The following file: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/boost/files/cycle_basis_mgr.hpp forms part of an adaptation of policy_ptr to collect cycles in the pointer graph. Part of the difficulty was writing specializations for a curried class, e.g. template<typename ProxVisitor> class curry_prox_visitor_refcycle_counted { public: template <typename ReferentPtr> class owner ; }; due to the restrictions on "nested contexts" (see comments under namespace rm_nondeduced ). rm_nondeduced is part of a workaround, but I was wondering if there was a better way. I'm afraid I've missed some simpler way. Any help or advice appreciated.