Man, heat treating is such a black art. I burnt up a blade once because my thermometer was off. Had to just start over from scratch.

Oh man, that totally unlocked a memory. My first car's air conditioning always had this awful mildew smell. I spent way too much money on those fancy sprays that did nothing. My uncle finally told me to just pour some plain white vinegar in the drain tube under the dash. I thought he was crazy, but it worked in like ten minutes. Cost me maybe fifty cents.

Totally agree with moving away from pure black. Karen649 is right about gray being easier, it cuts down on that harsh contrast. I found a dark charcoal background with off-white text works way better for long reading sessions. It just feels less straining, you know? What gray shades do you usually lean toward?