Time spent in Toronto

Yesterday I headed down town Toronto for an adventure. I was told of a place called Blades. I was told that they sell water stones. I was told that it was easy to find. I wasn’t told that the guy that works there is so full of his self that there was hardly room for me to look at his over process stones and is lazy “Sharpening Style”

I found the location, a little whole in the wall my find of space. I went up the stares and found this little place. As I stood in the door I had my first glimpse of a man so confident in one part of his life he didn’t need to bother with any other part of his own or any one else’s.

Granted I was asked what I do, I responded by simple stating I polish steel. With that in the air he asked, what kind of steel? The carbon kind, I started at 20% carbon level. This is where he came to life. He went on to ask what kind of carbon? ...with a puzzled look I commented …you now the old school carbon, the one of a kind carbon, carbon.

He new not of forging yet he stands there pulling and pushing a small knife over a stone that has an off angle look to it. Why would he not know, doesn’t care?

I went to look at the knifes he had sharpened. A total of 3/16” to ¼” edge at best. This kid was just making money. He had found an area in which he had found comfort and was going to make his living. Is technique was sloppy, his mind filled with ego, and his work boring to look at.

I had been on a wild goose chase. What had I learnt….I am young….this is my conclusion. I couldn’t see past his ego, it had touched everything there and I wasn’t going to let it touch me.

I went there to exchange money for a water stone. Yet he was more interested in elevating his states in his own mind. I question the mind of his customers that deal with him on a regular basis…

Don’t get me wrong ego is a great tool. It is best to use at the right time, in the right way and with control. It is destructive if used at the wrong time, in the wrong way and without control.

Ego…I feel it is an important part of ones mind that needs to be understood and controlled. The affect that it can have on the world around you can be much larger than you think. It affects all that surround you, and all that surround those you affect and onward.

What can be taken form this lesson that has been written?

On a deep level for all beings…understand ego….on the surface people with ego out of control just come across as…well simply put egotistical beings….

On my mind today

I learned a lot last night

The last place was very large; it had cottages…which I now know were one room at 625 square feet with no water, or cooking. Yet with this small advantage we were able to make head way with these plans

Its true $10,000 will be needed on hand for the building of what ever building is to be built. $800.00 for septic, $1000.00 for the building permit, $2000.00 to $3000.00 for the water run off inspector, totalling almost $5000.00…($2000.00 septic cost)…$7,000.00 not sure how that adds up to Ten Thousand Dollars extra is always nice.

Once septic is first inspected (two wholes dug and drained) a building permit can be obtained…construction date of habitation would support life over the next winter of 2013

To start we live in tents raised off the ground. Days are spent cleaning Bush; cutting down trees, sorting timber, landscaping and building Martial Playgrounds. Simultaneously marketing would be done in person and in print to advertise the camp programme.

Anima north 2012 profit would cover cost of Septic inspection and building permit.

Still waiting on information from vender,

This is what I’m thinking

Today as a student

Life is moving forward. Well at least property is most everything else feels it’s on hold. I’m good with that as this project will take me into the future.

I am looking to buy land to build my school. A school of Philosophy, a place to practice life lessons on a daily basis.

I live an interesting life a life that allows me to practice my art every day. I feel its time to share this Esperance with the rest of the world.

My school will give student the opportunity to learn many aspects of a martial practice. A I practice ninjutsu an art founded in Japan so many years ago. With this idea in my mind I look at the world with ninja coloured glasses.

As this is my way of live and my way of practice it does inherently draw others in. So now is the time to expand.

In my school students will learn if they wish is steel forging, wood carving, leather work, field work, construction, stretching, strength building, martial practice and everything else that falls into this world.

This is where I am heading with my art, yet today on this journey I am left with understanding what building permit can be allowed on 100 acres that has x number of EP on it. I few weeks ago that meant nothing to me, today I understand that statement.

Soon life will be much simpler…yet I must pass through complexity to find it.

Today has been interesting

Today I Learned a lot

Well there is my intro, I found a property. I have found many properties in the last year. Some have been small others large, some cheap none expensive. Yet it wasn’t until today that I found one that looked like the right fit.

It need to look like Belwood does in the summer, long grass that is so green it looks like a forest.

I wanted open areas to run, to play but mostly to run….ok ok …and build a catapult…

I also wanted lots of room. Mostly treed.

As of the past events I added to the list a place to rest my head.

I don’t want power…but it would be nice but not needed.

Well and septic can be made.

I want a drive way and a road that will get me to the land in summer and in Winter.

The find of today has all these things. This Thursday I will see them in person.

I understand one must see life with ones own eyes to see things clearly.

Today may be the start of the beginning that has already started.

I wish to expand on what has already started.

I have been looking for the right or correct piece of land for over a year now. In the beginning I wanted a large portion, 100acers. Or 4,356,000 sq ft. February 15 2011 I had found a great place. I had talked to the agent in North Bay and every thing sounded great. I took to the road and I was off.

Upon arriving at the reality office the nice lady behind the Desk asked “did you bring your snow shoes? Because once you get off the bike you will sink to your hips in snow” Wow, not only did I not have them with me I didn’t have them at all. On top of that what kind of bike is getting me there? (Turns out this bike was an ATV with Tracks on it…Very cool… it reminded me of the HISS tanks form G.I. Joe…) At this moment I thought to my self…Self I have yet to buy anything, sign anything, hell all I had done is spend money on gas to see this place, yet with only that small investment I was already up to my hips…This idea needs more thought.

Fast forward almost one year to the 5^th of February 2012. I will be heading north this time just west of the bottom of Algonquin Park. I have much more understanding of what I will need to have in place to build this goal.

What is this goal you ask….I will get to that another day…got to keep you interested…Chris….

The land that I am looking for is to have at least one bonus…At one time that bonus was to be power. Having power is so nice, light at night, water pumping during the day…wait a well that would be nice, showers always feel good at the end of a hard days work….septic…Hmmm….Yet none of these were chosen…I say that because just me being on the land requires a drive way. This simple little pile of dirt allows me to enter the property with all of my tools.

With all that drivel put aside the one bonus that I wish to have is a driveway. Simply the ability to enter the property with my tools and get to work on building my ….not yet.

Until next time…

From Paper to Steel.

I fired up the forge and started to heat up and shape my steel. At the end of the day I had this my new San Kagi.

This is the first of the proto type. In many ways it is a brother to the Tekko kage, as it is large and very heavy. The fingers are 17” long ½” wide and ¾” high. I believe they weight 6 pounds each.

I fingers are not sharp. This style is meant for ripping. Well more accurately this style is meant to train the body to hold proper posture and to amplify when one goes past the point of balance.

Next before I can even train or test them is building the support for the wrist.

My idea as of this moment is to build a brace that can be worn on the arm that the San kagi can strap into easily. So one can wear and remove them quickly. The brace will be made of latigo leather for its strength and look.

The inspiration of this project is Wolverine. In the past I have made many claws in his style but all have been for show with no function what so ever…well other than look. I want to take it further. This model is for training to understand the movement and the force needed to make it functional cutter. One this model is finished the testing will begin. The testing will to understand the movement.

With that said a sharp cutting version of this style will be created in the near future.

New claws

San Kagi

Ahh, the fun of creating tools.

I like claws. Yep it’s really that simple. Granted I like a lot of thing most of which you can find on this site. Yet at this moment, Friday at 11:18pm I wanted a new set of claws.

I have drawn out the plan for my new set of claws which I have boringly named San Kagi.

Despite the name, which may change depending on the wind, these claws are nothing to light at. The weight “I believe” be around 5 lbs each. The fingers of the claws will extend 9 inches past my knuckles. That is twice the reach of the Tekko kage. Also the brace on the arm will only be 3 inches. This balance will move the weight ahead from my forearm to my hand. They will be even harder to wield than the Tekko kage.

New toy means new weight. New weight means new balance. New Balance means more training. More training means…well really it only means more training, but trainings good. In the end It will lead to happiness. Life is good.

If you are interested in finding out more let me know. The goal is to start heating the metal the weekend of August 7th and 8th.

Check back for more details