Going to have a go at fitting a pair of forks for the first time.
Looks like installing the star fangled nut is pretty straightforward. Is there anything I should watch out for, or any top tips for making sure it goes in straight. Looks like I could screw the bolt in, and knock it in gently with that, and/or use an appropriate sized socket once it's fully engaged in the steerer. Is there any danger of getting it crooked?
You have to be pretty lucky to get it in straight with just the bolt and a hammer. If You don't have/cant borrow/wont go to a bike shop, put some washers on the bolt that just fit in the steerer and put a nut under them. Then when you tap the bolt in and it starts to go crooked(and it will) keep hitting it back straight trying to get the washers into the steerer. In my experience it never goes in perfectly without the correct tool or something similar.
The Swede, thanks. Was quite confident till I saw your post. It looks like the first section could go in crooked but would get straightend when the second one went in.
Do other people agree that this is something that needs a special tool to do it right?
They hardly ever go in straight by hitting the preload bolt....And are nearly impossible to straighten.
Using a proper tool is very satisfying. Whack whack whack and it's nicely seated.
Use the correct tool, they're not expensive and you're going to use it more than once.
Just make sure you double check the length of the steerer and remember to take the stem into account before you cut.... 
Buy a hope head doctor instead. Saves all the faffing about with SFN's. Mines on it's third bike, well worth the initial investment.
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