The combs

These were custom made for me. Guess what I paid?

Would you believe a bottle of my homemade mead and the promise to come in July and do a spinning demonstration?

The fellow/fellows who made them are from the Hughlett-Tavern Group and are involved in helping keep the art of blacksmithing alive. If you join the Blacksmithing Guild (for a miniscule amount of money - I THINK it's $25 a year), you get to take free blacksmithing lessons.

I went up there a few months ago carrying Alden Amos' book and some catalogs that showed combs for sale (which is why I know these fellows know how much they are worth). They called last weekend to say they were ready.

Anyway, if you're not in a hurry... they only work two or three days a week... and you want a good deal on some Viking-style combs... let me know, I'll get you an estimate. Or, if you want to venture down to the Northern Neck of Virginia some Saturday... they are open from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. and they'll teach you how to make them yourself.