Exchange Rules

Rules For The Exchange & Discussion Forums - (All Rules Apply Site-Wide)


Thank you for choosing BladeForums.com. These rules have been compiled based on over a decade of experience, user feedback and inter-forum cooperation. If you have any questions about how rules apply to your situation, please address the moderation staff in the Tech Support Subforum. Please bear in mind that all rules apply site-wide unless stated otherwise. Honesty, integrity, and clear communication is expected from members here on out.

SECTION 1- Membership Levels Defined:

BladeForums.com is supported by members who have paid subscriptions. These different subscription levels offer various perks and benefits. As such, only certain membership levels may advertise items and services for sale on this site. Below are some general guidelines as to what priviledges each membership has within this area. Put it another way, without the appropriate level of paid subscription, you may not advertise or sell on this site. Period. No excuses.

MANUFACTURERS - Manufacturers & their designated moderators may offer items for sale in their dedicated Hosted Manufacturer Forum. Manufacturers are encouraged to contact us regarding a Hosted Manufacturer forum.

DEALER / MATERIALS PROVIDER - Dealers are defined as anyone who purchases at wholesale pricing, or purchases items with the intent to resell (flipping). Other terms for dealers include purveyor, broker, reseller, etc. Materials Providers offer raw materials such as steel, handle materials, or other items related to knifemaking in general as typical stock for sale to the forum members or to the general public via their own store front or website. We reserve the right to make the final determination as to what constitutes a "dealer".

KNIFEMAKER / CRAFTSMAN / SERVICE PROVIDER (hearafter referred to as "Knifemaker") - Knifemaker's are allowed to sell items that they have personally created or modified in the KnifeMaker For Sale forums, or their own Hosted KnifeMaker Forum. If you are a knifemaker or craftsman and would like your own Hosted KnifeMaker Forum, please contact us.
Note, if you pay for 3 years at once, you can have your very own subforum and you save a bit of cash rather than buying one year at a time. This might be an option for the seasoned and serious members.

PLATINUM or GOLD - Platinum or Gold members are allowed to post in any of the Individual For Sale or Trade forums. They may sell items in the For Sale By Individuals, and can list items for Trade as well. They cannot sell items they have made, for that you will require a Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider membership, no exceptions.

BASIC MEMBERS - Basic members are not allowed to post items for sale. You may post items for Trade in the Wanted To Trade Forums, or post requests for items to purchase in the Wanted To Buy Forums.

REGISTERED USERS - The first level of membership. If you have not purchased a paid subscription, you are by default a Registered User. As such, you are very limited to posting areas in the Exchange. You may respond to threads where you mean to purchase an item, or trade. You are not allowed to create threads for Selling or Trading (but you may respond to existing ads). You do have the ability to create Want To Buy threads.

*The only members who may promote or display their personally built knives, their products, or services in the discussion threads, signature, home page listing or their user profile are "Manufacturers", "Dealers", and "Knifemaker/Craftsman/Service Provider".*


SECTION 2 - Rules/Procedures for Selling, Buying, Trading, & Offering Services:
The implementation of common sense is strongly encouraged beyond this point. This applies directly to the persons involved in the transactions.

Sellers/Selling -
  1. Be 100% sure that you want to sell the item, have it in your possession and clearly list the TOTAL selling price.
    • There is no "testing the waters" or "gauge buyer interest".
    • "Net to me" needs to be figured into your LISTED PRICE
    • Insurance is the responsibility of the SELLER not the Buyer. This is for your protection.
    • Paypal "friends & family" is STRONGLY DISCOURAGED. This is for your protection.
  2. No auction or raffle type sale threads.
  3. No sales for third parties. If your "friend" wants an item sold, they must create their own account and list it themselves.
  4. Activate/Enable your ability to receive email and private messaging, from members, moderators, and administrators; you must also display your correct membership level.
  5. When describing your items, be honest and provide an accurate & detailed description of the item. Don't forget to mention defects, blemishes, new, used, or other problems. When in doubt, be pessimistic with your descriptions. If you have a problem being honest, upfront, and are unable to honor your word then you do not belong here.
  6. Provide as many photos as possible, in the best lighting possible. It's always nice for buyers to see what they are going to get. Threads with pictures sell items faster than those without. Keep in mind, gigantic photos take forever to load for some people and can be an eyesore, resizing to a reasonable size is advised
  7. Be specific with all details of payment. There is no eBay style auctioning allowed. If you want to entertain trade offers, say so in your sales thread (For Sale Or Trade); it is allowed.
  8. If you have a Gold or higher membership you may list currently active threads in your signature space. Please, no giant billboards and no links to eBay.
  9. Consolidate your 'like" items into a single thread. If you have multiple knives to sell, post them in a single thread. Or you can do different threads on different days. You are only allowed 1 sales thread, per day, per forum. If you list an item and it sells, don't start another thread in the same section until the next day. If a moderator consolidates your threads, edit the title and make any changes you need to. DO NOT START AN ALL NEW THREAD! Let's keep it fair for everyone.
  10. You must wait 14 days (2 week rule) to relist an item for the second time. Once you list an item for sale, that item cannot appear for a second time in a sales thread until 2 weeks have passed from the date of the original thread. Any changes made to your existing sales thread (withdrawing, editing price, etc.) must be made to that thread, don't start new threads with the same items. Use a calendar if you need to. You can link your sales threads to your signature space, but don't make it a giant billboard.

    Bumping threads or "BTTT" in the sales sections has been disabled due to abuse. See #9 above for clarification.


Buyers/Buying -
  1. Be 100% sure that you can financially afford to purchase the item before offering to do so. If you cannot commit 100% to buying the item, then move along. Be responsible and use your best judgement. Do not create any undue burden on people trying to sell stuff.
  2. Ask any questions needed before the deal is agreed upon, make sure you want the item being sold and that the price is affordable to you.
  3. Be prompt with your payment. The seller has the right to determine how they want payment and if they will work with you.
  4. Provide an accurate shipping address. Make sure the seller has that shipping address. Open and clear communication via email or Private Messaging is encouraged between the parties involved for every detail of the transaction.
  5. Do not post in a person's thread unless you have an implicit interest in buying the item. Posts like, "Nice knife!", "Why is the price so high/low?", "I wish I had funds" are not allowed. This means absolutely no commentary or feedback in someone's sales thread. Seriously, if you stomp on someone's ad, your account can and will be locked. The only exception to this is in the Knife Makers Market areas (if the maker/craftsman requests and welcomes feedback). Save questions and offers for email rather than cluttering the thread.
  6. Malicious Buyers will be permanently banned from the forums. Repeatedly flaking on deals and buying items only to turn around and complain is also not a good idea. Don't waste our time.
  7. If you must back out of a deal, it is YOUR responsibility to communicate with the other person WHY you are unable to complete the transaction. Make sure this happens BEFORE any money or items have been exchanged. Problems should be attempted to be resolved between the persons involved, before Feedback threads are started.
  8. Warning: You as a buyer are responsible for using Paypal as it was intended, according to their Terms of Service. Using the "Gift" option revokes any buyer protection you may have if something goes wrong and makes it easier to get scammed. Be smart and protect yourself, if you use gift and get scammed don't come crying to us about it as you've already been advised.


Service Providers -
  1. Be sure that you can offer the service you specify in the time frame agreed upon, for the price you have offered. There will be no taking orders, preorders, or anything of the sort. If you don't have it in hand, wait until you do. Seriously, make us shut these things down.
  2. Provide as many photos as possible, in the best lighting possible. Keep in mind, gigantic photos take forever to load for some people and can be an eyesore, resizing to a reasonable size is advised.
  3. List your prices and terms clearly in your threads or website, don't make potential buyers guess.
  4. Keep your customers updated. If you have personal or other that arise unexpectedly, communicate that to your customers and keep them informed within reasonable time frames as to when the work will be completed. Failure to do this can lead to your account being locked.
  5. Do not attempt to sell or ship illegal items using Bladeforums as an intermediary.
  6. Choosing to ignore these responsibilities can result in a locked account and suspension of privileges permanently.
  7. Repeated failure to communicate, deliver on time, or provide acceptable services can result in infractions leading to a locked account.


Traders/Trading -
  1. Be honest and provide an accurate and detailed description of the item. Forgetting to mention defects, blemishes, or other problems is not acceptable. When in doubt, be pessimistic with your descriptions.
  2. Provide as many photos as possible, in the best lighting possible. It's always nice to see what you are about to trade for. Keep in mind, gigantic photos take forever to load for some people and can be an eyesore, resizing to a reasonable size is advised
  3. If you choose not to use insurance to save money, any repercussions will fall on you (Shipper). Insurance is there to protect you, use it.
  4. Package and ship your items in such a way that they are safe to handle, will not arrived damaged, and will reach their final destination intact.
  5. Do NOT post cash value equivalents in your trade threads, if you are caught selling in a trade thread you will receive an infraction.
  6. Communication is key, honor your word. If you say you will do something, then do it. Since we are not dealing face to face, your word and integrity is all you will be judged on.


Want to Buy Knives or Gear -
  1. Make it clear in your thread the item(s) you want. List the condition of the item you are looking for (New in Box, Used, Refurbished, etc.)
  2. If you have a Gold or higher membership you may list currently active threads in your signature. Please, no giant billboards.
  3. Activate/Enable your ability to receive email and private messaging, from members, moderators, and administrators.
  4. We strongly recommend that both parties quote the agreed upon terms to each other via email, private message, visitor message so both parties understand their obligations.
  5. Communication is key, honor your word. If you say you will do something, then do it. If you lack integrity and honesty, your time here will be short.


Dealers/Selling -
  1. You must have a current DEALER membership to sell on this site.
  2. You are allowed to have any other level of membership and take part in discussions, but unless you have a DEALER membership you may not:
    • Mention or link to your business in any way (not applicable to Knifemakers)
    • Use private messaging to sell to members
    • Include your business name in your username
    • Use your signature or avatar to promote your business.
    • Take part in any discussions involving your business OUTSIDE the Feedback forum.


SECTION 3 - Rules for Everyone -
  1. If any rules seem contradictory, the more stringent rules apply. Whenever there is doubt, ask the moderation staff.
  2. Selling on this site is restricted to the appropriate designated forums. Don't list sales threads outside the Exchange, especially without the appropriate membership.
  3. Do not list items or offer services that are illegal. This includes counterfeit, clone, and knock off items. We don't want them here, period.
  4. THREAD NECROMANCY IS HIGHLY DISCOURAGED. Do not bump threads that are older than 120 days. Send the seller a message instead via their profile page.
  5. Make sure your threads are posted in the correct sections. Posting a watch for sale belongs in "Gadgets & Gear", not in "Fixed Blades", and so on.
  6. These forums operate on honesty and integrity. As such, we have a dim view of people who act dishonestly. Your actions in the community have consequences, even if they happen elsewhere, something to keep in mind.
  7. Duplicate/shill/returning banned members can and will be banned upon discovery. If you need accounts merged, simply start a thread in Tech Support requesting such, you will be provided instructions on how to proceed.
  8. Sellers can keep or delete the prices in their thread, it is their prerogative.
  9. Please do NOT post giant billboard sized signatures. Be reasonable.
  10. If you troll, antagonize, provoke, or otherwise create a disruptive environment, you will receive warnings and infractions as necessary for you to modify your behavior. If the problem persists then members that cannot behave in a civil and respectful manner need to find another place to hang out. This is a discussion forum and community, if you come in and shit on the floor, don't expect to stick around for the long haul.

SECTION 4 - Rules for Feedback -
  1. All feedback on sales or trades must be kept to the Feedback Forum and/or iTrader. Do not clutter up a sales thread with it.
  2. It is not mandatory to leave feedback, but it is highly recommended. It serves an important purpose sharing your good and bad experiences with the community. If you need help ask us, we can help. There is only so much we can do, we are not able to help with deals that occurred on Facebook, Instagram, eBay or other places.
  3. We will not edit feedback for you unless it's an obvious error (ie negative rating). You can report it using the black triangle button on the iTrader page and be patient.
  4. Retaliatory negative feedback ratings can earn you an infraction. Getting pissed off because a deal didn't go though is no reason to try and ruin someones rep. You are expected to conduct yourself in a mature and responsible manner, failure to do so will result in warnings or infractions as necessary.
  5. If a deal did not happen, there is no iTrader Feedback to leave. Sorry if you were inconvenienced, but life is full of disappointments. As long as you're not out any items or money hasn't changed hands, move along. Consider improving the terms of your sales threads / read the sellers terms carefully in order to avoid this before buying.
  6. Retaliatory feedback left by buyers or sellers on deals that didn't take place can now earn you a 30 point non expiring infraction. You earn them, you get to keep them, you have been warned.
  7. Threads started in the Feedback: G, B, & U section should contain facts that support your reason for starting a thread. Remember there is a difference between opinion and fact. Keep your topic civil or hold off posting until you've composed yourself. Complaining about a person that has exercised their rights as a seller or buyer does no good, and it may backfire on you.
  8. You need to be able to communicate in a clear, accurate, and organized manner. Insults, vulgarity, racist comments will not be tolerated whatsoever.
  9. Dog-piling for the sake of putting your 2 cents in is not going to be tolerated. If you have something useful to contribute, share it with confidence. If you are only going to contribute some silly comment, save it and move along. This has been a growing problem and we are going to be more proactive to lessen it.

SECTION 5 - Miscellaneous -
WHAT IS MY KNIFE / GADGET / SPATULA / TUNING FORK WORTH ?!?!?!?!
In order to curtail potential abuse of membership privileges associated with the forums, questions regarding valuation of knives and collections are limited to those with a membership level which permits selling on this site. Accordingly, registered and basic members may not start or post in threads with such requests whether with the intent to sell or for informational purposes only. This rule applies throughout the site.


Fakes/Homages-
As fakes and homage items are a legal gray area and obviously hurt the hobby, no fake or homage items may be sold on the Exchange. Members may not knowingly sell unlicensed knockoffs or counterfeit versions of knives (or any other goods) based upon the designs of their legitimate owner, manufacturer or custom maker. Additionally, members may not sell any knife or item known or suspected to be other than as described in terms of its lineage and authenticity.

Solicitation:
Asking a member to click on a link, subscribe to a channel or website, provide feedback, donate money or goods, sign an online petition, or “Like” a page on Facebook is considered solicitation. Our members should not be subjected to this type of spam especially under the guise that they may win something. Spark (Site Admin.) does occasionally authorize solicitations for carefully selected causes. Persons seeking such an exemption MUST apply to Spark and MUST wait to receive that authorization before making any such posts.

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THESE RULES TAKE EFFECT IMMEDIATELY.
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