January 9, 2016
The holiday season has been a whirlwind of distractions, with SOME work getting done, but not nearly as much as I would like. Having family and friends visit is wonderful, but when even my solitary days are too short to make the kind of dent in my to-do list that I want, it becomes even more challenging to manage time with guests.
As the first month of the year progresses, I have some new goals to work for. During the coldest days, I plan to actually start 3d grinding of the many CPM3V blade blanks I have had laying around. I will also be rigging up a wet grinding/sludge catching attachment for the Wilmont or KMG grinder so I can take care of heat treated blades with a little more speed, accuracy, and less risk of ruining edge or burning fingers. hardness.
Since pretty much all of my 1095 blade inventory is heat treated and Cerakoted, I only have some sheath development, handle making/fitting and sharpening to do before everything is ready to head out to new owners. Anubis, ETA scout, 3B ultralight and Camp hatchets are all available as well as many Kodiak swords, Bowie knives, Predator series blades, and some smaller models. I will make an effort to update product pages today, since it’s really too cold to be in the shop at all today.
As I learn to grind 3V, and finish grind AEBL, I will hopefully be moving through the 1095 inventory, and working toward developing the next revision of the Anubis and 3B tomahawks which will be more manufacturable, have equal or better strength, and allow for even more customization options by implementing a hidden tang instead of full skeletonized tang. I already have 8 prototype blanks cut out of .285″ thick CPM3V, which will be a sort of special edition; subsequent batches will made from be our proven Austempered 1095 because it works so well, and will keep costs reasonable. I will also be working on a revision of the Lotor S.E.R.E knife, and offer it, as well as some of the smaller blades from 3/16″ CPM3V.
As a diversion from knife making, and to ensure my mental and physical health, I will be scheduling a couple of hours a day for exercise and side projects. I also hope to get away from the shop on some upcoming weekends for some winter hiking and camping.
Since I got my first smart phone in May, I have slacked off on web work, and email because it seems the phone can get the essentials done, but I haven’t figured out how to really make it work for me. I have also been trying hard to complete old work, so I can unreservedly move on to the new. I guess I could keep a calendar to remind me to do these web journal entries, and put new pictures on facebook.
We’ll see how it goes, and hope for the best.
Please check the www.youtube.com/sressentials channel for shop updates and news. It seems easier for me to share info that way so I don’t have to pester everyone with a newsletter.