Fellow Stock-Rubbers.....When I was a 'Budding Soon to be let into the Inner Circle of Purdeys Highly Secretive Apprentiship Soc. One of my jobs ,down under the Floors of No 57-58 South Audley Street, was helping Harry Lawrence mix-up his Slackum Stock Finish.These were the days when Children of Tender Years,I was 15+60 days, Spoke not' untill spoken too..!When Mr L' said "Stir' I Stirred" I burnt the cra*p out of my fingers over that 'One-Ring" city-gas unit.....much to the enjoyment of the other "Old Craftsmen in the Very Small Workshop" It is pictured in Dallas's PURDEYS BIG RED BOOK.The No ONE Finisher there was Robert"BOB' Thompson, WW 1 Veteran of the Trenches.He was the "Tester of the finished Product...He and "Mr L" had me Wet & Drying old Purdey stocks for them to use test samples on. Each AM. when I had "Push-Biked"from my Mums "Flat' 4 m.!!!The firdt thing I had to do was 'Test the Finish on all the stocks', If they had hardened O/Night. all well for 'Rubbing-Out'....I have still the original'Recipe' Somewhere......Maybe Don D" will use it in the "SOON to Started..Volume Two of PURDEYS. Comm. by Purdeys...I Called my OLD FRIEND, Ken Hunt (Engraver of Note) The Old Fart has made it to his 72nd Birthday April 24....We always go the old Remembrance Route"Theres a new book published on the area around Kells Engraving WorkShop,Eley Cartridges started off there.....lots of Gun related things went on around the narrow streets of Soho...So much to do.....So Little Time..cc.