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May 26
I have finished looking over the instructions to the Grizzly, and will start to assemble it tomorrow.
I have decided against mounting it on my workbench, and have chosen a heavy table instead.
I believe that the table itself is near 80 pounds, so the whole thing will together weigh over 180 lbs!
Im right now building the grizzly in my wifes study and I hope that after I get it finished, I can move it all with a two-wheel cart out into my shop/forge.
May 23
I have some free time due to getting rained off the jobsite this morning, and wanted to write a few things in this ships Log.
It is my hope to begin this years weapons making season with my new belt answer with a goal in mind.
I hope to improve my knife and weapons making skills this winter.
I believe that Im able to make many new types of Star Trek Weapons for the Klingon warrior.
I have made about 7 different Batleths and have taken my Super Batleth design to the point where Im happy with it. I believe that I improved the basic design of the Star Trek TV shows Klingon Batleth to the point where it actually looks like its from a different world. The way I have discovered the use of Heat to color the blade, along with my own handle design have given My Batleths a Old World feel to them that I think is lacking in the Star Trek TV shows weapon.
The new designs I hope to start making this winter will have a Klingon look to them naturally, but I also want to try to make them more useful to people that I hope to begin selling things to.
Im thinking of new designs that have a very Klingon-like feel to their outlines, but have many design elements in common with traditional knife makers like Ed Fowler (who I admire greatly) The reason I like Ed Fowlers knife design so much is its simplicity. Ed doesnt believe in wasting time when he makes a knife. Ed likes his blades to have these huge Blade guards too, another Klingon-like design idea.
I would like to come up with a knife design of my own that is as distinct as Eds knife design, but also has many design elements of a more Klingon origin.
May 22
And so, it begins
Hi this is DaQo'tah
I got it!
I picked up my new knife making Grizzly belt sander right off the truck as it finally made it to my home town in North Dakota all the way from Gaud-knows where
I took a long lunch (a surprise to my boss Im sure) and raced home with my sander to open it up to have a look.
The first little surprise was that it came in two different boxes, and I can understand why now.
This thing is going to be huge!,,,I say Going to be because right now its in about 50 different parts to be assembled.
I had no idea it was going to be this heavy and well built. I actually was thinking it might actually turn out to be a cheep lightweight sander, but its real!
I will take the next few days to get myself familiar with the instructions, and to get a few things I see I will need to set this up in my DaQotah Forge shop.
I dont know yet if I will try to find a type of heavy freestanding table as with my drill press, or mount the new Grizzly to my workbench?
(Oh, I will try to take a few photos to show you guys what it looks like as a go along.)
May 21
Well, in the morning, I hope to get my Grizzly belt sander!
I cant wait; I will go right to the trucking place to get it on my lunch hour.
In other news, I saw a truck leaf spring in the garbage next door, and if I think it might work for knife blades, I may just have to take it home with me tomorrow.
I have to start shopping for some sanding belts now in the 72-inch length.
May 18
I just got a confirmation via the Shipment Trace Number, that my Grizzly Belt Sander has just been loaded on to a truck in Chicago, and is now on its way to North Dakota!!!!!
I have to admit, the shipper CONSOLIDATED FREIGHTWAYS, is fast, and their website is great, in that it allows guys like me to track down where my package is currently.
They also seem to update the information whenever the package status changes.
Im really getting excited now!
May 17
Well..I misunderstood when my Grizzly belt sander was going to arrive at my shop. Turns out its not due until Wednesday.
Im looking forward to getting my knife maker, and starting to make my first real knife with it. But this also seems to be a bit scary for me now too, you see, I have never actually worked with real knife steels that much, as well as the fact that Im going to have to learn about things like guards and stuff.
I have received much helpful information from some of my Internet knife guild friends, and this has me looking. I also have been re-reading the 2 knife making books I have to read.
Im struck how many steps there is to make a knife; its handle, and a sheath for it.
I wish there was a website that has things as well listed and photographed as mine does for the weapons I have made.
Perhaps thats my mission in this craft? To make a website so filled with good photos and words of explanations that I help thousands of young knife makers like myself get started.
My Grizzly grinder is as I write this, stuck in some kind of trucking layover in Chicago Il and Im hoping that I get word that its on its way soon.
The best part of the grizzly so far has been the excellent way they let you track your grinder across the country with their website. Im able to know whats going on, but since not much is going on, I dont actually feel calmer yet.
I hope when I write next here, that I can report that My Grizzly Belt sander has left Chicago and is headed for the cold lands of the Frozen North Dakota.
May 13
I think that tomorrow my Grizzly belt sander may in my very hands!!!
Its hard to believe it could come so fast, I was thinking it would take weeks, not just 24 hours!
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| the Grizzly belt sander #G1015 |
May 12
Well, I did it!
After a nice dinner, and a movie, as well as just enough beer to change a goofy looking idea into looking like its perfectly sane, I was able to 'con'- vince my wife that I truly needed a knife belt sander!
We logged on to the Grizzly website, and with a click-click, we ordered the G1015 in no time at all.
Now I have been reading all about this type of knife making tool, and there is much to be said for it on it's behalf, however there are a few things that may cause me some trouble.
The Grizzly belt sander has been known to track badly, and it does not have a way to change speeds, but I think I can fix things if that's all that
wrong.
I'm actually very excited to get this important tool, for it marks a change in my creation of weapons and knives. I'm taking the next step in this hobby, moving to true knife steels, and proper bevel lines. I have many hopes for new projects in the coming year. I have a set of plans already drawn for a new type of Klingon skinner knife, and a new type if neck knife.
I hope to make knives that are smaller than the huge combat weapons I have made up to now. I want to have a shelf at the mall store that sold my Bat'leths filled with many of my newer Klingon-type blades.
I also have ideas for making a knife and having a drawing for it via my website. I think it would be cool for all my Klingon friends to have a chance to watch something being made, then winning it in a drawing.
I have re-read the old KIWG WebPages, and there were contests and prizes, and I think I could have that still as part of all the Klingon weapons makers lives now to.
My new Grizzly will likely take around 4 to 6 weeks to get to my house, (in a blade forum there was talk of how long the thing will take to get to your house due to back-orders) and I may just have to skip work the day it comes.
LOL
DaQo'tah
May 9 / 2002
Today I took the next step
Today I found a belt grinder that looks like its good enough to buy. I have wanted a belt grinder for a long time, but have been struggling with finding one. The biggest problem has been the complete lack of a sales outlet that stocks knife making belt grinders.
Normally I would go from store to store, looking at many different models and prices, but shoping for a belt grinder has been a completely On-Line experience.
I have not even actually seen a real knife belt grinder in person. I have only seen photos of them in different books and websites. I am troubled by the lack of used grinders on the web too. I was hoping to find an old belt grinder that was for sale on EBAY or other auction websites, but so far I have come up empty.
Another big problem I have had to face is the complete lack of support I have found from other knife makers in my area.
I have emailed a few of the handful of Listed professional knife makers with in a 3-hour drive from my house, and so far none has offered to help me get started. I would so much like to watch a real knife maker work on a project; even a simple conversation with a knife maker would be very helpful at this point. I just have so many basic questions; I dont even know where to get the right blade making tools and higher end steels yet!
The real reason Im looking for a belt grinder is that I wish to step up my production of Klingon knives for gifts and for display at the mall.
I believe I have it within myself to make more Klingon inspired knives and new types of Sci-fi swords that anyone else. I find that Im drawn to the curved lines of the Klingon Batleth, and I seem to always be thinking of a new way to change the basic TV sword design to offer people that wish to own their own Swords of Honor more choices.
The belt grinder will allow me to begin to use higher-grade steel, as well as improve the construction of each Klingon Weapon.
I get a lot of Email from people all over the world that wish to ask about buying one of my Klingon Batleths, and I have to always remind them that Im not here to make designs for sale, but rather the DaQotah Forge website is all about helping others make their own things.
I have been getting so many orders for Klingon/Fantasy inspired hunting knives for use in the field, that Im now thinking about actually becoming a real professional knife maker! I have a few Ideas that Im kicking around in my mind right now for a new design of a deer skinner of the future. Its sort of a cross between an Ed Fowler skinner and a Klingon meqleth Should be made of Damascus steel, with meteorite handle scales.
What do you think? Would you buy it?
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