End of an Era

It is with great sadness that we have to report that our founder, Mr Ralph William Morten passed away peacefully on the 15th October 2013 - one day away from the 76th anniversary of opening Yorkshire's Famous Hardware Store. He was the grand age of 101!

Whilst one era closes Mortens is now entering a new and exciting period of development. Work is underway over the next few months to complete a shop refit in our Housewares department. We're half way through now - with new displays and new computerised tills. Which means we'll be able to keep our stock up to date both in store and online. We're hoping to revamp our website as well but that will be in the near future. One step at a time!

The shop refit has been greeted, in the main, with approval from our customers. Of one thing you can be reassured though - the Hardware department, with it's quirky rooms and wooden counter complete with little wooden drawers - will remain as it is. Mortens wouldn't be Mortens without that 'look'.

So we look forward to seeing our customers, old and new, in our new look Housewares. Modern look but still old fashioned service.

Mortens Supplies The Tools - Part 1 (Garden Bench Rescue)

This is the garden bench in it's sad and sorry state. Cast iron ends and teak slats that have rotted in many places. First thing we did was to give all the rusted bolts and screws a good dose of WD40.

Both sides given a good squirt of WD40

We left the bench for 24 hours to let it work before attempting to remove the nuts. Unfortunately the nuts and bolts were in such a state they would not separate.

Luckily the centre support bracket came off with a bit of effort, (remember to keep the screws so identical replacements can be obtained) The bracket will be put to one side to be cleaned up and repainted.

There was no way these bolts would budge despite chipping away old paint and rust. Looks as though they will have to be removed with a saw.

We had to saw the slats off (those that didn't fall off of their own accord) so we can get the ends on a work bench .  Remember to either keep one for the length or take measurements. On this bench all but two are the same width.
Next thing on the list is a saw with the capability of going through metal.

Roughneck - helps get the rust and old paint off

A Roughneck Wire Brush comes in handy for getting rid of the flaking paint and getting the surface ready for rescue.

Will let you know how the Garden Bench Rescue goes on in Part 2.




Please note : This poor bench looks fated to not be completed due to the fact it's renovator is planning to retire! Needless to say she (yes she!) is going to paint the cast iron in black Hammerite, purchase teak struts for it and new bolts and put it all back together again. Whether this makes the Blog we will have to wait and see. Thanks for reading.

Sabatier - A Very Brief Explanation

At Mortens we are frequently asked for Sabatier Knives. Many people still believe that there is such a thing. 'Sabatier' actually implies a high quality knife but is not a knife in itself.
The history dates back to the nineteenth century when two families, both named Sabatier but seemingly not related, manufactured knives in the Thiers area of France; Jean Sabatier of Le Moutier in lower Thiers and Phillipe Sabatier of Bellevue in upper Thiers so they both used their names to describe their knives. That is how the confusion began and goes on to the present day - though knives from Le Moutier seem to have got the upper hand.

An association was formed in 1979 to protect the Sabatier Brand. Manufacturers today cannot use the Sabatier name without being registered and using it with another word etc such as Stellar Sabatier. Only knives manfactured in Thiers are now regarded as 'genuine' Sabatier.

Using a Microwave Multi- Steamer

Rice
1. Put rice in basket and position in multi-steamer base
2. Add boiling water, cover with lid and cook on full power
3. Stir half way through cooking time and add a little water if necessary
4. Allow 2 mins standing time, rinse with boiling water and serve

Easy cook and Basmati:  Cooking time 11 minutes - stir after 5 mins
125g/4oz = 600ml/1 pint boiling water
250g (8oz) = 900ml (1½ pints) boiling water

Long Grain:  Cooking time 12 minutes - stir after 6 mins
125g (4oz) = 700ml (1¼ pints) boiling water
250g (8oz) = 1000ml (1¾ pints) boiling water

Brown Rice: Cooking Time 16 minutes - stir after 8 & 12 minutes
125g (4oz) = 700ml (1¼ pints) boiling water
250g (8oz) = 1000ml (1¾ pints) boiling water
(Times for 650 watt microwave - please adjust times to suit)

Noodles:
Place dry noodles in the multi-steamer basket, cover with boiling water and cook on full power for 2 minutes. Stand for further 2 mins then drain.

Green Vegetables:
Put a small amount of water (4-5 tablespoons) below the steamer basket. Place vegetables in basket, cover with lid and cook on full power. Most green vegetables will cook in 3 - 5 minutes, the correct timings will come with practice.

Other Vegetables: (potatoes, carrots, parsnips, swedes, turnips etc)
Cut into similar size pieces and place in steamer basket. Add water until the base of the basket is just covered and cook on full power turning half way through cooking time. Hard vegetables will take significantly longer time to cook so check your microwave instructions for times.

A comprehensive range of microwave ware is available online from 
www.mortensofilkley.co.uk

Which Glass for What Drink?

In the store we are frequently asked ' have you any claret glasses?' or 'glasses for sherry please'. We thought it might be of help to show the shapes of glasses available and the drinks associated with them.

Beer Glasses - from the traditional dimpled and handled tankard to the modern plain straight sided. The glass with the rounded top edge makes its easier to grip. You may find this interesting about the shape of your beer glass

 Liqueur Glasses - long stemmed, small bowl. Designed for strong drinks that need to be sipped slowly, unheated by the hand and all the aroma kept within the glass

 Red Wine Glasses - stemmed with large bowl. Red wine glasses come in a variety of bowl sizes - some taking up to a whole bottle so please be aware when you say 'I only had one glass!' Red wine glasses are rounder and wider to increase the rate of oxidation. As oxygen chemically reacts with the wine it is subtly changed allowing you to savour its complex flavours. The stem keeps the heat from your fingers away from the bowl.
The difference between Bordeaux and Burgundy Glasses is where, on the tongue, the wine touches with each sip. 

 Shot Glasses: Small, with a capacity of about 25-50ml. Designed for drinks downed in one gulp. Trend is moving more towards using them for starters as a 'taster' of various dishes.

 Water glass - plain, simple and large and should best be provided  for those who like water and to help dilute any other alcohol offered during a meal.

  White wine glasses - smaller that those for red wine and narrower at the top to reduce oxidation. If it is a sparkling wine it helps keep it sparkling longer.

 Brandy glasses: Short stemmed with large bowl to sit in the hand traditionally so that the heat from the hand warms the brandy and lets the flavour and aroma develop.

 Claret Glass - similar to liqueur glasses











Lager Glass: Tall and slender with a slight flare. Research has shown that those people drinking lager from a straight glass drink slower and therefore drink less than using the traditional fluted glass. 

Champagne Flute: Tall and slim with narrow bowl designed to keep the carbonation going for longer. This glass, in comparison with the old style champagne glass, is also more esthetically pleasing as the bubbles gently move up the glass.

Whisky Glass: Short tumbler designed for malt whisky either neat or made into a longer drink. Experts say that a true whisky can only be appreciated when drunk from a tulip shaped glass which you cannot buy from an average shop. So stick to the tumbler.

Sherry Glass: Instantly recognisable by its elongated tulip shape. The larger glass in this style is called a schooner. You can also serve sherry in a liqueur glass.

Margarita Glass:Some say it's designed like this to represent an upside down sombero. There is no definitive explanation to why it has the dip in the centre. It is agreed that its wide rim allows the salt edge to last as you turn the glass with each sip.

 Cocktail/Martini Glass: The wide rim allows the display of garnish etc. It's agred it just looks good to be this shape.

What Size Brush For What Paint Job?

Thanks to Harris for this info

12mm    small window frames,picture frames and intricate areas
18mm    small window frames, picture frames etc
25mm   window frames and doors
37mm   skirting boards and furniture
50mm   doors
62mm   radiators, door panels and a good size for cutting in before using a roller
75mm   garage doors
100mm  walls, ceilings and large flat areas

New To Decorating? Don't Know What to Buy?

For those of you who come to painting and decorating as complete novices we thought we'd start by giving you a list of the basics you may need for successful decorating. We're not saying it's definitive but it's what we've used ourselves over the years and would recommend to any of our customers.
The Basics
Painting woodwork including doors, windows and skirtings
paint brushes - 12mm to 50mm
masking tape (for painting glass panelled doors etc)
brush cleaning tub (or any plastic tub deep enough)
brush cleaner
sandpaper for preparation (all grades, you'll need them for removing old paint and smoothing)
dust sheets
safety glasses (not absolutely necessary but get paint in your eye and you'll know about it!)
paint stripper if you're repainting
primer if it's new wood
knotting (if it's new wood you'll need to seal any knots to stop them bleeding through)
scraper if you're removing paint - 2 sizes depending on whether it's a flat surface such as a door or narrow such as a window frame
overalls or a paint apron (again not absolutely necessary if you have 'scruffs' for doing DIY in - but the pockets come in handy)


You'll also need step ladders, rags, something to open paint tins with (NOT a kitchen knife) and patience.

The Basics
For Wallpapering
Pasting table - make sure it's sturdy and easy to wipe down
Pasting brush
Bucket
Wallpaper brush - for smoothing out air bubbles etc
Seam roller - not absolutely vital but a handy tool
Wallpapering scissors - not just household scissors, they have a longer bade and are sharper
Plumb line
Pencil or china graph pencil - you'll find you'll need to mark the pasting table for long lengths of paper

Again you'll need decent safe steps or step ladders, plenty of rags for quick wipe up of spills etc and an apron with pockets because there's nothing more annoying than getting to the top of the step ladder to find you've forgotten the wallpapering brush or you need a cloth quickly. If there's any old wooden spoons in the kitchen drawer don't throw them away - they make great paste stirrers.

That's about it. The rest is up to you. If you ned any more advice or help just email us and we'll get back to you post haste - or should that be paste haste!