1910 to 1915. The 'Mermaid' brand was introduced in the 1910 catalogue, with 'Silver Steel' claim. 'Double Mermaid, 171' was introduced in 1915, with 'Vanadium Steel' claim in the etching. 'Non-break Handle' - which this saw doesn't appear to have - was patented in 1932

The question was about a mortice chisel. An 8" diamond stone is plenty big enough for any such. And the point about diamond stones is that they DON'T wear hollow - as granite stones do. I've spent too many hours using corundum grit and water on a steel plate, trying to flatten hollowed...

So what is wrong with using an 8" diamond-grit flat stone? It's always worked for me, and the diamond-grit stones are not epensive nowadays.

Possibly Poplar?

Can be confused with the lever cap iron.

1: It sounds as if the front of the blade is not being adequately supported by the frog. So, when it starts to 'bite' the surface, it bends downwards under the thrust from the wood. That will cause jamming. Check the frog's alignment - both horizontally and vertically. Make sure the blade is...