- Joined
- Apr 21, 2012
- Messages
- 3,772
It has been slow days and slow nights on this corner of the forums lately, but we have old friends who remain here and new ones that come and look, finding a little piece of home or moving on as suits them.
With that context in mind, I wanted to take a moment and express why I am still here and why I think Fiddleback Forge is worth your time and your money. I would also invite you to share a story or comment on what keeps you around.
Most will agree, we are in a golden age of knives. Pick a color, a steel, a shape, and you can have it made somewhere. Old timey slipjoints and titanium framelocks abound. Choppers and stabbers and nearly indestructible incarnations of the wakizashi are just a click away. Presentation grade koa hand sanded to infinity grit and dashed into glowpowder inset in clear alumilite... it is yours if you want it.
But there is a danger to choice at times in so much as perspective can be lost. A maker that gives in to every request risks losing their mark on the product. For art to have value, it has to have the soul of the maker in it. This is not true just in the world of knives. When I deal with artists of any type, I try to create a space where they can perform and, even if the relationship is fiscal and I have commissioned art, it is important to me that the end product is something that is still owned by the maker in spirit.
On to point 1: If you buy a Fiddleback Forge knife, it will have the consistency of vision and craftsmanship that Andy has been able to provide throughout the years.
This leads to point 2: the tools are made to perform. They can get patina. They can roll and chip. They can get ugly as all getout. But, I have never seen a Fiddleback fail to perform a task it was built to perform, and I have never seen or heard of the forge denying a reasonable request for warranty. They know what they are working with and stand by it.
Point 3: Some customers can be hard to deal with. This is me. It may or may not be you. I have been in situations where I was just not happy with a knife and wanted to try something else. I have been in situations where I felt like I was clashing with Fiddleback Forge and I have gotten into public and private spats with employees and with customers. But, that is the way it is with people. Andy, at every turn, when things have settled, has let bygones be bygones and even personally apologized in cases where no apology was necessary. If you are going to judge a person or a company based on how they respond to conflict over time, then you will be pleased with the way they have handled themselves with customers and visitors here who are often hard to please. I know that these issues have caused them to think about throwing in the hat from time to time. But they don't, and we don't want them to. Being able to look past the noise and keep building a solid product is an admirable trait and one we all benefit from here.
Point 4: Apprenticeship and employment. Andy and crew constantly provide work to folks who do not mind putting in a days work. He pays his apprentices and they gain employment as well as skills. Sometimes, it is learn as you go. I have never seen Fiddleback shame an employee or teach in a punitive way. Not everyone is cut out to be a knifemaker, but I believe that many people have been given the chance to try. Of those that do, some come out the other side and grow professionally beyond the shop. I don't have access to the books, but I would guess that Fiddleback's commitment in this capacity has at times come directly out of Andy's pocket. I have seen knifemakers abandon the approach and work only for themselves. That is their right and at times that is the correct approach to this tough business. But, that is not what I have seen here. There may come a day that it becomes a one man show again. Until then, I know that is not the intent nor the way they want it to be. I respect someone who is committed to building a business that also serves the purpose of spreading knowledge about a craft.
Point 5: These last two will be short. I enjoy checking in here and making connections with you inglorious, unrepentant rascals.
Point 6: It is a solid American-made product. and a fine one at that.
A few of my favorites throughout the years are shown below. Many have moved on, as was right at the time. I still enjoy their memory and the adventures that came with them.
For these reasons and more, I believe in Fiddleback Forge.
I hope a few years down the line they are still here making knives. To ensure that is so, keep supporting them as you can. If you are new here, give one a try on a Friday Sale. This isn't charity: you get value in the product. I think you will be pleasantly surprised.
With that context in mind, I wanted to take a moment and express why I am still here and why I think Fiddleback Forge is worth your time and your money. I would also invite you to share a story or comment on what keeps you around.
Most will agree, we are in a golden age of knives. Pick a color, a steel, a shape, and you can have it made somewhere. Old timey slipjoints and titanium framelocks abound. Choppers and stabbers and nearly indestructible incarnations of the wakizashi are just a click away. Presentation grade koa hand sanded to infinity grit and dashed into glowpowder inset in clear alumilite... it is yours if you want it.
But there is a danger to choice at times in so much as perspective can be lost. A maker that gives in to every request risks losing their mark on the product. For art to have value, it has to have the soul of the maker in it. This is not true just in the world of knives. When I deal with artists of any type, I try to create a space where they can perform and, even if the relationship is fiscal and I have commissioned art, it is important to me that the end product is something that is still owned by the maker in spirit.
On to point 1: If you buy a Fiddleback Forge knife, it will have the consistency of vision and craftsmanship that Andy has been able to provide throughout the years.
This leads to point 2: the tools are made to perform. They can get patina. They can roll and chip. They can get ugly as all getout. But, I have never seen a Fiddleback fail to perform a task it was built to perform, and I have never seen or heard of the forge denying a reasonable request for warranty. They know what they are working with and stand by it.
Point 3: Some customers can be hard to deal with. This is me. It may or may not be you. I have been in situations where I was just not happy with a knife and wanted to try something else. I have been in situations where I felt like I was clashing with Fiddleback Forge and I have gotten into public and private spats with employees and with customers. But, that is the way it is with people. Andy, at every turn, when things have settled, has let bygones be bygones and even personally apologized in cases where no apology was necessary. If you are going to judge a person or a company based on how they respond to conflict over time, then you will be pleased with the way they have handled themselves with customers and visitors here who are often hard to please. I know that these issues have caused them to think about throwing in the hat from time to time. But they don't, and we don't want them to. Being able to look past the noise and keep building a solid product is an admirable trait and one we all benefit from here.
Point 4: Apprenticeship and employment. Andy and crew constantly provide work to folks who do not mind putting in a days work. He pays his apprentices and they gain employment as well as skills. Sometimes, it is learn as you go. I have never seen Fiddleback shame an employee or teach in a punitive way. Not everyone is cut out to be a knifemaker, but I believe that many people have been given the chance to try. Of those that do, some come out the other side and grow professionally beyond the shop. I don't have access to the books, but I would guess that Fiddleback's commitment in this capacity has at times come directly out of Andy's pocket. I have seen knifemakers abandon the approach and work only for themselves. That is their right and at times that is the correct approach to this tough business. But, that is not what I have seen here. There may come a day that it becomes a one man show again. Until then, I know that is not the intent nor the way they want it to be. I respect someone who is committed to building a business that also serves the purpose of spreading knowledge about a craft.
Point 5: These last two will be short. I enjoy checking in here and making connections with you inglorious, unrepentant rascals.
Point 6: It is a solid American-made product. and a fine one at that.
A few of my favorites throughout the years are shown below. Many have moved on, as was right at the time. I still enjoy their memory and the adventures that came with them.
For these reasons and more, I believe in Fiddleback Forge.
I hope a few years down the line they are still here making knives. To ensure that is so, keep supporting them as you can. If you are new here, give one a try on a Friday Sale. This isn't charity: you get value in the product. I think you will be pleasantly surprised.
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