Hi Nigel, Mike,

Not a "tobacco tin" tap; kept separately in its box with corresponding No.2 and bottom taps.

Says "Made In UK", is HSS like all my taps and dies; while I've probably had it thirty years (bought new from a tools supplier in NW London I'd used since I moved to the area in the late 1970's).

Before the break, can't remember ever using it for cutting a full thread from scratch, only extending existing threads. In this case, I was cleaning out a thread in a clutch lever after rechroming (Mike, same lever I couldn't enlarge the pivot hole with a hand-held electric drill a while back - as well as chromed, the lever is also case-hardened ... ). Was being used with cutting lubricant.

Hth.

Regards,