"We’ve got more tools than a tradie’s ute—and none of them are missing their charger." - ChatGPT
My running update - Sunday 15th saw me out at Orewa beach, it was blustery wet and cold, overall pretty miserable for my first half marathon. However this did not dappen my spirits, the preparation had been done and it was time to hit this milestone.
A key piece of advice I had received is to not go out too fast, but set and stick to the pace you want to run, it's your race and not someone else's.
I had the goal of 2hrs 10 mins - I finished in 2hrs 2 mins, winning.
We have had an amazing month at Millin, introducing new products like the Nilfisk Safety Vacs and Almax High Capacity Paint Trays.
Be sure to follow us on Instagram for great product info and a few laughs at my expense
🛠 Make sure you jump online and check out the July Current Super Deals on selected tools and consumables.

KNIFE MAKING – MY DAY WITH A BLADE MASTER
Recently I was invited to take part in a knife making course with one of my customers – craftsman and award winning knife maker (these are my titles I
have bestowed upon him) Willie Van Niekerk from Kiwi Blade Knives.
We were warmly welcomed and introduced to Willie, whose passion for blade-making was
instantly clear. He encouraged us to design any knife shape we liked, provided the blade
was no longer than 30cm to fit in the smaller forge.
A display of around 50 knives in various styles, sizes, and materials – including resin, deer
antler, and exotic timbers – provided inspiration.
I chose to make a Mini Santoku and began by sketching it to scale and cutting a template.
Throughout, we learned about steel types, particularly O1 Tool Steel, which allowed for
same-day completion. I used 2mm thick steel for my compact design. We cut the blade
shape with cutting discs and refined it on a linishing belt with fast-cutting ceramic belts.
Next came selecting brass pins and choosing a handle wood – I went with a beautifully
two-toned piece of Jarrah. We drilled pin holes, hardened the blade at 800°C, and quenched it in oil. After shaping the edge with Zirconia and Trizact belts, the blade was tempered. We epoxied and sanded the handle, finished it with tung oil, and Willie sharpened it to a razor edge.
The finished product is a beautiful creation of your own unique design. It is a fully
functional tool ready for everyday use and it is something you have made yourself.
and problems customers have that need solving. Sometimes we don’t have a
ready-to-go answer, but we have fun stumbling on a solution that works.