Friday Afternoon Archives - Kowalski Heat Treating

Pickle Day

November 14, 2025/0 Comments/in Friday Afternoon /by Steve Kowalski

One of the most fun, a bit quirky, but oh so good snacks out there are – pickles. Crispy, crunchy, tangy, salty, dilly, yummy, and sometimes sweet, whole, spears, or chips, pickles are one of those foods most of us love… (you either can’t get enough of them… or you politely slide them off your sandwich dish onto someone else’s plate). Now of course I have multiple “favorites” Bread and Butter Pickles – both regular and zesty which my grandson calls Grandpa’s SPICY pickles and those good old fashioned barrel pickles! But love them or not, pickles have been around for thousands of years, and today, November 14th, we can celebrate them in all their briny glory on National Pickle Day. Add a spear to a dog, and its heaven (plus tangy pickled relish). Small delights on a relish tray – I’m in. And getting one of those big guys out of a pickle barrel is wonderful. And how they get those pickles into a jar amazes me (talk about a PIA (pain in the @%$) Job!). To learn more about pickles, and NPDay I went “crunching” online to find some fun facts and trivia I think you’ll enjoy. And be sure, when you get home today, reach in the back of the fridge, open a jar of your favorites, and snack away. Enjoy! Read more

Salty Solutions

November 7, 2025/0 Comments/in Friday Afternoon /by Steve Kowalski

There are so many things that we take for granted that just seem to go nicely together – coffee and cream, peanut butter and jelly, bacon and eggs, chips and dips, cheese and crackers, and of course, salt and pepper. Watching Jackie cook in the kitchen, I noticed how she measured some ingredients, but also added a “dash” of salt and pepper to the recipe. It got me wondering where the use of S&P came from. Being a salt-bath champion at KHT, I’ve come to know just how amazing salt baths are for our most trusted and critical products. The use of molten salt as a heating and quenching medium for steels, developed in England at the turn of the 20th century, is awesome. Now I could go on for hours – even days – telling you all of the ways that salt bath heat treating is incredible – wonderful! Just give me a call. If you’d like to know more about salt baths and heat treating, we are here to help. Ironically, one of the main chemical components in salt bath heat treating is Sodium Chloride (Common table salt!) Here’s some history about salt and pepper. Enjoy!

Happy Samhain!

October 31, 2025/0 Comments/in Friday Afternoon /by Steve Kowalski

Today marks one of my favorite celebrations of the year – Halloween. I have so many great memories as a kid – picking out my costumes, decorating the house, running the neighborhood with my siblings and buddies, making sure the neighbors 10 doors down could hear us yelling “Trick or Treat”, sorting candy on the living room floor, and enjoying the treats for weeks to come (all-time favorite candy: Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Snickers, 100 Grand Bar and of course Peanut M & M’s!!) Halloween may look like candy, costumes, decorations and carved pumpkins, but I found out its roots stretch back more than 2,000 years to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (SOW-in). I always love digging for new information!!!! This was no lighthearted holiday: while it marked the end of harvest and the beginning of winter, the night had deeper meanings – when the veil between the living and the dead was at its thinnest. Over time, Samhain’s symbols and superstitions evolved through Christian influence, folklore, and immigration – shaping the traditions and imagery we know today. I decided to dig in and really learn about the day, and its heritage (thanks, Library of Congress!!) Here’s just some of what I found out. ENJOY!

Our Motto!

October 24, 2025/0 Comments/in Friday Afternoon /by Steve Kowalski

Here at KHT, we love our motto (thanks, Dad!). It’s a call, and a promise, to all of our customers, to send us those pesky (I really like the word pesky!!) thermal processing jobs that keep you up at night, so we can “do our thing” providing amazing solutions, production, and delivery. Driving this summer, I noticed some of the state flags and mottos. (Make time to watch the TED Talk below about flag design featuring Roman Mars of 99% Invisible podcast – it’s awesome, and the ending will have you howling!). Here in Ohio, our motto – “With God, All Things Are Possible”– reflects a faith-centric vision of perseverance and hope that resonates deeply with many Ohioans. But we’re not alone, and that nearly half of U.S. state mottos are in Latin, chosen by early leaders to give their words a sense of permanence and prestige. From Kansas’ bold “Ad Astra per Aspera” (“To the Stars Through Difficulties”) to Missouri’s “Salus Populi Suprema Lex Esto” (“The Welfare of the People Shall Be the Supreme Law”), these phrases carry so much history and meaning. Others, like Florida’s “In God We Trust” and South Dakota’s “Under God, the People Rule,” share Ohio’s faith-based tone, while mottos like New Hampshire’s “Live Free or Die” and California’s triumphant “Eureka!” are simply great. Together, they are a fascinating portrait of America’s values, dreams, and identity, and paint a fascinating portrait of our country. I hope you find some of these as interesting and uplifting as I did (honestly, some I think are clunkers), but nonetheless, thought provoking (in full openness – I don’t like Chicago’s flag!) I tried to sort them by theme and included the Latin (sometimes it sounds better than the translation) and English (and four “other” languages), and starred some of my favorites. Enjoy!

Pasta For All!

October 17, 2025/0 Comments/in Friday Afternoon /by Steve Kowalski

As a devout “foodie” (which just means I pretty much love all food), today marks a special day on my calendar – National Pasta Day – simply celebrating the sheer joy of pasta. (whoever thought of this is a genius!) Though it’s widely observed on this day, the exact origin of this “holiday” is unclear (no formal proclamation exists…let’s start one!). We’ll have to wait some days for World Pasta Day (Oct 25th), globally recognized and supported by pasta manufacturers and food organizations around the world. I did some digging and found interesting tidbits about the day, pasta history, and fun facts. As I was composing this blog post, I tried to determine if I had a “favorite” pasta – is it traditional spaghetti smothered with Jackie’s sauce and meatballs and sausage, or is it my love of lasagna, those gooey golden layers of sauce, cheese, beef, and sausage! – or a kid’s favorite of simple macaroni and cheese. Orzo is fun, those pipe thingies are too (any shape), especially when the cheese and sauce sneak inside and hold the goodness. Speaking of inside, how about ravioli, with the different fillings – sausage, beef, chorizo, cheese, … ok, I’ll stop. Pasta la vista!

Nice Job, Chris

October 10, 2025/0 Comments/in Friday Afternoon /by Steve Kowalski

If you’ve had the pleasure of raising kids and watching them grow up to exceed your expectations, then this story is for you. Now that our own girls have grown and found their “niche” in work, life, and the community, we’ve come to appreciate that “proud parent” feeling even more. (It even carries over into our “proud grandparent” moments as well!). On Monday, we’ll once again observe Columbus Day reflecting on the historic accomplishments of Cristoforo Colombo (he was Italian by birth, though the Spanish knew him as Cristóbal Colón). I decided to dig a little deeper into the life of “old Chris,” share a bit about his roots, and how a young man from a really modest background became one of the most famous explorers in history. With no GPS, no modern maps, and a crew full of doubts, Columbus dared to cross an uncharted ocean and opened the door to an entirely new world. Columbus Day reminds us to dream big, to explore, and to persist, even when the odds are stacked against us. Behind the well-known story is a fascinating man, some proud parents, and an incredible journey worth rediscovering. Thanks to Google and Wikipedia for the historical details. Enjoy!

Groovy Baby

October 3, 2025/0 Comments/in Friday Afternoon /by Steve Kowalski

Isn’t it groovy baby, how certain slang terms define periods of time? The other night, Jackie and I were watching an oldie movie, and the women were called “dames” and the men were “on the lam from the coppers” and needed to “lay low from the heat”. Our language has always been a reflection of its time, sort of a snapshot of culture, trends, music, and the attitudes of each generation. As a barely!! Baby boomers (born 1946–1964), growing up in one of the most transformative periods in American history, we enjoyed some of the coolest phrases of the ’60s and ’70s (“sock it to me baby”, flower power,” and “keep on truckin’”). Many of these slang phrases were incorporated into TV shows of the era. But slang didn’t start there, and it certainly didn’t end, as the younger kids continue to develop a whole language of their own, along with acronyms they use on social media and texting. Here’s a list of classics, and just some of today’s lingo. And as I like to say, “Alright fam, that’s the skinny – stay snatched, keep your rizz strong, avoid the mid vibes, and remember: if it’s giving groovy energy, no cap, you’re living your main character era – Word!” FYI, if I did use any of this slang, my children would be less than happy with me! Enjoy, and thanks to Google and Jennifer Freeman, Senior Editor of Word Smarts and Word Daily, for the inspiration and descriptions. Chill out and Enjoy! Read more

Barcodes

September 26, 2025/0 Comments/in Friday Afternoon /by Steve Kowalski

It’s fun to look back at how ideas become inventions, patents mark time, and innovations spread into our culture and daily routines. At a recent shopping visit with Jackie, I watched the cashier “fly” through our grocery selections, happily chatting away as she was listening for the beeps of the barcode reader. It got me thinking about the teams of individuals that thought up the idea, tested it, built equipment, tested it again, and then brought it to market. I was intrigued and decided to go digging for more info and history. I was surprised to find out the barcode’s origins go back to drawing in the sand (something I love to do with the grandkids at the beach – sandcastles and burying grandpa are part of our fun too!). Here’s some fascinating info on barcodes, and a bit about their discovery and evolution over time. Enjoy.

Dancing in September

September 19, 2025/0 Comments/in Friday Afternoon /by Steve Kowalski

We are so lucky to have enjoyed so much great music over the years – blues, pop, country, hip-hop, soul, R&B, rock, funk, punk, and so much more. I was driving the other day and heard one of my classic favorites from Earth, Wind & Fire. Something about their joy for music and fun got me singing out loud (no, you don’t want to hear that) and bopping around in the car, always fun to see people looking at me while driving past! The song is called “September”, and I just had to dig in and learn more about the band and the era. To really enjoy this post, just click on the link below, and if you can, turn up the volume – I’m sure it will put a smile on your face and make for a great Friday kickoff to the weekend – you can certainly appreciate the horn sections! If you have more favorites like this, shoot me an email so I can boogie along (Boogie Nights, anyone?) Here’s to all the great bands and especially Earth, Wind & Fire. Be sure to pencil in Sunday the 21st and have a dance party at home or just boogie a little bit in the car. ENJOY!

Inspiration

September 12, 2025/0 Comments/in Friday Afternoon /by Steve Kowalski

Inspiration. It’s part of the ethos here at KHT. Coupled with our ambition, curiosity, determination and desire, it helps drive our mission to solve your PIA (Pain in the @%$) Jobs! It gets us up in the morning and sometimes keeps us here after most people are already headed home for the day. Throughout our American history, many of our greatest leaders “inspired” us to overcome and find success. On this day, back on September 12, 1962, President John F. Kennedy stood before 40,000 people at Rice University and delivered one of the most stirring speeches in American history. His words echoed far beyond the stadium, “We choose to go to the Moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard…” His words resonated throughout the nation, through the Cold War with Russia, the Space Race, and into the heart of the American identity. But this wasn’t just a speech about space travel. It was a rallying cry for courage, innovation, and national purpose during one of the tensest times in modern history. Here’s a bit more about innovation, and Kennedy’s words, and time in our history. Thanks to Google and Wikipedia for the insights – Enjoy!