The more I learn, the more I realize how little I know.

Thursday, September 4, 2008

Pink is not manly for a knife lanyard but good for a key fob

I was asked by a customer awhile back to get some pink 550 paracord (parachute cord). Yeah I know, pink is not a manly color and wouldn't be good for one of my knife lanyards but it's not so bad for a key fob. And I've sold a few of these pink, key fobs already. In the picture I have a pink and turquoise, a pink and navy blue, a pink and red, and a pink and kelly green. They are each about 5 1/2" long with a white, wood bead and a split ring. You can see more pictures and a description of each at my Etsy shop - devilchasnme.

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Our Motorcycle Safety Demonstration Video

Some of my friends and I got together awhile back and put on this motorcycle safety demonstration. I hope you like the video we made - we sure had some fun that day!

Leave me a comment if you think we did good.

Why you need a lanyard for your knife

A knife is a tool and like any tool - when you need it, you need it. A lanyard attached to the end of your knife allows you to grab it without digging into your pant’s pocket - pull the lanyard and out she comes.
When I first started making lanyards, they were all custom made for the person or how the knife was to be used. One of my first was made for a friend who wore bib overalls while he worked and he carried his knife in that pocket on his leg that’s made for a folding, wood ruler. So he just needed something to grab onto (more like a handle extension) - about 4" off the end of the knife - so he didn’t have to dig down into that pocket with his fat fingers – not easy for him. So I made a lanyard for him that was tied tight to the handle of his pocket knife. And he was happy.

After many custom lanyards I began to work out a design that would suit most every workman or outdoorsman who carries a pocket knife around and uses it here and there throughout the day. That design has a 4 inch loop because it’s all about the way the knife sits in your pocket and the way the lanyard hangs out of your pocket.

With a short loop, for the lanyard to hang down out of the pocket, the knife will have to stand straight up inside your pocket. If the knife moves lower in your pocket, the lanyard is drawn in and then sticks out straight up.

With a long loop the knife can sit down inside the pocket and there is enough loop so the body of the lanyard will hang loosely down out of the pocket. And after experimenting with different lengths, a 4 inch loop seemed to be about right.

When I worked in a warehouse and had to cut open boxes all day long, I used one like this - my hawkbill was always easy to grab. And if you gotta have sumthin hangin out yer pocket anyway - it's gotta look wicked-sharp! I got lotsa compliments on mine. And so will you.

Click over to my site devilchasnme and get yourself a lanyard.

Monday, September 1, 2008

Hand-carved wood items from Baguio, Philippines

During 1973, I was in the Navy Seabees and stationed at the Subic Bay Naval Base in the Philippines. During some R & R, some of us guys rented a van and drove up to the mountain city of Baguio, their summer capital, and while there I bought some hand-carved wood statues and wall plaques. I have two of these for sale right now in my vintage, Etsy site - DevilishlyVintage.

The first is this filipino boy riding a water buffalo. You can go directly to the page for this item here.

The second is this growling, prowling jungle cat. You can go directly to the page for this item here.

These two pieces are as beautiful and perfect as the day I bought them back in 1973. If you'd like to make one of them yours, click on the links above.

since 12/17/08