HA3 Terminators

Happy Halloween Folks!

We're flirting with winter here in New England this weekend. It looks like it will finally drop below freezing at night so I can pretty much guess what lies ahead. At least those darned ticks will go to sleep soon and leave my cat alone.

First a report on the Sweethearts. I'm delighted to announce that we raised $2360 for the Cure SMA charity and the donation has been sent to them! Hopefully that money will go towards research and support for families dealing with this difficult illness. Thank you again everyone. The tremendous strength of character, generosity and kindness that you all possess shows itself time and again. It's a beautiful thing indeed. ;)

Today I have a small batch of Terminators to offer. These are aluminum with rifle knurling and natural HA III hardcoat. They are feather light and look fantastic on the Yellow Jacket cord. I've been saving these for quite a while as the batch is pretty small. I kept hoping we could make a few more to get the numbers up but it doesn't look like there will be enough machine time coming up anytime soon and I would rather use the available time for ti 5 flute beads anyway. So off they go...

The HA3 Terminators will be $30 plus shipping and it will be a two per customer limit on them please. As always, thanks for stopping in today and have a great weekend!

These are gone, thank you!

 

Stainless Sweethearts

Hi Folks,

You may recall that I was coming down with a cold during the last sale more than two weeks ago...well, I'm still recovering from the darned thing! What a nasty one, a very energy draining virus and the worst cold I've had in many years. Anyhow, I'm finally feeling much better and my energy is mostly back.

As many of you know, my little 2 year old niece Elena was diagnosed this spring with a rare genetic disease called Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). This debilitating illness affects the nerves controlling the muscles in her body. Luckily her condition is of the less severe variety but nevertheless it is doubtful that she will ever be able to walk and she has a number of associated disabilities that will require constant lifelong care.

My sister Megan realized that the family would need a van with handicap accessibility and was quite shocked to discover how expensive they are. So they held a couple of fundraisers over the summer including an online one. I had posted a small link to it on the blog here (which I have recently taken down). I can tell you that we were all absolutely blown away by the MANY kind and extremely generous donations as well as the supportive words. Truly we cannot thank you all enough! It's very humbling indeed.

Well, Megan's original goal of a brand new van turned out to be a little ambitious but she finally settled on a more affordable used Honda Odyssey with low mileage. The family is currently having it outfitted with the necessary wheel chair accessible gear and it should serve them brilliantly for several years. Elena is doing pretty well all things considered and I look forward to seeing the whole family around Christmas time.

Today I have a cute little item to offer. I came up with this idea over the summer while thinking of my family situation and I gave it a lot of thought. The Atwood Sweetheart is a simple lightweight key fob design in 304 stainless steel, just a hair under 1/8" thick. The tool does feature a cap lifter but I think it's most important and meaningful function may be a bit loftier. Is there anything better than love in this world? I think not... With that idea in mind, half of the proceeds from the Sweethearts will be donated to charity, in this case Cure SMA, (curesma.org) which is the only organization devoted to Elena's illness. In future runs of Sweethearts, I might do something different as far as a charity target but this seems like a great place to start.

The Sweethearts will run $45 each plus shipping and the link is below. Once again, on behalf of my sister Megan, niece Elena and our whole family, I thank you all so very much and God Bless!


Sweethearts are sold out for today but I have a few more coming shortly. Thank you all once again!

Tipplers: Second Round

Hi Everyone,

Sorry for the long silence. It's been a busy fall so far, albeit a little frustrating...it started with a few days away which were nice but then progressed to a series of machinery maintenance issues in the shop which are now solved. In addition, the change of seasons often brings colds and I'm about to come down with a miserable one if other family member's experiences are any gauge of the situation. Finally, autumn only comes once a year here in New England and those nice colors and light are here for just a brief time so I've been out shooting photos like crazy for the past week when not dealing with all the rest of it. Anyway, it's back to the grindstone for now.

Now that my tumbler with the leaky and cracked bowl is fixed up again I can get back to working on several projects which have been delayed. I will have more copper 5 flute beads with added embellishments coming up soon, also those Roll Bars I had mentioned a while back, more ti Atwrenches and some new key fob items.

Today I have more of the 303 stainless steel Tipplers finished. This is the second half of the batch with the same elegant design as the previous ones. As before, these will run $65 each plus shipping and the link is below. Thanks for stopping by everyone and for your endless patience. Have a great weekend!


Tipplers are gone for now, thanks so much everyone!

SAE Tombstones

Happy Monday Folks!

Looks like we're heading for a little bit of Indian summer here this week. I'm going to try to take advantage of the pleasant temps to do some photo shoots later this week so it will be mixed as far as PPT action is concerned.

Today I have the SAE Tombstones done. These are the same as the previous metric version insofar as the material is CPM 154 with raw bar finish. The wrench sizes are 1/4-7/16. Again, it's a tiny batch but another one is already cut and will be underway soon.

Also coming up, probably early next week, will the next round of Tipplers. More 5 Flute Lanslides will be coming as well.

The SAE Tombstones are $55 plus shipping and it's a one per customer sale again please. Thanks for stopping by today and I hope everyone has a stellar week ahead!


These are all gone, thanks again everyone!

Bronze 5 Flutes!

Hi Folks,

It's a bit cool and drizzling very lightly here today...great day for a sale!

Updates: Not too much to report actually. I'm still recovering from all the activity last week with the sales and then catching up on paperwork and taxes. However, more shot glasses will be coming up soon as well as the SAE Tombstones and the new Roll Bar tools. The second round of Tombstones in both styles have been cut and I have just started working on them. It looks like we might have another batch of raw bar ahead but I won't know for sure until I get a little further along. Fingers crossed...    

Today I have some more of the beautiful 5 Flute Mega Lanslides done, this time in bronze! I have given them a long gentle tumble in mixed polishing media and they have taken on a lovely patina with a slightly olive color. Really sharp looking. Most of them are on a pale moss colored 550 cord which is a great complement to them, but they look good on anything.  

The Mega 5 Flute beads are $25 plus shipping and the batch is sizable so no limit on them. Thanks for stopping by and I hope your week is a great one!

Sold Out for now, thank you everyone!

Metric Tombstones

Hi Folks,

Happy Wednesday! Gray and overcast here today with a hint of cool fall in the air. I can't believe summer is already drawing to a close. I didn't do half as much as I thought I was going to but I did manage to see the beach twice (briefly) so that's progress I guess.

I'm scrambling to button up the current projects. More Tipplers are coming in a week or so once they are cleaned up and I can get to my finish work on them. I have more pin striped Mega Lanslides on the way as well, this time in bronze. A new item, the Roll Bar is on the way for next week...And of course the Tombstones are in the mix too. And to top it off I'm exploring several new drawings. Someday, who knows, maybe I'll even catch some sleep!

Today I have the first wave of Tombstones done. These have a light Raw Bar texture that in the right light sort of reminds me a little bit of concrete steps. Raw Bar is a term I coined for steel that has not been surface ground. So in this case the CPM 154 steel is exactly as it came from the hot rollers of the mill and you can expect a certain amount of scars, character marks and other imperfections. They looked good enough though that I couldn't bear to grind it all off and the added benefit is I preserved the full thickness of the parts instead of losing 10-20 thousandths from surface grinding.

Incidentally, I think Crucible has been changing their rolls out more often these days or something because I'm not seeing as much textured steel coming through as in years past. I talked to them about this a few years ago and when I asked the guy for textured sheets he couldn't believe it at first because generally people are calling him and ragging on them for sending sheets out that are too rough. So here I am asking for the rougher ones... go figure. :)

Anyway, these are Metric Tombstones with odd number wrench sizes 5-11mm. They feature a broad pry tip/scraper edge and cap lifter in a hefty but compact 4.5mm thick, 62mm long, 19mm wide package. That's 3/4" wide, 2.4" long and .176 thick for you metrically challenged folks. :) These little gems carry nicely on your keys but they look great on the included bead chain too and they are drilled for easy neck carry.

The batch is unfortunately quite small so these will be one per customer please. The good news is that a second batch of equal size is scheduled for cutting so more will be coming down the road. I have no idea what the steel will look like on the next ones so whether they will be raw or not I do not know yet. And the SAE batch is also forthcoming, same exact batch size and a second batch of those are on the cutting schedule as well.

The Metric Tombstones are $55 plus shipping, link is below. Thanks for stopping by my friends, I do very much appreciate the continued support and never ending enthusiasm for my little creations!

Metric ones are gone for now, thank you everyone!

    

 

DotShot Tipplers

Hi Everyone,

Fall is a great time of year here in New England. The days get cooler and the leaves start to turn their bright and beautiful colors. It's also the start of the NFL football season and that is always good news for Atwood tool fans because I usually get a lot of packaging done while watching the games. Yesterday was no exception...

Today I have the first wave of 303 stainless steel Tipplers done. These little beauties feature my DotShot or Satellite pattern, without the knurling this time. They are truly gorgeous and I'm super happy with how they have turned out.

The Tipplers weigh in at a hefty 117 grams, or just over 4 ounces. They have a capacity of one standard shot. These cups have been "passivated" which is a special cleaning process that removes free iron and sulfur on the surface. Passivation greatly reduces most of the metallic odors, however you may notice a slight metallic smell remaining. That will disappear over time and with use.

These vessels are dishwasher safe but usually a simple hand rinse in soapy water and a soft towel wipe is all that is required for cleanup. I would avoid putting pure salt in them as 303 stainless is not impervious to salt but otherwise they should withstand just about any sort of abuse short of a nuclear bomb blast. Indeed, these cups will definitely outlast us all and our heirs as well! :D

This is a good sized batch so I will make it a two per customer limit. There is another big wave coming next week too so plenty of these are on the way. The Tipplers will run $65 plus shipping, purchase link is below. Thanks for stopping in and I hope you have marvelous week ahead!

These are gone for now. Thank you so much everyone! More on the way soon.

   

Copper 5 Flutes: Round Two

Hi Everyone,

I hope your holiday weekend has been fun and relaxing. After a superb past few days it has gotten quite warm and humid here so it's a good day to stay indoors and have a little sale.

Today I have the rest of the mega sized Copper 5 Flute Lanslides finished. I decided to add a small pin stripe notch to these and I like the result very much. Both designs are nice but I think the pin stripe adds a little something and brings the basic design up a bit. These are gently tumbled out resulting in a beautiful soft luster with light patina that will continue to deepen and develop over time.

I will be making more of these in bronze over the next few weeks and possibly titanium as well. We'll see how the scheduling goes.  

These Copper 5 Flute Lanslides are the same price as the last batch, $25 each plus shipping, and as before I will make it a two per customer limit. The link is below...Thanks for stopping by and have a great rest of the weekend!

Copper Lanslides are all gone, thanks so much everyone!

Mega Five Flute Lanslides

Howdy All,

Things seem to be rolling along this week quite smoothly so far (knock on wood). Hopefully this trend will continue as we wind up the summer.

I had been thinking about bringing back some of the old Lanslide beads for a long time but I wanted to do something a little different. Looking over all the old designs I kept coming back to the 5 Flute shape which was always my favorite. I had a lot of left over material on hand from the Terminators so I figured why not give my classic 5 Flute shape a design update and make it a bit bigger?

A funny thing happens with turned items and I have noticed this in the past. If you take the same design and blow it up, the resulting object will seem much larger than it ought to be given the bump in stock diameter. It's an interesting paradox. Going from 1/2" bar stock to 5/8" is only an 1/8" or 25% difference and yet the resulting object appears to be almost twice as large. It's pretty neat how this works.

Well, in this case, the 5 Flute design has taken a big step forward in refinement. By going larger I was able to greatly increase the depth of the scallops and now these have a terrific bold look to them. Deeper scallops also takes some of the weight out of them so they feel as good as they look. And I gave them a long gentle tumble which softened the sharp edges and left a rich patina as well.

This is a relatively small batch to start with (more variations coming next week!) so I'll make these a two per customer limit please for now. They are $25 each plus the shipping and the purchase link as always is right below. Have a great rest of the week everyone and I hope you all have some fun plans for this upcoming Labor Day weekend!

These are sold out for now, thank you everyone!

Copper Terminators!

Hi Folks!

Happy end of summer...I can't believe it's almost over and September is looming. Summer is always way too short and this one has been especially cool and pleasant here in the Northeast. At any rate, I guess it's time for me to quit goofing off and get back to work.

Updates: Last week I sent off some new steel tools, the cute little Tombstones, to heat treat. Hopefully they will be coming back by the end of next week or so. Also coming up are some turned items...a big batch of 303 stainless steel Tippler shot glasses is underway and should be ready to go soon... perhaps at the end of this week or early next week depending on how long it takes to get them finished and packaged. Also on the schedule is a nice run of copper 5 Flute Lanslides, one of my all time favorites, newly updated in design and in a mega new size. Various other interesting items are on the way as well through the month of September.

Today I am pleased to bring you a batch of tellurium copper Terminators with my cool Satellite pattern. These are already developing an almost instant patina and will darken up nicely on your tool lanyards, zippers and gear bags. The more you handle them the better they will look! Fun stuff.

The Copper Terminators will run $30 each plus shipping and this is a good sized batch so no limit on the quantity for once. Thanks for stopping in everyone and have a great week ahead.

These are sold out for now, thank you as always everyone!

Shutterbugs!

Hi Folks,

Well, that magic day has finally arrived...these little tools have been on the drawing board for 3-4 years and this winter I finally got around to actually starting the project. There have been so many delays that it's been beyond ridiculous but at long last I have them ready to go and I must say it is a big relief. I sure hope the next batch goes a little easier.

Anyhow, many have been asking the question, what exactly is a Shutterbug? The Shutterbugs are the third in the Superbug series, basically a mutation of the Original Superbug and the Weevil. I wanted to make a tool that was specifically geared towards photographers, and as many of you know, I am a very serious photography enthusiast and camera collector.

So what features might a photographer's tool have on it and how could I also make it such that it would also appeal to a broad group of non photographers?

We'll start with the "nose"....

Old school FILM cameras, which is what I mostly collect and use, often have button batteries or, in the case of the great point and shoot cameras of the 1990's, a lithium battery. These cameras usually have a little screw on battery cover with a coin slot on it. The Shutterbugs have a rounded nose bevel that will fit coin slot grooves and also double as a tool for tripod bushings which often feature a similar groove. It can also be used for all sorts of general prying and scraping tasks as well.

Next is the "eye" of the tool. Here I have reamed the opening to fit PC flash cord ends. This tool can help the pros who use flash cables to repair an end that has become out of round which appears to be a common issue with these cables.

I include a phillips bit and 1/4" hex opening for the captive bit portion of the tool. For those pros and totally gonzo gearheads such as myself who use RRS ballheads and brackets, I do have a few hex bits on hand that fit the screws...while supplies last. You will have to email me and ask for them though as I only have a couple dozen and they are quite pricey...don't know what RRS is? Don't go there, your wallet and your wife both send their thanks! :)

(Note: Darn it! I just double checked the hex bits which only just arrived yesterday and I have the wrong size. Will have to reorder and send the bit separately later this week to those who have requested for RRS. Sorry about that...thanks.) 

To complete the tool and round out the universal appeal, the "butt" end features a flathead screwdriver/prytool and the lanyard opening doubles as an O2 wrench. And of course every photographer and non photographer alike needs a handy cap lifter. ;)

The Shutterbugs weigh 30 grams with the bit. They are 3 inches long and .70" wide, .160" thick and are made of CPM 3v Steel at 58 Rockwell. Concerned about your 3v Steel tools developing patina, ie. rust? Give them a periodic wipe with WD-40 or any kind of oil. This is a pure tool steel that is highly wear resistant and incredibly tough but to achieve that kind of performance it must sacrifice stainless qualities. Also, the O-rings will leave a bit of residue when you roll them on so a little wipe down beforehand will optimize appearance. I did not apply any oil yet as I did not want to stain the insert cards.

There are no variations in this batch. No stamps or special grinds.

The Shutterbugs will be $70 each plus shipping and it is a one per customer sale please as the batch is not very large. I have a second batch that I will be making in titanium later this summer but they will be flat, so an ultralight thin version is in the works.

Thanks for stopping by today and happy clicking this summer!

Shutterbugs are sold out for now, thank you so much!

 
      

Bronze Terminators with Satellites

Howdy All,

Well, the fun and games continue today...

I have some new Terminators to offer...these are made of silicon bronze and feature my cool Satellite design with 5 dots connected by a pinstripe instead of the usual knurling band. I've done this design in the past on some older beads and on a few shotglasses. I always loved the look and I thought it would be great on a Terminator bead. Some of these are already developing a strong patina and have areas of color starting on them which you can continue to develop and nurture by daily handling and use or simply wipe off with a polishing cloth, I'll leave it up to the individual. Personally I like a patina though. The gorgeous Alien/Zombie/Toxic/Chernobyl (whatever you want to call it!) green and black cord is a nifty touch as well. :)

Anyway, these are ever so slightly longer and about a gram or so heavier than the previous Terminators. The runtime is a little longer to machine them as well so these will be $30 plus shipping. I'll make it two per customer as in the previous Terminator sales.  As always, the link to purchase is right above the pictures below. Thanks for stopping in and have a great week everyone!

Thank you so much! These are all gone for now but more will be coming later this summer in copper.

Titanium Atwrenches

Hi Everyone,

It really has been a glorious summer so far here in New England. Aside from a few sticky days, which are always expected of course, the temps have been pleasant and with the abundant rainfall the landscape is lush and green everywhere. Quite enjoyable for the most part. I'd offer to send CA some of our recent rain but you guys are always sending us your "used" weather and it only seems to go one way. :)  

Well, the projects are still humming along although progress has been slow. I am STILL waiting for those darned Shutterbugs to come back from heat treat. They are getting new furnaces installed and are only running at half capacity so high speed steels have been delayed for weeks. However, they are supposed to finally get to them within this next week.

Other upcoming projects include another round of bronze Terminators, this time with a slightly different design. I am working on a variety of other items as well and will be making decisions this coming week on the future projects. Many new drawings are in contention and it's just a matter of figuring out which direction to go in next.

Today I have some titanium Atwrenches completed. These are the usual hefty 5/32 thickness and they have the new style edge grip on them. SAE wrench sizes 1/4-9/16". I have anodized this first wave in a variety of colors ranging from solids to color fades to multi color finishes. I have more of these coming in the next week or two as I am able to finish them and maybe the next round will be plain with no ano. All of these have the regular grinds and no stamps or anything different on this group other than colors.

The Ti Atwrenches will be $70 plus shipping. The batch isn't huge so it will be one per customer on them please. The link to order is below.

Thanks for stopping in and for your patience with my sporadic production patterns. Hope everyone is having a terrific summer as well.

Colored ti Atwrenches are Sold Out for now, thank you!

Flat Titanium Keytons

Hi again Folks!

As promised yesterday, I've been busy finishing up some of the flat ti Keyton batch. Some of you may remember the original flat Keytons I made years ago. They proved to be very popular as a super light and slim backup tool for your wallet or keys. Well I decided to revive the concept with the updated and current 2014 Mini Keyton design.

The new flat Mini Keytons are made of .070 thick titanium. They are perhaps slightly thick for use as a screwdriver but you can still easily pop open a paint can lid with them or dig a piece of gravel out of your tire tread, so as a simple pry tool they still have plenty of utility. They are extremely strong, yet ridiculously light in weight. The wrenches are 1/4-3/8 and the cap lifter works like a champ.

I've been playing around with a new anodizing process recently. This is the first batch of titanium tools to feature my new K2 process (Kandy Kolors). I'm happy to report that I'm getting some very bright and interesting colors with this new method and will be using it going forward. I really had fun with these tools, experimenting with as many color combos as I could think of....before anyone asks, these are all colored so far. I do have some plain ones on deck in case I need to make up more colored ones to fulfill these orders but not sure if I will have enough plain unanodized ones for a separate sale. There are a few lefties too if you email me and ask.

So the first wave of flat ti Keytons will run $45 each plus shipping. I will make it a two per customer limit... no choice of colors as they are all as different as I can make them. There are plenty of solids but MANY color fade effects and subtle variations of color tones as well.  The purchase link is below. Thanks for stopping in as always and I hope you're staying cool and hydrated this week!

Wow, sold out in a flash! Thanks everyone!



Here's a small sampling of the K2 finishes:

Rest of the Ti Terminators

Hi Folks,

I hope everyone is having a great start to their summer. It's a dandy one so far here in New England and if we are lucky the lovely weather will continue.

For once, things are going along smoothly here this week. I hope to start working on those ti Atwrenches in a few days. Still waiting on the Shutterbugs which are at heat treat and will probably be there for another week or so. In the meantime I have a little batch of flat ti Keytons coming up...remember those from years ago? A new batch based on the recent Mini Keyton design and with bright anodized colors is coming up shortly. Also, I have gone through and started to make plans for further projects this summer and we'll see what happens, but there should be some really interesting ones depending on what I can get done.

So today I have the remaining titanium Terminators finished. These are plain unanodized like the first batch and they run $30 each plus shipping with a limit of two per customer, just as before. This is a pretty small batch and once they are gone that's it for them as I have no more ti bar stock at the moment. The link to purchase is below and as always, thank you so much for stopping by!


Ti Terminators are sold out, thank you again!

Bronze Terminators with Diamond Knurl

Hi Folks,

Hope everyone is having a fine June! It has been quite mild here so far which is OK by me. I'm looking forward to a little beach time this summer though so it would be nice if the water would start warming up.

Projects are steadily moving along although perhaps a little slowly. I started grinding Shutterbugs this week and will be picking away at them for the next few days. They need quite a bit of fussing over but I think they are going to be great when I'm done. In other news, the ti Atwrenches should be cut this week so I'll have those to work on once the Shutterbugs are off to heat treat.

Today I have some new bronze Terminators finished, this time with diamond knurl! I did not make any diamond knurl Terminators in any other material, only bronze, so this batch will be it for them. Up the road I might buy some more titanium bar stock and make some in ti but for now we just have the bronze. These are made from silicon bronze so are quite durable and some are even getting a little patina on them already. They look awesome on my camera bags.

Bronze Terminators will run $25 each plus shipping and the purchase link is below. Thanks for stopping by everyone, it's always hugely appreciated!

These are sold out, thank you so much! 

3V Ghosts!

Hi Folks,

It's been quite rainy and cool here in New England lately which is fine by me. I'm not in a big hurry to see the heat and humidity which is surely on the way any day now. Still, after this long winter and cold spring I can't help but wonder if this will be an unusually cool summer ahead.

Things have been a bit slow lately but I am steadily getting through various projects. I still have not really gotten started on the Shutterbug tools but I'll be working on them shortly. Titanium Atwrenches are getting closer and will probably be coming along before the Shutterbugs. I have a few new drawings that I am mulling over too so if I ever get my lazy butt in gear lots of interesting items are on the way this summer!    

Today I have some of the CPM 3v Ghosts finished. These are identical to the G2 Ghosts that I released last year except for the uber tough material. How can you tell them apart? Well, these are stamped "3V" right on the back. They are the usual hefty 5/32" in thickness and have a great working stonewashed finish.

The Ghosts will run $60 plus shipping and the batch is not huge. As I often do, I'll make this sale one per customer so that more people will get a chance at them. The purchase link is below....have a great week everyone and as always, thank you for stopping by!


Ghosts are sold out for now, thank you!

Semi Roid Atwrenches

Hi Everyone,

Well it's been pretty quiet around here lately hasn't it? I've been busy working on various projects and also took some time off for a brief vacation. But I'm back for a bit now and am spending some serious time in the shop this week and next.

I still haven't gotten started on those Shutterbugs but they are on the bench finally and next in line for the grinder. CPM 3v Ghosts will be back from heat treat by early next week. And I have some 5/32 titanium Atwrenches in progress for early June as well as a few more Terminator beads. At least one other project will be coming also in this near time frame. Tipplers are delayed probably until the end of summer or early fall due to lack of machine time. So there is lots of stuff on the way in the coming few weeks for sure.

Today I have a batch of CPM 3v Semi Roid Atwrenches done. These are just shy of 3/16 in thickness so are a little thicker than I normally make. They are quite substantial and feel very solid in the hand without being ridiculously heavy.  I changed up the grip pattern on this batch to further differentiate these from earlier runs of Atwrench tools.

I had a little fun with the grinds on these and in addition to my usual accent grinds on the main pry bevel I mixed it up and did several different new versions. I will be sending them out in no particular order so there is no choice of grinds but they are all nice and there are at least 4 different main versions with several other minor variations mixed in as well. Fun stuff!

Anyway, the 3v Atwrenches will be $70 plus shipping. It's a small batch so one per customer on them please. The link to purchase is below. Thanks for stopping in and I hope everyone is having a great spring!

Sold Out! Thanks again everyone!

     

G3 Mini Keytons

Hi Everyone,

Happy Easter Weekend! It's supposed to be lovely here, in the 60's and sunny. Looking forward to it.

Well, today at long last, I have the first wave of G3 Mini Keytons done. These are made of CPM 3v tool steel hardened to 58-60 Rockwell. The stock is 5/32 thick so they are plenty beefy yet remain very compact. As you can see, the footprint of the Minis is slightly smaller than the original Roid Keytons and the overall length is 2.7 inches. Although the wrench sizes are not super useful (1/4, 5/16 and 3/8) they are the sizes that fit in the small space and they look cool too. :)

The 3v tool steel is super tough material and very scratch resistant especially with this finish. Give them a little oil now and then and they should stay looking like new on your keys for many years.
 
The Mini Keytons are going to run $60 plus shipping and the purchase link is below. The batch is not very big so it will be one per customer on them please. I am looking into making a second batch and perhaps a couple of variation designs later this year so I'm sure this isn't the end of them.

Have a great weekend everyone and thank you as always!

Sold out for now, thank you again everyone!

   

Titanium Terminators

Hi Everyone,

We're finally getting some decent spring days up here in the northeast and the snow is completely gone now. Looking forward to those April showers bringing us some May flowers and green lawns.

Things are going along very well this month and much progress is being made on all the projects that are underway. The 3v Mini Keytons should be back from heat treat later this week and three other steel tool projects are well in hand and moving forward including the Shutterbug photographer's tool. Some great stuff on the way this spring!

Today I finally have the first wave of rifle knurled titanium Terminator beads finished. These are gorgeous and I'm very happy with them! They are very light in weight compared to the previous bronze and copper ones...they will be plain and unanodized in this first release.

The special tooling, machining time and material costs were quite a bit higher for the ti Terminators so they will cost a little more, $30 each plus shipping, and once again I'll keep it at two per customer please. The purchase link for them is below. As always, thanks for checking in and hope your week is going great!

Ti Terminators are gone for now but more are coming shortly. Thank you!

 

More Bronze Terminators

Howdy Folks,

I hope you're having a great weekend! Since it's still frozen and gray here I figured I'd sneak one more sale in for the week...

Today I have the remaining rifle knurled Silicon Bronze Terminators done. These little beauties are just terrific on bag pulls and lanyards, I'm really enjoying these on my own gear too. I'm thinking of making some variations on this design in addition to the ti rifle knurled Terminators that are on the schedule for end of next week. So there are some cool new patterns on the way this spring. :)

Anyhow, the Bronze Terminators are the usual $25 plus shipping and the link is below. Thanks again for taking time to stop in and have a relaxing weekend everyone!

Terminators are sold out for now, thank you again folks!

Stamped Titanium Hangmen

Hi Folks,

Well, the calendar says it's Spring but I just don't believe it yet. Hope it starts warming up soon or this might be another New England Year Without Summer, like the one back in the 1800's...

So the new 3v Mini Keytons just got cut this week and that means that they are about a month away from completion. It takes a long time to surface grind, edge sand, grind the bevels, tumble for several cycles, name stamp, heat treat, and then finish tumble, sort and package the results. It's many steps and a ton of work but they will be really nice at the end of it all. The CPM 3v steel Shutterbugs (#3 in the Superbug series) are also supposed to be cut this week and have an identical road ahead for processing. So lots of tools are coming but it's going to take a while to get them done.

Also delayed are the titanium Terminator beads due to machine and tooling issues. They are supposed to start turning next week though. I will have more bronze ones coming in the meantime and also a variation or two if I'm lucky and everything works out. Still no word on stainless Tipplers but hoping to see them in late April perhaps. This stuff always seem to take forever and then it all happens at once.

Today I have the last of the titanium Hangmen done. These are stamped and I have tried to make them as different as I can although there are some duplicates among them. They are plain with no anodizing and they are a very small batch so one per customer please...they will run $45 plus shipping and the link is below. Thanks for stopping in and don't be bragging to me how you are mowing your lawn this week for the second time, it will just make me disgusted. Hehe... :D

Sold out, thank you everyone!

Titanium Count Sporkulas

Howdy Folks!

Another dreary day here in the Northeast with freezing rain, sleet and snow in the forecast. Luckily it doesn't hang around very long this time of year though and that sun is getting stronger all the time.

Things have been slow going on the steel tool front lately. There are numerous projects underway but it seems like it's taking forever to move them along. However I'm happy to report that a brand new CPM 3v Mini Keyton design will be coming soon as well as a new CPM 3v captive bit tool. I'm hoping to have a small run of Tippler cups coming in stainless steel later this month...no guarantees as to when Tipplers will actually happen, although it is on the schedule. And I have several other interesting ideas that I am testing out both in round and flat stock. It's going to be a really fun spring if and when I can finally get all these projects going!

Today I have a good sized batch of titanium Count Sporkulas done. These are made from slightly thinner stock than the ones I made a couple of years ago, measuring .050 in thickness, so they are truly feather light and literally disappear in your wallet. These have been barrel tumbled for days to soften the edges and make them very smooth to the touch leaving just a few gentle marks here and there, perfect for EDC and utility use.

The Sporkulas will run $45 plus shipping and the clickable purchase link is below. Thanks for stopping in folks and hope your week is going great!

Sporkulas are sold out for now but a few more will be forthcoming soon, thank you!

Bronze Terminators

Good Morning and Happy Weekend,

It's sunny and bright today, spring is definitely on the way now, thank goodness! And the clocks have changed last night, another excellent sign that soon the icy grip of winter will be just a memory. Lastly, spring training is in full swing and regardless of whether the Red Sox win or lose I'm looking forward to another great baseball season ahead.

Today I have some fabulous bronze Terminators on black cord. These are made from silicon bronze, alloy #655, which is 97% copper with 2.8% silicon and then traces of a number of other metals to make up the remainder of ingredients. This alloy is very strong, nearly as strong as steel, with good corrosion resistance and it is used primarily in the marine industries and for industrial pump applications. It looks wonderful with a light golden color, quite shiny and bright and I think because of the relative hardness compared to tellurium copper for instance, that it might be fairly tarnish resistant. It will be very interesting to see how it looks over time.

So the bronze Terminators will be $25 each plus shipping and once again, limit of two per customer. The link is below....have a wonderful rest of the weekend everyone.

Sold Out, thank you!

Green Dreads

Hi Folks,

It's a bright and sunny one today with temps moderating slightly. Maple sugaring season is finally starting this weekend so that tells you something right there. Maybe if we're lucky some of that ugly white stuff piled up at the end of the driveway might even start disappearing, just enough to make room for another 12 inches due next week.

Bronze Terminators will be next up, probably over the weekend or early next week so stay tuned for those.

I have lots to do later on so I thought maybe an early morning sale (late night for the Aussies!) might be in order....Today I have some Titanium Dreadknots with green anodizing available. As usual, they run $60 each plus shipping. This is a tiny batch so one per customer please, the purchase link is below. Thanks and have a great weekend everyone!

Dreadknots are gone, thank you so much everyone!

 

More Copper Terminators

Hi Everyone,

The cold and misery continues here this week but it looks like maybe this weekend we will finally get above freezing during the day. This surely has been a winter for the record books...

Today I have another round of the tellurium copper Terminator beads finished. Thank you for the many kind words on the Toolbook and the enthusiastic emails I got about these! They are indeed beautiful and they work wonderfully for their intended purpose. The upcoming bronze and titanium versions are going to be equally as nice and hopefully I'll have some of those coming up this weekend or by early next week.

As usual, the link to purchase is below and they run $25 each plus shipping. We'll keep it at two per customer once again. Thanks as always for stopping in everyone and stay warm this week!

Copper one are sold out for now, thanks again everyone!

Tellurium Copper Terminators

Hi Everyone,

It's been a pretty quiet lately on the blog but I'm still here! This dreadful winter weather has been beating us down pretty good in the northeast. It's been so cold that the maple sugar season hasn't even started yet and that is usually halfway over by now. It's just crazy...luckily we're only three weeks from spring so things should start improving soon.

I've been working steadily on a number of interesting projects. I have a bunch of new designs coming up this spring that I'm excited about and I can't wait to get some of them going and share with you. I'll have more about them as they get closer, but in the meantime I've got this cute new Lanslide design to introduce today.

The Terminator Lanslide beads are something I have been thinking about for a couple of years now. I kept envisioning a bead large enough to hide a standard 550 paracord lanyard knot but 1/2 inch diameter stock was simply not big enough to do the job. So, I went up a size to 5/8 inch stock. These new beads are the largest that I have made so far both in girth and in length, .8 inches long, yet with the elegant tapered shape they really seem to be a perfect size. The sure positive grip they offer is outstanding.

The bottoms are counterbored and will accept a two strand Matthew Walker style knot (instructions for tying can be found here).  By trimming and sealing the cord ends the hollowed bottom of the Terminator will completely hide the knot if you wish to have a super clean look. Or you can let the cord tails stick out which looks fine as well and is easier to change if you want a different cord color. I will be shipping these with the cord tails in place and let you decide how you want to finish them since I know many people will be tying these onto their own custom lanyards anyway.

The first batch is made of gorgeous tellurium copper. They are very solid feeling and weigh in at a hefty 13 grams, nearly a 1/2 oz! I can't wait to see the patina develop on these...they look beautiful now but they are going to become fantastic as the months and years go by. The AAA copper flashlight in the background has been in my pocket every day for a year and it has a wonderful rich glow to it. Sweat, dust, finger oils and general oxidation give you a warm personal patina you can only get with age and constant handling. Good stuff.

This is only a small batch today but I will have more copper ones coming next week. Following that there will be titanium and also bronze Terminators.

The Terminators will run $25 each with a limit of two per customer for now. The link to purchase is below and if you don't see the link that means they are temporarily sold out.

Thanks for stopping by and stay warm this weekend!

Terminators are Sold Out for now, more coming next week, thank you!

  

HAIII Natural BitBuckets

Hi Everyone,

TGIF is all I can say...the sooner we get through this miserable February the closer we'll be to warm and sunny Springtime. At least the sun is out today and the snow looks bright and shiny. Almost makes you forget for a minute that the mercury was showing below 0F this morning, as it has for many many mornings this winter.

There have been a lot of distractions lately but I'm steadily chipping away at a variety of projects. Ti Count Sporkulas are coming up very shortly and a brand new Lanslide design will be coming in maybe a week or so. Still no movement on the remaining Frankenslices but I will get back to them soon. And I haven't gotten too far on the remaining Hangmen but will try to get to some of those in the next few days as well.

Today I have the last batch of aluminum BitBuckets done. These have a beautiful deep olive gray colored HAIII Natural Hardcoat Anodizing on them. A nice match for your SF flashlights. These will run the usual $55 plus shipping and it's a very modest sized batch so one per customer on them please. Link is below...thank you for stopping by today and may your weekend be a warm and happy one. :)

Sold Out, thank you very much!

Anodized Titanium Hangmen

Hi Everyone,

Happy Superbowl Weekend! My Pats got knocked out two weeks ago but that is just as well since they didn't have much of a chance this year anyway. So I don't really have a dog in the fight anymore and can just sit back and enjoy the game.

It's been a bit quiet around here lately but I'm making great progress and will be stepping up the sales a bit in this next week. So much stuff is about to be finished...

Today I have the first wave of anodized ti Hangmen done. These are finished in a variety of colors, mostly different although there are some duplicates such as a few solid green, a few solid blue, a few gold, etc. I tried to make them as different as I could though so there is a wide variety of color fades and multi colored pieces. These all have a bright chamfered accent on the attachment hole as well. I will send whatever I send so I can't give you a color choice, but they are all absolutely gorgeous and I think everyone will be thrilled.

 I ran out of the mini S clips so these will all ship just by themselves...but since most of you guys put them on keyrings and such anyway I'm sure you will find a way to integrate them into your EDC. :)  This is the first half of the batch and more will be coming in this next week.

If you are new to colored titanium: finger oils will dull the colors so clean periodically with Windex and a soft cloth to restore the bright color. Colors are applied via electricity and are very thin. They are somewhat delicate but at the same time surprisingly durable. The stonewashed texture on the base of the pieces will help preserve the color and blend in the inevitable patina from use. 

The anodized Hangmen are $45 plus shipping and the link is below. It's not a very large batch so is one per customer please...thank you for your patience this winter and I hope everyone is staying warm and comfy this weekend. Temps are finally moderating a little bit here after the most brutal January I can remember...

Anodized Hangmen are sold out for now but more are coming shortly, thank you so much!

    

And the Bronze Bitbucket Winners Are...

Thanks so much for another great turnout everyone! Here is the list of winners and I will be sending out emails very shortly:



 

Bronze Bitbucket SUSale

Happy Wednesday Folks!

I might have mentioned yesterday that it's really cold here this week. Won't be getting out of the teens for at least couple of days if not for a week or more and below zero at night. Brrrr. This is the Fahrenheit scale I'm talking about here, the only "real" temperature measurement...hehe. :)  

Well today I have a little Sign Up Sale for you. I have two dozen of these pretty #655 bronze Bitbuckets. These will run $60 plus shipping and the link to sign up is below. I will let the sign up run for 30 minutes, so until 2:30 eastern time and then I'll give 3 hours to get back to me after I send out the emails. So if you sign up please make sure to check your email (and spam filter to be safe) in the next few hours.

So, wishing everyone a warm and productive Wednesday and thanks for stopping by.

Sign Up is over, emails will be sent shortly...thanks again!


List of Folks Who Signed Up 

Photo shot with new Lomography brass Petzval lens at f2.8 on Canon 5dmkii.

Ti BitBuckets!

Hi Everyone,

Sorry it's been so slow this year but things are starting to pick up at last. I have a few small batches of items that I am finishing up now and then we'll be on to some bigger projects again.

Coming up in a week or so will be more ti Hangmen, this time in anodized colors. Also coming in February is a batch of ti Count Sporkulas. In addition, I am working on some new stuff so you can expect a brand new Lanslide design this winter as well as a new titanium tool. That's it so far but there are other ideas brewing as well so there's just no telling what might happen next. :D

Today I have completed the remaining titanium BitBuckets from last year's run. The batch is small so it will be one per customer and they run $60 plus shipping....the purchase link is below. Newbies: if you don't see the link right above the picture then that means they are all gone. Thanks for your patience everyone and I hope 2014 is treating you right so far. It's going to be a great year, I can feel it in my bones...although since it's about 10F today those bones are sipping cocoa and wearing a sweater. :)
 
Sold Out, thank you so much!