What would make you want to be part of the KITH?

Natlek said:
Edit to add ............Fredy , are hobby makers *estabishled knife makers * ?How I shoul know if I m established knifemaker or not ? Who determines who is established or not ? Anybody know that ?
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I wouldn't say so. You can produce great work, but if you don't put your stuff on the market and have good online visibility and constant great reviews including your own design features or signature finishing and similiar I wouldn't say that you are an established maker.

Watching guys like Salem Straub and Kyle Royer, the details and the attention that goes into each step are inspiring to me. I know I will never be near that level with my hobby shop and the time I can put in knifemaking.

But IMHO this doesnt mean that a less experienced and less known maker can't make a performance blade. In 3 years on forum I saw some blade from first time makers looking nicer then some others that have been selling on the forum for years.
 
I enjoy this discussion and different views we all have on the topic, thanks to OP for opening the discussion.
 
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Does anyone want to do a KITH? It doesn't need to be premium steel but just something that has been hardened right. Forge is ok if you are really good at it but it shouldn't be something that you have only done a few times.

I was thinking about leaving out the sheath since it adds complexity.
 
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Storm W said:
Does anyone want to do a KITH? It doesn't need to be premium steel but just something that has been hardened right. Forge is ok if you are really good at it but it shouldn't be something that you have only done a few times.

I was thinking about leaving out the sheath since it adds complexity.
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Why no sheath? Anyway, the person that decides the rules and runs the organization has the right to decide this kind of details in my opinion.
 
Storm W said:
Does anyone want to do a KITH? It doesn't need to be premium steel but just something that has been hardened right. Forge is ok if you are really good at it but it shouldn't be something that you have only done a few times.

I was thinking about leaving out the sheath since it adds complexity.
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I’d be interested, and I can do a kydex sheath
 
The reason I don't enter KITHs any more is because I am a folder maker, not kitchen or hunter so a specific knife build leaves me out.
A build what you want is the best and I enter those.
It's fun. That's why I enter.
 

SBuzek said:
The reason I don't enter KITHs any more is because I am a folder maker, not kitchen or hunter so a specific knife build leaves me out.
A build what you want is the best and I enter those.
It's fun. That's why I enter.
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I remember the one that you did. I wanted that knife so bad. A folder is above and beyond. I think that if you build anything like that and want to be in a kith just ask and I'm sure someone will let you in. I will take your knife if no one else wants it (I'm sure everyone would fight over it). I think if anyone wants to build anything different and is good at what they do all they need to do is ask. From what I have seen KITHs are kinda flexible. A build type is just a guide in my mind at least. Asking never hurts. Who ever is running it can normally work something out. I love it when Willie71 Willie71 runs them but I can run one if needed or can help. H Hubert S. Did a lot of heavy lifting on this one and it turned out great. I don't mind having a open one if it doesn't turn anyone off. I do think they are tons of fun. I wasn't sure I was going to be able to be a part of this one because of some health problems but it's way more fun when everyone is giving updates and is fully committed and not waiting at the wings trying to decide if they want to be in it. I don't know what my work schedule will be but will start my knife early if people want to do one.
 
The best KITHs I have run were open to anyone who was confident about their skill level (suggested at 1 year making knives). You made a knife in the form/style that you wished, using all your best skills. A suggested value range was given, but many folks went over that. We have had wonderful folders, hunters, kitchen knives, and even a sword. The only specific style KITH that I participated in was that successful was the Mini-KITH, where everyone made a mini. I made a mini tanto at 1/4 scale.
 
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith said:
The best KITHs I have run were open to anyone who was confident about their skill level (suggested at 1 year making knives). You made a knife in the form/style that you wished, using all your best skills. A suggested value range was given, but many folks went over that. We have had wonderful folders, hunters, kitchen knives, and even a sword. The only specific style KITH that I participated in was that successful was the Mini-KITH, where everyone made a mini. I made a mini tanto at 1/4 scale.
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I'm ok with a open KITH if that makes it more appealing. Maybe raising the value a bit would be a good option. If say the range was $300-400 would some people be open to explaining different ideas that people could use to make a knife in that price range and maybe offering some profiles if anyone is worried about not being able come up with a good one?
 
Storm W said:
I'm ok with a open KITH if that makes it more appealing. Maybe raising the value a bit would be a good option. If say the range was $300-400 would some people be open to explaining different ideas that people could use to make a knife in that price range and maybe offering some profiles if anyone is worried about not being able come up with a good one?
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Multiple piece handles with guard?
 
I don't really want to get too far afield parsing out how to do a KITH when the basic format is well established.
However. $300-400 would be excessively high for most makers. $100-200 works quite well.
Again, setting any specific parameters, like a certain type blade/handle/guard/etc, will lead to low participation and fewer finished knives..

I will still be too busy this year, but next fall I will likely set up and run the KITH again.
 
If you want to see how to get lots of folks in a KITH, take a look at the 2010 KITH. The trick is having a well run KITH.

Read the first post in July and you will see that setting it up properly in the beginning avoids most problems.
There were a lot of folks in the KITH, and everyone got great feedback and critique on the knives they made. We had big name makers as well as fairly new makers. Read down the list in the photo thread and you will see some very talented and well established makers, including FIF champions. We started with around 50 makers and ended with 35.
There were few "RULES" and the field was wide open as far as the style you built.

There were follow up threads for photos of the knives, threads for when it was done, threads for when they arrived, etc.

Kith 2010

It is July first, and time to think about Christmas and the holidays that accompany it. If you chaps want a KITH this year, I will host it again. The operation will be the same as last year. You are not obligated until the Dec. 1,2010 deadline when all will have to post: " My knife is ready...
www.bladeforums.com www.bladeforums.com

Official KITH Photo Thread

This is where to post the photos of the finished KITH knives. Tell us a bit about the knife,too. Here is the list as it sits now. Anyone who wishes, and will have their knife finished and in a box on Dec. 1, 2010 can still join in. List updated again. Please send me your info at...
www.bladeforums.com www.bladeforums.com

Official KITH Photo Thread

This is where to post the photos of the finished KITH knives. Tell us a bit about the knife,too. Here is the list as it sits now. Anyone who wishes, and will have their knife finished and in a box on Dec. 1, 2010 can still join in. List updated again. Please send me your info at...
www.bladeforums.com www.bladeforums.com
 
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith said:
If you want to see how to get lots of folks in a KITH, take a look at the 2010 KITH. The trick is having a well run KITH.

Read the first post in July and you will see that setting it up properly in the beginning avoids most problems.
There were a lot of folks in the KITH, and everyone got great feedback and critique on the knives they made. We had big name makers as well as fairly new makers. Read down the list in the photo thread and you will see some very talented and well established makers, including FIF champions. We started with around 50 makers and ended with 35.
There were few "RULES" and the field was wide open as far as the style you built.

There were follow up threads for photos of the knives, threads for when it was done, threads for when they arrived, etc.

Kith 2010

It is July first, and time to think about Christmas and the holidays that accompany it. If you chaps want a KITH this year, I will host it again. The operation will be the same as last year. You are not obligated until the Dec. 1,2010 deadline when all will have to post: " My knife is ready...
www.bladeforums.com www.bladeforums.com

Official KITH Photo Thread

This is where to post the photos of the finished KITH knives. Tell us a bit about the knife,too. Here is the list as it sits now. Anyone who wishes, and will have their knife finished and in a box on Dec. 1, 2010 can still join in. List updated again. Please send me your info at...
www.bladeforums.com www.bladeforums.com

Official KITH Photo Thread

This is where to post the photos of the finished KITH knives. Tell us a bit about the knife,too. Here is the list as it sits now. Anyone who wishes, and will have their knife finished and in a box on Dec. 1, 2010 can still join in. List updated again. Please send me your info at...
www.bladeforums.com www.bladeforums.com
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Look at the people who we had back then and most of them aren't active on BF anymore. I was hoping that we could get a group of that size and and some of those people again.

Would people be down for a KITH with a open design? How about a $200 target. No forge HT unless you are good at it and have done at least 20 blades that way. If not including a sheath helps out then no sheath or Saya required but it must be shipped professionally like in a zipper case at least. Ideally it should be a push for quality. If a couple of people could offer profiles that could be used for inspiration or just copied so newer makers can feel a bit more comfortable that they are making something nice.
 
Here is an exaple of a knife I'd be happy to enter a KITH with.
It is niolox stainless(professionaly HT'ed) only for a KITH I'll use a local wood like olive of bog oak.

20210906-155136.jpg
 
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