Doraemon World 2012 & FGS, Dong Chan Temple CNY Carnival

After I go through those 2 events stated in the title, I'm going to write down a bit of my own views.


4th Feb 2012(13th day of the Chinese New Year)
2100HRS Till 2300

Official Web Site

Fo Guang Shan, Dong Chan Temple held a Chinese New Year Carnival from 21st Jan 2012 till 7th Feb 2012. We have big statues, Chinese New Year (Dragon Year) theme decoration with LED warp up, loud musics, food stalls, and small parade. for a carnival, it's quite successful.

First the traffic, it's a bit crowdie, but we still manage to get our car parked. It's 9pm, maybe that's why we have one. There are some RELA / cops making ways for visitors and going through vehicles. Consider ok the transportation section.

Thanks to the Chinese New Year atmosphere and weekdays, crowdie peoples makes the carnival live up. Loud music and colorful LEDs will be the first contact when you get in. You came here, one of the main events / "task" is to take some photo with your friends and family, so, those huge Buddha statues and LEDs covered decoration fits and serve their purpose. Really, those huge dragon boat, lanterns, cartoon monks, I can see the efforts been pump in by the organizer. I hear there's dancing and singing, maybe we've came here late, didn't saw any.

Here I would like to add an extra view for the commercial level of the event. For this carnival, acceptable, no entrance fees, free to walk through any corner you want, any ankle for photo shutting, it's FREE. Fees for some extra activities like buy lily candle, cards and red strings for wishing and blessing, within expectation and acceptable. Foods and drinks, like usual. Over all it's free if you didn't buy anything. Its good cause people didn't feel the stress (financially), specially parents. Those daddy and mommy have space to pose their children, couples and friends group snap pictures everywhere, feel and enjoy the "FREE"dom, at least I’m. Personnel serve people politely.

One good thing for large crowd and carnival, you can see a lot pretty and handsome, hey don't deny, I know you enjoy it. There's a small parade of Buddha and dynasty emperor cosplay, the time they go through crowds, they bless, the sing, good, everybody love blessing, don't we? Funny when I saw some of the dynasty maid Cosplayers, they have their traditional dresses, wearing sport shoe, parade car black out when the genset stop, wakakakakaka~

People can do some prayers and burn some sandalwood stick near the temple lobby. The carnival end around 2230hrs, they put "goodbye" theme songs to notified you first, then they force you to leave by turn off the LEDs and lights, aww~ we're just starting to have fun~

Anyway it's a worthy trip to the carnival. Enjoy it like I enjoy the following activity after the carnival, what is it? Well, you don't need to know, let's go to another main event I’ve been on the 14th day of the Chinese New Year.



5th Feb 2012(14th day of the Chinese New Year)
0700HRS Till 1900

After 2 hours sleep (yes, after yesterday last activity), prepared and we take bus to Genting Highland for Doraemon World 2012! The exhibition of Doraemon theme start from 23 January 2012 (Mon) till 05 February 2012 (Sun), 10.00am till 10.00pm, located at Arena of Stars, Genting Highlands, Pahang, Malaysia. Entrance fees for adult is RM35, children (12 years old & below) RM30.

Alright, before I start, I want to make things clear that not that I want to defame (point out the weak points, is this the right word? Google translate) the show but this is what I’ve been through, hope some suggestions will make the next show better organized. For the queue part my friend say it's because we go at the last day of the show, can't blame anyone, yea, she's right, but I still need to write this down, it's part of the story.

Straight my friends and I go to the Arena of Stars once we arrived, we saw the long queue and the crowd in front of the outdoor theme park (the Arana Of Stars exhibition hall of the Doraemon World is within the outdoor theme park), yes, it's "growing" from time to time. Well, need to wait for another group of friends (like usual, those who came early grap tickets for the others, all for one, one for all~) we'll have a tea first. Then around 12pm, we go back there, WTF! We can't see the end of the queue! grumble still grumble, get to the back buddy~ The big banner hang in front main gate entrance, Hugh posters stick on the queue gate, load Doraemon songs (repeat and repeat....) Thank God it's not rain that day, really, if not things will become worst. We walk all the way left, we queue 2 hours to get near the main gate, Yay! Huh? What? the queue didn't make a 90 degree turn into the entrance, it go straight down till another side, the right side, near the parking of the Ria Hotel, zig-zag back into the restaurant (the castle like building beside the out-door theme park). Go on, no choice, follow the queue. (There're some fat guy make some silly face and cut queue in front of me, some more bring in his friends, this really piss me off. Curse) I get the map flyers and a token sticker for the next "road block" in that building. (for your info, they make another zig-zag queue in the building). After another 1 hour Then, we came out from the building into the spiral queue in front the out-door theme park main gate~

The security at the “road block” asks for token sticker, wait har, it's in pocket. I step front few steps because the queue push that bloody fool scream at me and hold me! Damn! Take your token! Even worst for my friend's girl friend, a security personnel (female) grip her (some sensitive area) before they show the token, damn! So so rude! Anger is accumulating, my complaints turn to curses. The Doraemon balloon doll near the entrance stay flat the whole day, lame. After 3 hours something, we finally get in the out-door theme park (not yet the exhibition hall). It bright us up a bit when we redeem the Doraemon World 2012 theme TouchnGo card.

I’ve become a creep in tower defense for almost another 1 hour, spiral queue with people selling peripheral products. When my friends ask them is these products original, they answer some nuts and didn’t answer us the questions. 4 hours queue, we get into the exhibition hall, Arena Of Stars. Finally!!!

We manage to take some pictures, they “quarantine” the statues, lose some good ankle for photo snapping, lame. After few small rooms, we get to another wider room with Doraemon items gallery room attaches at side. Guess what, yes, product, product, product, sell, sell, sell. The Gallery is kinda poor of content, big nice container but items inside too few. Some more the items looks like low quality toys that we can buy at night market (really, by looking at the curve and the paint)

Although we miss the opening, me manage to watch the performance of Doraemon mascots, they dance, they response to the DJ, cute! Doraemon mascot eye can blink! Ahahahah~ After the show, what else take pictures!! Here, only limited visitors can take picture (yes picture, not pictureS) with the full Doraemon Team members. Pity. But then still the release Nobita and Sizuka afterwards for a while. First I thought I want to take a picture hugging Sizuka, but then the aunty uncle are all frenzy nuts! They rounded up Sizuka and Nobita!! I only manage to take pictures stand beside them with their face turn to another side…. (T.T) Rm 25 to get a picture with full team member of Doraemon STATUE (not mascot, statue) and I took one, no choice.

After the show, before you get out guess what? Yes, you need to go through a booth full of peripheral products. Doraemon hypnotize you: Wahahahaha, Buy ! Buy! Buy! T- Shirt’s quality is not reasonable compare with it qualities and design. I didn’t buy. But I did bought some card tags with soft key chain. The time we get out it’s 7pm something already, we spend whole half day for queue.

Here are some thoughts and suggestions for the organizer:

1. It’s too commercial! You promote peripheral products from the entrance till the end, I can understand, Boss’s order, but it’ll be more better if you can provide some original and higher quality products.

2. Please don’t “quarantine” the good ankle for photo snapping, it’ll be good if visitors have a closer contact with the statues. You said people will spoil the exhibition decorations, yes, I don’t deny, but you have few personnel lead a group of people within 10-12, should be ok. (The shouting and grapping outside the queue there can transfer here for fully utilize)

3. It’s too little content inside the gallery, also the qualities / appearance of the gallery items, you need to put more efforts pal.

4. When Personnel lead the mascot out to the visitors, they should have line up the visitors so everyone have their chances, like in Disneyland. But the personnel let the visitor round up the mascot like zombies, some of them even make the mascot their personal model, this is lame. Not enough chances to take picture with full team of Doraemon Mascot, this even more lame.

But still I enjoy it, why? You love to queue? No (I get sun burn for this) I feel good because I feel happy spending times together with friends, going out with friends is all about sticking together and do things together, even it’s suffering. Do you agree?



~ 光之军 ~

如何磨刀

如何磨刀
磨刀通则：

1、不管磨什么刀或用何种工具（Lansky, Spyder., 磨石…whatever），磨刀第一要件就是磨时要保持刀刃的固定刃角，这需要练习，但有一个老手都知道的小窍门就是磨前先用奇异笔先将刀的开刃区涂黑，再拿去轻磨几下后，检视刃区，若角度正确，则黑 色将完整被磨掉，若否，自己观察Mark区后调整角度，抓到角度后就将感觉记起来，后续依此感觉磨刀。此方法新老手都适用，因为不同刀有不同角度，就算是专业磨刀师可能也要依不同刀之角度来调整感觉。

说到这边，有一个迷思大家可以思考，是否每一支刀都要保持原出厂时的开刃角？从收藏者观点，此点勿庸置疑。但从使用者观点，我倒觉得值得商榷，我通常会依照自己的用刀习惯，来改变刃角，使刀能 在手中做到最大的应用，但前提还是「就算你要改变刃角，你还是要保持固定改变后的刃角角度」。


2、当你可以在磨刀时固定刃角后，开始进入最关键程序了：磨的程度。磨刀是一种削薄磨去刀刃材料以制造新的锋锐刃区（edge）过程，因此磨石的功能就以此为依归，粗磨是进行上述过程，制造出锋刃 ，细磨是去除粗磨过程中产生的毛边，光则是更进一步加强细磨的功能。由此可知，刀磨的好不好关键在粗磨程序，若你一直磨不好，必须从此处着手再加强。

一般刀刃若无缺角需要修整或改薄刃角的话，通常我们是从600 grit的磨石进行粗磨，依照1的要领去研磨，磨到什么程度呢？ Key Point：磨到刀刃在另外一边全部刀刃边缘都起毛边（或飞边）为止。起毛边代表你真正将刀身削薄制造出新的锋锐区，因为你的研磨面已到达刃边。此时翻转刀面，依相同要领再研磨，直到另一边刀刃又起毛边（有些师傅只磨一面就去毛边即算完成磨刀程序（Chisel Grind的刀也如是），下次再磨刀时再从另一边磨起）。


3、如果你步骤2很确实，那你已完成磨刀的百分之八十工作（此时用手垂直方向摸刀刃就已感觉很利了），剩下的就是去毛边的工作。

去毛边可用1000或1200 grit的磨石依照前述要领先将有毛边的刃用中等的力量（与部骤2相比）轻轻磨约十下后检查刃面，应该会在刃另一边又起毛边，但此毛边已较部骤2产生的小很多。翻过面来同样要领再磨十下后再翻面， 接下来要用很小的力量（几乎是刀本身的重量而已），将刀刃稍微提高角度（约5度以内），轻磨三四下后翻转刀面再依同要领磨三四下。Ok, you get it. 一只去好毛边的利刃。

以上所述过程只是通则，个人可依习惯或刀种、钢材不同，自行加减，但程序上大概就是这样啦。如果你还是磨不利（不大可能），再从步骤2开始，确实作到起毛边后再进行下一步骤。


4、接下来就是光的过程了，光就是用皮革（或用布轮…等）加研磨剂颗粒，将刀刃成镜面（对锋利程度个人是认为不是有很大影响啦），但其要领与前述磨刀要领不大相同，是以刀背向前行进方式 略提高刃角来实施（因为光也有去微细毛边的效果）。要注意的是，并不是任何刀都需要光，一般切割绳索、纸张等拉着切（slice）方式的刀刃最好保持一些锯齿状会较好用，而以压着切（push out，如削苹果皮、刮胡子等）方式使用的刀刃，光后效果一级棒。各人请依需要自行决定。（注：拓直久庆在「求生刀的妙用」中曾提出：单刃刀（single bevel）压着切，双刃（double bevel）刀拉着切。与上述原则有异曲同工之妙，因为通常要光的刀都是刃角较小，以推或压着施力方式（如peeling）切的。）

经过以上的各道次流程后，相信就算是新手应该也能磨出非常锋利的刀子，差别只是在步骤2中，老手应该较能保持刃角及以较少时间完成吧。但只要大家有恒心、耐心将步骤2确实作好，一定能磨出漂亮 且锋利的刀子。依我个人经验，磨后去毛边但未光前的刀子可轻易刮下腿毛、汗毛及削断A4纸或悬空的发丝，但刮胡子我就不知道了，因为我的刀不是刮胡子用的，刮手毛、腿毛容易，但面对镜子拿刀（ 安全剃刀例外）刮自己的脸，绝对是不干的，以免一个闪失就破相。


5、最后跟大家讨论一下刀刃锋利度的维持，KnifeCenter中Joe Talmadge在The Sharpening FAQs文章中提出：由于目前刀用钢材及热处理技术的进步，刀用一段时间后，刀刃不会很快磨损，但会因使用者的施力方式使刃端向左或右边弯曲，此时使用者可能会感到不像刚磨好那么利。此时刀刃锋利 度的维持不需要重磨，只要拿一根铁质磨刀棒（卖猪肉摊贩常用那一种），将刀刃左右各刷几次就好了。由于磨铁硬度与刀钢材相差不是很大，因此此刷的过程只是将刃边再恢复正常角度（re-alignment） 而已，并非如前述磨刀过程中磨去刀身的材料。因此，特别要注意一定要拿铁质磨刀棒，不可用陶瓷或钻石磨刀棒（这两种磨刀棒是真正磨刀而非重排刃角），至于铁磨棒上之凹槽多寡甚或没有都没有很大关系。

刷的方法是左手拿铁磨棒，将刀刃以约20度角从近刀柄处一直刷到刀尖，刷时施力很小几乎是用刀本身的重量，每刷一次后就换边再刷一次，如此五至十个循环应可将刀的刃角导正，刀又可锋利如新了。刷 时刀刃向前或刀背向前都可以，看个人习惯。

Joe建议不管是较软的厨刀或ATS34等较硬的刀，都应常常进行此一Steeling的步骤，除可常保刀子锋利外，还可因不需常要磨刀而减低刀的寿命。但如果Steeling无法使刀回复锋利度时，就代表刀刃是真正 钝了，必须照前述1至4步骤来磨刀，方可使刀回复利度。

以上Steeling的理论经实际验证，个人非常赞同，也非常有效。但应注意的是， Steeling当然是一种很好的刀刃保持方式，但用布轮加研磨剂光也是另一个不错的方法，它不具粗研磨的作用，但可导正刃角，而且可得到镜面的刀刃，缺点是比Steeling麻烦许多，各人亦可依喜好选择 使用。总之，不要用磨刀来作刀刃保持（edge maintenance）的工作，那会令你的爱刀寿命很快减短（尤其是如Sebenza等高价位折刀），最后变成牙签状，而且越磨开刃角的面积越大，越来越难磨。

6、总结： 以上文章有有部分是从KnifeCenter中Joe Talmadge在The Sharpening FAQs的文章中意译出来，再加上小弟以往搜集各种磨刀信息后整理出来的简单通则，详细过程可能需要大家自行去摸索并建立自己的一套独门刀法了。但很好玩的是，这些理论也是我在以前向一些制刀师傅 讨论时他们都会提到的共通点，因此如果东西方文化都认为有用的观点，相信对大家应该也有用。简单以几句口诀来描述磨刀的技巧，希望对大家有帮助：「制造毛边、去毛边、光」。Ok, there you go.

此外，有一点忘了告诉大家，如果你是生手，除了上面文章中的重点外，请特别注意在细磨及光过程中的减少力道步骤，此步骤对我而言因以前磨金相的训练，认为是理所当然，但对不熟的人可能也是 关键程序，总之愈磨力道要愈轻，逐渐使毛边变小消失（如果减力的动作熟练且feeling出来的话，甚至一块中粗度磨刀时就可以搞定一切）。如果你只是要磨一般日常生活用刀（不用Razor-Sharp），那么 在细磨的最后几次strokes可作提高刃角的动作。若你要磨到刮胡子，那么不要改变刃角，力道愈来愈轻，直到用皮革光的最后几次stroping再提高刃角，将有惊人的效果。

参考资料：http://airforce-cy.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!573f39dec0693ee5!203.entry