Forum Policies - READ THIS !!!
Much as it pains everyone, there's a need to make some reasonable suggestions on forum etiquette, style, usage, customs, behaviors...
Hopefully, you started your experience with lots of reading of the FAQ first and probably a lot of the top and new posts here
Make a post, introduce yourself, tell us what you do with your Beckers (or want to do), take pictures and post them! Let us get to know you, as you've gotten to know us. We're a pretty open book and friendly crowd here (or else! ;})...
If the FAQ doesn't immediately answer certain questions for you, you're definitely encouraged to dive into the existing posts and have a look around. The Becker forum is relatively new still, so this is still
quite doable - roughly 20 pages of headers, many of which will give you an idea of what you're looking for...
If you still haven't found a rough approximation of what you want, try searching the forums with google! entering something like:
site:bladeforums.com question-search-text-here
This will tell Google to only look for answers on Bladeforums! Excellent!
Of course, the wold is not perfect, and that doesn't always work, so your next bet is to use the built in forum search... Naturally, that's
only for members that have upgraded their forum experience (highly recommended) and you'll want to "go Gold" anyway if you plan on selling knives, and doing some other things on the board.
While they say there's no such thing as a stupid question, there are REALLY common ones, and hopefully this FAQ will address those points (sooner or later, we're only human)...
Please, DO NOT just dive in as a new forum member and start asking questions with really obvious answers that a little poking around can
find the answers to, or that have been asked over and over and over before (and over and over and over)... spend 15 minutes, use google, or well, but don't be surprised at the results *welcome* !!!
BUMPING! Yeah, well, this isn't a sales area... and threads live or die by content, so, add useful content! Talk, discuss... Sure, a very old thread can and sometimes should be resurrected, but don't willfully "stick" a topic near the top with content free "bumps" or "let's bring this back up" - add something!
For the love of the GHODS too, don't encourage the "bump" with a "double bump" or a "sloppy second bump". Really. It's just common sense and good netiquette, and it would be a crying shame if a thread got locked, or <ahem> moved or something awful (cough) *grin smile smyrke*
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Some related families of questions that get asked more and more, which one could expect from a very popular line of knives
Q: Can I talk about pokemon?
A: Frakk no. Knock it off. Now
Q: Pricing/value questions, especially for speculative sellers, ESPECIALLY if you are not "GOLD" or higher - Bladeforums requires GOLD to sell... The gods get VERY cranky about this. This is covered under the "for the love of ghod, do not ask this question"
A: DO NOT DO THIS? clear? penalty: you must send Bladite the item or else
Q: Which Becker is best?
A: They all are. It depends on your intended usage, needs, etc. We can't really judge that, and there are a lot of posts that can help guide you towards a decision. Now, if you ask a question such as "I'd
like to know how well the BK-09 batons through oak" - that's a good question, and we talk about that a lot - so read
Q: BK vs BK?
A: More than bit along the lines of "Which Becker is Best"... It's been done and we made t-shirts even "Is the BK2 better than the BK7"... check the old threads. Search! It's worth it. Probably every model has been compared a bit by now. Continue those threads. It makes my head ache to try and think about finding all these guys and looping them together (not going to happen - la la la I can't hear you!)...
Same thought: Camillus vs KaBar (vs Blackjack vs Cincinnati)... They are all great knives. Some are old. Some are current. KaBar is the current maker, and as such, the one you're going to get a warranty from. Consider the older ones good values when you find one (but without warranty per se, unless Ethan is feeling generous, and you have a GREAT story, or fought one on one with Godzilla, *and* won...) :> yeah.
Q: Which Becker should I buy first?
A: Well, the standard answer (in good fun) is"all of them", but again, it's like "which is best"... how much do you want to spend? What's the application? That kind of thing. The knife descriptions will help
guide you towards a decision, then you could ask more specific questions...
Q: Which vendor has the best prices?
A: Now that's a tricky one... "Let Me Google That For You"
but seriously, some of the best prices can be found by the vendors that support Becker and KaBar *and* THEY POST HERE a lot as well. Asking who is best is a sure way to step on toes, but everyone has their favorites... Read up, and read between the lines. Finding the best price isn't necessaryly the best way to go about it... Have a good relationship with your vendor is worth it too. That takes time and judgement that's hard to provide.
Q: What is my new/old Becker worth for sale?
A: Well, you better be "GOLD" if you're selling (THEY hate that if you're not because they think you're trying to make a quick buck and bypass THEIR rules)...
Worth is tricky. Does the model still exist in KaBar's lineup production? Was is a more popular model? Is it very old, minty fresh, signed by Ethan, etc? What kind of prices can you find on ePray and the
exchange for similar items? Do some research! Just asking us is a sure way to get a lower price so we can buy it (we're not at all self interested).
Q: Price, Deal and Sale Spotting...
A: No real hard fast rules here... but generally, the FORUM MASTERS frown on direct links to ePray posts, and other "deals", especially those that might suspiciously be YOUR for-sale... Again, not being
"GOLD" (or better) and a deal spoter? our MASTERS get cranky. Read the top level forum rules on this stuff... As well, asking for where to find the BEST price isn't exactly the way to go about it either.
Overtly advertising here as well is going to get your smited by the OLD ONES, even potentially too over the line "we make this stuff, here's our contact info"... yeah, that might fly sometimes, but not always, so don't risk it. conduct normal advertising and sales to the proper areas for gold, knifemakers, dealers, ... be subtle. don't wake the dragons and old ghods.
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Additional clarifications from:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=777705
Becker Sales/Links, Values, Trades, Vending, Spamming...
Hey Beckerphiles...
Just an additional reminder for now, as a sticky, to be revised, and put into the FAQ later... but putting it RIGHT OUT THERE and up top.
Just a little reminder from mod guy... Other than eat your wheaties and READ the Becker FAQ (esp if you're new) that is... ESPECIALLY this part:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/sh...91&postcount=2 which is covered in more detail below...
Read the main forum rules too!
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/faq.php
read them again!
Bladeforums doesn't tolerate out of band sales, even if you're gold or better in membership... I know we're usually cool here about that, but sometimes it's a little close, and HAS crossed the line. The SOOPER mods notice it faster than I do somehow, they have eyes in the back of their keyboards or something. So don't do it!
Links - BF forbids deal spotting and link posting. If you found a deal, you can (iirc) convey that information in words... just don't provide the link. It's a sales advert and as above, BF doesn't tolerate it.
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/fa..._deal_spotting
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/fa...orsale_auction
Values... Per the FAQ, don't ask the value of your stuff. There's other places to figure that out (like ePray). Sure, show off your cool old rare stuff, but don't drop implications that it's also for sale unless you're gold or above *and* have a sales thead elsewhere (and don't link to it). Even that might be officially pushing it.
Same for trades... There's a sub-forum for that. Trust me, the search engine works just fine, people will find you.
Vending... We have lots of valued vendors here... You want to show off your wares... Just be really careful on that line and advertising for sales/etc. This goes double for the Beckheads... Ask not PUBLICLY for information which will cause trouble, send email/PM.
Spamming? Well, guess what! NO! Great way to get banned super fast.
(Sooper mods, any corrections or additions, let me know, this will go into the updated FAQ)...
Bladite
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Enjoy your visit, stay awhile, sharpen some knives!
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