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  Well, the 10th annual Gathering of the Tribes has come and gone now leaving in its wake many smiles, achy bodies, bruises galore, sleep deprivation, and fond memories. This event has always strived to be a place for sharing ideas, and building community, as well as physical training…a place for finding/strengthening family. This year proved to be no different.  Our numbers have hovered, historically, in the twenties for attendance. We don’t do a lot of advertising. Mostly, you have to know someone who’s already here…and almost always we’ve communicated in some form or another prior to the Gathering at least a couple times. It wasn’t consciously planned, but just sort of evolved this way. Most years we get about thirty (plus) people who want to attend, but then, for one reason or another, are unable to. (Hence the twenty-ish) An attrition of 25-30% is pretty typical, which makes this year so different. Of the 42 people who signed up, we had 38 in attendance, and that’s not including families! There were more families and kids here this year than ever before...our property resembled a State Park with all the tents and campers present.   There were many first time faces to join the veteran Tribe members, and based on feedback I’ve received so far, it looks like everyone felt welcome.   I’m not going to do much in the way of review for the various training workshop because I wasn’t able to attend the majority of them…and other people have, or will, review them in their own posts.     The reason I wasn’t working on the mats/grass much was because I was kept very busy teaching the knife making classes. I was surprised and pleasantly overwhelmed by the response to the Bladesmithing offering this year. The people who participated in the class ranged from “almost no experience with power tools whatsoever,” to returning blade smiths from last year’s class (and everything in-between). Many of them started out with blanks I’d roughed out ahead to save time. A couple started from scratch with their own designs. All of them were unique.   They definitely kept me busy, but had such patience and dedication to their work that they turned out some very beautiful blades. I was truly touched that they would want take the time to try this. Joseph, Todd, Geoffrey, Jeff, Kym, Josh…thank you for allowing me to share this with you. 
Another facet of the Gathering is recognition of achievements or services through out the year..some of them are humorous ribbing, others are genuine salutes. My good friend Bobbe made the revelation this past year, through some Ancestry research, that he is in fact, Dutch. My wife (being Dutch-Indo) and I decided to put together a little “welcome to Dutchdom” care package for him…which he will never forget. (…or forgive, most likely…) Along with this, he was issued Bunny Slippers (made by our own Tina Gray) in honor of his 2D self from the previous year.
Next, Jay welcomed new additions to the KSMA branch of the family. Jacob, Hannah, Amberly, Geoffrey, and Chuck (Sullivan), it’s good to have you on board. “Brotherhood” status was also conferred to Bobbe and Buzz.
Now we weren’t the only ones with recognition “machinations” going on here. Bobbe had his own devious plans in the works as well. With Edmonds Martial Arts, it’s rare to get publicly recognized for anything serious. (For instance, if you happen come to class with your fly down, Bobbe is likely to “publicly recognize” you loud enough for the neighboring counties to hear…repeatedly; but that’s not something you’re likely to hang on your wall.)
Well, this year, we at the Gathering were privileged to witness Bobbe taking a moment to be serious and recognize two outstanding people from his crew, publicly. Todd and Joseph were both granted Na-Guro for their excellence and dedication to training. If you don’t know Bobbe, you won’t be able to truly appreciate what this means…so take my word for it, it’s Something.
But wait, there’s more…
After this, we were supposed to be surprising Buzz with something…and I was (I thought) pretty much in charge of “organizing” everything. Little did I know that I wasn’t totally in the “loop”. Apparently the rest of them had plotted behind my back to surprise me. *insert sheepish grin here*
Well, they pulled it off. Buzz and Deb honored me with a beautiful Shadow Box that held one of my favorite phrases… “Life in Every Breath.” I was truly speechless. (Those of you who know me can shut up now…I can hear you laughing…) For the story on that phrase, email me or call me and I’ll share it with you…it was a turning point for me.
So, we’re back on the list of presentations that I am part of…Buzz’s surprise 60th birthday party. A bunch of us had been planning this for almost a year, lead by Mrs. Treachery herself, the Momma Pixie…Deb Smith. As a lead in, Bobbe (Pendekar Dutchboy) did a rather impromptu Roast of not only Buzz, but the majority of the Core Gathering Members. (My favorite was the bit about Buzz’s Anyo’s, or forms, being originally for defense against Velociraptors!)
Next we presented Buzz the “Guardian of the Tribe”, a special Kuntaw inspired blade…which was possible due to the whole Tribe coming together to make it happen. We also presented him a framed “card” signed by all the contributors. Happy Birthday, Maha Guru Buzz! (You can see more pics of the blade on this website.)
This ended the presentations for Saturday and now it was time for potluck feast. Per our historical offerings, Jeanne and I supplied the Grilled Chicken Sate. The Pinda Sauce was excellent! I think it lasted about 5 minutes. (I could be wrong…it might’ve been less) Food and merriment went on into the late hours with the Gathering core members doing a twilight podcast, 2-3 hours long, which it was later discovered, never recorded. (We revisited it the next evening and actually recorded one.)
The next day, there was one more presentation to be made. For his hard work and dedication to his studies in Pencak Silat Pertempuran (PSP) was my good friend, Sterling Heibeck, was awarded the rank of Pelatih. He will be teaching PSP at the Innovative Martial Arts dojo on Tuesday nights. If you’re interested in studying with him you can contact Sterling, or myself, (contact info is on our website) for more details.
There are a few unsung heroes of the Gathering who really need to be mentioned here as well…
Jeanne, my wife, should be nominated for Sainthood. Most would not believe how much effort she puts in before the weekend festivities. With me in school, working, as well as teaching classes, a majority of prepping the house for invasion was left to her. Add to that being a Den Mother to all of us heathens during the Gathering… *insert headshake here*… and the post war clean up after the event. (…and this isn’t even discussing the demon-possessed plumbing that decide to rear its ugly head during the Gathering…and the week after.) This is not an undertaking for the faint of heart. Jeanne, I love you…thank you for all your hard work and patience!
Amberly is very close friend, occasional student/workout partner, and incredible unsung hero during the weeks leading up to, and during, the Gathering. She came over numerous times to help prep the house, as well as assist with transportation to and from the Airport, Food prep, and just helping to keep things running smooth. Thank you Amberly!
Alicia, another friend of the family, came over to hang out and ended up helping out tremendously! You were awesome! Thank you for all your help. From photographing events, to helping with prepping and clean up…you totally rocked!
Tina, Deb…you’ve always stepped up unasked, and really made a difference. This has not gone unnoticed. Thank you for lightening the load. Tina, you did an absolutely fantastic job on designing the Logo for the Gathering!
I know there are people I’ve failed to mentioned…and for that please accept my apologies. Just know that everyone pulling together is what makes the Gathering a success year after year. Thank you.
After Sunday’s festivities wrap up in the afternoon, people generally begin to pack it in and head home. There are still numerous little classes going on the side here and there…but mostly, things are done, and the energy levels change to more of a relaxed sort.
Jeanne and I were fortunate to be able to spend a few days with some of our closest friends just chilling and relaxing…as well as spend some time getting to know some new friends a bit better outside the friendly chaos that is the Gathering. What a great way to be able to wind down an excellent event…
Richard Bach said, “The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, but of respect and joy in each other’s life. Rarely do members of one family grow up under the same roof.”
To those of you returning, it was great to see you all again…to catch up, strengthen our friendships, and reconnect. To those of you who are new…welcome to the Tribe. We look forward to seeing you again next year.
Peace and Safe Journeys…
Chuck Pippin - Innovative Martial Arts
It appears that this year's gathering may be the biggest ever. Last count was over 40 participants. Oh, the stories to be told...
Just a little over two weeks away from the 10th Gathering of the Tribes. Loads of fun planned! Looking forward to seeing the hooligans, old and new!
 Terry Trahan visited Des Moines recently and shared concepts he teaches at his school in Denver, CO. This was Terry’s first public seminar and the beginning of something I foresee being the next step in instruction opportunity for him. Terry started the day off with a short lecture about his way of thinking and application along with types of ambush and assaults. Along with those, Terry discussed the use of force continuum. He touched on the idea of de-escalation and how that starts with you. I have fresh experience from a recent seminar on some of the conceptual knowledge that Terry was sharing and it is good to hear it again from another source. Terry added more terminology to my brain with some other ways to look at violence. These are Frenzy Violence – either mass or individual Fear Violence – quiet and reserved feel and the possibility to talk down. Tantrum Violence – Boundary Testing, pay attention, don’t acknowledge Criminal Violence – chest puffing, predation The bulk of the physical aspects of the seminar were spent on a few entries repeated over and over to help make them feel integral with the body and situation. Overall, I think Terry has come into his own and look forward to the future. I highly recommend any chance to train with him to enhance your understanding of your art. I asked those in attendance to give their thoughts as well. The Weasel Speaks: Terry Trahan’s Inaugural SeminarThis past weekend I attended the Inaugural seminar of my good friend Terry Trahan. I’ve known of Terry for almost 10 years, and been privileged to call him a friend for the past 5 or 6 years. When Jay Carstensen, of KSMA, told me he was going to bring Terry in for a seminar, I was all for attending and supporting it. The focus of the seminar was surviving a violent encounter. Terry began with a general talk on violence. Topics included recognizing the different types of violence and triggers for those types of violence. He also addressed the body’s natural responses to violent intention directed at it. We discussed the force continuum, some of the legal and ethical implications, as well as figuring what is worth fighting for in each of us as individuals. We also discussed the importance of understanding motivations of the criminal mind. All of this, in my opinion, one of the most important, and under addressed, topics in martial art schools of any type. After the 3rd cup (pot) of coffee, Terry was ready to start the physically interactive portion of the day. According to Terry, what he has to share is not martial arts, but survival tactics that he’s found to work across a broad spectrum of violent experiences. He teaches from experience and has dedicated himself to sharing this knowledge in hopes that it will help protect us and our loved ones. What he offers is “Vender Neutral” tactics to increase your ability to respond to ambush. He stresses the importance of finding something that works for you and then continuously drilling it until you don’t have to think about it. He provides a foundation to experiment and build from but leaves it up to us, and our existing training, to fine-tune it. We covered both armed and unarmed adversaries and application concepts while Terry punctuated the idea that it’s the same basic core foundation…you don’t need 512 techniques to survive. You only need a couple tools that you know “really fucking well!” He drove this point home again and again during the day. While we did do variations, everything came back to core movements established early on. Terry was also very conscientious about taking the time to adjust it for varying sizes and strengths. (We had some very small gals in attendance…with some very pointy elbows. Thanks Terry) For myself, after having almost 2 decades of training in a variety of martial arts, I totally appreciated the repetition as well as the reduction of the number of things covered at the seminar. I’d rather cover 2 or 3 topics to the point of “beating a dead horse” than 20-30 topics and only touch on them. I’ll remember 2 or 3…and be able to apply them enough to continue applying them outside of the seminar. The second I leave an event like this, I’m already starting to forget things…unless we’ve drilled them ad-nauseum. During a conflict, the more options you have to consider, the more time it takes to decide what to use…this is not a point in your favor when milliseconds count. Terry has grown unbelievably as a teacher and public speaker. His material is well thought out, and well presented. He is articulate, blunt, to the point, and will not feed you a line of bullshit. He believes in what he says, does, and has to offer. The tools he gives you have the potential to save your life. If you ever have the opportunity to attend his seminar, do yourself (and your students) a favor…GO! Chuck  Terry offered more than just techniques for self-defense. He gave us information to help us better understand the reasoning behind some attacks and how attacks happen. With knowledge of the different types of violence: frenzied, fear, tantrum and criminal, we may be able to better adjust our response. In addition, he shared the OODA loop: observe, orient, decide, act and reminded us that we will be in a different spot in the loop as our attackers. Combining this information with actual training gave me a solid base to center the seminar. Terry is an excellent instructor, and I’m looking forward to what he will share in May at The Gathering.
Tina Terry did a great job at this seminar! His info was important, invaluable and REAL! He conveyed the knowledge in a friendly way, yet expressed it in a way that really makes you think and react. I've always enjoyed his point of view, and respected his skills. Though I've "studied" martial arts for 20+ years, he still brings refreshing newness to self-defense. You can only hear so much before it’s just not NEW or is a re-hash of something you've already heard. It’s not too common to get info that is that "real" and ANYONE of ANY skill can understand and use. Not to spread the butter too thick, but there are seminars I will go to, and some I wont go to (free or not)! He's definitely a person every person should attend a seminar, regardless if you’re into martial arts or self defense or just don't want to be a victim. THE REALNESS aspect of it all, speaks mountains, regardless if you’re a climber. Not to mention, it was just plain FUN. Good people always help a seminar or any kind of training, physical or mental, but you MUST have a good trainer or leader to inspire you to want to learn and utilize the information shared. Thanks for everything Terry! And to Jay, thanks for hosting and inviting us into your house & yard!! Jake I loved the seminar that Terry put together. For myself, the discussion regarding the four types of violence was a fresh perspective that I will keep with me in all of my future training. The experiences and knowledge that Terry shared during this weekend only further solidify the material he covered. Discussing the mentality of an attacker serves as a reminder that all of the training we do can only serve us if we are ourselves mentally prepared to meet that psychological demand and the reality of the brutality that may occur. I have always enjoyed Terry's approach to defense, as it is very straightforward, simple, and real.
And hot pockets rule. ;)
AmberlyIt became abundantly clear that Terry Trahan doesn’t teach martial arts so much as methods for survival. This seminar raised my awareness of legal implications of using force, helped me to prepare a useable defense out of my own instinctive flinch reflex, and deepened my understanding of how to generate more power into my movements. Terry’s teaching method is very practical. Tony I enjoyed the seminar very much, and feel I got a lot out of it. It definitely put into perspective how fast an assault can happen and how little time you have to react to it. I learned about the different types of assault and how to deal with them. Ultimately it taught me to be aware of my surroundings and what someone is doing. And of course I learned how to defend myself against a knife attack. All of the knowledge I walked away with from this seminar I think is very helpful, though hopefully I'll never have to use it.
Hannah
Leave the Thumbs The snow began in the late evening Friday. By Saturday morning at 4 a.m., there was about 5” on the ground, three of those a heavy slush on the road to plow through. In town, the roads were fair. Once I hit the highway south of town, I was in fading ruts and swerving across the lanes. I lost track of the times my plowing of snow caused me to slide at an angle down the road causing me the need to crank the wheel to maintain forward progress. My 45-minute drive took a little over an hour. Then it was Tony’s turn. Luckily he had the 4x4 and could go through the snow as opposed to pushing it. We were on the road to KC by 5:15 a.m. or so with a hope to be there by 9 a.m.. After an hour on the road, I could clearly see Tony’s knuckles breaking through. It was slow going, and we were a little late, but there. The seminar was hosted by Eric Parsons and sponsored by YMAA Publishing and Eric and the YMAA representative were both gracious hosts. When we walked into the gym, the group was already engaged in slow motion one-for-one exchanges to help with becoming more efficient. It was refreshing to see most people in street clothes, and the air was quite positive. Rory Miller weaved in between people giving tips and recommendations. The principles of this exercise dealt with Movement, Pain, Damage and Shock. Slowing down and exploring options helps to see ways to gain efficiency in actions. At one point, Rory added an unexpected element and had us cradle a focus mitt and pretend it was a one-month-old baby. That changed many people’s tactics. After the slow motion exercises, Rory took center stage before a whiteboard and previewed his upcoming book with the work-in-progress title, “7.” The book is divided into seven distinct areas to consider when dealing with violence. These points an others were in a handout (which I got at the lunch break since we arrived late) highlighting what he wanted people to take home emphasizing this is not about martial arts or fighting, but about violence. The first of the seven focuses on the ethical and legal aspects of any encounter. He stressed that our hobby deals with the creation of corpses and cripples. We must be prepared emotionally and morally to deal with that. These martial systems we practice predate the modern legal system in many ways. Rory encouraged all of us to be aware of state’s laws regarding self-defense. The second category is understanding how and why violence happens. If you are unaware of what’s coming, it will most likely not have a pleasant outcome. He brought up the monkey dance, group monkey dance and predation all of which are detailed well in his current book. Third was applying avoidance and the use of escape and evasion along with de-escalation. This follows what I have said for years; if you know of an area where bad things happen don’t be there. If you find yourself in a place like that, have a way to get out. If you do find yourself in a confrontation, do your best to de-escalate the situation. Talk calmly, rationally. If the bad guy wants your wallet, give it to him. You can replace the contents. You can’t bring back life. Fourth is operant conditioning. As we don’t choose when and where bad things happen, we need to have a near-unconscious action to use when it does. Next was dealing with the freeze. Rory emphasized the need to recognize it happening and to be able to tell yourself to do something and act on it. It may be a two-step process to break out of the freeze – do X, now do Y. No matter how much you practice something, the moment it happens you will most likely freeze. Rory had some good personal examples. He had gone through medical training for emergency situations but when it happened for real, his brain seized. He overcame it by telling himself to move and act. Then all the training kicked in. The sixth subject he covered was the actual fight. Subcategories of this are you, the bad guy(s), the environment, and luck. All these factors come into play and should be considered along with dealing with the natural chemical cocktail flowing through your veins. The final issue is the aftermath of any confrontation. You will need to accept what just happened (coming full circle to the ethical aspect in the first category) as well as legal issues. That natural chemical cocktail which rushed through your body can affect you more than you think. It is best to try and maintain your mental acuity as well as be ready for criminal or civil ramifications. Rory’s next book will focus on these seven facets in much better detail than I am retelling it, so keep an eye out for that release. In addition, Rory covered the OODA loop: Observe, Orient, Decide, and Act. The biggest concept to take away from this is that when you begin your loop, the person engaging you is already acting. They have already been through the loop. Rory pointed out that the moment and the chemical cocktail can’t prevent you from making the next choice and to pay attention for that. After this discussion, we did a little infighting drill from a clinch. This evolved into blindfolded drills with one person sightless. They had to feel and figure out what the next move by the opponent would be. Once again these were done in super slow motion to really tap into the movements. Next Rory began a discussion about the use of force continuum. This was an informative talk regarding the levels of action one has based on the situation. The first is presence. This is you coming into a situation and letting others know you are there. This alone could diffuse the circumstance. The next step would be some sort of verbal acknowledgment like, “HEY! Knock it off!” Following this could be some sort of touch such as at the elbow of the person to get them to see you are there or to gently guide them away. From there it develops into forms of physical control from locks to handcuffs. You often have some amount of control through the beginning of the situation, but this is when it goes past what Rory referred to as the “4/5 split.” At this point, things go from a controllable situation to one lacking control which can lead to injury. Serious physical control is fighting to regain order and most likely involves fighting hand-to-hand. The final level is deadly control and has tools that will cause bodily harm with death as a distinct option. Rory discussed the when’s and where’s to each of these levels in the use of force continuum and mentioned again looking up state laws. This conversation led into a discussion on self-defense as an affirmative defense. In other words, putting the justification of its use in the hands of the one claiming it. This means it is on you to give justification why you performed a crime-like action to defend yourself. One will have to take into account witnesses, as well as the brain can make up some wacky things it thinks it recalls seeing and hearing. You will need to show the bad guy · Had intent in doing harm to you or the person you were helping. · Had the means to harm you, and · Had opportunity to commit and act against you. In some states you also have to show preclusion. This is when you need to show that you exhausted every other means to avoid the confrontation and/or used the amount of force necessary and not more. Next Rory touched on the post encounter action. The instant you can flee, DO and get to a safe place. After arriving at that location, it is imperative to check yourself to make sure you are not injured. This may seem like an odd comment, but the adrenalin of the confrontation may not let you feel the injury just yet. Once you have determined your situation medically, call 911 and report a crime has been committed on you. Say as little as possible until you speak with an attorney. When the police arrive, do as they say and don’t let them have to make a quick decision. They will do their job – let them. They will most likely use tactical questioning to get you to talk, calmly request that you will speak with them as soon as you have spoken with an attorney. Remember, they are rolling up with little information and will most likely be having their own chemical cocktail coursing through their system. After lunch, we looked closer into Operant Conditioning (OC). Rory asked us what our “Oh shit!” response is to something coming at our face. Two-thirds of the room put both their hands up, most of the rest dropped their chins and raised a shoulder. A few simply didn’t know. Those who didn’t know just picked an option to try. The ones who threw their hands up were given a drill that had them do a move like a waiter-stance supported with the rear hand. They then used that to enter on the neck of the assailant. Those who dropped the shoulder were shown an elbow spear entry with the off hand covering the midsection and under arm of the elbow spear arm. Both groups were shown drop stepping that produced a lunge-like entry into the opponent. We did this form-like to get the feel for it and followed that up with an opponent. Throughout the remainder of the afternoon, we added elements to the practice. The first was to have someone stand behind us and swing a stick at us doing the drill. This was to sharpen our action and trigger the OC. After this exercise, we moved into multiple assailants - two on either side, one in front. The final drill of the day was an attack from behind. All of these are good practice in developing OC. Rory encouraged all of us to pick our own version and work it. After a water break and having the door to the media room unlocked, we watched a few videos showing various aspects of the day regarding the monkey dance, the OODA loop (particularly where it didn’t break), and violence. Rory discussed the common mental makeup of predators and how they view the world and people differently. He mentioned two types: Resource Predators and Process Predators. The Resource Predator wants something and sees you as an animal or object who has what he wants. Rory’s analogy was you are the soup can holding his soup. The Process Predator enjoys what he does. Both forms of predation are usually without witnesses and can use either a blitz attack or charm to attack their prey. We wrapped up the day with an after action report by everyone. It was a good mix between technique and understanding of the main topic of violence, as well as by knowing what to do doesn’t mean you will do it. Overall, I found the day to be an excellent compendium to Rory’s book, Meditations on Violence, and highly recommend attending any of his seminars.
For some reason the number of anonymous comments have increased lately - mainly from spammers. Therefore, no more anonymous comments will be approved. Thank you for your understanding.
Celing Silat - Boar Silat Seminar Just wanted to take a second to let you know that if you are located in Central Florida that Guru Sean Stark will be doing a 2-3 hour seminar for five bucks! The seminar will be on Silat leg destructions (Silat Celing) at: Martial Arts World 6606 Old Winter Garden Rd Orlando, FL 32835 (Corner of Hiawassee & Wntr. Grdn. Rd) On February 21st. 5pm til we're done. You should bring shin guards, eye protection and wear street clothes. Here's a link to the write up: check it out
 Pencak Silat Pertempuran is a simply structured and easy to learn presentation of those principles, positions, and movements or mechanics that best exemplify the most common and useful aspects of Indonesian pencak silat. Those elements that are taught include: Evasions, Entries, Catches, Joint Locking, Takedowns, Destructions, Eradication, Ground fighting, Weapons, Spiritual and Cultural elements. A Silat Pertempuran Study Group is available in Grand Rapids, MI at the Innovative Martial Arts Dojo. The group will meet every Tuesday from 6:30pm-7:30pm. This study group is for adults and is open to all levels of practitioners. Please visit the Innovative Martial Arts website for more information.
Sat. Feb. 20th Krav Maga instructor Moshe Katz will be once again giving a seminar at West Side Fitness here in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Moshe is a highly sought after defensive tactics instructor from Israel and has taught law enforcement, military, and civilian seminars throughout the world. He is coming in directly from Israel to teach us authentic Krav Maga from the country it originated. Moshe is the only student ever to get a 4th degree black belt from Itay Gil (star of the Human Weapon - Krav Maga episode). This training is beneficial for anyone (ages 16 - 60) who want to learn more about personal empowerment and self defense. All styles and experience levels welcome. Law enforcement and military personnel encouraged to participate. What: Krav Maga Seminar w/Moshe Katz Where: Westside Fitness 1618 Leonard NW Grand Rapids, MI 40504 When: Sat. Feb. 20th 9am - 4pm Cost: $70 paid in advance $80 at door Moshe seminars fill up quickly, so please remember pre-payment is the only way to reserve your spot and take advantage of the discount. Otherwise it is $80 at the door if we have any room left! Make your checks for $70 out to Ronin Martial Arts and Send to: Craig Gray 449 South Division Grand Rapids, MI 49503 Give me a shout if you have any questions and/or if you would like to pre-pay to save your spot. Thanks, ~Craig Gray Ronin Martial Arts Academy 616-901-9529
I was asked to provide my thoughts on the Boker Plus Chad Los Banos (CLB) Karambit by my good friend, Terry. Like other blades in the Boker Plus line, it is reasonably priced and well made. It has a nice heft that helps it feel like a lot of knife. The frame lock is thick and holds the blade well. The clip can be set into four positions and I settled on tip up carry to have the option to deploy the blade upon removal from my pocket and have it in a tip-down, edge-out position with my index finger in the retention ring. The blade has a tanto style tip with a recurve toward the handle starting halfway along the edge. It is Chinese 440 stainless steel with a titanium black matte coating. The edge is what I would call “factory” and could use a sharpening. The handle is G-10. It also has a carabiner in the retention ring yet am not keen on the precise use for that as most users would most likely want different access to the tool. Holding and using the blade does feel like an extension of my body and I never felt as if I had to lay it down to continue what I was doing. As for calling it a karambit, I am a bit confused. Traditional design of a karambit has a more obtuse angle of blade to handle ranging from something like 45 degrees to up to 90 – think a mini sickle. This blade comes off feeling and looking more as a straight blade with a retention ring. The overall deployed shape has a pleasant curve to it. However, I am not saying the design is bad by any means. I have a blade that Chuck Pippin and I made which was inspired by the design of the karambit and has a retention ring, but I wouldn’t called it a karambit because of the retention ring. The CLB Karambit has it’s pros and cons like all blades and I recommend at least holding it to see if it is one you could use as an Every Day Carry blade.
I asked Chuck to write something about knife making since I had a good time doing it myself as recounted here Put Hammer to Steel.
 *sharing what you know*
Here is his story:I am sitting on my old office chair (turned shop stool) in front of my forge. The garage is dark, outside the limit of light generated by the flame. The weather has turned cold, but I don’t mind. The heat generated by the forge is more than enough to keep me comfortable. Its deep, droning, rumble is soothing to me.  *the forge* Presently I’m prepping a blade for heat treating; a process called “normalizing”. After I’ve pounded, ground, filed and polished the blade into the shape I want, it leaves the steel pretty “stressed out.” Normalizing is a way to help it relax prior to heat treating and tempering. The nice thing about this process is that it serves to “normalize” me as well. I find myself somewhat mesmerized watching the steel slowly heat to a deep red-orange color. I can almost see the molecules stretching and relaxing as I bring the blade up to a non-magnetic state, to then let it slowly cool.  *Keet - a custom design for Tina*
As I am doing this it occurs to me that this particular blade is part of a commissioned set. I think to myself “I have customers! How did I come to have customers?” My thoughts drift to how this began, and what an interesting and rewarding journey it has been so far. I listen to the forge. I watch the steel. I remember the beginning… In January of 2005, I was diagnosed with Stage 4 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. That weekend of discovery began with what we believed to be a strained back muscle. Alas, it was not the back. After a trip to the ER we thought perhaps it was a kidney stone. Two more visits to ER, with multiple CAT Scans, led to them finding not only a kidney stone, but also “something else” that they wanted to run tests on. What they found, was a tumor, 19cm x 8cm, wrapped around my heart. Further testing showed more tumors on my liver and a lymph node in my neck which was slowly choking off the carotid artery on the right side. I asked one of the doctors what Stage 5 was…he said there wasn’t one.  *Zemlyi - a commission for Jay*
A week later, I “woke up” in a drugged-induced stupor as a new resident of the Oncology ward at Blodgett Hospital. Thus began a year of chemotherapy, multiple surgeries, and radiation, as well as, strangely enough, my knife making journey. I’ve always loved blades: knives, swords, pretty much anything with a point or edge. As long as I can remember, I’ve been fascinated by them. My studies in martial arts have only deepened my interest. It amazes me how different cultural influences have created such a wide variety of shapes and sizes for this most basic tool. Anyway… The chemo really kicked my ass. Essentially, the treatment uses poison to try to kill what is already trying to kill me. Since Hodgkin’s is systemic, carried thru the blood, they were trying to kill the bone marrow. It was MISERABLE. I was tired and weak all the time, couldn’t eat, couldn’t drink enough to stay hydrated, couldn’t sleep, and was nauseous all the time. TV and movies were a distraction for a while. However, you can only watch the same reruns so many times. Books worked sometimes as well, but weren’t interactive enough. I really needed something to distract myself with…  *Revenant - a commissioned blade, 09/09*
My good friend, George, is a “jack-of-all-trades” fellow. It turns out, he’s into knives too…as is his dad. They just happened to know several prominent Blacksmiths around the Michigan area. (Surprisingly, there is quite a presence in Michigan when it comes to blacksmiths…go figure.)  *Talon - a blade for Dan’s Black belt graduation*
One of their friends is a Master Smith who lives about 45 minutes away from Grand Rapids. A group of them hold “forging parties” a couple weekends a month, which George invited me to attend with him. Their forging party consists of a bunch of blacksmiths (of all levels) getting together and basically pounding on steel for the afternoon. They might be making Damascus, forging knife billets, or actually forging blades.  *Walang - made for MG Buzz Smith*
When we got there, I was introduced around then we settled back to watch. With its constant low frequency hum and steady glow, the gas forge was hypnotic. The smiths used power hammers, hydraulic presses, and hammer & anvil, all depending on their task. It was amazing to watch a piece of round stock tool steel flatten and move into a 15 inch bowie knife. I was also introduced to the process by which Damascus steel is made. I’d seen finished Damascus blades, but watching the multiple steel plates being forge welded and pounded into one piece was nothing short of incredible. I was so enthralled with the process that I didn’t even realize how much time had passed. Six hours, and about a thousand questions, later it was time to go home. What was an amazing first day! (And I hadn’t even felt nauseous the entire day.)  *Dad-Pick - a father/son collaboration*
I went to a couple more forging parties with George. The group was so open with sharing knowledge. I decided that I wanted to try this. I asked how to get started and was told the best place for me to start would be with stock removal. The Master Smith (and I forget his name now) said “Chuck, everything comes back to stock removal at some point, no matter how well you forge it.” He gave me my first billet of high carbon steel...O-1. In a nutshell, stock removal is essentially taking a billet of steel (a piece of flat stock, in this case) and removing steel thru the use of cutting, grinding, filing, and polishing to shape your blade. It’s very comparable to sculpting in this respect.  *my first blade - ever*
One of the most used tools in any knife shop is the belt grinder. This marvelous piece of equipment comes in numerous sizes, shapes, and configurations ranging in price from under $20 all the way up to a couple thousand dollars. George helped me find my first grinder, a little 1x30 model, for $18 at Harbor Freight. He also recommended that I get a book by Wayne Goddard entitled “The $50 Knife Shop”. I did, and it’s an excellent book! I highly recommend it if you’re thinking about trying your hand at knife making. I also picked up some files, sandpaper, and soft firebricks. You can make a forge for small knives in about 10-15 minutes, and use a MAPP Gas cylinder and burner for a heat source. This set up works very well. (see “The $50 Knife Shop- One Brick Forge” - great stuff!) I drew up some designs, chatted with George about how to start the process, and was off to start knife making. It was great!  *designing with Ian*
The look on my Oncologist’s face was priceless…Although he was less than thrilled with my new hobby. A side effect of chemo is a reduction in the body’s ability to clot and fight infection. Any little cut or scrape has the potential to bleed uncontrollably and get infected. Even bruises can be dangerous! (Shaving, fortunately, wasn’t an issue for me, as the hair loss is a very real side effect of chemo). His was a valid concern. I have yet to speak with a knife maker who hasn’t been “bitten” by his work at some point. There’s something very “Zen” for me when it comes to knife making. I was able to forget, for a time, my nauseous-ness from the chemo, the general discomfort, etcetera and “lose” myself in the process of bringing a blade into being. It is incredibly rewarding for me to watch the change from stock material to functional art.  *focus*
I made numerous mistakes early on, and learned from them. I created a lot of extra work for myself as well…but that actually worked to my favor at the time. (more distractions…) I learned that if you polish the blade to a beautiful 1200 grit shiny finish before you heat treat, you do all that work over again after heat treat…so only take the finish to about 300 grit before. (Just as George said…twice) I learned that pin holes need to be drilled pre heat treating if you don’t want to burn out drill bits. If you don’t, you’re going to be annealing (softening) the piece, and then heat treating again. I also learned that the reflex to catch something falling is NOT your friend when it comes to working in a knife shop. Let it fall, especially if it’s hot steel, or something falling close to work piece that’s clamped in a vise. Do not, under any circumstance, reach past the vise to catch that damn screwdriver that rolled off the edge! Ummmm, yeah, where was I? I did end up with a few trips to the med center for stitches. (Any of my friends who are reading this…feel free to keep quiet. Yes, I hear you laughing.) My incredibly tolerant wife, Jeanne, now just rolls her eyes when she sees me exit the shop holding a towel or cloth to an extremity. There is usually a deep, resigned, sigh followed with “I’ll get the keys…” George was great as my first mentor. We went back out to more forging parties, where I continued to ask questions and learn. We also had a roommate who had some experience with blacksmithing. He was very helpful with my growth as a knife maker. I had many mentors. Basically, everyone who would show up to these blacksmith gatherings taught me something; they were all willing and ready to share their experience.  *Husk - A field blade I made for Sterling*
I learned a lot that year and survived cancer. I had also found a new hobby and skill that has become very dear to me. A couple of years ago I reacquainted myself with a former student and friend I hadn’t seen in several years. Ian had gotten into knife making about the same time I had, but from a hammering standpoint. After catching up over coffee, we decided to try collaborating on some blades. It has proved to be a very good thing.  *my forging buddy, Ian, and myself*
Ian and I slowly built up a better workshop over the last couple years. I have learned much more about the forging/hammering side of knife making, and I like to think that I’ve shared some of my knowledge and experiences with him. Together, we have turned out some beautiful and practical blades.  *Escrimadora - for Mariah Moore*
Through Ian, I met Tim Carr, another Master Blacksmith, who has his shop in Muskegon; a very easy drive for me. Tim has also helped me continue my education in the blacksmithing arts. I also joined the Michigan Artistic Blacksmiths Association (MABA) and have met many other people who love this art as much as I have grown to. They have all been so giving of their knowledge and skill; it has been an amazing experience.  *Hybrid - a work in process*
I look back at the first blades I made in the beginning, and see how far I’ve come; each knife a little better than the last, each a piece of functional art. I think about some of the knives I’ve seen since meeting some of my mentors and realize that I am still just beginning to tap my potential.  *Hybrid - the work in process, completed*
…The blade I am working on has now completed its third normalizing cycle and I have heated it back up to a non-magnetic state. I let it soak for about a minute longer. It’s a beautiful orange color throughout the entire blade. I keep it moving to keep even heating.  *another commissioned blade- 09/09*
I withdraw the blade from the forge and plunge it into the preheated quench oil, edge first, trapping the carbon molecules and cooling the steel. As I wipe the oil off, I heat the oven to 400F for the tempering. Three cycles of heat soak/cold soak usually does the trick.  *TUF-a design collaboration with the Weasel, T2*
It’s late now. The blade is ready for the finish stonework. The forge is cooling and the shop temperature is dropping. It has been a good productive evening in the shop. I give it a quick sweeping, wipe down the workbench, turn out the lights, and go inside to my wife. Life is good, and I am still here to enjoy the rest of my journey.  *Bowrung- a design for MBG*
 *The Weasel - for my good friend, Terry.*
I decided from time to time I would put up something about one of the members of the group so you (the 20 or so readers) could see who is in KSMA and what makes us tick. This time it is KSMA noob, Craig Gray.  Craig combines over 30 years of martial arts experience as instructor, competitor, and student with many real life situations to bring you a program that has a strong foundation, benefiting the beginning and advanced student alike. He treats people with respect and as individuals and is able to help each student bring out the best in themselves and their training. Craig is a certified Krav Maga instructor with Israli Krav International (IKI) and one of only three instructors in the U.S. who can award rank in the system. Craig has the distinction of being the Official Personal Defense Subject Matter Expert for Frontlines of Freedom Military - Veteran Talk Radio Show and is an adjunct instructor teaching defensive tactics and warrior ethics at the Homeland Security and Protective Services academy within the Gerald R. Ford Job Corps in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Craig is also the head instructor for Her Survival Guide, which is an organization that teaches empowerment skills, risk management and conflict resolution skills to women across the United States. Craig holds black belt status in various other styles and has been certified to instruct in numerous systems. He has practiced many different traditional and contemporary styles including Praying Mantis Kung Fu, Tai Chi, Tae-kwon-do, Karate, Jeet Kune Do, Kickboxing, Boxing, Submission Wrestling, Silat, Budo Tai Jitsu, Kali, numerious military and law enforcement tactical systems, Krav Maga and Brazilian Jiu-jitsu. Over the years, Craig has trained all over the world with many different instructors including: his father Tom Gray, Master Yen Hoa Lee, Caique, Royce Gracie, Rorion Gracie, Rickson Gracie, Carlson Gracie Jr., Rob Masko, Bob Barss, Mark Good, Tae Park, Hae Man Park, Mushtaq Ali, Jack Hoban, Moshe Katz, Buzz Smith, Dan Inosanto, Larry Hartsell and Evan Pantazi to name a few. Some of these people he has studied with for years others only a few times but all have made an impact on him. Some organizations that Craig has worked with: The Amway Corp., Hope Network, Grand Rapids Public Schools, Comstock Park Public Schools, Crestion Christian Schools, Spart Community Education, Walker Seniors Association, Alligan County Sheriffs Dept., YMCA, YWCA, Riverfront Fitness Center, Cascade Engineering, Girl Scouts of America and WestSide Fitness where Craig is now holding civilian classes. Craig is also currently teaching defensive tactics and warrior ethics at the Homeland Security and Protective Services academy within the Gerald R. Ford Job Corps in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Craig recently learned received the word that the 8 hour Krav Maga Self Defense for Law Enforcement program that he developed has been officially accepted, approved and certified by MCOLES (Michigan Commission of Law Enforcement Standards) for the State of Michigan Law Enforcement and Correctional Officers. Courses with this certification count toward the officers mandatory yearly MCOLES training in the State of Michigan. Contact Craig via his webpage if you are interested in what he has to offer. Ronin Martial Arts
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