I've decided to give my repointing skills a try. I've found a fairly decent wall thats needs a litte tlc. The wall was built in the 1920's and has a farily soft brick with a softer mortar. I am going to use an equivalant of Type K mortar (1:4:15) or a Type O mortar (1:2:9). I cannot find a supplier of lime putty here on my side of the state, I would have to have it shipped from Toledo for a total cost of about $70 per 3 gal. pail (50 for the putty 20 for shipping). That doesn't appeal to me very much. My question becomes what is the best subsitute for the lime putty...quicklime and water??? Is that a fair substitue for the lime putty? And if it is, what is the proper slaking procedure for this process? What is my m ix ratio on the lime to water. How long do I need to let it set before I can repoint? Any help is most appreciated. Nate Gillette Grand Rapids, MI -- To terminate puerile preservation prattling among pals and the uncoffee-ed, or to change your settings, go to: <http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/bullamanka-pinheads.html>