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Exports to E.U. countries…

Today I have taken the decision to suspend exports to E.U. countries. Since the new customs regulations have come into effect I have been trying to understand them, and work out the best way to comply with them. Unfortunately I have finally come to the conclusion that due to the complexity and expense of the new regulations it is no longer viable for me o offer carriage to these locations. The consequences of Brexit on small businesses like mine is ridiculous.

I would like to thank all of the people, from all over Europe, who have purchased Carved Kink products in the past. Your custom meant a lot to me… and hopefully things will change for the better in the near future and I will again be able to send my work to you.

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U.K. Postage and packing costs…

Changes to my U.K. Postage and packing policy.

Since the beginnings of Carved Kink in 2018 my prices have remained fixed, and I haven’t charged for P&P in the U.K. Unfortunately costs do rise, and in the current economic climate I find the biggest cost increases to me are postage and packaging prices. Also, when I started out, I used budget courier companies, and the old saying, “you get what you pay for” certainly applies in that instance. It has been some time now since I moved up to Royal Mail and Parcelforce, and whilst they are more expensive, their service is exemplary… usually getting your goods to you in just a day or two. However, they are more expensive and their prices have risen over time, as have the prices of my cardboard and postal tubes, and it is becoming harder to absorb those costs without increasing the prices I charge for Paddles and Canes, which I don’t want to do.

So, I have decided that the obvious solution is to charge a fixed rate of £8.00 for P&P in the U.K.

This won’t come into effect until the 1st of July and it will ensure I can continue providing my customers with the best impact toys, and the best Postal service, available. Not the best news, I know… but at least any orders placed in June will be free of P&P charges.

So, now it’s time to shop… and save!

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Bulgaria and Sweden then back to the workshop…

Bulgaria and Sweden then back to the workshop… Its been a hectic week at Carved Kink. It began on Monday at Stansted Airport, at 4am. I was visiting Bulgaria with a client to look at some property, and discuss plans for her project. All very hush-hush at the moment, but I do hope to be able to post some updates here, as and when things progress.

I enjoy travelling, and being able to combine visits to two new countries with work was a real treat!

the Black Sea

Views of the Black Sea from my accommodation.

 

On the return flight, we had a stopover in Sweden. We had enough time to visit the local town for a little sightseeing and some food. I hadn’t visited Sweden before, and definitely intend to return to this beautiful country

for a short holiday!

Nykoping

 

Nykoping

Nykoping

 

I arrived home at 2am Thursday, had a few beers then found my bed. The rest of the week has been rather relaxed. Long Autumnal dog walks in the woods, late breakfasts, some level of procrastination before heading to the workshop. Regardless of this, its been productive…

tulipwood

Planing and re-sawing Tulipwood…

 

tulipwood blanks

Cutting blanks ready to carve…

 

snapping sticks

Working on new ideas…

 

Now its Sunday afternoon, and I am wondering where the week has gone. It doesn’t feel like I was in Sweden three days ago!

Ok, enough of the holiday snaps! I will update next week, but now its time to shop…

 

 

 

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The next few days at Carved Kink…

The next few days at Carved Kink see me away on a business trip. I despatched goods today as usual. Please continue to order as usual, though any orders received from today through to Wednesday 12th will be subject to a short delay. Rest assured though, I will deal with the backlog before the end of next week. I will probably not be able to answer any enquiries for commissions and such until my return, but please feel free to contact me and I will address all enquiries ASAP.

So, with the first chills of Autumn arriving in the UK I am looking forward to a few days on the Mediterranean coast, looking at a project with a client and will hopefully find the time to relax in the sun for one last time this year.

And now its time to shop…

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Welcome to Carved Kink.

Welcome to Carved Kink. The website has been live for a few days now and its time to say hello. This has been quite a steep learning curve for me. I am a carpenter, not a web designer, and so the thought of creating an online store by myself, to sell the hand carved implements I produce, was a daunting one. So, lots of questions to, and great advice from, people in the scene later, and the use of some excellent tutorials on youtube like this one from @katrinah, and here we are. I have an online shop, and you are here looking at it! The fact that you found it may well be down to the wonderful Yoast Plug-in that I installed for SEO. Thats Search Engine Optimisation incase you were wondering, I know I was, as I had never heard of it before last week!

Why a blog section? So I can keep my growing (hopefully) band of satisfied customers up to date with everything. New products, new species of timber, new tools, new ideas. Also I hope to give you insights into my work, why I do things a certain way, why I like certain tools and techniques, what makes me, and the workshop, ‘tick’. On a slightly more lighthearted note I may share some pictures of the workshop dogs, usually sleeping in the shavings, and keep you up to speed on my current favourite Gins and Craft Beers.

workshop dogs

Workshop Dogs…

work in progress

Work in progress…

commissioned items

Commissioned items…

new products

New designs…

So, thank you for finding me, for reading this far and letting me share my thoughts, techniques and designs. I hope I can offer an alternative to everyday kink shopping, an antidote to mass produced, soulless implements. I hope I can place something created with love, understanding and skill into your hand.

And now its time to shop!