A New Knife Magazine?

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Bud,

Just in case no one has mentioned it, there is a knife magazine on this site in need of a good editing/manager. Maybe you can cut a deal with Mike and line up an instant 6.5K subscriber count from day 1. What a way to start!!

It is a new format with a different paradigm, but I am sure you can pull it off. Just think about it:
1) Articles that include MPEG video clips
2) An editors dest that can handle mail in
real time.
3) Magazine polls that capture data in real
time.
4) A design/R&D column that helps members
put together unique club
(bladeforums/magazine sponsored) knives
once a quarter (month 1 would conduct a
poll, month 2 would review results and
summarize a request, and month 3 would
review new knives submitted by makers to
meet requested specifications)
5) Advertisements with direct links back to
the sponsor's WEB sites.


Join us and I believe you and Mike can run this site up to 50K subscribers within one , or two, years.

Unlike, our first attempt, the new magazine would be funded exclusively through advertising revenue. There would be no membership subscriber fees; but, then again, there would be little printing and distribution cost.




[This message has been edited by not2sharp (edited 06-11-2000).]
 
Hello,

How about a running table in the back of the magazine containing test results from all of the knives reviewed - something similar to Road & Track or Car & Driver where they list 0-60 times, 1/4 mile times, etc. but here it would be cuts in 1/2" rope until dull, maximum angle of flex in a vice where the blade still returns to true, MSRP, etc.?

Later,

MBS

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Nevermind the dog...beware of owner!
 
Bud, First off, KI was a very good magazine while you were at the helm and I hope it can stay on course. Secondly, if you are compiling a mailing list of new subscribers, put my name on it when its ready and just let me know when you are ready to accept my money for a subscription. A few of the things I would like to see in the new magazine are: honest reviews of knives as they are used in the real world, a feature on new and upcoming makers, a section for Q & A, pictures of subscribers knife collections,also how about a throwback section where a maker from the past is honored for his contributions to the knife makers of today and also show pictures of their work and how it progressed the art of knife making, and plenty of color pictures of custom, art, factory blades. The one thing I think you could also do is,if you show a picture of a knife also show its price, this would help the buyers and collectors decide on a maker and also save wasted time on makers and buyers as everyone will know upfront if they can afford such a knife or if they will have to just continue drooling over the picture, also list price ranges of knives by makers featured in magazine.
Good luck in your endeavor and I am looking forward to getting in early and subscibing.

[This message has been edited by tambourineman (edited 06-12-2000).]
 
I like to see really good evals of knives more than good pics. It along with these forums help me decide if a knife I'm about to buy will hold up to what I'm going to put it up to and more. In many of the mags today I just don't see enough evals going on (TK has a fair amount but I just can't get enough). Anyway time to get off the soap box and back to other questions thank you very much for reading(or not reading and saying you did) my gripe.--Mykl

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Just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get me.
 
I'd like to see knife evaluations similar in format to Consumer Reports magazine. If the knife fails, then that's reported, too. I talked to a writer for a certain knife magazine and I asked him why there aren't any reports of knives failing in tests. He said that it was because they had a standing policy not to scare away advertisers. Less pictures of people holding knives! I want to see pictures of the knives themselves. Lots of times, you'll find a huge picture of the author holding the knife and posing for the camera, but the knife can hardly be seen.

-Greg

[This message has been edited by grnamin (edited 06-12-2000).]
 
Bud, I would like to see a magazine in which 95% of the content did not consist of repeated advertising disguised as articles about A) makers who happen to be heavy buyers of advertising B) staff writers who happen to be knifemakers that advertise in the magazine. C) manufacturors who happen to be heavy purchasers of advertising.
smile.gif
Sigh, my idealism is showing again. But then, I'd also advise folks to not hesitate to submitt ideas for articles, Heck, even write your own darn article and send it in. If you want to see a quality magazine about a subject you love, then get involved at some level.
 
Bud: All great suggestions. I just have one thing and that is; all knives, knifemakers and knife stories, no fluff, no pictures of girls in stretched out t-shirts or ridiculus advertising. You have my support!
 
Small on hype, big on usefull content.




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The Infamous ShadedDude
http://www.inanimatemotion.com
Web Design and Hosting

 
First off, good luck on your new venture!
What I'd like to see are some articles for the "average joe/do-it-yourself/hand tool" guys. Maybe some articles on how to "hop up" production knives...polishing actions, file work, handle replacement...stuff us non-maker guys can do in the garage, with the basic tools that we already have.
 
A lot of good ideas here and there BUD! I'll subscribe!
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"Knife Collectors / Knuts Are Sharp People!"
(most of the time that is)
 
I totally agree with Fox Creek I have been reading Knives Illustrated, Blade, and Tactical Knives since about 1988 when I found some blade issues at Cutlery World in a mall if anyone remembers them. Obvisouly, Tactical Knives came later.

Any way I can not tell you how annoyed I became reading articles about knife companies that were bank rolling the magazines.

An article that is informative and shows the process that the factories uses to make their knives is great but an article with pictures of a manufactures knives the same knives over and over again gets old and for subscribers it’s a waste of money.

Bud over the years I have learned huge amounts about how the talented knife makers of the world makes their knives. Your efforts at Knives Illustrated are much appreciated and you can definitely count me in as a patron please keep up the trend of trying to educate those of us that are struggling makers. Maybe you could do a shop tour with the maker and then maybe a project that specializes around those makers’ talents.

Lastly lets be honest here there has already been a magazine that tried to tell it like it was in my opinion, fighting knives, and unfortunately they didn't make it, I also patronized them.

I am sure what ever you put out will carry on in the positive trend you started at KI.



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The warrior will endure great personal hardship in order to stand on a hill, howl at the moon, and proclaim his domain over all he surveys. Fredrick Lovert- Author
 
..and wet too
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I mean, I'd like to see DETAILED information about knives, such as the blade and handle width, blade grind, accurate description of blade coating, angle at which the edge comes sharpened from the manufacturer, exact weight, etc.

Good luck with the mag, Bud.
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You could put nacho cheese sauce on it...
 
I'd like to see a magazine that covered more on knifemaking and less on the finished product. Or, at least a 50/50 mix.

-more "how to" atricles
-shop tours that feature equipment and procedures
-knife maker profiles/interviews
-knifemaking equipment comparisons
 
great! i am from a sales ad/marketing backround and have been a full time maker for three years. the inherent problem of needing to sell ad space and being non bias needs to be addressed! by stating on the mag that the REASON your mag costs more is that the truth will be heared! no matter how big of a ad budget the manufacter/maker has. i feel that the number of posts here shows people will gladly pay more instead of reading a bunch of brown nosing article's that you find in the other mags. now the love of knives, there function and beauty should be the spirt behind the magazine with unbias conclusions.

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Laurence Segal www.RHINOKNIVES.com
 
Knife mags talk about knives but never how people use them in their everyday lives.

I want to know how to skin a bear, build a log cabin, cut up a tuna, whittle a masterpiece, and make a reed whistle. How to have fun using a knife. Why one knife is better for a certain task than another. What other people are using their knives for.

Give the fighting guru's the chance to show their styles and the reasons for thier choice of hardwear.

Re-enactors the chance to put modern interpretations against the historical facts. How good was a Viking sword? Could the metalugy be reproduced today? How much better could it be made with modern day materials.

Lets have a mag about knives and their uses and not another illustrated catalogue.

[This message has been edited by GREENJACKET (edited 08-26-2000).]
 
Bud,
First of all, thanks for taking the time to post in BF and for seeking our input. You are certainly well-thought of and appreciated here.

As for the mag:
1) I love how-to articles. Anything associated with knife-making and knife using. Even an occasional article on whittling would be nice. What are the best whittling knifes out there? Or show someone building a survival shelter or deadfall trap, and the knife or knives used in the process.
2) more on axes and axe craft
3) honest, real-world knife evaluations and evaluations of the evaluation process. Two guys chop through a 2x4 with the same knife. One does it in 50 chops and the other does it in 150 chops. Imagine that. I'd like to see more evaluations of consistency in knife production. And just because a knife can chop through a foot of hanging rope, is that the knife I want to use to chop through the small timber?
4) hunting stories about hunting knives. Small game and large game.
5) an email address for input from readers

Thanks Bud, for listening.

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Hoodoo

Why dost thou whet thy knife so earnestly?

The Merchant of Venice, Act IV. Scene I.

[This message has been edited by Hoodoo (edited 08-26-2000).]
 
Bud Lang,

PLEASE e-mail me when you find the time, and I'll e-mail you back with my address in order for you to send me a "trial" copy of the 1st issue of your new magazine.
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.

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Dann Fassnacht
Aberdeen, WA
glockman99@hotmail.com
ICQ# 53675663
 
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