Wednesday, December 21, 2022

Titanium PryDaddies!

Hi Folks,

Hope you're having a great week and preparing for the holidays! The end of the year is certainly coming up quick and the shortest days are now upon us. I'm always happier when the days are starting to get longer rather than shorter...we have a little snow on the ground right now but might lose a lot of it before the Christmas weekend as it is supposed to rain hard and go up to the 50's on Friday.

As usual I probably won't get all the stuff done that I wanted to before the end of the year. Oh well, that's what they made January for I reckon... I have a small batch of steel PryDaddies in progress that I need to grind and stamp before sending to heat treat. Some rather exotic small tools will be coming up in January as well. And I still have some more BabySharks to finish up. I have a couple of sheets of steel left that I bought earlier this year and am contemplating what to cut for next year, so I will be reviewing drawings soon. And I will be looking into making some new Mini beads this winter too.

Today I have a big batch of the new Titanium PryDaddies done. These 3.2" long compact tools recombine several familiar elements from past designs and put them all into one place. A sort of Grand Unified Theory of pocket tools. We have a full width pry tip with V notch, 5/16 wrench/cap lifter, 1/4 inch drive opening which doubles as a lanyard hole, and rear screwdriver/pry tip. In addition I engraved a small 1 inch scale on the front side and 3cm scale on the back side. Plenty of aggressive side grip areas complete this nice new design and give it a great feel in the hand. As mentioned above, I did cut a small batch of steel ones as well, so those will be coming in a month or two, and I may very well cut some more of these next year.

The PryDaddies have my usual wide variety of rare and custom stamps, and I gave them my elaborate multiple pass contrast anodized finishes. Some have name stamp on the front side, and some have the name stamp on the back side. I also have a handful of plain ones without the decorative stamps and without the anodized colors, so if anyone prefers pure vanilla, just email me...no dedicated lefties this time around as these were already a bit complicated to make and my brain got full! 

Titanium PryDaddies will run $85 plus shipping and the link is below. Thanks for dropping in today, and hope you have a great holiday week ahead!

All gone, thank you very much, and safe travels this season if you're out and about!
 



 
 

Friday, December 09, 2022

Titanium Fleas

Hi Folks,

Well, it's a beauty out there today, sun is blazing, but it's definitely starting to turn a bit cooler. Looks like we're due for an inch or two of snow next week, and this time it just might start to stick around.

I just got done milling the PryDaddy tools, so now I can do a little light grinding and start the many final finishing processes. I know what I'll be doing all this weekend! I will have some of the titanium ones ready for next week, although the steel ones will have to go to heat treat. Not sure yet how the other tools will shape up, but I would love to get a few more batches done by next week.

Today I have another batch of titanium Fleas done. These little guys have such an appealing simple shape to them and don't take up much room on your keys. They have a wide range of anodized colors and stamps. I do have some plain ones though without stamps or coloring. There are some lefties here as well with stamps and coloring.

Titanium Fleas will run $70 plus shipping.

All gone, thank you so much everyone and have a great weekend!  

 



 

Wednesday, December 07, 2022

Steel BarClaws!

Hi Everyone,

It's a gray and gloomy one here today, with a light rain falling. Typical for this time of year, and soon to be snow by next week I am sure. We're definitely in meteorological winter, even though the calendar says a couple more weeks to go before actual winter starts.

We're heading into the home stretch for this year. I hope to get going on the PryDaddy project for next week, and StirCrazy kitchen tools will be coming before the holidays too hopefully. Stay tuned for more info as soon as I get them closer to completion. I also have some small tool batches to get to over the next couple weeks as well.

Today I have something new for you. My tree guy asked me for a heavy duty scraper and pry tool last year. He wanted something for cleaning out the bar groove on his chainsaws and for testing for rotten spots on wood. I examined the crude home made scraper tool he was using and thought I could make something better. I added an offset rear pry tip as well as 7/16 and 1/2" wrench openings to increase the overall usefulness and to lighten the heavy bar a bit. These will be great tools for general renovation and carpentry work as well as woodsman and camping activities.

The BarClaw tools are made of 1/4" thick 17-4 ph hardened stainless steel. They're about 4.25" long and are cut from the same sheet as the previous Wedgie tools. I have my usual wide variety of original design stamps, and there are a few without stamps for those who prefer vanilla. The guys down at S&W must have been feeling feisty when they heat treated these because many have a cool leather like surface texture that shows some extreme heat..my first ever "MeltiTool", hehe. :D

BarClaws will run $75 plus shipping and the link is below. Thanks for tuning in today and I hope your holiday season is shaping up to be a good one!

These are all gone, thank you so much!
 



 

Monday, November 28, 2022

Brass Megas, and Updates

Hi Everyone,

I hope you had a great Thanksgiving weekend! It was nice here with mild temps, and then a little rain yesterday. We are now out of our drought conditions, but could use more rain, and indeed it looks like there is more on the way on and off this next week. As long as it isn't snow I don't mind!

So I have been busy moving projects along. I finally got the heavy duty BarClaw tools out to heat treat last week and those should be back soon. The PryDaddy project is sailing along and ruler milling should be done this week on those, then I can get the finish grinding, stamping, ano etc done. My titanium StirCrazy kitchen tool is also well along and just awaiting ruler milling. So a ton of stuff is on the way for December, it's just taking forever to get it all to the finish line.   

Today I have some more brass 6 Flute Mega beads with stamping done. These are beauties and have a wide range of stamping images on them. They will run $40 plus shipping and the link is below. Thanks for stopping by today, and I hope your holidays are shaping up to be great!

All gone, thank you so much!      


 

Monday, November 07, 2022

Micarta 6 Flute Megas

Hi Everyone,

It's a lovely day out there today, but about to turn much cooler. I did manage to get most of my garden stuff squared away this weekend and we're pretty much buttoned up for the winter that is surely on the way.

I do need to spend a day at the grinder this week and get those Bar Claws moving along. I'm breaking in some new tumbling media right now and need to do some maintenance on my big bowl tumbler this week as well. It's always something, but eventually I get it all done.

Today I have some more of the brown Micarta 6 Flute beads finished. These are just gorgeous, my favorite of the synthetic materials for sure. I might do a run of the smaller Mini size this winter, we shall see...

Micarta 6 Flutes run $30 plus shipping and the link is below. Thanks for dropping in, and I hope the rest of your week is not too stressful!

All gone for today, thanks again!

  Dry and with oil:

 

Thursday, November 03, 2022

Titanium GameCoins!

Hi Everyone,

It's another surprisingly gorgeous fall day out there today! Now they are saying it will be in the 70's this weekend too, so the nice warm days and mild nights will continue for now. I need to get out this afternoon and blow some leaves now that the oaks are finally starting to give theirs up, and they are littering the lawn once again.

Today I have a treat for you! These Titanium GameCoins had been sitting around for ages, so I finally took some time and got them done over the summer. They are anodized with a variety of contrasting colors, although a great many did end up mostly blue which really looks great on them. I used a wide range of stamps, and there is just one here that did not get any stamps if anyone is interested...they each have cool leather inserts from my huge collection of crazy leathers. Truly unique items, and they would make for a very special gift this year, and there are only about three dozen of them so are quite limited in number.

Titanium GameCoins will run $85 plus shipping, purchase link is below. Thanks for dropping by today and I hope you have a fantastic weekend ahead!

These are all gone, thank you so much!
 



 

Wednesday, November 02, 2022

Zirconium Mini Bermuda Triangles

Hi Folks,

Happy November! Usually this is my least favorite time of year as it generally is cold and gray here, and the days are getting darker and shorter. But this week we are having a reprieve, and it is still spooky warm, in the 60's or better, and sunny for the next few days. I will take it!

I'm slowly picking away at the upcoming projects but not much to report today. In the meantime I have a few more small items and remnant batches to offer you...

Today I have a couple dozen Zirconium Mini Bermuda Triangles finished. These are cute little minimalist tools with funky grinds. They are drilled to accept one of Scott McCoskery's spinner cores, but the fit is a tiny bit loose and requires a thin wipe of tacky glue to get them to stay in place snugly. Anyway, they are a fun little item and can be worn on the included length of bead chain if desired.   

Zr Mini Triangles run $65 plus shipping and the link is below. As always, I appreciate you dropping by and hope your week is as pleasant as ours!

All gone, thank you so much!

 

 
 

Monday, October 31, 2022

Steel MikroStiks

Hi Folks,

Happy Halloween! It's a lovely one here today, with temps in the 60's and a blue sunny sky. I will have to get out later this afternoon and blow some more leaves. Should be a nice mild early evening for the trick or treaters.

Slow progress on the various projects, but they are moving along. I just ordered some new tumbling media so I can get those StirCrazy kitchen tools going. The PryDaddies are almost done milling, so hopefully I can get to work on those later this week.

Today I have some more of the CPM 154 steel MikroStiks done. These handy little guys are great for all sorts of poking, scraping and cleaning tasks and I find myself using them constantly. This group was surface ground so is a little bit thinner than the previous ones, but still plenty robust for those delicate tasks. They have a wide variety of stamps on them as usual.

Steel MikroStiks will run $45 plus shipping and the order link is below (until the sale is over and I remove it). Thanks so much for swinging by today and I hope your week is shaping up nicely.

Smooth ones are gone, thank you so much! I have a couple dozen of the raw bar ones left still and will do a sale for those soon. :)


 

Friday, October 28, 2022

Olive G10 6 Flute Lanslides

Happy Friday Everyone!

Looks like it will be a glorious sunny weekend ahead for us here in New England, with temps in the 60's, and that warm spell should continue through next week. Definitely a treat for us, but it might finally frost tonight which will take out my remaining garden plants.

Well I thought I would put up another sale today. I have a lot of small batches of items kicking around and really should try to post a little more frequently.

Today I have more of the translucent olive/jade G10 6 Flute Mega beads done. They are a perfect match for a ton of folding knives on the market these days. And, being so light, they also make for great zipper pulls for bags or to use anywhere that you don't want to feel weighed down but still need a little extra grip. They are non marking too, so are safer to use with delicate items that you might want to avoid scratching.

Olive G10 Lanslides run $30 plus shipping and the link is below. Hope you all have a lovely weekend ahead!

All gone for now, thank you again everyone!
 


 

Thursday, October 27, 2022

Stainless Steel TableMan Coasters

Hi Folks,

I'm back again already, hehe...

I was going through some shelves this week and came across the last couple dozen of the hammer textured stainless steel TableMan tool coasters. These are very neat little items, perfect for your Man Cave coffee table, or would make a great gift item this year.

TableMan Tool Coasters will run $50 plus shipping and the link is below. Thanks as always, and wishing you a great day! 

All gone, thanks again my friends!


 

 

Wednesday, October 26, 2022

NOS: Ti Ragman Hooks

Hi Everyone,

It's a rainy day here in New England. A few leaves still have some color, but mostly they are turning brown and yellow...the ones that are left on the trees that is. Most of the rest of them are now on the ground where they will have to be raked and blown this weekend. At least the mild temperatures continue, and so far we have somehow managed to escape a hard frost, which is just amazing for this time of year.

Projects continue to roll along. The upcoming PryDaddy tools are almost done milling and will be ready for finish grinding next week. And I have a cool new titanium kitchen tool design in the works that will be coming in a few weeks, called the StirCrazy, and I'm excited to finally get to these after mulling over the design for several years....yes, years, lol....I have also been grinding on the steel BarClaw tools and those are nearly ready for stamping and final preparation before sending to heat treat. We'll see what else I can get moving as the end of the year rapidly approaches.

Today I have some Titanium Ragman Hooks done. These are new old stock and are made of the special Krinkle Titanium that was floating around a few years ago. It's a shame that this stuff only came around once, because the heavily textured surface was so cool looking. Anyway, I have a couple dozen of these left with gorgeous contrast anodizing, and there are also a few plain vanilla ones as well if anyone wants to email me for them. They will come with a red PPT rag. They make a great pocket hook for your key ring and I have been sporting one myself for the past few months. 

Ti Ragman Hooks will run $50 plus shipping and the link is below. Glad you could stop by today and I hope your week is going great!

Sold out, thank you so much folks!
 


 
 

Friday, October 14, 2022

Chiggers with CrazyGrinds

Hi Everyone,

Well, fall is in full swing here finally, and the leaves are quite bright this week. I would call this the peak foliage week for sure. I took a drive up to Vermont on Tuesday and it was pretty much the same up there. Just a lovely time of year in New England, but cooler temperatures are coming up in the next few days and the danger of a killing frost is getting ever closer. Today the rain is taking down a lot of the leaves which will soon have to be raked.

I have been busy trying to get some new tools prepped out and ready for milling. The PryDaddy project is well underway and I'm hoping to have at least the titanium batch done before the end of the year. I also need to finish grinding Stubby Steel MiniBars and BarClaws, both of which I have been putting off for way too long....in the meantime, I have a number of small remainder batches of various items that are finally at the finish line and so I will be putting those up over the next several weeks.

Today I have a few dozen more CPM 154 Steel Chiggers done. These are from the same Wroid batch as the earlier ones this year, but they have additional CrazyGrinds. Super cool stuff! There are a wide variety of stamps on these, and several lefties as well if anyone wants to email me for them.

Steel Chiggers with CrazyGrinds will run $85 each plus shipping and the purchase link is below. Thanks as always for swinging by today and I hope your upcoming weekend is delightful!

Sold out, thank you everybody. :)
 


 

Wednesday, September 28, 2022

BabySharks Return!

Hi Folks,

My goodness, our best wishes to all of our friends in Florida as this hurricane is about to strike! Looks like it will be a bad one and is going to take some time to recover from it.

Things are shaping up this week. I really need to get in front of the grinder for a day or two in order to move some stuff along, but things are still happening. I will have a few smaller batch sales coming up shortly as I finish up some earlier unfinished projects, so stay tuned.

In the meantime, I was able to complete a few dozen more BabySharks. These are mostly all stamped with my usual wide variety of image, although there are a couple of plain ones here. These were made last year so are older images only... Also, there are a couple of lefties if anyone wants to email me for them. I will have more of these with some additional decorative features coming later this fall.  

BabySharks will run $165 plus shipping and the purchase link is below. Thanks as always for stopping by, and please do stay safe out there!

Woah, gone in a flash! Thanks so much! :)

 


 

Monday, September 26, 2022

G10 Lanslide Beads!

Hi Everyone,

Well, my Jury Duty got cancelled, so I'm back into production mode earlier than I expected. The weather is supposed to be lovely this week so I will no doubt try to take some time to catch up on outdoor stuff and run some errands while we still have some nice sunshine and can wear short sleeves.

Today I have the first wave of translucent olive/jade G10 beads done! These are 6 Flute Mega size and came out really nice, just like the Micarta ones. They are a great match for some of my favorite knives such as the semi custom Spyderco and Benchmade folders shown below from Knivesplus.com. This is becoming a common handle scale material and a lot of great manufacturers are using it lately including Three Rivers knives and many custom makers.

G10 beads will run $30 each and the link is below. Hope your week is going great and thank you for dropping by, as always.

All gone for today. Thank you so much!
 


 

Friday, September 23, 2022

NOS Steel Wheelman Tools!

Hey Everyone,

Oh man, fall has suddenly arrived up here in New England. There is a bit of a chill in the air today, and the leaves are looking very tired indeed. There are a few colorful ones showing up but I have no idea what kind of fall we will be having since the drought was so severe and unusual this year. But I'm hoping there will be some lovely days with brightly colored maples before the inevitable storms knock them all off.

I've been up to my eyeballs with all sorts of administrative tasks, endless paperwork, flu/covid shots, car stuff, Real ID Driver's license upgrade, air conditioner removal, tree trimming...and now Jury Duty on Monday! Good grief... I wish all this distraction stuff would go away so I could get some actual work done, but I do seem to finally be getting past it all.  

Not too much to report on projects, but I will have a better grasp by next week when I can finally reorient myself to my work shop.

Today I have something cool for you. These are some New Old Stock tools that I first made about 10 years ago! The Wheelman tools were made in titanium originally and I'm not sure if I ever released any in steel or not. But this box of S30v tools has been hanging around seemingly forever and I thought I should finally get around to finishing them. 

They feature a 15mm hex wrench, 1/4 hex opening, cap lifter and pry tip, as well as three difference spoke wrench sizes. They have an aggressive scalloped edge treatment and, measuring 3.75" long, they make for a nice key fob type of tool. They feature my usual wide variety of stamps and all of them are stamped.

NOS Wheelman tools will run $70 each plus shipping and the link is below. I really appreciate you stopping by today and I hope your weekend is a great one!   

Sold out, thank you very much!
 

 
 
 
 
 

Tuesday, September 13, 2022

Micarta 6 Flutes!

Hi Everyone!

Well, we're finally getting some desperately needed rainfall here in the northeast. After the driest summer I can recall, we got about 4 inches last week and now looks like another inch or so today. Too late for a lot of my garden plants but at least it will help recharge the aquifers.

So I've been a busy boy lately. I just cut a batch of brand new tools in ti and steel, and so will get them started on the long road to finishing this week. I haven't settled on the name yet, but will just call it the PryDaddy for now, and those will be coming later this fall. I also just got back from heat treat the batch of steel Wheelman tools, and will have them coming up shortly. I also have a bunch of the BabySharks done, so will put a sale up for those shortly as well. And, a huge batch of olive G10 6 Flute beads is also close to ready and will be available in the next week or so.

Today I have the first wave of Brown Micarta 6 Flute Mega beads done. These are just gorgeous, and are my favorite of the lightweight synthetic materials to date. Each one is slightly different than the rest so the patterns on them are very cool. I have lightly burnished these and left them on the drier side. If you want to darken them simply apply any kind of oil (olive oil shown below) and the color will deepen to a rich chocolate brown, but you will lose some of the contrast of the woven cloth core. The color can be altered repeatedly as the material is very durable and washable so don't be afraid to experiment and periodically recolor as you wish.

Brown Micarta 6 Flutes will run $30 each and the link is below. Thanks for stopping by and hope your week is going great!

First wave is sold out, thank you so much! I still have more of these to finish so will have more soon. 


 

 
 

Tuesday, August 16, 2022

Titanium Bug Out Bars

Hi Folks,

Summer is moving along up here in the Northeast. It's a lot cooler this week. Temps are very pleasant indeed, and combined with the low humidity it is very comfortable. The lack of rain is really something though and this is certainly one of the dryer summers on record at this point. I have to water my garden pretty much every day and it's starting to feel like a daily chore which is getting a bit old. I feel bad for the farmers who are struggling this year and I'm so glad I'm not in that business!

Not too much to report on the project front. I need to spend a few days working on Wheelman tools and hope to do that next week. I am finishing a few more of the BabyShark knives and those will be coming up shortly. There are steel Stubby MiniBars to work on and I still have to get to the BarClaw project. So there is plenty to keep me busy for the next few weeks.

Today I have the new Titanium Bug Out Bar batch done. This is an updated version of the originals that were made many years ago. I wanted to give this updated tool more function and better ergonomics. So these are styled more like the MiniBar projects but are much larger, measuring 4 1/2 inches long. They are made of super tough 1/4 inch thick Armor Plate titanium left over from military vehicle manufacturing and they have a raw bar finish with plenty of character marks. A beefy handful that you should not be afraid to pound on!

Since I had a lot more room on this scaled up tool I decided to add a 1/4 hex and O2 wrench to the handle area and those generous openings allow for easy cord wrapping. The broad pry tip has my traditional milled V notch, and I added a big old 3/4 hex wrench to the rear. This robust little tool is just small enough to make for a terrific keyfob, or carry separately in a pocket. 

The Armor Plate Ti is miserable to stamp and does not have as good of a color response as regular Grade 5 ti when anodizing, so I have left these plain and most have only a single stamp. There are also some without stamps if anyone wants to request them. The cord wrapping is DIY, but I will include a length of 550 cord with each tool so you can wrap it or not as you see fit. You could definitely use this tool as a cord caddy if desired and could easily fit several feet on there. 

Titanium Bug Out Bars will run $85 each plus shipping and the link is below. Thank you as always for dropping in, and I hope the rest of your summer is a great one!

These are all gone, thank you so much!
 

 
 

Monday, August 08, 2022

Stamped Brass 6 Flutes

Hi Everyone,

Looks like the last of the 90 degree days are here. Still not much rain happening but maybe we'll get some storms this week to help us out of this drought.

I have a busy week ahead. I'll try to get the big new ti Bug Out Bars done and also work on the steel Wheelman tools. Lots of cool stuff ahead for sure...and I just got word that the G10 and Micarta beads are a go, so those will be coming this fall. 

Today I have more brass 6 Flute Beads done. These are triple stamped, and I have a wide variety of older tiny stamps such as leaves, bugs, tiny boat, skulls, antlers, bees, etc. And I have several new stamps as well such UFOs, Bigfoot, stick of dynamite, fishing lures and rocketship. Fun stuff! 

Stamped Brass 6 Flutes will run $40 each and there is no limit on them. Thanks once again for swinging by this morning, and I hope everyone is staying cool this week!

All gone for now, thank you! I will have another wave of these later this year when I get the rest of them done.
 

 

Friday, August 05, 2022

Got an Atwood Itch? Maybe it's Titanium Fleas...

Hi Folks,

It's a hot and steamy week here with temps in the 90'sF. And still no rain, although it is suddenly much more humid than it has been for much of the summer. This is a good weather to stay inside and get some work done.

Still cranking away on the projects this week. I am close to finishing up the ti Bug Out Bars, just need to cut handle cord for them this weekend and get them packaged up. And I have another group of stamped brass beads to polish and then package up. So, we're definitely making some progress on those.

Today I have a big batch of Titanium Flea tools done. These are cute little multi tools, measuring 2.5" long and they are made of 5/32 titanium. I first made this design back around 2008 I think it was, and cannot recall what I named them at the time. But they were in my drawing notebook with the label "Flea", and I have a steel one in my own collection, so I know I made them in steel. Not sure about titanium, but I'm thinking it would have been a very small batch indeed if there are ti ones floating around. 

Anyhow, this is certainly an older design, and I really like the simplicity of it, so I thought they were worth running again. They feature a small SAE wrench set, a stout pry tip and 5/16 cap lifter. I have given them a wide variety of stamps as well as color anodized effects, and there are a few plain ones set aside as well for the "vanilla lovers". Also a handful of lefties are available. 

Titanium Fleas will run $70 plus shipping and the link is below. Thanks for coming by today, and I hope you all are staying cool this week!

All gone for today, thank you so everyone!

 

 
 
 

Tuesday, August 02, 2022

Brass 6 Flute Megas

Hi Folks,

Man oh man, where is the summer going? I cannot believe it's August already...I've only enjoyed a half dozen cherry tomatoes so far from the garden, and a few zucchinis and cucumbers, although we are about to have the floodgates open. Everything seems to be very slow this year and the drought continues which is a stark contrast to last year's endless drenching rains.

So despite my lack of sales, the projects have been rolling right along. I have just finished stamping and anodizing the titanium Fleas. The ti BOBars are finally stamped up and I am about to give them a final tumble and cut the handle cords for them. I was able to get the steel Wheelman batch ground and those are awaiting final decorations on the stamping bench before the final tumbling and heat treat....So things are definitely moving in the right direction.

Today I have the first wave of Brass 6 Flute Mega Lanslide beads done. These came out great, and it is the first time I have made the Megas in brass I believe, having only made the red metals using bronze in the past, and maybe some copper ones if I remember correctly? Anyway, these are a bit more golden in color than the bronze batch. A second brass batch with stamping is coming shortly. And there is some more good news on the bead front in that some interesting new materials may be coming this fall if all pans out as I hope. G10 and Micarta anyone? :D

Brass Megas will run $30 plus shipping and there is no limit on them. The purchase link is below....thank you so much for your endless patience and for dropping by today!

Plain ones are gone, stamped ones coming very soon. Thanks so much everyone!

 


 
 

Wednesday, July 06, 2022

Zr Stubby MiniBars

Hi Folks,

Hope you had a nice long weekend!

Summer is certainly in full swing here. We finally got about an inch of rain last night, but as I mentioned before it has been very dry here lately. We desperately need a few more solid days of rain, but are not likely to be getting them anytime soon. At least it hasn't been too hot and the low humidity has been very comfortable.

I'm coming along rapidly on the big ti BOBar project. I hope to have those ready for next week or so. I haven't made much progress on other projects for a few days but I will pick back on them as well as the next week unfolds.

Today I have some Zirconium Stubby MiniBars done. These little cuties were wildly popular when I first made a dozen of them a couple of years back. I decided to revisit the design this year, and once again it's a relatively small batch in the Zr...these have an old style milled V notch and 7/16 wrench opening with blackened finish and a wide variety of stamps. So darned cute. Also, a much larger batch of "summer weight" ones will be coming in steel later this summer so stay tuned for those as well.

Zr MiniBars will run $70 plus shipping and the link is below. Thanks for dropping by and have a great week!   

All gone, thank you everyone!  
 
 

Monday, June 27, 2022

Wroidy Steel Chiggers!

Hi Folks,

Happy summer! Hard to believe it is here already...we've just had a little heat wave, although it is nothing like what much of the country has been experiencing lately. Anyhow, it's looking like it might pour rain this morning (maybe!) which is very much needed here as we have been in a nasty drought for the past few month. Crazy weather for crazy times I guess...

Well, the projects continue to roll along. I am about to stamp up the Zr Stubby MiniBars, so those will be coming up shortly. I have a big batch of larger tools underway, a newly updated titanium Bug Out Bar design, and those will be done very soon as well. I have a brand new batch of 6 Flute Mega beads in shiny brass underway, and those will be coming towards the end of the month. A batch of cute little titanium Flea tools which I made very briefly in steel about 10-12 years ago has been started and they are coming along as well. I need to buckle down and get the grinding, stamping and finish work done for all those projects and more...usually the summer heat chases me back inside and down to the cool basement shop.

Today I have those CPM 154 Steel Chiggers done... This is an update to the older design, and I decided to make them a little longer so they are kind of in between the original Chigger and the even older Pest design in terms of length. But these are very heavy duty at just shy of 1/4" thickness, so they certainly quality for the "Wroid" designation. Anyway, these have a robust pry tip, a 5/16" hex wrench/cap lifter and a 9/16" twelve point wrench. This is a hefty tool that feels great in the hand, with a stonewashed finish and classic old school Atwood design!

The Chiggers are stamped with a wide variety of my decorative stamps, including many old favorites as well as a few new ones. There are a handful of lefties here as well if anyone wants to email me. 

Wroidy Steel Chiggers will run $80 plus shipping and the link is below. Thanks as always for stopping by today, and I hope your week ahead is a great one!

Sold out, thank you so much folks!
 

 

Thursday, June 02, 2022

Hangman Hooks v2.5

Hi Everyone,

Another fine spring day is upon us. I will have to mow the lawn later, but everything is a lovely green and the black flies are out in force. They are late this year, probably because of the cold start to spring. I've been seeing all sorts of bugs this past week though, including an invasive Asian Longhorn beetle which are bad for the hardwood trees such as maples.

Today I have a very small batch of left over tools from a couple years back. These titanium Hangman v2.5 tools have been kicking around forever and I decided to finish them up recently. They are mostly contrast anodized and heavily stamped. There are a couple with plain finish though too, and one without stamps if anyone wants to email for them.

Ti Hangmen with pry tips will run $65 plus shipping and the link is below. Thanks as always for coming by today!

Gone in a flash, thank you so much!

 

 

Wednesday, June 01, 2022

CrazyGrinds!

Hi Folks,

Hope you all had a great holiday weekend! It was lovely here, a great and productive weekend. I managed to get my garden all squared away, slept in late a couple days, and did countless small tasks around the house. We're about to cool off for about a week, weather that my lettuce will really appreciate.

I've been cranking out the projects recently. My goal mostly has been to get things moving along so that I can coast through the summer and fall and concentrate on finishing projects rather than all the prep work that goes into making these things. I actually try to do this every year, but this year with the costs rising on everything, I figured I really better get ahead of it as much as possible...

So, there is some great new stuff on the way. I decided to revive the old Bug Out Bar concept and have created a brand new design that offers more versatility. So a first batch is underway right now in titanium. I was looking back on other old designs and discovered a tiny tool that I made years ago, but only in one very small batch. The Flea is a real throwback to my earliest stuff, and that one is also coming in titanium. The steel Wroid Chiggers are on the bench and will be next up for grinding and stamping. I still have summer weight steel Stubby MiniBars and Zr Stubby MiniBars underway and just need to get to the grinding and finishing. BarClaw tools are also awaiting grinding. I have several small misc projects to get to as well, just need to buckle down, ignore the numerous distractions, and get it all done.

Also, some awesome new stamps are here. I have had several dozen custom stamps made this year and another group is slated to run this week. There are some fantastic new images either done or in progress such as a rooster head, Loch Ness Monster, new compass stamps, vintage fishing lure series, new pirate skulls, aliens, and many many others. And I just had my stamping anvil and the platen of my name stamp press surface ground, so they are now like brand new and will be good for years to come.

Today I have some super cool new Zirconium Atwrenches for you. I altered the design slightly to broaden the pry tips so that these have a more robust feel than the earlier designs. And then I kind of went crazy, hehe...this batch has some really wild grinds going with many unique pieces. If you are a fan of my complex grinds you will love these. There are many different configurations, and also plenty of conventional leaning ones. And I have a couple of completely plain ones here as well if you're not a fan of the wacky stuff. Just drop me a line and I am happy to hook you up. I also have a half dozen very nice lefties available.

Zr Atwrenches with CrazyGrinds will run $80 plus shipping and the link is below. Thanks for dropping by today and hope you have a great week ahead.

All gone, thank you so much everyone! 


 

 
 
 
 

Monday, May 16, 2022

Titanium Wrunts

Hi Everyone,

Well, it sure is lovely here this week. After chilly temps for the past month and then a freaky summer like warm spell last week we seem to finally have a stretch of sunny moderate weather on the way. Then another hot weekend in the 90's lies ahead. It's funny how we never seem to get consistently pleasant spring temperatures for a few weeks as we move towards summertime.

So I'm nearly done working on those Zr Atwrenches and they are going to be super fun, with crazy grinds and stamps. Also underway are the thick steel Chiggers which I will get moving on as soon as the Zr Atwrenches are completed. A few other new projects are in the planning stages and I will have more info on those in the coming weeks as they come to fruition.

Today I have the rest of the titanium Wrunts finished. These have a wide range of color combos as well as a wide variety of stamps. There are a couple of super basic ones without anodizing, grinds and stamps if anyone wants them. And there are some lefties here as well if anyone wants to email me for them.

Ti Wrunts will run $72 each plus shipping and the link is below. Hope you all are gearing up for a nice week ahead!

All gone, thank you so much!

 

 

Wednesday, May 04, 2022

Titanium Wrunts: Blue and Gold

Hi Everyone,

Well, spring is rolling right along here. We're having some showers lately and it has remained stubbornly chilly, but some very warm days are forecast for next week. So I guess we will pass spring and jump right into summer.

My wrist has mended nicely and I'm finally back in the shop this week moving projects along. The newly updated steel Chiggers are about halfway done and are now awaiting the final grinds and stamps before sending out to heat treat. Zr Atwrenches are on the stamping bench and awaiting stamps before final polishing and torching. I just cut an older design, the Original Flea in titanium. Stubby Minibars are patiently awaiting their turn on the grinding bench as well. I just got my stamping anvil and name stamp press base refinished, so they are like brand new and are good to go for the next 10 years...about a half dozen other projects are in progress too, so tons items are more coming this spring and summer.

Today I have a few dozen of the Titanium Wrunts done. These have a great textured patina look to them with contrast anodizing and a lovely buttery smooth finish. I divided the batch into two parts and this smaller group with the blue and gold anodizing is first up. I will have the remaining ones in other colors after these, as well as a few plain ones without ano and grinds...there are a couple of lefties here today if anyone wants to email for them.

Titanium Wrunts will run $72 each plus shipping, and there is no limit on them. A portion of this sale will go to Razom, the Ukrainian relief organization. Thanks for stopping by as always, and I hope you're enjoying the warm days!

Blue and Gold ones are gone, thank you so much! Will have the other colors done in a day or two...   





 

 


Monday, April 18, 2022

Steel MikroStiks

Hi Folks,

Happy Spring! We are in full swing here finally, and have been having some nice days. The grass is just starting to green up a little bit and the early flower bulbs are popping up all over the yard.

I slipped on some ice a few weeks ago and sprained my wrist pretty bad. Then a few days later in another freak yard mishap I managed to tear an abdominal muscle. These injuries are taking seemingly forever to heal up but I'm at about 90% and have just about recovered the full range of motion in my wrist. As a consequence though, it's been hard to get much work done in the shop lately, especially grinding and stamping, so that's why things have been so quiet.

Projects are in full swing now, and I am almost done with titanium Wrunts and zirconium Atwrenches. I have Stubby MiniBars in both steel and zirconium in process on the bench right now. I just cut a batch of Wroid thickness steel Chiggers in a newly updated design. There is a new self defense key fob design coming in stainless steel. I'm mulling a couple of other tool designs right now also. And I recently picked up several sheets of steel to get ahead of prices which are climbing for everything these past few months...so, all those projects and plenty more are on the horizon.

Today I have a big batch of CPM 154 steel MikroStiks in light raw bar finish done. These are stamped with my wide variety of stamps as usual. I also have some plain ones if anyone wants to email me for them. These handy little poker/pry tools will run $55 plus shipping and there is no limit on them. A portion of the sale today will go to Razom, the Ukrainian relief organization. Thanks for your patience and for dropping by today!

Sold out, thank you very much! I will have another round of these later this year. 

 

 
 

Tuesday, March 15, 2022

Steel Mini Wedgies!

Hi Everyone,

Winter is still with us here in New England, but it's definitely easing up. We have a few patches of snow left from the weekend storm, but that will be gone by the end of the week as temps are supposed to go as high as 65F by Friday. I'm more than ready for spring and getting back to my gardens.

The situation remains grim in Europe. Let's hope things turn around soon and the Russians stop this madness and tragedy they have created. But I am fearful for a long dangerous period ahead, perhaps for the whole world. In the meantime about all we can do is try to send some aid. Today I will send some of the proceeds of this sale to some more reputable organizations helping the people of Ukraine.

So, I finally have some new steel tools for you. This is a new Mini Wedgie design that I drew up last year and am just now getting them done. They are roughly the same size as the older Mini Wedgies, but I gave them a tapered handle to remove some weight, and a broader tip with a cut V notch. An O2 wrench serves as lanyard hole and they also have a milled 5mm divot for a DIY epoxy glow dot if you so choose. They are close to 1/4 inch thick so are quite massive, and they have my usual wide range of stamps on them. I also have a few unstamped ones set aside for anyone who wants to email me. 

I had a big thick sheet of 17-4ph stainless steel in my garage and wanted to use it up, so I split the sheet between these Mini Wedgies and another larger pry bar called the BarClaw, and those will be coming later this year. 17-4ph is a cool material that is often overlooked. Used in marine and industrial environments for bearings and pumps, nuclear power plants, etc it is very corrosion resistant and tough. You won't find it used in knives because it doesn't harden quite enough to keep a long lasting edge like you would need for a premium cutting tool. But it's great for a small pry bar tool application like this. 

Mini Wedgies will run $65 plus shipping and the link is below. Thanks for dropping by today and I hope your spring is on the way as well.

All gone for today, thank you so much everyone!

 
 



Tuesday, March 01, 2022

Ukraine Relief Sale

Hi Everyone,

Quick update: I've been very busy lately trying to move some projects along. Steel MikroStiks and Steel Mini Wedgies just went to heat treat so will be coming back in a couple of weeks. New Ti Wrunts and Zr Atwrenches are in the works. Steel and Zr Stubby MiniBars are being milled right now. I have a few other designs that I am mulling as well, and I just had some super cool new custom stamps made too. Lots coming up so please stay tuned.

But, like everyone else I've been watching with horror as the tragedy unfolds in the Ukraine. It is all so needless, so senseless and so cruel in these pandemic times. As if the world needs anything else on top of all the other countless disasters...I am furious.

So today I have decided to donate to several carefully chosen and highly rated humanitarian organizations who will hopefully spend the money on useful programs rather than just executive salaries. The proceeds of today's sale will go to them and hopefully help Ukraine in some small way. In the meantime, let us hope the heartless KGB man with microscopic member meets his maker soon and in the most unpleasant circumstances.

Today I have a couple dozen older Titanium Tiny Tims. These have been anodized with a variety of colors, with many blue and gold ones for Ukraine. I would have made them all blue and gold but I did these up a few weeks ago before this whole situation blew up. Anyway, the Tiny Tims will run $50 plus shipping. Thank you for stopping in today and stay with it everyone!

Gone in a flash, thank you everyone!

   
 

 

Thursday, February 10, 2022

Gen 2 Zirconium MikroStiks!

Hi Folks,

Well winter's icy grip isn't done with us yet, not by a long shot. But we should be having a few more moderate days coming up, which is not so common this time of year. And the light is getting stronger every day, so you know we're finally on the right side of the solstice and headed towards spring.

I don't have too much to report for projects, and I really do need to take a few days to concentrate on tool production and getting some new designs going. So that grinding stint that I keep putting off will be coming up soon...

Today I have some Zirconium MikroStiks for you. These are a bit bigger than the previous MikroStik release, about 50% larger I think, and also thicker. They are easier to hold but still are small enough to make for a super handy compact pry tool. Excellent for small scraping, cleaning and light prying tasks. 

This batch of zirconium came through with a nice pebbly texture. I played around with my usual heat coloring but was not thrilled with the blackening results. So I decided that these would actually be nicer with an electrical anodized treatment. Zirconium does not exhibit as strong of a color response as it's close cousin titanium, but with some sneaky techniques I was able to coax out some beautiful colors with these. The best is a striking combination of blue and gold that reminds me a little of lapis lazuli.

Gen 2 Zirconium MikroStiks will run $55 plus shipping. Hope your week is going great and thanks as always for stopping by today!

Sold out, thank you so much! I will have steel ones coming in a month or two...
 

 

Friday, February 04, 2022

Bronze Game Coins

Hi Everyone,

Well, we are getting another storm today, but this time it is all rain, now turning to sleet. That's fine by me as our driveway is almost completely clear now with only a small patch of stubborn ice remaining in one spot. It's always a fight this time of year to keep it cleared off. So far this winter keeping up with it has been fairly easy though, so no complaints.

I continue to pick away at stuff in the shop. Zr MikroStiks are getting close to the finish line and I have been busily prepping out some Stubby MiniBars for up the road. I need to spend a few days in front of the grinder soon and get these steel projects rolling again...

Today I have the remaining Bronze Game Coins done. This group has drilled edges, and originally I had planned to press in the same black ceramic ball bearings that are in the bottom. Would have made for a cool "satellite" effect, but it is way too much work so I gave up on it and will leave them as is. The holes could be filled with glow powder and that would be very fun as well, so I leave it to you all if you want to mess with that idea and make it DIY.

I used a wide variety of interesting leathers once again and there are some really cool combinations here.

Bronze Game Coins will run $75 each plus shipping. Thank you so much for popping in today. I always appreciate it!

Sold out, thank you so much!