--Tools of too hard steel should not be taken on a
journey; they splinter against the dense wood of tropical countries, and
they are very troublesome to sharpen. The remedy for over-hardness is to
heat them red-hot; retempering them by quenching in grease. A small iron
axe, with a file to sharpen it, and a few awls, are (if nothing else can
be taken) a very useful outfit.
As much carpentry as a traveller is likely to want can be effected by
means of a small axe with a hammer-head, a very small single-handed adze,
a mortise-chisel, a strong gouge, a couple of medium-sized gimlets, a few
awls, a small Turkey-hone, and a whetstone. If a saw be taken, it should
be of a sort intended for green wood. In addition to these, a small tin
box full of tools, all of which fit into a single handle, is very
valuable; many travellers have found them extremely convenient. There is
a tool-shop near the bottom of the Haymarket and another in the Strand
near the Lowthier Arcade, where they can be bought; probably also at
Holtzapfel's in Trafalgar Square. The box that contains them is about six
inches long by four broad and one deep; the cost is from 20s. to 30s.
Lastly, a saw for metals, a few drills, and small files, may be added
with advantage. It is advisable to see that the tools are ground and set
before starting. A small "hard chisel" of the best steel, three inches
long, a quarter of an inch wide, and three-eighths thick--which any
blacksmith can make--will cut iron, will chisel marks on rocks, and be
useful in numerous emergencies.
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