20 years on Bladeforums

Congrats on 20 years! Where do the years go, I've only been on a tad over 5.5 years which seems like the blink on an eye! This is not an entry, good luck everyone! And awesome GAW Chief!
 
(I've wondered and asked about the "tradition" of removing selling prices from the Exchange, but no one has ever explained how/why it originated.)
I've wondered the same thing and only do it because I figured it was just "the way it was done".
 
Congratulations on your 20 years here. That’s awesome. And also, as many have said before me: Thanks for your service.

I try and do what I can to help people or give to charities or whatever I can do all year around. I try and keep perspective on the fact that I have so much more in my life than many. All of us here are blessed to afford to even have a hobby such as this one.

My good deed for this was to participate in a canned food drive. Besides just giving the canned stuff I went and bought some bags of other non-perishables to donate as well.

I agree with your “rule” about leaving the prices on anything you sell, and will do so if I ever start selling some of my stuff on the exchange. I also don’t have a collection big enough to take me out of this so consider this my “entry”. I’ve never had a Barlow style knife, so if I win anything it would be then white one of those.

Thanks again for all you’ve done. On the Porch as well as in the real world.

Joe
 
Sir, congratulations for both your service and this incredible GAW. I'm not in, but I'm more than impressed that you're doing this. Great gesture.
 
Not an entry, just wanted to say congratulations and thanks for being here, I enjoy seeing your posts. Great giveaway and I hope the knives find good homes.
 
John, thanks for your service to the people, in all your multiple jobs and endeavors, including here at BF. And thanks for helping set higher standards in all we do.

I'm in this GAW and thanks for your kind generosity.

1. Two days ago (December 1) I was returning from a trip, flying from Houston to Philadelphia. I noticed a hispanic father and young daughter worriedly waiting the gate and looking at the the screens trying to figure out what was going on with our departure. I asked the if they needed help, and with relief they asked me (in Spanish) about the flight, sharing it was the first time they were flying and did not speak English. I helped them with information on boarding and their seating. Arriving in PHL, I saw them again, lost in the tumultuous foot traffic of the PHL airport. I approached them and offered my help again, ending up taking them to the waiting area, where they realized it was going to be a major ordeal to find the person coming for them. I offered my cell phone to call, and they called their ride and thanked me. Went to pick my vehicle, and about when leaving the airport I received a timid call from a young male asking for the father-daughter couple- he was lost in the"immensity" of the airport as well, and could not locate them. After giving him some instructions, I turned around and came back to the spot where I saw them last. They were there, alone, starting to feel the chill of the night. I parked, went to them, and offered more instructions and my phone to call their ride, and waited with them for another 15 minutes or so. The car arrived, and a young man came out thanking me for the help. He then proceeded to effusively (crying) greet who I suppose was his father, and his young sister. A warm feeling came to me, and I proceeded home, to likewise embrace and kiss my wife and young son. What a wonderful feeling!
2. I promise to leave prices on sales from now on when I sell/exchange a knife on the BF forums.
3. I really like the Elk #99.

Thanks again for your service and this GAW.

Raul
 
Not another entry but a plug for the Salvation Army angle tree program. My kids and I got two angels, sisters 7 & 12. We shopped together and got them clothes, toys and each a new bike. It’s a great program for needy kids around Christmas. It’s become a tradition for us. The best part is to see my kids put in so much thought into the gifts. I have girls the same age and I know they feel good helping these sisters have a Merry Christmas.
 
Nice GAW, John.:thumbsup:
Not an entry, but since you asked for more stories...
My wife and I were taking our nightly walk around the neighborhood (27 years and running) about 2 weeks ago when we noticed an elderly woman starting up her unusually large stairway from the street to her front door. At least 50 steps without any landing to rest on. She had a walker, it just barely fit on the step. Hanging from her wrist as she clutched her walker was a large plastic shopping bag on one arm and in the other hand was 5 lawn and leaf bags, the large brown paper kind. We watched in horror as she started up the steps. About 10 steps up by the time we came even with her, she dropped a couple of the bags and they fell down a few of the very steep steps behind her. There was no way she could turn around or bend down to pick them up. I announced myself as not to scare her and made my way up, scared that she would fall over backwards the whole time. I carried her groceries and lawn bags and insisted she take her time as each step was noticeably hard for her and I could tell she was rushing for my sake.
When we got to the top I set her stuff by the front door, and wished her a nice day. She said "you have made it better." I was very touched.
Since then it has snowed twice and both times I made a stop by her place to shovel the steps, quietly and discreetly. Made me feel good each time. Funny how helping someone can give you so much satisfaction.
I have no idea how she could possibly fill a lawn bag.
 
Not an entry, as I easily have 50 knives, but wanted to thank you for your service and your contributions here. And the OUTSTANDING photography, your pictures are some of the best on the porch.

Just to share a small good deed, my 18 year old cousin is having a rough time of it, without going into details. We are nearly 30 years apart in age, and have always had more of an uncle/nephew relationship. He loves to hunt, as do I, but circumstances have prevented him from going most of this year. Last weekend I carved out a day for us, and had set it up with his mom a week prior, so I would know he didn't have plans for the morning and it would seem like a surprise. I called him the night before and casually asked if he would like to go, he enthusiastically agreed. I picked him up very early, and had doughnuts (his favorite) waiting in my SUV, and a thermos of hot tea for each of us. He was all smiles, and although I had my bow with me, I didn't bring it into the field; I wanted to be an extra pair of eyes and ears for him. Luck and the hunting fates smiled on us that morning, and he harvested a doe. There were many high fives and congratulations, he was really happy. He re-told the story over and over at the butchers (with some slight embellishment :) ), and I took him out to lunch after. A small act that really required little of me, but I think he had a great day.
 
Thanks to all who entered and for doing good deeds, you all deserve a big round of applause. Thanks to all who commented or liked a post. When I joined 20 years ago, Bladeforums was only 1 month old. This wasn't intended to be about military service, but at that time the Air Force was my life. It was good to me. Be proud of who you are, where you are from, and protect it.

Please consider leaving asking prices ... help each other by publicly establishing the fair going rate. Even evilbay leaves completed auction prices. The Traditional knife family should be a refuge of friendliness, not cutthroat make every buck possible here / there / everywhere. If you are hiding purchases because of a spouse / SO, I get it. If you think you are hiding your hobby purchases from the tax man … you're kidding.

Went through the thread and validated the following entrants. Put all the As in order, then Bs, then Cs, then Ds. A couple folks didn't list a preference so threw them in with the Cs to even out the chances. Used google random number generator, the first group had 5 possibilities and 4 came up so MartyNC MartyNC wins the ebony TC, congrats! Next group B had 4 entrants with the winner number 2, @Airborne 1, congrats on the white bone TC! For C, another 4 congrats to R rishma for winning the two blade stag 14! Knife D, random generator a 3, congrats to chivaceae chivaceae for winning the Elk 99!

Will contact winners who have PM capability via PM for shipping info. If you don't have PM capability, please email me through my Bladeforums email link or use the email address shown on my homepage.

1 @SVTFreak A
2 @Jolipapa A
3 @Misplaced Hillbilly A
4 MartyNC MartyNC A
5 @NirreBosse A

1 @r redden B
2 @Airborne 1 B
3 JoeGoblyn JoeGoblyn B
4 @JTB_5 entry to r redden B
5 @TheEdge01 B

1 @Tom P 14
2 @Jack Black no preference
3 @onojoe no preference
4 R rishma 14

1 @Dschal D
2 tmd_87 tmd_87 D
3 chivaceae chivaceae D
 
Oh wow, I’m thrilled! I cannot believe my luck. Thank you Chief Chief and thank you to everyone who posted their good deeds. I enjoyed reading this thread very much.
 
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