Rap,
This is my granny's house and it came with a lot of old playing cards. I don't have any thermite (and really prefer not to make a trip to town if I can help it) Would it work to scrape the celluloid off the cards and pack it in the handle?

SO, one reason I've been trying so hard to do the job myself is little things like how now I can't get my water turned off until today because it was easier for the one I asked to go home and go to bed than to run out and turn off my damn meter.
Today, I shall get that turned off..and will keep the turn-off tool so I can turn it back on when I'm ready.

This drawn out affair is wearing me out!!