I'm afraid it isn't that exciting David, but slightly convoluted, which is why I didn't go into it earlier!
Tool Man has an obsessive interest in my cosh collection, (far more than myself!
), and on a weekly basis, he will discuss starting his own, at great length, and how he's going to get his tailor to add special pockets to his Teddy Boy suits (Drapes), etc. This has gone on for many years, but Tool Man is too tight-fisted to acquire one!
The conversation will then progress to how easily he might make one, at which I generally point out that, while he might me able to cobble one together, and while it might have the same effectiveness, it will not have the aesthetics of a beautifully-made flat sap, for example. And since he only wants it for the purposes of posing, and pretending to be tough, aesthetics are important
As you must have noticed, Tool Man has acquired a rather motley collection of friends and associates over the years. Schenke, is certainly not the oddest, but he is not without his eccentricities. I actually know him independently of Tool Man, as we used to frequent the same bar at one time, and have some other mutual friends. He's very clever at making things, in fact I once sent
@mrknife a ring he had made.
A few months ago, Schenke made some embossed leather key-rings for Boring Ray, Tool-Man's fellow Ted, who has the stall next door. They have Teddy Boy themes, which rather limits their appeal to a dwindling group of crusty old men, only a few of whom visit the market, and since, (being old Yorkshire men), they are tight-fisted, and Ray's prices are always stupidly high, they haven't sold well, despite the effort put in on Schenke's part
One of Schenke's recent visits to the market coincided with one of Tool Man's extended diatribes about his planned cosh acquisition, and inevitably, Tool Man eventually had a light-bulb moment: "Hey, I bet you could make these Schen!"
Tool Man insisted in involving me in this, not least since his actual knowledge of the subject, is entirely lacking. So I referred Schenke to the website of MY 'tailor', and agreed, if Tool Man rang me up to remind me, (which of course he didn't), to draw round a couple of examples, so that Schenke had the size.
When I arrived at the market yesterday, Boring Ray told me that Schenke had made me something, showing me their conversation, and photos of a flat sap on Facebook. I had to make it clear to both Ray and Tool Man that the manufactured article was not ordered by me, since I have no need of such a replication. Tool Man, worried his pie budget might be wiped out, was prevaricating. When Schenke arrived, he produced the goods, which were well made. It looked like I was going to be paying for the experiment, until Tool Man found out how little Schenke was asking, a mere £10, which is a tiny percentage of my past investment in such articles. I told him this was far too cheap, and to be fair to Tool Man, he did stump up £15 from his moth-riddled wallet
Tool Man, excited by his new acquisition, then got giddy, and began demanding Schenke make more, and he would sell them to his Teddy Boy friends, at the various events he attends. With '£' signs flashing in front of his eyes, he quickly conjured up ever more fanciful ideas about how they might be stamped, (and thus made even less saleable). Considering it has taken him 10 years to stump up £15, he ought to suspect that that few of his curmudgeonly old friends are going to want to pay a larger amount for what is effectively a novelty item, with questionable legality. I will be sure to keep everyone posted
Prester John Vince may know if it’s the original
It's not the first time I've had this happen, but I usually use the self-service machines so I don't have to deal with stupid people. However, changes in their rules means that you have to take all overseas packages to the counter. I'll just have to go to a different post office, and hope I get someone with some intelligence next time 
