2012 Bladeforums Knife - Chatting Thread

Daniel Dorn said:
I'm just a little worried that the final choices are not being chosen by those of us who will actually be buying the knife. Last year we had folks checking that only those who had committed to purchase were doing the choosing of options.

I know we're pressed for time, but are you all okay with "Majority Rules" coming from folks who won't necessarily be purchasing the knife?

For me, it's a non-issue, as far as what we end up with, as I've been lucky to have most of my choices in the polls and usually the option chosen was either 1st or 2nd, so I'm happy with how things are going.

It's just something I'm concerned with, as those who end up buying may have not actually ended up having their voices really heard. I hope I'm not coming off as a snob, or whiner, and I'm sure that this is not necessarily that important to all. Just seeing if you all are okay with this.

Flame away...
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I think ya bring up a lotta valid points, is there a comittment thread anywhere to get an idea of the number of people who will really buy?

It seems like with all the banter on this thread some believe this is a catalog mass order with options, the last thing we want to do is make this more complicated or convoluted with ,"I want..." chatter and nail down what the people who are willin' to commit want and not include the if I don't get this than I'm not in votes.

Spark's hostin' this round and we definitely don't wanna add to his workload or delay the process with indecision.

Now that I've said all that, I do realize that this is a chat thread and it is the best place to dream about our ultimate Forum Knife but lets stay focused and if ya really can't commit that's understandable, just don't dilute the votes of the people who are really buyin' into this years knife.

BTW I trust the team who have volunteered their time and energy to bring us this years knife and appreciate all their efforts to bring this years choice to fruition.

Now I feel better I said that here and not in the # of blades vote poll.
 
I believe the original poll stated that only those serious about purchasing should vote. There will always be some that don't like what the majority decides and don't purchase, that's how it goes.

I can honestly say I've purchased every forum knife, except the first, and that one I just wasn't aware of. Some I love, some I really don't like much. If someone has no intention of purchasing, whatever is decided, they should not be voting in any of the polls. Those votes are unfair to the members that are serious enough to purchase.

Just my thoughts.
 
Anyone want to share examples of jigged bone for the forum knife? I'm thinking GEC's Standard Green Tea Bone would work well...

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For what it's worth, after my choices for pattern lost out I have stopped voting in any of the decision polls. Why make a decision on a knife I'll not be buying? Hopefully others are also following this line of reasoning.
 
I plan on buying the forum knife even though my choice of pattern lost. But I think that's a good decision. I think you're only supposed to vote if you plan to buy.
 
The notice about only voting if you are legitimately interested in buying should be prominently displayed in all the of the official polls I think. Those who've been following the process and heeding that condition aren't where we'd have any concern. It's the potential drive-by voter who may not know all of what's going on and just thinks it's an informal thing to pick a color or a blade steel without realizing the expectation of a commitment. I noticed that in the pattern poll where someone said, roughly, "I haven't been keeping up with this but I'd like pattern X." It strikes me you can't take the chance of assuming anything.
 
Some people might be voting in some kind of I want to be on the winning side frenzy, but not many-hopefully. If you vote, you intend.

I stopped voting as I don't much fancy a 2 blade Trapper(the real sort with equal size blades) I prefer single blade or a small minor, I'd like GEC stainless and I'd like micarta or special bone. Problem is, 2 blades in that steel with those dressings is going to cost more than people might think.

I will wait to see what finally evolves from these polls, if I like it I will stump up.
 
willgoy said:
Some people might be voting in some kind of I want to be on the winning side frenzy, but not many-hopefully. If you vote, you intend.

I stopped voting as I don't much fancy a 2 blade Trapper(the real sort with equal size blades) I prefer single blade or a small minor, I'd like GEC stainless and I'd like micarta or special bone. Problem is, 2 blades in that steel with those dressings is going to cost more than people might think.

I will wait to see what finally evolves from these polls, if I like it I will stump up.
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Like wise but I am most likely going to get it. I like trappers.
 
Once it was clear that a 2 blade, equal length trapper was the preferred choice then I stopped participating as well. I find that 2 equal length blades are too redundant for me, and I find little difference between usefulness of the muscat clip and wharncliffe because of the great amount of straight edge on both. A 1/2" or so curve to the clip isn't enough for me to find they perform that differently in my use.

I also feel that the choice is too common for what I wanted in a special order knife. It seems like there are many knives out there very similar to the WT as proposed, and to me it is contrary to why putting out a forum knife is done. This year, as in the past, the direction of the forum knife has gone away from my wants/uses so I am stepping aside as well. As in past years I find that we are asked to vote if we intend on purchasing the knife chosen if it suits us. I can't afford to buy the knife if it won't be something I enjoy using, but I do kind of admire those that will buy multiples no matter what. My collection and wallet cannot let me do so, every year I hope the design will be for me. I participate until I am voted down, and then watch the further developments, wishing I could be part of it.

Oh well, maybe next year people will be ready for a more unique design that has been voted down in the past- sunfish/executive Whittler/congress jack, as opposed to another common design (stockman, moose, trapper, Barlow...). I can only hope at this point.

Another point I would like to make is that not every poll has been clear that it is only for the traditional knife of the year- the title and description of the scale material poll say nothing about why the poll exists, and could be another "what is your favorite" type of question, skewing the results as newer members/not as attentive members may not pay attention to the following posts and vote regardless.

I appreciate hearing all of the opinions in a discussion thread such as this.
 
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I feel it is fine to keep voting until I know I will or will not buy

I vote for what I want, until the final selection
I then see if I want to spend $100 on that knife
If so I commit to buy
If not I do not buy


I also next year would like to see us choosing a unique design
Not something that is very similar to what can be purchased
But the knife has become more a Bladesforums knife than a Trad forum knife
So the choices have become more 'popular'
Which means it will be more difficult to get folk to risk a unique design
 
These annual knives are cool to me because of the group behind it so in most cases I do not care what the pattern is. After all, it is a "club" knife rather than a knife for an individual.

I have seen folks vote every year and never get one and that really is not the right thing to do at all.
 
I guess, looking at it like Gus, it really is a "Forum Knife," as in created by the folks here. It's a representation of the ideas of all of us put together into one knife, on a yearly basis. In that way, it's just what was intended.

It's just a bit of a concern that when so many people are putting in their 2 cents, it becomes "Least controversial" rather than "Most desired" If we spend more time picking things that are least likely to offend, then we may lose out on something unique and exciting. Last year's knife was unique, and a bit controversial. There were those who hated the idea of the cap-lifter. If we had let EVERYONE vote on it, then the possibility of something less controversial winning would have lead to a more boring knife.

I love the 2011 knife. Not because it's the most usefull knife I own, but because it's the most unique knife I own. I was lucky enough to trade into the 2007 knife. Yes, it was a canoe, and everyone has one of those, but it had exciting Mastadon scales, and Engraving on the bolsters. Not a run-of-the-mill design. That's not to say we won't be able to make the 2012 knife exciting, but it seems like all the unique ideas are being watered down a bit, and the knife is ending up very similar to things already out there, based on majority rule, and being a bit boring. Maybe it will get a cool scale material.

As an example of how this is happening, I voted "WT" in the first poll, expecting to get a bare-head Wharncliff single blade knife. It looked cool, just how it appeared in the custom knife pic. Now, it's looking like we will have a 2-blade trapper, which isn't what I voted for. Still going to be a good knife, but it's lost some of it's uniqueness.

SOrry for this long rant. I am having a hard time getting my point across succinctly. However it ends up, I'll most likely buy one, but my favorite purchase this year will NOT be the 2012 Forum knife, but the Case/Bose Lanny's Clip that will be my "Grail" knife, as I fell in love with the pattern last year, and would sell my last kidney for one.
 
saddened by the lack of acrylic support :( seemed to have more followers in chatting threads. I hope Micarta wins out, as that will at least set this one apart from the usual jigged bone trappers that everyone already makes.

question: is there a reason that acrylic could not be reasonable on a barehead design? I feel like I've never seen it before, but I'm not sure.

Last year I did not know about the voting until late into it. And by that time I completely disliked the direction it was going so didn't end up voting, because I didn't think I would purchase.

Once I started seeing people's pictures, though, I changed my mind immediately. Luckily I won the chance to buy one leftover in the lottery thread afterwards.

This year I fully intended to purchase when it was narrowed down to WT, and CJ. No matter the scales offered or blade steel, I'll purchase, even if I'm not thrilled with the choices that win.
 
CUTS LIKE A KRIS said:
Once it was clear that a 2 blade, equal length trapper was the preferred choice then I stopped participating as well. I find that 2 equal length blades are too redundant for me, and I find little difference between usefulness of the muscat clip and wharncliffe because of the great amount of straight edge on both. A 1/2" or so curve to the clip isn't enough for me to find they perform that differently in my use.
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That's why it needs to be a Lanny's clip...

EDIT: I will buy it unless somehow the final combo turns out to be exactly what I don't want, which I doubt.
 
Good point about the 2011 knife. I wasn't so keen on having a bottle opener as secondary, but, I changed my mind as it IS unusual and something different. Mine lives in the kitchen now for cutting citrus fruits every morning and er, quite a few bottles have been opened too....

However, I think it was lucky that GEC was planning the 85 Teardrop/Bullet end pattern and our knife could be made around it. Otherwise, it may not have been feasible .Getting an unusual pattern or design details is always appealing, but getting it made at reasonable cost is often near impossible. This time, I would have been keen on a Barehead single blade with some special bolster or shield to make it 'ours' Other people wanted different, fair enough.

Talking of different, if we like an unusual pattern or revival, how about the latest GEC 46 Lumber Jack with saw??? Fancy an 8.6oz/240 gramme knife in your pocket:D:D Or for that matter, that Lady's Leg...let's not go there:eek:
 
I think it's great when we can get a "unique" knife, and this years knife will be unique. It may not be a new pattern, but in the end it should end up with new "unique" features.

The EO Teardroop Jack from last year is now readily available from GEC and hardly uncommon. Maybe not with screwdriver, but the pattern has been offered in many varieties.
The Moose before that was basically an exact copy of a previously built knife.
A Stag Barlow is hardly a new idea. Granted two equal length blades with one being a Wharncliffe was new but it's not as if it were some pattern not being produced, or had not been produced.

Unless I am wrong the earlier ones were all existing patterns with some unique features.

The main thing, to me anyway, is the fact that we can call it ours, and that we had a part in the process.
That we choose an existing pattern really doesn't matter much to me.
That we get a nice knife at a nice price that is limited production and means something beyond the knife itself is good enough for me.
 
There are some great points about drive by voting here. (Definitely something we should try to avoid from happening)

I'd also like to point out that there are some ironic problems with how the voting sequences have worked. (I am sure you have all thought about it) How many people voted for a WT intending only to buy a single blade version? If a third of the people intended only to have one blade, it is possible that a different pattern would have won. Take away a third of the trapper votes and put them into a distinct single blade category, then it is possible that the congress jack would have won on its own.

I'm not complaining at all, I will be buying at least one knife, regardless.
 
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Just a reminder of the past forum knives and their respective packagin', my goal is to add one more to the herd.

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"mqqn" made a good point in another thread. Let's just be darn sure that whatever blade configuration we get that one of the tangs of one of the blades is at least big enough to accommodate our Blade Forums Tang Stamp.
 
Modoc ED said:
"mqqn" made a good point in another thread. Let's just be darn sure that whatever blade configuration we get that one of the tangs of one of the blades is at least big enough to accommodate our Blade Forums Tang Stamp.
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:D:thumbup:.
 
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