Any interest in individual KnifeMaker forums on here?

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Spark

Spark

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Hey guys -

I've had a couple makers ask me about the possibility of having their own KnifeMaker's forum here on BFC, where they could sell their own knives, have discussions with customers, and do all the rest.

Since I'm a pretty fair guy, I figure I'd ask this publically and see what kind of interest there is for such a thing. Specific maker forums would be listed here, in this section of the site.

There will be a small fee associated with having your own forum here, but nothing very outrageous - $450. That $450 will include a knifemaker's membership so you'll have access to the premium area's of the site as well.

Please feel free to offer suggestions, etc. I'm floating this to see what level of interest there is.
 
Spark,

While I am a maker, I don't have time for my own forum. For those that do, your offer is very fair and generous. Maintain8ing a forum and taking the heat for the conduct of others beyond your control makes the offer all the more fair.

My 2 cents.

Gene
 
Can't wait to see the PimpinSquee Custom Knives Forum up and running! :D
 
Spark,
Good idea, but I csn't manage my own forum. no time and no money....besides I have good Dealers who successfully sell my knives.....
The Forums to me are fun.....not business......
Good Thought, just not meeting what I need/want from a great forum.......
 
All in all, I think it is a good idea and a good offer. There are probably a number of makers that may benefit from a forum of their own. At this point in time, I am unsure if I would be one of those benefiting, or if it would just be an extra item to hit each day on the net.

Ken Nelson
 
good Idea Kevin
but for me I barely have time to spend some of it there nowadays..
for me it would be something else to tie me up.. As it is now I'm going to have to cut the time here down more.. isn't success grand :rolleyes: :)
 
Don't think I'd go for it. But I sure wouldn't object to anyone who did. This isn't going to offend anyone. If you have expressions of interest, go for it. There isn't any downside!

Rob!
 
Sounds like a winner, other than the fact that the lions share of makers are starving artist. 450 for many of them is more that they pay in rent in the south, and I know many of them who wonder where that is comming from month to month. Been there-done that! Mike
 
mrstenoien said:
you know what'd be really cool? a metullargy forum :D
Click to expand...

Yes! I've been thinking the same thing for awhile. Other sites have metallurgy forums, why don't we? Who would moderate it? :)

In answer to the original question: I think it would be cool to have my own forum, but not worth the $450 at this point. I'd also have to know more details, like, how much time would it take up, is that $450 a one time fee, or is there more down the road?
 
Time is a major reason not to set up my own forum but I have to wonder if it would not dilute the all round value of the bladesmith forum as a central meeting point for makers.
 
I think its a good idea. Having their own forum has done well for others on other forums and people like seeing knives on the internet that they own that were sent in for work or customs on order they are about to own. It lets them in on their project as it progressess and keeps them informed and up to date, allows them a place to gather with others that have also used the same guy, and to ask questions so they have a bit of built in trust and interaction from the people they are paying to do a job for them as well as others that already have.

I've seen private forums develop some truly good long lasting relationships and loyalty and rarely get into such bashing or negativity. That only occured on a couple of private forums and both makers brought it on themselves by their own actions, outrageous claims, or from not delivering as promised or on time. As with anything I think there can and will be ups and downs but the benefits or "pros" far outweigh the "cons" to the idea IMO.

STR
 
After my experience on a few other forums my $ .02 (which is even less since I am still too cheap to even have a normal membership here) would be to advise against breaking things down into scores of little specialized forums. The knifemaker thing would be fine for a place to sell and communicate with customers, and if they want to pay the fee it would be great for Bladeforums. I have been offered a “Kevin Cashen” forum at other sites and refused without hesitation. When I was little I liked as many other kids joining me in the sandbox as I could get, putting my name on it and being a little tin god or king of the sandbox would have killed all my fun, that holds true still today.

I have a personal rule to never post on a forum named for another knifemaker. In order for all the facts to be presented one will often have to contradict others. Questioning a man’s facts on a forum with his name is like calling him out in his own home, which just isn’t proper. Not to mention that it won’t accomplish anything since it will be received as blasphemy by the crowd who are there to hear the gospel from the prophet whose name is over the door, resulting in a well deserved flaming. If I participate in a forum I want everybody to feel free to give their two cents and not take anybody’s word as gospel. One of my pet peeves is whole threads addressed to one person, because it is so exclusionary. Folks who title their thread “Question for Kevin Cashen” have done themselves and the other participants a disservice by robbing themselves of input from as many folks as possible, and I often request that they consider changing the title. If they want input just from me, well that is what e-mail is for.

But what actually prompted me to post to this thread was to voice my dissenting vote for (believe it or not) the metallurgical forum idea. With all due respect to all of my friends who have shown support for the concept, I have been there and done that and it is nothing I would want to repeat. More information is shared and more things learned here on this forum because the wide array of topics and participants. It seems the natural tendency of all forums to eventually try to cater to every little specialized niche that comes along until it is a bloated list of sub-forums that individually get about two boring hits a week, from the same two people who are the only ones speaking the same specialized language.

This forum is alive! Debating with those who do not specialize in the given topic is what allows us to cover so much and learn in the process. My advice to any forum is to resist the temptation of specialized forums and either stick with, or gravitate toward, even more general forums. They are a bustling exotic bazaar where one can expect to see almost anything, not a stuffy, stodgy little corner shop with the same two old geezers hawking the same line of goods. Heck if you promise never to start a “metallurgy” sub-forum, I will finally buy a membership here;).
 
Personally as a full time knifemaker I think it is a grand idea. I would love to be a big fish in a small pond rather than be in the for sale forum where you are pushed to page two each day with irrelevant posts just to stay on the top. You can count me in Spark.

My only question is if this is an annual fee or a one time set up fee with a different annual renewal fee along with what will be your projected implementation date for this wonderful service?
 
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