John "Bogstandard" mentions below that bargains can still be had... and he's not wrong. A little while ago, I lucked into a huge stack of lathe tools for, it turned out, next to nothing:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/260731078986
All that lot for 40 quid & the cost of a drive out to Blackpool..., so maybe £60ish all in.
All I need now is a similar find in milling cutters for the same money, and I will be a happy bunny
