[roundball]

On a related note, Tom Fuller retired last year and turned over his black english flint business to a long time worker or a son, not sure which...but in talking with places like Cain's Outdoor in West Va., the owner said he's left phone messages and sent Emails wanting to submiut another bulk order for flints and the guy has yet to return his calls or email.

When I heard Fuller was getting ready to retire I bought 750 3/4" x 7/8" BEFs so there would be no question I'd have a supply for years to come. I've seen privately owned well established businesses go right down the drain not long after being taken over from the original independent owner...or sold out to a big company or something and things are never the same.

Just making the point that we might find ourselves in a situation where either BEFs become really very expensive or at times even unavailable so I at least save my used ones...have a couple hundred that can be resurfaced easily if I want/need to.

As an anology, look what's happended to the price of lead in the past 2 years...