Fourth the above. It really means something to me to think that a maker cares about what I think. I've posted a few compliments in various threads and actually been privately emailed by the maker thanking me for my interest. The same with guys like Sal Glesser and Will Fennell, who both use these forums as a resource and are willing to share their knowledge with us. It saddens me to think that some are immature enough to flame respected knife-makers who are sharing their hard-earned experience with us. Disagree? Sure. If we all sat around and agreed that XXX was the best steel for everything, and XXX was the best knife, this would get old quickly. But respectfully. Anyway, just my .02 cents letting makers and those with more knowledge and experience than me know that I appreciate their contributions.
Excellent custom knife makers missing at Bladeforums
- Thread starter golok
- Start date
Rob Simonich
Big Bear
- Joined
- Oct 3, 1998
- Messages
- 2,294
I wasnt even going to reply, but Jerry put it very well. Especially the hype stuff. One person always talking about "makers" hype continually sucks up a manufacturers hype! Nuf said on that.....
I know of a couple very highly reguarded makers that lurk here but wont post for nothing due to the trolling and back biting that sometimes happens. It is really too bad because they are some of the sharpest people in the industry that could have a wealth of info to share.
I know of a couple very highly reguarded makers that lurk here but wont post for nothing due to the trolling and back biting that sometimes happens. It is really too bad because they are some of the sharpest people in the industry that could have a wealth of info to share.
- Joined
- May 9, 2000
- Messages
- 29,205
The forums need the knife makers and their knowledge. I also do not understand how anyone can flame someone that is trying to be as helpful as they can. Especially when these makers are not obliged to take part here. They do it out of the goodness of their hearts and should be commended for it.
I have nothing but respect for the makers that take part here and would never consider flaming or disrespecting them.
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Keith
AKTI Member #A001338
I have nothing but respect for the makers that take part here and would never consider flaming or disrespecting them.
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Keith
AKTI Member #A001338
- Joined
- Oct 15, 1998
- Messages
- 3,556
I'm in awe everytime that I ask a question and a maker takes the time to answer. I'll drag the wife over to the 'puter and show her. She's thrilled because she has taken the time to learn a little about my "hobby/addiction".
The people I work with just give me a blank stare whenever I mention a maker. To me it's like a baseball fanatic asking the star pitcher how to throw a curveball and getting an answer!! Unheard of!!, but here it happens and it makes my day everytime I see it.
I appreciate every craftsman from the knifemaker to the scrimshander to the leathermaker. All have a skill I'll never have. I thank each and every one for taking the time to let me know you even the little bit that this medium allows. I'll probably never be able to make it to a major knife show...heck any knifeshow for that matter. If I could every maker that has posted here would have a skinny guy with a big grin in front of his table shaking his hand and saying "thanks!!"
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~~TOM~~
The people I work with just give me a blank stare whenever I mention a maker. To me it's like a baseball fanatic asking the star pitcher how to throw a curveball and getting an answer!! Unheard of!!, but here it happens and it makes my day everytime I see it.
I appreciate every craftsman from the knifemaker to the scrimshander to the leathermaker. All have a skill I'll never have. I thank each and every one for taking the time to let me know you even the little bit that this medium allows. I'll probably never be able to make it to a major knife show...heck any knifeshow for that matter. If I could every maker that has posted here would have a skinny guy with a big grin in front of his table shaking his hand and saying "thanks!!"
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~~TOM~~
- Joined
- Apr 21, 1999
- Messages
- 739
Hooray for the attention to this subject.What a great thread .
All to often controversy is created as a means of entertainment.
I don't need nor do my colleagues need to be kicked in the cods everytime 16 year old "Hercules" from Tuscaloosa Alabama wants to amuse himself .
Other than that I think it's a great place to come and hang out.
Oh!I apolojise if there is a guy named Hercules from Tuscaloosa . it is suposed to be a made up name
All to often controversy is created as a means of entertainment.
I don't need nor do my colleagues need to be kicked in the cods everytime 16 year old "Hercules" from Tuscaloosa Alabama wants to amuse himself .
Other than that I think it's a great place to come and hang out.
Oh!I apolojise if there is a guy named Hercules from Tuscaloosa . it is suposed to be a made up name
- Joined
- May 9, 2000
- Messages
- 29,205
Hi Ken, it is great to hear from you. I would love to see more of you around here. You are definitely a maker that I have a great deal of respect for.
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Keith
AKTI Member #A001338
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Keith
AKTI Member #A001338
- Joined
- Dec 20, 2000
- Messages
- 871
I'm with Keith, Ken!
In fact, I'd like to see all the makers post a lot more on the forums and take some of the burden off the moderators.
(ps: "Hercules" isn't always just 16 years old. But, you probably knew that already!
)
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Tom Anderson
Hand Crafted Knives
www.andersoncustomknives.com
[This message has been edited by Tom Anderson (edited 05-16-2001).]
In fact, I'd like to see all the makers post a lot more on the forums and take some of the burden off the moderators.
(ps: "Hercules" isn't always just 16 years old. But, you probably knew that already!
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Tom Anderson
Hand Crafted Knives
www.andersoncustomknives.com
[This message has been edited by Tom Anderson (edited 05-16-2001).]
Rob Simonich
Big Bear
- Joined
- Oct 3, 1998
- Messages
- 2,294
You guys should have seen Ken's underwear in Eugene!
- Joined
- Aug 4, 1999
- Messages
- 2,596
I'm spending less time here but for a very POSITIVE reason!! I'm BUSIER know than I've EVER been
Thanks in great part from from people here at the forums!! I know I've said it at least 100 times before....I appreciate the instant feedback on my knives that I recieve from my forum customers!!! This has had a major influence on my designs as well as the direction I go with new ones.
One thing I have always enjoyed is the Shop Talk area. I must admit, I've only been lurking there lately. I try to put as much thought as possible into my posts there and that takes TIME!!! I STILL enjoy lurking at the shop talk area as it's and endless source of information, sources and ideas.
So far, any potential PI$$ing contests I've had here have been successfully taken to Email and even telephone and resolved. As a matter of fact, I have actually made SEVERAL good friends this way.....after the smoke settled!
Let me remind EVERYONE!! There is NOTHING wrong with saying "lets take this to Email"! If more people did this when things started to get HOT, it would be a more friendly BF.com!!
Neil
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Talonite......Stellite
Hand Made Knives..High Tech Materials
blackwoodknives.com
One thing I have always enjoyed is the Shop Talk area. I must admit, I've only been lurking there lately. I try to put as much thought as possible into my posts there and that takes TIME!!! I STILL enjoy lurking at the shop talk area as it's and endless source of information, sources and ideas.
So far, any potential PI$$ing contests I've had here have been successfully taken to Email and even telephone and resolved. As a matter of fact, I have actually made SEVERAL good friends this way.....after the smoke settled!
Let me remind EVERYONE!! There is NOTHING wrong with saying "lets take this to Email"! If more people did this when things started to get HOT, it would be a more friendly BF.com!!
Neil
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Talonite......Stellite
Hand Made Knives..High Tech Materials
blackwoodknives.com
- Joined
- Oct 4, 1998
- Messages
- 4,131
This is a great thread. Thanks Golok!
Folks I am just a collector, I used to sell factory knives, but I am not into that anymore and have not been in a few years. Although I am known to buy one or two a year now days.
One of the things that gets to me in these forums is the p***ing matches that go on every once in a while. (I was dumb enough to get into one a while back over some stupid stuff that went on here.) I regret the way I handled it, but I do not have any regrets over the point that I was trying to get across.
Long before the internet came along the custom knife world was a small world. The internet has just made communication go a little faster. This venue and others opened a few doors to us getting to make friends, buy and sell knives in between shows. It has allowed younger folks with talent to get their names and work known a little faster. It has allowed for a faster exchange of ideas for all of us. I remember the thrill of going to a show and actually talking to makers that I had read about and or whose work I admired. I would get home from a show and feel bad because it would be 6 months or so before I would get to be with these folks again. Now we get to "talk" to some of them every day (or almost).
With those enjoyable aspects comes some agenda's and comments that you just do not see at a custom show. Some of the comments really are innocent some obviously have some underlying problem or agenda. If you do see it at a show, believe me it sticks out like a sore thumb. It bugs me a lot when those occasional things that go on over the net here do not coincide with my face to face experiences.
Knife makers as a group pretty much know a lot of other knife makers they treat each other and their customers with respect and honesty at a minimum. On the typical side they teach, learn, and push each other holding no secrets back. (I know it is foolish to categorize any group of people, but in this case it is easy to look around at a gathering of makers and see this part of what is to me a hobby. These traits have been evident in at least 95% of the interactions that I have been aware of.) When we (again as a group) get out of hand. It is very easy to see how many makers would rather not deal with the B.S. The B.S. is just not a part of their lives or their work.
I want everyone and I mean everyone to know that I am open to constructive criticism and thought on what I and we can do to improve the atmosphere here. Believe me I will be the first to admit my mistakes. I know I always have oversights and to top that off there are a lot of excellent knives and makers out there who's work I may not have been exposed to. I learn about knives, people and myself (good and bad) every day from this forum and its members.
Please feel free to email me or post your ideas. Even if they pertain to things I might be doing wrong or am neglecting. I promise to at least listen and listen with respect no matter how it is communicated. Just do not jump on an anti-custom band wagon in this forum and or make a comments that have not purpose except to create a bad reaction in a forum that is supposed to be dedicated to custom knives, their makers, pruveyors and collectors.
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" The real art of living is to keep alive the longing in human beings to become greater versions of themselves." Laurens Van der Post in memory of James Mattis
[This message has been edited by Gus Kalanzis (edited 05-16-2001).]
Folks I am just a collector, I used to sell factory knives, but I am not into that anymore and have not been in a few years. Although I am known to buy one or two a year now days.
One of the things that gets to me in these forums is the p***ing matches that go on every once in a while. (I was dumb enough to get into one a while back over some stupid stuff that went on here.) I regret the way I handled it, but I do not have any regrets over the point that I was trying to get across.
Long before the internet came along the custom knife world was a small world. The internet has just made communication go a little faster. This venue and others opened a few doors to us getting to make friends, buy and sell knives in between shows. It has allowed younger folks with talent to get their names and work known a little faster. It has allowed for a faster exchange of ideas for all of us. I remember the thrill of going to a show and actually talking to makers that I had read about and or whose work I admired. I would get home from a show and feel bad because it would be 6 months or so before I would get to be with these folks again. Now we get to "talk" to some of them every day (or almost).
With those enjoyable aspects comes some agenda's and comments that you just do not see at a custom show. Some of the comments really are innocent some obviously have some underlying problem or agenda. If you do see it at a show, believe me it sticks out like a sore thumb. It bugs me a lot when those occasional things that go on over the net here do not coincide with my face to face experiences.
Knife makers as a group pretty much know a lot of other knife makers they treat each other and their customers with respect and honesty at a minimum. On the typical side they teach, learn, and push each other holding no secrets back. (I know it is foolish to categorize any group of people, but in this case it is easy to look around at a gathering of makers and see this part of what is to me a hobby. These traits have been evident in at least 95% of the interactions that I have been aware of.) When we (again as a group) get out of hand. It is very easy to see how many makers would rather not deal with the B.S. The B.S. is just not a part of their lives or their work.
I want everyone and I mean everyone to know that I am open to constructive criticism and thought on what I and we can do to improve the atmosphere here. Believe me I will be the first to admit my mistakes. I know I always have oversights and to top that off there are a lot of excellent knives and makers out there who's work I may not have been exposed to. I learn about knives, people and myself (good and bad) every day from this forum and its members.
Please feel free to email me or post your ideas. Even if they pertain to things I might be doing wrong or am neglecting. I promise to at least listen and listen with respect no matter how it is communicated. Just do not jump on an anti-custom band wagon in this forum and or make a comments that have not purpose except to create a bad reaction in a forum that is supposed to be dedicated to custom knives, their makers, pruveyors and collectors.
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" The real art of living is to keep alive the longing in human beings to become greater versions of themselves." Laurens Van der Post in memory of James Mattis
[This message has been edited by Gus Kalanzis (edited 05-16-2001).]
- Joined
- Dec 3, 1999
- Messages
- 9,437
I don't think I should go on and on about makers that I don't see here, as many have been mentioned already...but one that I do want to mention is Roger Dole.
Roger has not felt pressured to join any associations, guilds, etc. and his name is not that well known...but he is one of the best knifemakers I know. He makes the smoothest folding knives I have ever handled.
This has been a very interesting thread!
I readily agree that it always seems amazing to post something and then later read a response by someone well know...because to me it's better to respect a person than the knifemaking aspect inside of them.
Thanks,
Nick
Roger has not felt pressured to join any associations, guilds, etc. and his name is not that well known...but he is one of the best knifemakers I know. He makes the smoothest folding knives I have ever handled.
This has been a very interesting thread!
I readily agree that it always seems amazing to post something and then later read a response by someone well know...because to me it's better to respect a person than the knifemaking aspect inside of them.
Thanks,
Nick
- Joined
- Dec 20, 2000
- Messages
- 871
I'd like to make an observation concerning the issue of respect:
I've only been on the forums for 6 months. Within that period, I have seen several people posting their problems with several custom makers. Many times, these folks never even approached the maker with thier grievances. (I happen to know some of these makers and took the liberty to contact them directly when I saw the posts. Some have no computer. None were aware that there was a problem.)
To me, this is blatantly disrespectful! It is even worse when the person posting is an established member of the custom knife community. Obviously, the issue of "agendas" does come into play all too often, like some childish game of "King of the Hill".
I followed such a topic today in this very forum, where an unaware knifemaker was most likely bullied into joining BFC to undertake immediate "damage control" measures. I have never met this maker, but I understand he is noted for having all those "endearing qualities" Gus has mentioned.
This is exactly how I was introduced to BFC - when an associate of mine told me I had some "issues" to address with certain forumites. Somehow, when I appeared all those problems seemed to vanish.
While I have been here, I have seen too many generous folks who believe that educating people about knives (without the price tag of hidden, self-serving agendas) is important. Yet, these same people take a lot of beatings for their gallant efforts.
I see much potential for these forums to become a better place where people can freely exchange knowlegde, ideas, and opinions in a responsible manner - and have some wholesome fun while doing it. To me, it would be a shame to abuse or neglect such a valuable resource.
That is why I made the previous statement about wishing more makers would post if they could. I agree with Gus - most of the custom makers I have had the privilege of knowing are decent, unselfish, caring people who appreciate honest opinions from other honest people - even if their own opinions differ. They give the same respect to someone they just met as they do to a friend they've known and trusted for many years - even if it doesn't mean a "potential sale."
Sorry about my ramblings. It feels good to get this off my chest.
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Tom Anderson
Hand Crafted Knives
www.andersoncustomknives.com
[This message has been edited by Tom Anderson (edited 05-17-2001).]
I've only been on the forums for 6 months. Within that period, I have seen several people posting their problems with several custom makers. Many times, these folks never even approached the maker with thier grievances. (I happen to know some of these makers and took the liberty to contact them directly when I saw the posts. Some have no computer. None were aware that there was a problem.)
To me, this is blatantly disrespectful! It is even worse when the person posting is an established member of the custom knife community. Obviously, the issue of "agendas" does come into play all too often, like some childish game of "King of the Hill".
I followed such a topic today in this very forum, where an unaware knifemaker was most likely bullied into joining BFC to undertake immediate "damage control" measures. I have never met this maker, but I understand he is noted for having all those "endearing qualities" Gus has mentioned.
This is exactly how I was introduced to BFC - when an associate of mine told me I had some "issues" to address with certain forumites. Somehow, when I appeared all those problems seemed to vanish.
While I have been here, I have seen too many generous folks who believe that educating people about knives (without the price tag of hidden, self-serving agendas) is important. Yet, these same people take a lot of beatings for their gallant efforts.
I see much potential for these forums to become a better place where people can freely exchange knowlegde, ideas, and opinions in a responsible manner - and have some wholesome fun while doing it. To me, it would be a shame to abuse or neglect such a valuable resource.
That is why I made the previous statement about wishing more makers would post if they could. I agree with Gus - most of the custom makers I have had the privilege of knowing are decent, unselfish, caring people who appreciate honest opinions from other honest people - even if their own opinions differ. They give the same respect to someone they just met as they do to a friend they've known and trusted for many years - even if it doesn't mean a "potential sale."
Sorry about my ramblings. It feels good to get this off my chest.
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Tom Anderson
Hand Crafted Knives
www.andersoncustomknives.com
[This message has been edited by Tom Anderson (edited 05-17-2001).]
- Joined
- May 9, 2000
- Messages
- 29,205
Right on Tom. Believe me when I say that I do not consider any of what you said to be rambling. What you and other makers say here should be of great interest to everyone that takes part in this forum.
I would do everything I could to make sure that people treated others with respect no matter who they are or what their opinions are (I have learned much from people who's opinions have differed from mine). The forums being what they are, a conglomeration of multiple personalities, problems are going to arrise. There is nothing that can be done to change that. I do think that taking personal differences to email is a great thing to do, but some people want to raise as much s**t as possible in front of as many others as they can. Somehow this makes them feel important. When this causes makers to not want to post on the forums we all lose and that is a terrible shame.
If any of you makers that are out there lurking read this, let me assure you that myself and most of the other members of BladeForums will treat you with the respect that you all so richly deserve.
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Keith
AKTI Member #A001338
I would do everything I could to make sure that people treated others with respect no matter who they are or what their opinions are (I have learned much from people who's opinions have differed from mine). The forums being what they are, a conglomeration of multiple personalities, problems are going to arrise. There is nothing that can be done to change that. I do think that taking personal differences to email is a great thing to do, but some people want to raise as much s**t as possible in front of as many others as they can. Somehow this makes them feel important. When this causes makers to not want to post on the forums we all lose and that is a terrible shame.
If any of you makers that are out there lurking read this, let me assure you that myself and most of the other members of BladeForums will treat you with the respect that you all so richly deserve.
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Keith
AKTI Member #A001338
- Joined
- Oct 1, 1999
- Messages
- 6,490
<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Dr.Lathe:
I'm spending less time here but for a very POSITIVE reason!! I'm BUSIER know than I've EVER beenThanks in great part from from people here at the forums!!
Neil
</font>
Thanks Neil for pointing out that being a part of this community isn't all bad.
For me the best part of this Forum is the makers, to see what they're doing and being able to interact with them. To all those makers that post less because of the orders that came from members here, all I can say is "You're missed and now get back in the shop and get back to work."
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Will Work 4 Knives
<A HREF="http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumList?u=254126&f=0" TARGET=_blank>
(To see my photos...click on the Logo)
- Joined
- Feb 6, 2000
- Messages
- 45
I don't know if this counts, but I'll try to be more involved. Time is so precious...
- Joined
- May 9, 2000
- Messages
- 29,205
Wow Jay, I am really impressed by what I see on your web site. It would be great to hear more from you. I am sure that you would have a great deal to add to this forum.
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Keith
AKTI Member #A001338
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Keith
AKTI Member #A001338
- Joined
- Oct 4, 1998
- Messages
- 4,131
I agree. Sure is some beautiful work Jay with quite a bit of diversity.