A friend emailed me that the inventor of the crimp pliers just passed away. A little googling revealed that, yes, Scott Bartky was the inventor of the crimp pliers and he did pass on, Jan 1st, 2010.
But apparently, he was much more than just the inventor of the crimping pliers. He was a pioneer in computing and electronics and had over 40 patents in his name. He was a champion for critical thinking, he was a decent and thoughtful man and that the world is a poorer place for his loss.
I'm sorry that I never met him, and sorrier that I never will.
See the instructions and description of the pliers themselves on his website, or visit the rest of his legacy website.
Kate McKinnon has some lovely things to say on her blog, that give you a real insight into the man, as does Anne E. Mitchell - whose blog I have been pointed to a number of times recently - she has many thoughtful things to say. (If you are using Firefox, press "control +" to make the font big enough to read! "Control 0" will put it back to normal when you are done.)
And the Chicago Tribune obituary is here, which has many fascinating details about a truly interesting man.
Our heartfelt condolences go out to his family. I know that every time I crimp a bead now, I will give a little thought to the man who made all our lives a little easier, a little better, made our jewelry better and more secure. Know that you never really die, while your name lives on in the lives of the people you have touched.
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