Hultafors HVK GH Knife

Hultafors HVK GH Knife


Manufacturer: Hultafors, Sweden
Model:  HVK GH
Blade material: SK5 high carbon steel
Blade length: 93mm
Blade Width: 2.5mm
Grind: Scandanavian
Handle material: High density PP plastic with Santoprene rubber grip
Overall weight: 80g
Overall Length: 208mm
Price: £5.34
Source: Tools direct
Shipped from: UK

Introduction
The Hultafors HVK GH is a budget swedish craft knife based on the traditional Puukko of finland.
These knives are the staple tools of  Swedish craftsman ranging from wood carvers to electricians but recently have also been repurposed by the growing number of "Bush crafters" and "Preppers".  Hultafors knives promise offer high quality at bargain prices and this model comes in at a very reasonable £5.34 which is a good start.

The knife blade is made from SK5 high carbon steel which is hardened to around 58-60 HRC, promising high strength and a long lasting edge. 
Blade thickness is 2.5mm and length measures around 93mm. The knife isnt full tang, meaning it does not extend to the end of the handle. Rather this is more three quarter tang which is a good thing. The blade will stand less chance of breaking in the handle if excessive force is applied. Compared to some bargain knives (which have very short rat tail tangs) this adds a little extra piece of mind.
The spine of the blade is rough and rounded. Not finished with a flat edge. Nothing that cannot be remedied with a file after all, they are selling these at a low price so attention to the cutting edge is more important.

The handle is made from tough polypropylene plastic with a Santoprene vulcanised rubber covering which ensures a high performance grip.
Ergononically the handle is well shaped to fit most hands although would probably suit those with a shallower grip profile.

When it comes to criticisms then the only one would be the quality of the cutting edge. Its sharp and everything but cut at different widths on either side of the blade. Hard to explain really. It's not the end of the world but it's annoying when you are reminded of it.
Overall build quality is good for the money and as the price is so low they are pretty much disposable. Who cares if you lose it?
As a tool its offers a wide range of uses from peeling vegatables to the fine carving of wood. Probably not the type of knife for prying or using as a axe - its not heavy duty. A useful knife to have about for everything else though. Not bad at all.

Floureon FC200 - Walkie Talkies (PMR/FRS)

Model: FC200 (twin pack)
Manufacturer: Floureon
Price: £8 a pair with free postage
Channels: 16 channel PMR 446MHz  (also available in 22 channel variant for USA market)
Power: 0.5W (low) / 1W (high) selectable
Power supply: 3 x AA batteries with recharge circuit for using rechargables
Type Approved: Nope!
Source: Ebay
Shipped from: UK - 3 days

Introduction
The price of decent two way radios have come down dramatically in the last couple of years. It sort of started with cheap amateur radios such as the Baofeng 888s being sold for £5 a piece and now we move onto license free radios which operate on PMR in europe and FRS etc in the states.
How about two fully functioning 16 channel PMR radios for £8? Sounds unbelieveable?
Enter the Floureon FC200. A real bargain bucket radio which doesn't look like a child's toy.
The story used to be when you wanted a set of bubble pack radios you went to Argos or Maplin (in UK) and paid upwards of £30 for a set of Cobras or Binatones. And if you really felt rich that week a set of Motorolas which could cost over £100 in some cases. The inevitable result was that no matter how much you spent on a set of radios you always roughly got the same features and performance. The reason for this is because all PMR radios must have a fixed antenna and must only push out a maximum of 0.5W.  The strict limitations imposed on manufacturers severely reduce the radiated power of PMR radios making any differences between radio models minor.
These days the chinese are flooding the market with very cheap PMR rigs which in some cases deliver twice the power that is allowed and this Floureon FC200 is one such radio.

Features

• 16 Channel PMR
• 121 CTCSS tones
• 0.5W and 1W power
• Dual channel watch
• USB charging port for AA batteries
• One touch scan
• 10 call tones
• Lamp

Stand out feature
Selective scan - The ability to remove channel/s from the scan list on-the-fly.
Useful if the scan keeps sticking on unwanted channels.

Construction
When you pay £4 a radio you don't expect Motorola build quality so it was a surprise to see that the FC200 is quite well made. Not in the same league as a motorola but not a million miles behind either. The plastic housing is quite tough despite being made from cheap plastics and the antenna is stronger than it looks. The radio doesn't really feel cheap in the hand. It feels solid and sturdy, perhaps comparable to a more expensive binatone radio.
The FC200 has function buttons that are made from rubber which appear to be hard wearing and offer a small amount of water resistance. 
The antenna on this radio is semi-rigid and made from a coiled wire wrapped in a soft feeling plastic - it looks familar? maybe off a motorola?
Compared to other non-removable PMR antenns this one seems quite long. There may be an advantage in range if the coil inside is the same length.
Whilst the FC200 doesn't look like a professional radio it doesn't look like a toy either.
The menu system is very easy to use and features a nice green back lit display. The function buttons are the usual soft rubber type but don't feel cheap and nasty. The FC200 features a lamp which can be operated by pressing a button on the front of the radio. This feature can be operated if the radio is switched on or off making it very easy to activate the lamp when inside a pocket or bag. To avoid accidental battery drain it's best to remove the batteries when not in use.

Good Points

• Good build quality
• Bright back lit screen
• Sound quality
• Standard AA batteries or rechargeable AA
• Full 16 PMR channels
• One touch scan feature

Bad Points

• NOT type certified
• Lamp can be operated by mistake - Draining batteries

Testing
The sound quality of the speaker when recieving signals is very clear and quite loud in terms of volume.
It certainly isn't the most refined speaker out there but at this price point is more than adequate.
When it comes to transmissions the FC200 delivers a clean, crisp signal which is slighly under amplified if anything but above average compared to more expensive sets.
No long distance testing has been carried out at the time of this post but short distances have been very successful. When used in a built up area these radios perform more or less the same as the Baofeng UV-5R ham radio which runs at around 4 Watts on high power. This is not surprising as the extra power doesn't always equate to further range. Despite having the ability to run at 1 Watt full power, the FC200 radio are still limited by their fixed antennas. Longer aftermarket antennas are not an option here so range distances will always be the same.
The real distance test will be when used from altitude  - Hill top to hill top etc.
The extra half a Watt in power (over normal PMR radios) may be more noticeable when operating line of sight on a hill.

Embracing the New
The PMR 446Mhz band used to be limited to just 8 channels but as the band became increasingly more populated it was widened to 16 channels. This change happened a while ago and not many manufacturers have embraced the change and updated their radios. I suspect there are millions of old 8 channel radios to get rid of first. Thankfully though Floureon have made this radio 16 channel which is welcome news. The ability to now find a quiet channel is great. The new upper 8 channels are silent 24/7 probably because everyone else has an 8 channel radio. This state of affairs may not last long though!.

legal to use?
Believe it or not it isn't!. The reason is because it has the ability to transmit at a higher power than is allowed on the PMR446 band. The FC200 passes every requisite in being legal to use on the license free band except for the power aspect. Who really is legal to use this radio on the set PMR channels? A licensed HAM radio operator? No. Once again because the radio is not type approved then it is illegal for anyone to use this radio on PMR. Excatly the same as if using the Baofeng 888s  A minor detail! It doesn't stop people using them on the 446 band and because the license free band is not monitored by OFCOM (in the UK) they won't have anyone knocking at their door anytime soon. It's a matter of personal choice as to whether someone breaks the law or not.
Rather contradictory when the radio you buy cannot be legally used!?

Size comparison 

Conclusion
Legalities aside, these Radios are superb value for money. These FC200's appear to be the cheapest PMR walkie talkies anywhere! The build quality far outweighs the cost and the functionality rival many of the expensive models. Recommended definitely.

CS Tactical Blade Antenna - SMAF Dual Band

Model: AR-152A
Manufacturer: Unknown
Design: Flexible blade antenna
Type: Monopole Dual Band (2m/70cm) SMA female connection
Frequencies: 136Mhz - 520MHz
Length: 47cm / 18.3in
Weight: 82g
Gain: +2.5db
Price: £6.50 shipped
Source: Ebay seller
Shipped from: UK

A New Antenna For My Baofeng!?
When it comes to aftermarket antennas for chinese radios there is no getting away from the millions of fake Nagoya's or Diamond stubbies swamping ebay and amazon. Ocassionally something new comes along which looks a little different.
This new tactical blade antenna is certainly different from what we are usually presented with. First off is it's looks. Reminiscent of a tape measure some would say. It is quiet large compared to the NA-771 for instance. Flexible to be practical is the key word here with the blade having the ability to be folded in half and even into thirds when stowing away.
Apparently this design is based on a Harris PRC-152 flat flexi antenna used on military radios but it certainly isn't like one of those at all! Instead only the shortest part of the complete set up is supplied (The stump piece and blade) and the antenna extender is also missing but nevermind, it's a new Baofeng antenna!

Why a blade?
As well as looking a little daft, these type of blade antennas have some noteable qualities. One of which is the ability to act as an omni-directional monopole antenna acheiving good coverage over two different RF bands. This attempts to create a broader band antenna compared with a single wire monopole. An improvement on regular antennas seems to be the main selling point for this type but does that hold up when the logic is applied to a cheaply made chinese offering?
Another advantage to the blade is the ability for it to be folded down to a small size for storage. When attached to a soldiers webbing additional cable extenders can be used between the radio and the blade allowing free movement for the soldier when the antenna is on their back.

Build
This antenna comes as four separate parts.

• SMA connector piece  (Base piece)
• Blade section
• Velcro strap
• Spacer/washer

In terms of build quality the blade antenna is as good as any cheap aftermarket antenna.(not good)
The plastics used in the cover of the base piece is cheap and nasty. The metals used in the base piece are also below par. That's not a surprise really. The upper blade section is basically a trapezoidal shaped piece of alloy metal covered in a plastic heat shrink material. Not really high quality.
Considering the function of this antenna is to be bent in two over and over again one wonders how long the thin sheet metal blade will last before snapping?
Along with the two piece antenna is a spacer for fixing to the radio connector. A waste of time when all said and done and a magic velcro strap. This is actually quite good. It's like micro velcro, thin and very sticky for hog tying the antenna down.

Compatibility?
Don't expect this antenna to fit on every radio. The diameter of the antenna base is much bigger than most. Only radios which have a shallow antenna housing and space along the top will be able to use this. Forget the Baofeng GT-3 for instance.The GT-3 has a plastic lip around the antenna socket preventing the antenna screwing down at all. In testing the blade did fit the Baofeng UV-82, Baofeng 888s, Baofeng UV-5R and Pofung GT-1 at a pinch. The UV-82 had to have its flashlight reshaped with a knife just so the antenna would sit down nicely. It's not an ideal situation.

Good Points

• Sensitive
• Can be folded in half

Bad Points

• Very large and unwieldy
• Only fits on selected radios
• Top heavy 

Basic Testing
As I still don't own a power/SWR meter the tests were simple and non-scientific.
The blade antenna was tested against a Nagoya NA-771 and a Retevis elite RHD-771 on a Mistuta UV-82+ radio.
The test area was flat farmland at distances of around half a mile to a mile.
RX seems better on the new blade than on the NA-771 and The RHD-771 both of which are similar in length. The blade stands roughly 2-3ins higher than the others.
When it came to TX the blade seemed better than the NA-771 but similar to the RHD-771.
The blade overall seemed an improvement over the others which was a surprise. One wonders if the slightly longer length made a difference?
The tests were carried out with the antenna fully extended of course. Transmitting with the antenna folded in half might not be the best thing to do. Surely the SWR readings will be different? maybe not for the good. It is probably not advisable to TX at half mast. Listening only!.

WARNING!
Caution must be used when unstrapping the antenna. The blade is like a wound spring when it's doubled up and has a tendency to snap outwards. The antenna should be pointed away from the user when extending.

Conclusion:
To be honest the blade antenna is a mixed bag. Performance is better than the ebay favourite Nagoya Na-771 and it can be folded in half for storage purposes. However, It's heavy, long and has a habit of toppling the radio over. Worth buying for airsoft maybe or just because you don't have one already.

PBK Sportsman Lock Knife

Changes in the way you buy Knives in the UK 2018

Due to the ever growing scurge of Knife related crime in the UK the government have decided to take some punitive measures to tackle the problem and rather than going after the little gits who attack people with common Kitchen Knives they thought it would be a much better idea to penalise the majority of law abiding citizens instead. Sometime in the near future it will be illegal in the UK to buy Knives and pointy objects from the Internet and have them shipped to a private address thus causing a problem to buyers and sellers of Knives and as a result many online retailers are in a state of panic right now frantically slashing prices to clear stock whilst trying to work out what will actually be outlawed for sale. On the one hand this change in the law is causing some online businesses to sweat a bit whilst on the other it means that the good old general public gets to make some great purchases in the interim. 

I decided to take advantage of the situation.......

PBK Sportsman Lock Knife

Manufacturer: PBK

Model: Sportsman

Country of Origin: China

Price: £2.99

Supplier: Blades&Bows

Blade grade: 420 Stainless Steel

Blade Length: 3.25 Inch

Scales: Anodised Aluminium

Type: Liner lock 

UK Legal Status: Illegal to carry in public without good reason

Whilst looking at the discount section of Blades and Bows I saw this little locking Knife being peddled for the very reasonable price of £2.99! (There is a standard shipping charge added to all B&B orders but this works out as minimal when multiple items are bought).
I decided to buy this Sportsman Knife along with a few others (more on those in the near future) and waited patiently for them to arrive.
Within a couple of days a small parcel was pushed through the letterbox and landed with a thump on the carpet.
The parcel was well packaged and well presented. Each of the Knives in my consignment were in their own individual cellophane bag within an outer white coloured cardboard box. Nothing too fancy but then I didn't pay a lot for them in the first place.
First impressions of the PBK Sportsman Knife are very good. It is very well made for the money. The blade is made of a good-ish quality 420 grade Stainless Steel. Allegedly containing a higher amount of carbon for strength. As this item is from the peoples republic claims of this nature should be treated with caution. That said the blade does seem quite strong and well made - especially for the money. The edge on the blade is really sharp straight out of the box and not dull or roughly ground which is a surprise on a Knife as cheap as this. This Knife features an oblong cut out on the blade to assist in opening.

The Handle on this Knife is made from a light weight Anodised Aluminium with a tactical/skeletal look about it. Holding the Knife firmly in the hand is quite comfortable and the level of grip is good.
The rivets which hold each of the scales are well assembled and the simple liner lock within the handle is strong and dependable. So far I cannot find anything to complain about.

Overall this Knife is brilliant for the money. It represents the best quality Knife at the lowest price in the UK right now (probably)
Highly recommended

Collecting Maps: Ordnance Survey 1921-1940

Taking a look at the maps in my cupboard.....

Next in the series of maps from the cupboard are these Ordnance survey maps dating from 1921 to 1940.
From the 1920s onwards the popularity of the motor car and outdoor activities such as walking and cycling encouraged the Ordnance survey to embark on introducing more visually appealing and more practical maps for the general public. The fact that Bartholemews were also taking the lions share of map sales at that time may have also helped that along.

Some of the most iconic looking map covers would be produced during this time period. All map series of this period would have its own new woodcut style design.
The OS would also commission their first official artist to create some stunning watercolour paintings which would go on to adorn later series.

Today the watercolour fronted maps tend to command a higher price on the collectors market. The rarest and most interesting map of this period would be a limited edition Eclipse map which charted the position of the solar eclipse over the UK during the 12th of  June 1927. This map was only really valid for one day of course!.

Ordnance Survey Tourist map - 1 inch to 1 mile scale - 1924

First up is this early tourist map of the lake district mounted in sections on cloth. This happens to be  the oldest watercolour fronted map in the collection at present. Considering it is a 1924 reprint it is in remarkably good condition.

This map is 1 of 5500 produced in 1924

Dating OS maps from this time period

It seems a good time to mention the date markings on these old maps and how to interpret them.
The photo above is a prime example of how the OS were actively providing the user with useful revision/production dates on their maps - something which wasn't always as clear or forthcoming in later maps.
At the very bottom of the right hand margin was not only be the original map production date and revision dates but also the amount of maps produced that year.
Using the photo above as an example it is easy to see that the last year of revisions was 1924 with a total of 5500 maps made.
Handy information if you wanted to know how many they made.

Ordnance Survey Road map first edition half inch to 1 mile - 1930

Next up is this half inch to 1 mile scale road map from 1930.
No fancy watercolour cover this time but the ornate woodcut style I mentioned earlier. This style of cover dates back to around 1914 but continued for some years.
The map is mounted on cloth and in very good condition considering it's age.

1 of 3500 produced in 1930

Once again its thanks to the OS cartographers of this time that the date of first production and subsequent revisions are printed. The above photo shows that this map was limited in production to 3500 back in 1930. 

Another added bit of information is the name of the main man in charge of publishing the works. As the ordnance survey was always keen on the accuracy of their maps they would appoint the top brass from the military to head up the mapping teams ensuring strict quality control at all times. 

Ordnance Survey 1/4 inch to 1 mile third edition - 1933/1934

Coming along next are these three examples from the quarter inch to 1 mile scale maps (third series) produced in the early part of the 1930s.
Once again a range of maps produced in the new era of illustrated covers designed to grab a share of the new leisure motorist market.
Although not quite as fanciful as others of that time they still have a certain style about them. These three maps are all mounted on cloth and are in reasonably good condition.

Example of quarter inch third edition

The front cover depicts a motorcyclist parked up by a road sign reading his quarter inch road map -wearing iconic crash helmet and goggles. Very 1930s very stylish.

1 of 2000 maps produced in 1933

And in the footnotes we find plenty of information once again. This time the much distinguished Colonel E.M. Jack taking full responsibility as director general (above photo). Funny how no one is willing to put their name on maps these days!
According to the notes this map is limited to 2000 produced in 1933.
These little extra bits of information really adds to the map in my opinion.

Example of map colours

Although the quality of the above photo is pretty awful it does give a rough idea as to how deep the colours are on these maps from series three. Plenty of burnt oranges and browns with a few splashes of blue and green here and there. In practical terms this map would probably be a nightmare to navigate. It is quite hard to work out what's going on in places but it looks pretty nice all the same. Much better as a wall mounted display piece to be honest.

Ordnance Survey "One Inch" map fifth edition - 1939

This nice looking blue number is the 1 inch map from series five that superseded the immensely popular "Popular" series from the 1920s (which is incidentally, featured later).
Once again another woodcut style cover illustration depicting a rambler or outdoorsman.
In terms of condition this map is in good shape. Again partly down to the fact that it is mounted on cloth and not just paper alone.

Ordnance Survey 1 inch to 1 mile Popular Edition  (fourth edition) - 1929/1930

Lastly is the 1 inch to 1 mile 'Popular series' which started to appeared in the 1920s. Featuring a 'woodcut' style illustration of a bloke with a map sat on a hill side. There were many versions of the popular series over time with various changes to the front cover.

Although not as valuable as some of the watercolour series these maps are still worth collecting. They can be bought relatively cheaply at the moment with good quality examples being sold for as little £5. As with all of these early maps they were made in relatively small numbers so as time goes by the value may increase. The map in the photo above was 1 of 5000 produced in 1929.

The above photo shows the revision dates and the numbers produced in that revision. It also shows the name of the director general of the OS at the time - in this case Colonel Charles Close who was reknown for combining the original ideas of the OS with new ideas at the time. Many of the maps published under his watch are perhaps some of the most valuable today on the collectors market.

The above photo is an example of the uncluttered appearance of the popular series maps.
The area covered is Portsmouth on the south coast of England.

Deluxe High Power Green Laser

Flashlight Fiesta

Deluxe High Power green Laser

Mini gun?

Manufacturer: ? Unknown
Model: ? Unknown
Price: £12.00 with free shipping
Power: 50mW +
Run By: 1 x 18650 Lithium battery
Country of origin: China
Shipped from: Drop shipped into UK

This is the business end

After a long hiatus in flashlight reviews I decided to buy this monster after seeing it crop up here and there on ebay. I wasn't actually planning on buying any more lasers after the last lot of 303's I took possesion of but somehow this thing caught my eye. I guess it stood out due to it's looks and size. - It does look pretty mean!

Although the £12 price tag doesn't sound too expensive it is on average twice as expensive as the popular SD 303 lasers commonly found all over Ebay.
Would this difference in price equate to a more powerful laser? it remained to be seen.

The laser took a few weeks to arrive (despite the listing stating the item was in UK stock) and came wrapped up in a bubble-packet.  No safety warning leaflet, no instruction manual just the laser.

Solid aluminium battery compartment

The body of the laser is one big lump of aluminium - a very attractive lump of aluminium too.
With the look of a mini gun or a star wars light sabre this laser is guaranteed to turn a few heads.
In terms of style it would be hard to imagine a better looking design for a pocket laser. It is exactly what I consider as futuristic and interesting. Top marks for design.

Quality of materials is perhaps one area where this product falls down. Although the aluminium is thick and chunky (especially the end cap) it seems a little low grade. Too soft, too prone to dents and dings. Not quite as robust as it might seem.
Those familiar with the regular 303 laser will recognise the same kind of  18650 battery compartment, the same kind of twist focus head and the same laser aperture.

Don't be fooled by what is printed on these stickers

Operating this laser is a simple as inserting an 18650 battery and switching it on.  Like other lasers of this type it has the ability to not only fire a thin green laser beam but also to shine millions of little stars from the end via a plastic screw on star cap. As fancy as all these little stars are they are not the main event of course. The real function of this device is to fire a high power beam over a very long distance and also to burn things at close range.

The safety of the user and others has to be a priority when using this laser due to its largely unknown power output. Just because the warning sticker says it outputs 5mw means absolutely nothing when it comes to these unregulated Chinese items.
Experience tells you that these lasers are at least 50mW due to the distance the beam will travel and the fact that they can burn certain things including flesh! Sticker power claims should be treated with caution and extra care should be taken when using the laser at all times.

Comparison with the Laser 303 
When it comes to slightly dodgy laser pens none could be more recognisable than the ever popular laser 303 which has been infesting ebay for the past few years. As both of these devices use similar laser hardware and have similar power requirements it would be fitting to test them both side by side.

Remember the original laser 303 from the very first flashlight post?  to see the review again click HERE

When testing these lasers back to back it was hard to tell them apart in terms of power. The same kind of crazy distances were seen when shining them across an open field.
The same kind of burning sensation was experienced on the skin too! (not really recommended)
The only real difference between the two apart from looks was the power switch. The larger silver laser has a permanent 'On' button and not a push 'On' button meaning it is not neccesary to keep you finger on the button to operate it. handy.


 So overall this deluxe laser is a really great product provided it is operated safely. It looks fantastic but whether it is worth the extra money over the standard type is debatable.

  

Collecting Maps: Ordnance Survey 1896-1920

Taking a look at the maps in my cupboard.....

Collecting Maps : Ordnance Survey - An introduction

The next in my 'cupboard under the stairs collection' is my large hoard of  OS maps.
Ordnance survey maps are generally the easiest to come by on the open market and also the easiest to document.
Arguably the most accurate and well known maps around....

What is the Ordnance Survey?

Ordnance survey is the national mapping agency of Britian. It  produces highly detailed large and small scale maps of the UK.
Ordnance Survey Ltd is a government owned company and is the world's largest producer of maps.

The words 'Ordance Survey' perfectly describe the agencies original task of military strategic surveying.
Following the Jacobite uprising in Scotland in 1745 and then a potential revolution spreading from France at the end of the 1700s the British government felt it was necessary to instruct the board of ordance to completely map the south coast of England which would be a weak point should the French invade.
Until this time maps were very vague and moving troops and military planning was extremely difficult.
The need for accurate maps to indicate land features for placing troops, for hiding behind and for aiming at was crucial.

Ordnance survey cartographers developed a way of splitting the country into large geographic triangles which could then be broken down into smaller triangles and intersection points taken. Triangulation was the key feature in the early pioneering days of the OS.
The very first Ordance survey map was published in 1801 and took three years to complete. This first edition covered the county of Kent, the nearest county to the English channel and France.

Today Ordnance survey maps are considered the best and most accurate in the world.
Over 200 years of continuous careful fine tuning have made these British maps extremely accurate, elegant to look at and collectable in antiquity.
These are not just maps, they are works of art.

Ordnance Survey 1896 - 1920

Underneath a layer of dust and nostalgia lies my oldest ordnance survey maps. Lacking in colour and reeking of military blandness these ancient maps were definately better suited to the soldier than the cyclist.

Dating somewhere just before 1900 is this sparsely labelled map of east derbyshire and more specifically Charlesworth, Edale and surrounding area.
In the early days of the OS map such luxuries as a symbol legend, scales ruler and even a border were not considered important when producing a map (or not at least on this series). These early maps were not as readily available as one might think. Certainly not in every book shop. Ordnance survey relied on agents to distribute their maps in the olden days so grabbing a map might have involved placing an order beforehand.



1896 - 1902  Wensleydale, Aysgarth, Wensley, Middleham and Masham
1 inch to 1 mile scale  - Mounted on cloth

dating between 1896-1902 this rather bland looking document represents the first of a small batch of really old OS maps which reside in my cupboard.
This map, covering the Wensleydale district of Yorkshire seems to have been part of numbered series although the exact series is unknown. Handy for me that I have a similar part work of Wensleydale (up next) which fits together perfectly along side this one to form part of a larger map. Interesting.

The map is made from paper sections mounted on cloth and then fixed to a card cover. Despite it's age this map has shown no signs of fading, peeling or cloth fraying which is mainly due to the quality of the workmanship. Being handmade adds a certain feeling of quality about it. Due to the very nature of map production at that time it's highly likely that this map and it's wider set were made in very small quantites and so they become rare on the market today.
This map is printed on the popular 1 inch to 1 mile scale.

1896 - 1902: Wensleydale, Leyburn and Richmond (Yorkshire)
1 inch to 1 mile - Mounted on cloth

Here is the second ancient map from the Wensleydale set. Once again handmade to a very high standard. Once again made from paper sections, cloth backing and given semi rigid covers.

Dating this map is virtually impossible due to the lack of margins or indication on the covers. The best guess has to be between 1896-1902 although this is conservative. Both of these little Wensleydale maps could have been made from 1870. 

Once again the craftsmanship here is fantastic. 

The estimated value of these maps is around £15 each if you can find them.

1898 - 1902: Charlesworth, Chapel-en-le-Frith, Castleton and Tideswell  (Derbyshire)
1 inch to 1 mile - Mounted on cloth

In a similar style to the previous two maps we have this fine document of Chapel-en-le-Frith in Derbyshire. Produced at the turn of the century this 1 inch to 1 mile scale map looks remarkably good for 118 years old.
Once again this map was handmade with paper map sections mounted on cloth but this time no outer covers.

This map shares many similarities with the previous two maps but differs in the way it was mounted on it's cloth backing.

Those who are paying attention would have noticed the distinct lack of a margin on the very earliest maps in my cupboard.  The reason for this is still a mystery although one theory is that the Ordnance survey agent (bookseller) might have cut down a much larger map themselves and then mounted these smaller sections on card and cloth? It is certainly a possibility.



1912 Large scale 3rd series:  Ashford and Tenterden  (Kent)
1 inch to 1 mile - Mounted on cloth

Lastly we have this old map of Ashford in Kent. A fine example of an early dated third edition of the popular series scaled 1 inch to 1 mile.
This map like the previous three in this post has all the charm and attractiveness of a prison menu. A little bland and unappetising. Still along way away from the pretty watercolour printed covers of the later popular editions.

The authorised OS map agent Blinko & Sons

This map is a fine example of a dealer copy which still displays the name of the agent who would have ordered and sold these maps for Ordnance survey. Blinko & sons as a business has probably long since faded in the mists of time. 

Last revision - 1912

The overall condition of this map is very good considering it is over a century old. The covers are in good shape despite a few minor stains here and there. The map sheet itself is in remarkable condition probably owing to the fact that it is mounted on cloth.  This map doesn't appear to have been used very much either. The margins are clean and smudge free, the folds are still crisp and no part of the cloth backing has bubbled due to moisture.

Early OS maps were not reknown for their colourful looks but with this edition a change of sorts can be seen.
The current value of this map is hard to gage. But as they don't tend to show up very often it's safe to say that the true value is probably around £12-£15.

That concludes my current stock of very old OS maps. I do have many more younger maps which I plan on covering very soon.