Putty Knife Fine Scraper

[pugilato]

Britain and American... two countries separated by a common language - Benjamin Franklin

 

[rdesigns]

Well, since my post started this confusion about names--putty knife vs filling knife--I will venture to say that very often British (English particularly) names and terms tend to be clearer, as is the case here, judging from the posts from the UK.

Another one that comes to mind is the term for describing gas fireplaces that vent by means of a double pipe, one inside the other: the outer pipe brings outside air in for combustion, and the inner one is the flue pipe that vents products of combustion to the outside. The English call this a "balanced flue", while we call it a "direct vent" appliance. "Direct vent" tells you nothing useful or even accurately descriptive about the type of vent system. The English term is accurate and clear.

Not that I'm saying American terms are always less clear--it would be interesting to hear from others on both sides of this issue.  Any takers?

 

[pugilato]

i think its just that we know less english... LOL is in the fricking dictionary, for crying out loud.

 

[Ken Nagrod]

We call it 'B' vent. That may be where it originated - "balanced"

 

[rdesigns]

We call it 'B' vent. That may be where it originated - "balanced"

More confusion: "B vent" is NOT direct vent or balanced flue.  B vent does not supply combustion air via the annular space between the aluminum inner liner and outer galvanized skin. The annular space is simply intended to provide insulation, thereby allowing installation closer to combusibles. (1")

(I have no idea what our B vent is called in the UK.)

 

[Ken Nagrod]

We call it 'B' vent. That may be where it originated - "balanced"

More confusion: "B vent" is NOT direct vent or balanced flue.  B vent does not supply combustion air via the annular space between the aluminum inner liner and outer galvanized skin. The annular space is simply intended to provide insulation, thereby allowing installation closer to combusibles. (1")

(I have no idea what our B vent is called in the UK.)

Whoops.  You are correct.  Read the post a bit too fast on my phone and thought about the double liner B vent.  That air gap in B vent is for protection from the heat near other materials, not for air intake.  Thanks for correcting my post.  [embarassed]

 

[rdesigns]

i think its just that we know less english... LOL is in the fricking dictionary, for crying out loud.

One of the problems is, nobody truly knows English. Its very nature makes it unknowable in any absolute sense. Dictionaries are the tail, not the dog.

On the other hand, its malleability has been its strength over the centuries since it was spoken by an obscure, isolated tribe that developed into the most widespread empire ever.

English has happily and heedlessly absorbed vocabulary and grammar (or lack thereof) from every imaginable source, and, in turn, has invaded nearly every other language on the planet to one degree or another.

 

[rdesigns]

We call it 'B' vent. That may be where it originated - "balanced"

More confusion: "B vent" is NOT direct vent or balanced flue.  B vent does not supply combustion air via the annular space between the aluminum inner liner and outer galvanized skin. The annular space is simply intended to provide insulation, thereby allowing installation closer to combusibles. (1")

(I have no idea what our B vent is called in the UK.)

Whoops.  You are correct.  Read the post a bit too fast on my phone and thought about the double liner B vent.  That air gap in B vent is for protection from the heat near other materials, not for air intake.  Thanks for correcting my post.  [embarassed]

I'm impressed--your kind of politeness is a refreshing change from what is too often seen on forums.

 

[Ken Nagrod]

I'm impressed--your kind of politeness is a refreshing change from what is too often seen on forums.

Thanks.  Give me a couple of hours to drive around NJ today and it'll change.  [big grin]