[MR] Walnut Shavings / A few other notes on tools, rope, boats.

[rmhowe]

In one of the American woodworking magazines I got this month
someone from the Midwest wrote in to state that walnut wood dust
or shavings should not be used around horses for bedding as it 
makes them seriously ill. I can't find the particular paragraph,
I've read too much this month, but it seems like it was causing
founder? in horses.  They also noted that it should not be
used on garden plants and that most people in their area knew not
to plant gardens near walnut trees. The editors did not dispute
the letter.

As a woodworker of long experience this was news to me and
the first time I'd ever read it. However, it -could be- good
advice. I've had my hands turn purple (for days) lots of times
from working it with no other ill effects (and I'm a fairly 
highly allergic person). But if you have animals or routinely 
put shavings around things in your yards you might keep it in 
mind. I think I might know some rodent holes I might stuff it 
down myself. We have some fat short rats that live under our 
back fence line. (No, not the new neighbors.) 
...........
Cambium Press, P.O. Box 909, Bethel CT 06801 is in now selling
Toolmaking for Woodworkers - forging skew chisels, hollowing
adze, woodturning tools, etc. http://www.cambiumbooks.com/
or http://www.windsorchairresources.com/larsen.html

This page is very worth looking at:
http://www.windsorchairresources.com/tools.html
...........
Country Workshops, 90 Mill Creek Rd, Marshall, North Carolina,
USA 28753 ((704) 656-2280) is selling hand forged drawknives,
froes, adzes, axes, sloyd knives, gouges, chisels which mostly
are from Sweden. You can request a catalog. They also teach 
classes in carving and early woodworking with handtools.
This guy predates Roy Underhill (the Woodwright's Shop)
in his books and articles on traditional woodworking. 
Drew Langsner has written such books as Handmade, Country Woodcraft,
Green Woodworking and others. He lives in a traditional cabin
he built and teaches in other traditional buildings.
.......
In this month's Wooden Boat magazine April 2002 (165) there is 
a captioned picture of a longship (looks to be about 10 meters, 
but not specified) built in lapstrake plywood from a plan by 
Phil Bolger. Longship Design Number 572 from the book Boats with 
an Open Mind. No address noted. The one depicted was built by 
Willi Hesse of Hesse Boots Werft, Mulheim, Germany.

The same issue has an article on building Oselvers, a Norwegian
boat little changed from Viking times. Apparently these folks
race these things. They look very much like faerings but use
spritsails in addition to oars. Four strakes per side.
Wooden Boat Magazine, http://www.woodenboat.com

There are additional articles on rigging and managing the sprit 
sails used on these things. As well as an article on making and 
using scrapers out of old saw blades instead of sanding finishes. 
..........
Buff colored polyester rope is available from R&W Rope Warehouse,
New Bedford, MA, USA (800) 260-899 rope at randwenterprises.com
http://www.randwenterprises.com/
I presume you might use this stuff to help look period which is
what the earlier replica boat owners are doing. Think tent ropes.
..........
Master Magnus Malleus, OL © 2001 R.M. Howe
*No reposting my writings to newsgroups, especially rec.org.sca, or
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