Dragon Cutlery Discussions - Traveling within the World2024-03-29T10:24:36Zhttp://travelingwithintheworld.ning.com/group/dragoncutlery/forum?feed=yes&xn_auth=noTestimonialstag:travelingwithintheworld.ning.com,2011-04-21:2185477:Topic:1185402011-04-21T20:52:23.990ZDept of PMM Hall of Steelhttp://travelingwithintheworld.ning.com/profile/HallofSteel
<p> </p>
<p>Posted in a British knife forum by a recent customer (with his permission):</p>
<p>"The knife was smaller than I was expecting and the blade is about 1/3 thicker than I would have expected too.</p>
<p>The smaller size and non-tactical styling makes the knife very non-threatening in appearance and a good hiking and food prep knife, where such things are allowed.</p>
<p>The extra thickness makes it a good backup tool for impromptu woodcraft or as an acceptable prybar should the need…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Posted in a British knife forum by a recent customer (with his permission):</p>
<p>"The knife was smaller than I was expecting and the blade is about 1/3 thicker than I would have expected too.</p>
<p>The smaller size and non-tactical styling makes the knife very non-threatening in appearance and a good hiking and food prep knife, where such things are allowed.</p>
<p>The extra thickness makes it a good backup tool for impromptu woodcraft or as an acceptable prybar should the need arise. The choil is probably wide and thick enough to act as a guard and yet the blade is sharp enough for slicing.</p>
<p>The sheath holds the knife securely and safely, and is small enough to ride comfortable in the IWB position (inside the waistband, behind the belt) or clipped inside a hip pocket. IWB, with a t-shirt slung over, it is very unobtrusive. The way the clip goes into a recess in the leather makes for a very secure hold that won't come loose in a fast or sloppy draw. It is also secure enough to tie to the belt so that the whole knife can be carried in the pocket and still be drawn one handed in a single motion. I also like the large drainhole which is more functional than on most sheathes. The stitching is very good, although the edge could do with a better wax an burnish.</p>
<p>If you are considering buying one and hiking packing a knife isn't your thing, you might buy a half dozen in different colours; they'd make great high-end steak knives!</p>
<p>All in all, it's probably not how I'd have done it, but I like it a lot more than I thought I would. I didn't read the description carefully and was kind of expecting a larger knife about the size of a chef's knife or small bowie, but as I said, I have no real need for one more of those.</p>
<p>Besides learning from it (my main objective), it's a good knife in it's own right and definitely fills a niche in my collection I didn't know I had." - Dan</p>
<a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2060048920?profile=original"><img class="align-center" width="400" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2060048920?profile=RESIZE_480x480"/></a><a href="http://dragoncutlery.com/kimage/redknife.html">http://dragoncutlery.com/kimage/redknife.html</a> Knives Missing in Actiontag:travelingwithintheworld.ning.com,2011-04-21:2185477:Topic:1183512011-04-21T20:50:40.866ZDept of PMM Hall of Steelhttp://travelingwithintheworld.ning.com/profile/HallofSteel
<a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2060047594?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2060047594?profile=original" width="526"></img></a><br />
<p align="center">This knife was taken to a show by a couple of friends, and never came back to us. if you have any information on it's whereabouts, please drop us an email!</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2060048028?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2060048028?profile=original" width="576"></img></a> This knife was taken off of our table at diamond jims in Detroit. we made a…</p>
<a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2060047594?profile=original"><img class="align-center" width="526" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2060047594?profile=original"/></a><br />
<p align="center">This knife was taken to a show by a couple of friends, and never came back to us. if you have any information on it's whereabouts, please drop us an email!</p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2060048028?profile=original"><img class="align-center" width="576" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2060048028?profile=original"/></a>This knife was taken off of our table at diamond jims in Detroit. we made a thorough search of the area, so we know it wasn't just misplaced. if you know of it's whereabouts, please drop us a line. please note that there is a knife of similar construction floating around that was legitimately purchased, though it was at a knife show, so their circles probably don't cross paths, still, be aware, so you don't accidentally accuse someone of theft. note the "crack" in the scale in this side, as well as the "bump" on the back of the blade spine.</p>
<p><a href="http://dragoncutlery.com/kimage/missingknives.html">http://dragoncutlery.com/kimage/missingknives.html</a></p> Contact Informationtag:travelingwithintheworld.ning.com,2011-04-21:2185477:Topic:1183492011-04-21T20:48:49.577ZDept of PMM Hall of Steelhttp://travelingwithintheworld.ning.com/profile/HallofSteel
<p><span class="text"><font size="5" color="#CC0000">Mailing Address</font></span><br/><span class="bodytext">Dragon Cutlery<br/>3725 West Holmes Road<br/>Lansing MI, 48911</span></p>
<p><span class="text"><font size="5" color="#CC0000">Email Me</font></span><br/><a href="mailto:tillfixed@gmail.com?subject=DragonCutlery">tillfixed-@-gmail.com</a><br/>if your typing this in manually don't mind the - I'm just trying to weed out some spammers</p>
<p><span class="text"><font size="5" color="#CC0000">Mailing Address</font></span><br/><span class="bodytext">Dragon Cutlery<br/>3725 West Holmes Road<br/>Lansing MI, 48911</span></p>
<p><span class="text"><font size="5" color="#CC0000">Email Me</font></span><br/><a href="mailto:tillfixed@gmail.com?subject=DragonCutlery">tillfixed-@-gmail.com</a><br/>if your typing this in manually don't mind the - I'm just trying to weed out some spammers</p> How to Grindtag:travelingwithintheworld.ning.com,2011-04-21:2185477:Topic:1182942011-04-21T20:47:57.620ZDept of PMM Hall of Steelhttp://travelingwithintheworld.ning.com/profile/HallofSteel
<font color="#CC0000"><span class="text"><font size="5">How To Grind</font></span></font><br />
<p><span class="bodytext">Welcome! ppl have been contacting me telling me this site wasnt working i think i found the problum and have fixed it sorry for the truble enjoy ok at some point i am going to go through and actually grind the steel that i am showing you so you can see it for real and get better pics and maybe some pics of me using other tools in the shop just in case you might find it…</span></p>
<font color="#CC0000"><span class="text"><font size="5">How To Grind</font></span></font><br />
<p><span class="bodytext">Welcome! ppl have been contacting me telling me this site wasnt working i think i found the problum and have fixed it sorry for the truble enjoy ok at some point i am going to go through and actually grind the steel that i am showing you so you can see it for real and get better pics and maybe some pics of me using other tools in the shop just in case you might find it interesting <br/><br/>UPDATE: in recent days the smith has actually gotten off his rear and taken some new tutorial photos, unfortunately he happened to use a piece of steel shaped very similar to the old one (ie metal and rectangular), but unbeknownst to him he happened to change from left hand grinding to right hand grinding. if for some reason you can not reconcile this in your mind, feel free to download the offending photos to your computer, and use your favorite editing software to flip said photos... although the shop will then be backwards, it will show you the grind... otherwise, tough it out, (heehee.)<br/><br/>There are lots of good books out there on the subject of knife making, but none of the books I have read really show you how to hollow grind. Some have pictures, but they are vague at best - only being shown how, or using a jig, can teach you to hollow grind; due to the fact that it’s mostly felt and not seen. <br/><br/>Once you establish a grind, you should be able, with a little practice, to follow it. The best way I found for a new knife maker to learn is to start the grind for them, and let them feel the blade on the grinder. This allows the person to feel what its like when its right, instead of fumbling in the dark for something that looks right. I had a friend making a knife the first night I showed him, using this technique. However, I can’t go door to door and show every body how to grind. Well, I do have a lot of time on my hands (knock knock. Hello elderly lady, would you happen to have a bench grinder so I can teach you to hollow grind knives?) - never mind. <br/><br/>This works for bench as well as belt grinders with the right kind of work rest. For starting a hollow grind, set the metal to the wheel with the machine off to get the angle you want. Then lock a pair of vise grips to the work rest to limit the travel of the blade (see drawing below). Set the knife on the rest with the machine on and rock the blade forward to start grinding, moving the knife left and right. This will establish the hollow grind (you should get both sides started before you remove the vise grips so both sides have the same starting angle). You can then keep this up till you are done with the knife, or remove the vise grips when you can feel the grind enough to go solo. Then you just follow this grind by feel till you can do it around corners. <br/><br/>Scribing a center line will keep your grinding line from getting too out of whack (yes, that is a technical term). Now blade tips - that is just luck ... er, I mean practice! Like I said about grinding around corners, what you have to do is rock the handle end down in an arc as you grind. Bob Engnath’s (may he rest in peace - he has unfortunately gone to the Big Belt Grinder in the sky) solution for new makers was to clamp a piece of half round stock to the work rest to rock the blade on to make this job easier. I use my fingers (and when polishing I get slick spots on them!). Well, down below is a drawing of what I'm talking about. Be safe, and good grinding! </span></p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2060047069?profile=original"><img class="align-center" width="499" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2060047069?profile=original"/></a><span class="bodytext">this is the vice grips in place on my belt grinder if you can't clamp them on like this you may have to make a new rest but most bench grinders will be compatible with this, also i use the needle nose vise grips because i have them close at hand. this will work with regular ones too</span> <br/><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2060047115?profile=original"><img class="align-center" width="473" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2060047115?profile=original"/></a><span class="bodytext">this is the motion to bring the blade or bar stock into the grinder so it won't bind or start to grind the blade without you down and towards the wheel </span><br/><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2060047140?profile=original"><img class="align-center" width="415" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2060047140?profile=RESIZE_480x480"/></a><span class="bodytext">this is how it should look before you start to grind and the arrows show the direction of pressure as you start to grind the purple shows approximately what the angle of the vice grips will do to the steel as you grind it away </span></p>
<p><span class="bodytext"><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2060047266?profile=original"><img class="align-center" width="568" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2060047266?profile=original"/></a><span class="bodytext">this is the first action of dragging the blade across the rest to get the hollow grind started </span><br/><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2060047422?profile=original"><img class="align-full" width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2060047422?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024"/></a><span class="bodytext">and this is how it should look after this motion is completed</span><br/><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2060047531?profile=original"><img class="align-center" width="527" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2060047531?profile=original"/></a><span class="bodytext">this one shows curving into the tip. i recommend getting good at making and following a hollow grind before working out to a tip like this also if you forged the blank make sure to leave a lot of metal at the tip so you can grind it away, not enough metal and the grind will look funny. </span><span class="bodytext">you want to keep the center of the edge that you are grinding pointing up into the belt as you go (sounds confusing but stick with me on this one)</span><br/><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2060047623?profile=original"><img class="align-center" width="561" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2060047623?profile=original"/></a><span class="bodytext">and this is finishing of the pass be careful to keep the blade at about the same angle when doing all this as when grinding with the vice grips or the tip will look funny or be thicker than you want it to be </span><br/><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2060047710?profile=original"><img class="align-full" width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2060047710?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024"/></a><span class="bodytext">and this is what the motion i was trying to describe in a non confusing manner ...ok now im confused but the dragging thing with the pokey thing should with time, practice and a whole lot of luck look some what like this. </span><br/><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2060048085?profile=original"><img class="align-full" width="483" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2060048085?profile=original"/></a>email me if you have any questions.</span></p>
<p><span class="bodytext"><a href="http://dragoncutlery.com/grind.html">http://dragoncutlery.com/grind.html</a><br/></span></p> Gallerytag:travelingwithintheworld.ning.com,2011-04-21:2185477:Topic:1185092011-04-21T20:16:10.804ZDept of PMM Hall of Steelhttp://travelingwithintheworld.ning.com/profile/HallofSteel
<font color="#CC0000">NOTE</font>: The pictures on this page are a portfolio of items made in the past, and unless they specifically say they are available, have been sold. If you are interested in something similar, please inquire and we may be able to do a faithful reproduction. Please include the link to the actual item you are interested in.
<font color="#CC0000">NOTE</font>: The pictures on this page are a portfolio of items made in the past, and unless they specifically say they are available, have been sold. If you are interested in something similar, please inquire and we may be able to do a faithful reproduction. Please include the link to the actual item you are interested in. Available Knivestag:travelingwithintheworld.ning.com,2011-04-21:2185477:Topic:1183302011-04-21T20:08:49.354ZDept of PMM Hall of Steelhttp://travelingwithintheworld.ning.com/profile/HallofSteel
<span class="text"><font size="5" color="#CC0000">Available knives</font></span><br/><br/>
<p><span class="bodytext">These knives are currently for sale, either by contacting me on the web, or finding me at my booth at one of the events we are attending. click on thumb-nails to find out more about each item.</span></p>
<div><a href="http://dragoncutlery.com/forsale.html">http://dragoncutlery.com/forsale.html</a></div>
<span class="text"><font size="5" color="#CC0000">Available knives</font></span><br/><br/>
<p><span class="bodytext">These knives are currently for sale, either by contacting me on the web, or finding me at my booth at one of the events we are attending. click on thumb-nails to find out more about each item.</span></p>
<div><a href="http://dragoncutlery.com/forsale.html">http://dragoncutlery.com/forsale.html</a></div> About the Artisttag:travelingwithintheworld.ning.com,2011-04-21:2185477:Topic:1182642011-04-21T20:07:13.358ZDept of PMM Hall of Steelhttp://travelingwithintheworld.ning.com/profile/HallofSteel
<p><span class="bodytext"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2060048259?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2060048259?profile=original" width="307"></img></a> The Bladesmith</span></p>
<p><span class="bodytext">This is what you will see if I am at a sca event or renaissance fair except that my hair is a lot shorter now.</span></p>
<p class="bodytext">My mission in life is to take over the world through the use of superior cutlery, however I lack the drive, the patience and I'm just to damn lazy too do so. In…</p>
<p><span class="bodytext"><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2060048259?profile=original"><img class="align-left" width="307" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2060048259?profile=original"/></a>The Bladesmith</span></p>
<p><span class="bodytext">This is what you will see if I am at a sca event or renaissance fair except that my hair is a lot shorter now.</span></p>
<p class="bodytext">My mission in life is to take over the world through the use of superior cutlery, however I lack the drive, the patience and I'm just to damn lazy too do so. In lieu of taking over the world I will just have to settle for providing superior cutlery to people that do have the drive, the focus, and aren't too damn lazy (no offense to the lazy resistance fighters who are holding down couches every where and there-by halting the ottoman advance. viva la resistance)</p>
<p><span class="bodytext">And this is a little story about how i got started I'll add more about me later on. <br/>Hello my name is Brandon Sawisch and I have been making knives under the Dragon Cutlery name since 1999. And this is my web site. Now to my short story. I've always, as long as I can remember, owned at least one knife. I can remember buying my first real knife at ten years of age (my dad tells people I was older so they don't think he was crazy). Later on I started making handles for my knives after my dog decided that my new case knife was a delicious chew toy. (Still have the dog don't know where the knife is though) After that I made a handle or two for some friends. Then I started to buy knives without handles or easily removed handles with blades that I liked. Then one day I hit the bargain bin at the local Meijer store and I saw it, the book (I still have this book but its under lock and key so you can't have it, it's mine all mine). I didn't know what I had at that point, but it was gold. It was a book full of knives and always having had an interest in them I bought it. Only later did I realize that this wasn't the new year models from the factory, I realized at that moment (or a moment damn close to that one) that real people in their own homes and shops could make knives (really really big knives... ok ok I was young but I still drool when the new one comes out and I always will so there). That and some old fox fire books my dad got at a garage sale got me started making my own blades from scratch. And later a copy of step-by-step knifemaking you can do it! by david boye. I built a forge and grabbed the old vise for a striking surface a claw hammer and quickly learned why you don't make the top of the forge out of aluminum. Eventually i got the proper tools (but it wasn't easy, never go to the local grocery store to buy one Wile E. Coyote style acme anvil it doesn't work so don't try it) and started making knives and that as they say is most of the story (more to come after I get a few more offers for the movie rights). I'll probably add more after the amnesia wears off from the first test of the anvil and catapult but that pretty much covers it for now. hope you had as much fun reading it as I had living it !! </span></p>
<p class="bodytext"> </p>
<p class="bodytext"><a href="http://dragoncutlery.com/bladesmith.html">http://dragoncutlery.com/bladesmith.html</a></p>