Listen, I love you guys! I have a lot of overseas customers and many of you have been repeat buyers. It is VERY much appreciated and I am happy to send my tools and knives around the world.
It is with regret that I feel I must post this but lately the situation has been getting out of hand.
Look, I know you guys get shafted with import duties and luxury taxes, especially in European countries, and I can fully understand why you would want me to put down a lesser amount on the customs form. "Please make the amount under xx." I get this all the time and I really do sympathize with you. I often pay duties on items that I order from overseas too albeit at a lesser rate than what you guys are having to pay.
On the US customs form there is a line at the bottom that I must put my signature on. That means it is a LEGAL DOCUMENT. It says that the contents and value of the package are accurate and true. If I were to sign that form and put down an amount that is less than what the contents are worth then I would be breaking the law. PLEASE stop asking me to do this as I cannot and will not lie on a legal document.
If I got caught doing that I could go to jail, do you understand? Seriously. And I'm really not interested in becoming some 300 lb gorilla's "boyfriend" so you can save $20.
So have a heart will you? Let's keep me in my shop making your cool toys and not stuck in a jail cell in some federal penitentiary doing 5 years of hard time for mail fraud.
Thursday, June 29, 2006
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
Boogers!
The current batch of Boogers have been coming along well. Got most of them ground and sheathed and many have gone out to their new homes already. I thank everyone for their interest and the business!
Now it's going to be back to square one and having to make more. I'm gratified by the overwhelmingly positive response to the Drop Point version. I have only done three of these so far but I'm getting a bunch of folks wanting to get on the list. Looks like the next batch will have a lot of drop points in it. :)
About to start a new batch of Prybaby XLs tomorrow. Hopefully will get a dozen or so ready for heat treat.
Also in progress, two Son of PryThings, 4 full sized Bug Out Blades, Micro Bug Out Bars, Micro Card knives, basic S30v Keytons and if you are really lucky, a handful of 3 Way screwdrivers. :P
Now it's going to be back to square one and having to make more. I'm gratified by the overwhelmingly positive response to the Drop Point version. I have only done three of these so far but I'm getting a bunch of folks wanting to get on the list. Looks like the next batch will have a lot of drop points in it. :)
About to start a new batch of Prybaby XLs tomorrow. Hopefully will get a dozen or so ready for heat treat.
Also in progress, two Son of PryThings, 4 full sized Bug Out Blades, Micro Bug Out Bars, Micro Card knives, basic S30v Keytons and if you are really lucky, a handful of 3 Way screwdrivers. :P
Saturday, June 24, 2006
It's Gonna Rain
Yep, looks like this week will be very good for production since it is supposed to rain non stop for days and days. Good thing Jenny took advantage of a moment of dry weather and cut the lawn yesterday...
So it will be Boogers today. Mostly V notch ones this batch and much of the work is already done. Just have to grind the main bevel with the cutting edge and they will be ready for blasting, satinating, sheathing and sharpening. They're so darned cute, one of my favorite little tools. I'm going to try to keep one of these for myself this time. Haha, who am I kidding? I end up with the dregs mostly. I have a Mini on my keychain that is all messed up. The whistle on my keys has a double name stamp and a dent. The Booger that I keep will be the one with the grind line that went way over the middle line, way past where the point of the V notch was.
It's better this way though since I need to keep selling the salable stuff and paying for all the endless expenses of this business. Talk about hemorraghing money, knifemaking will suck it out of your wallet like you would not believe. Consider this last week. $136 for belts, $150 for kydex and rivets, $777 for steel and $385 to MSC for gloves, end mills, abrasives, drill bits, a scotchbrite wheel and misc items. Ouch. This week will see another box of belts for about $350. Even though I am blessed to have a cousin who works for Norton and who sends me belts once in awhile for free I still end up having to shell out for more every couple of months. I'm also close to running out of black paracord so that will be another $50 for a spool.
So it will be Boogers today. Mostly V notch ones this batch and much of the work is already done. Just have to grind the main bevel with the cutting edge and they will be ready for blasting, satinating, sheathing and sharpening. They're so darned cute, one of my favorite little tools. I'm going to try to keep one of these for myself this time. Haha, who am I kidding? I end up with the dregs mostly. I have a Mini on my keychain that is all messed up. The whistle on my keys has a double name stamp and a dent. The Booger that I keep will be the one with the grind line that went way over the middle line, way past where the point of the V notch was.
It's better this way though since I need to keep selling the salable stuff and paying for all the endless expenses of this business. Talk about hemorraghing money, knifemaking will suck it out of your wallet like you would not believe. Consider this last week. $136 for belts, $150 for kydex and rivets, $777 for steel and $385 to MSC for gloves, end mills, abrasives, drill bits, a scotchbrite wheel and misc items. Ouch. This week will see another box of belts for about $350. Even though I am blessed to have a cousin who works for Norton and who sends me belts once in awhile for free I still end up having to shell out for more every couple of months. I'm also close to running out of black paracord so that will be another $50 for a spool.
Friday, June 23, 2006
Our Daily Grind
Rainy days are good for grinding. This is the conclusion I have come to after a couple of years at this. The weather is dreary outside, gray and depressing. We've had an awful lot of days like this lately and as much as I dread another day of clouds and lack of sunshine I have to admit that I usually do get a lot done.
Sunny days just beg for slacking off and heading into town for a leisurely stroll to Cafe Koko for a coffee and maybe some time wasting at the record store. Sometimes I can catch Mr Ruddick who has a watch repair shop on the second floor of a building on Main Street but he's only there on Mondays and Fridays lately. Nice to have a good watch guy so close by and I will be sad when he retires.
But rainy days, they are good for hunkering down in the shop and cranking out the goods. I'm out of a bunch of stuff again as usual. Need to make more XLs, more Keytons, more Micro Cards, more this, more that. Whistles are out of stock too. It is indeed an endless kind of thing and mind you, I am NOT complaining. Today I could make some of those things but will I?
I have about 18 Boogers going so I think I will spend some time grinding those and the 5 Imps that are already heat treated. Even if I could get only half of them ground and sheathed today I'd be doing pretty good.
Sunny days just beg for slacking off and heading into town for a leisurely stroll to Cafe Koko for a coffee and maybe some time wasting at the record store. Sometimes I can catch Mr Ruddick who has a watch repair shop on the second floor of a building on Main Street but he's only there on Mondays and Fridays lately. Nice to have a good watch guy so close by and I will be sad when he retires.
But rainy days, they are good for hunkering down in the shop and cranking out the goods. I'm out of a bunch of stuff again as usual. Need to make more XLs, more Keytons, more Micro Cards, more this, more that. Whistles are out of stock too. It is indeed an endless kind of thing and mind you, I am NOT complaining. Today I could make some of those things but will I?
I have about 18 Boogers going so I think I will spend some time grinding those and the 5 Imps that are already heat treated. Even if I could get only half of them ground and sheathed today I'd be doing pretty good.
Thursday, June 22, 2006
Next Stop, Iraq
Four Prybabies® went out today, headed for some of our guys. I was thinking about them, how they must be mentally and physically exhausted, covered in sweat, uncomfortable, missing their families, worried about their buddies and themselves, working hard just trying to get their jobs done. Maybe my little tools will find some uses and provide a small diversion at least for a few minutes. Stay with it fellas, we're all pulling for ya!
The Latest
So what's the latest? Damned if I know.... I guess it would be a Wharncliffe Booger. Cute little guy and I'm sure I will have to do more of these.
It's just a continuous procession of these things lately, marching through my life. They're on their way someplace else, passing through my hands briefly or maybe too long depending on if you are the one who has been waiting 2 months for it or not. Some of these requests I receive I know I will never get to. Or the original request will be forgotten or the Requester will not have the money when contacted . It's all good, no worries. I'll make more, I'll make more. My apologies to those who will not get the pieces they have been yearning for and my congratulations to the ones who ask me for stuff I already have finished.
It's just a continuous procession of these things lately, marching through my life. They're on their way someplace else, passing through my hands briefly or maybe too long depending on if you are the one who has been waiting 2 months for it or not. Some of these requests I receive I know I will never get to. Or the original request will be forgotten or the Requester will not have the money when contacted . It's all good, no worries. I'll make more, I'll make more. My apologies to those who will not get the pieces they have been yearning for and my congratulations to the ones who ask me for stuff I already have finished.