Attention BIG CHANGES: New Shop, New Website, New Fiddleback Friday, New Team Members

Yes. Aerial photos of final destinations too please if you have them with best line of site from tactical bush and shrubbery positions

 

@Fiddleback, a few quick thoughts:

Glancing through the new web site text, I see the old (Fiddleback Outpost) text.

Andy, nothing compares to hearing you talk about your knives.

I hope decisions are in the works to incorporate/feature your voice on the new site — to see the knives through your eyes as much as possible; to hear your heart.

Otherwise, it’s just another storefront with someone else’s marketing.

One thing I love about the interactions here with you and @VANCE is the lack of fluff-and-stuff. Answers are straightforward, the lines are clear. The more of this you can carry into your new site, the better.

(( Did the Cumming Bladeworks snowflake 'n pee descriptives originate with you? ))

Other quick hits:

I don't see a page/list of your Authorized Dealers, but I may have missed this?

[ed. Yes, I missed it-- it's in the Drop-Down under "About." I used the Search function and entered "Dealers", and didn't get that page as a result. One should. ;-)]

Also, an information page on Sheaths would be good, to make it clear that the knives do not ship with sheaths, and ways to find them (that lead to more than one dealer...).

[ed. A site search for Sheath results in the Cummings Bladeworks knives, and then each pattern page for FF because of the "sheath sold separately." The latter is a live link which leads to a page with SHEATHS in big letters. What makers/sources will be featured here?]

Finally? Bladeforums is the center of my online knife interactions, and Fiddleback Forge's 'home' up to this point. The loss of the discount for paying BF members stings, surprisingly.

[ed. to add, I see the discount will still apply, sorta?]

Ah, well. On the whole, no business should rely on a third-party entity (forum, Facebook, Instagram, etc.) for its online presence, and I'm glad you're finally making some deliberate strides on this front.

I'll just be relieved/heartened if and when it starts to feel like *your* web site.

~ P.

 

Congratulations!

Had no idea you’d grown so much and come so far.

Been entirely busy meeting my commitments, but glad to see so much growth.

 

Congrats Andy and crew on all the big changes. New shop looks like a good fit. New site is classy.

I'll miss seeing who sharked what in the Fiddleback Friday thread, but I hope the new store and Friday process opens things up to a new audience of buyers.

 

From the home page, I’m not able to navigate to any of the other pages. I don’t know if this is an isolated problem or some other glitch. I can get to the other pages by using the Menu, then selecting Shop, etc. It’s an extra couple of steps, and I was wondering if anyone else is having the same issue?

Edited to add:
If anyone else is using the link that Fiddleback Outpost posted in the Discounts thread, be advised that this will take you to the homepage, from which you’ll have to navigate to the Fiddleback Friday page (possibly via the Menu only). The link sent via email seemed to go directly there without the additional steps (which could be time consuming if trying to shark something).

It’s going to take some getting used to, but I’m sure it works out best for Fiddleback Outpost and Fiddleback Forge.

 

It now does, in case one should like to.

Sheath page is in the works.

Thank you for pointing this out! The links have been fixed to cut down on precious sharking time. Although...when sharking...it's recommended to already be on the desired page, ready to hit refresh at 3PM. You wouldn't want to be out in open waters when the bait comes out of the channel!

It's a work in progress, thanks for the support.

 

Love it all, been working, so never had a chance to comment. Congrats on all the changes, the new space, website and FF Format!

Now that you've offloaded the website, I have some suggestions. Never felt good about suggesting before as you guys been working your tails off and clearly the product was a priority....rightly so.

So 2 sections FF Friday and as they age they go into available that would include other available knives. The options to "Shop By" are:

• FF Friday
• Mid Tech
• Apprentice
• Cumming Bladeworks
• Search

What about adding to those options to purchase by model, handle, steel, blade length, tt/spf, thickness? It may make it easier fo a newbie or oldybutgoody to find their grail or at least find similar. This could be done in the "Shop By" menu or in an advance search option. The best I've seen on implementation was how the online shop rhymed with "life spenter" does it. I can find my grail anyway I want or browse a subset of all knives, whatever strikes my fancy.

In summary changes are awesome, glad Team FF are resilient and adaptable through this change. Location is a hike while pretending to work from home...... but closer to hopefully upcoming FF Weekend part Deux.

 

With all the responsibility for marketing, photography, and Fiddleback Friday sales activity moving to Fiddleback Outpost, I guess that frees up Phillip to work the sanding station full time. Are you looking forward to that Phillip?

Phil

 

terrible, terrible idea Phil. worst idea evarrr!!!111!!1

seriously though...if my hands would cooperate I would go back to sanding in a second. I dont mind it and i can knock them out pretty quick....end results aint to shabby either

 

I think you need to see a doctor about that problem

 

Great to read that a small business flourishes in the difficult environment of private entrepreneurship - flourishing to the point that other eager craftsman artisans want to learn from you is an exceptional testament to the Fiddleback team and Mr. Roy.

I wish (wistfully) sometimes that I had ended up in this life, in GA, and learned how to make a knife from some one who wanted to teach the art.

But, I can settle with using FF blades, fondling them, and freaking out my girlfriend's friends when too many blades are laying about the house.

I have been fortunate to purchase several FF blades from various online dealers and they have represented FF well, in my opinion, but having your own site that represents yourselves, in a manner unique and specific to Fiddleback, is something a 3rd party can't really convey and that reads great to me.

Congratulations and much respect to Fiddleback Forge and Mr. Roy, on seeing a vision through till the end and not resting on your laurels, but instead carrying the vision onward into something new.

 

I'm pulling this conversation out of the Fiddleback Friday 5/18/18 thread because it just might be more appropriate over here.

STRONG Disclaimer: While this is in a direct response to a certain topic, it is really also directed outward to a larger audience. I'm hoping other dealers and even us who sell privately read this and taking the feedback to heart. Therefore, some of it is not applicable to Andy, Robert, Phillip, whomever.


Now don't get me wrong because these are great pictures. But it is something that we consumers find as a challenge with other dealers as well. I've seen/heard the same exact comments made about other dealers' amazing pics that didn't help portray the knife details that the consumer was trying to figure out. Trust me because besides comments in open threads, there are lots of conversations that go on whether it is on BF, IG or otherwise. So if I were any dealer, I'd pull up a chair and consider the feedback.

The pictures are beautiful, creative and a ton of thought is put into the backdrop. We understand that your job is to make the knife look like the holy grail, the clouds parted and golden sun beams make the knife aglow where we find it irresistible. Sure we appreciate that it looks great but what we really want is an ability to understand and know the knife in order to justify spending the money on an item we can't "test drive" until it leaves the lot and finds its way to our home. Then if we don't like it when we receive it, we'll feel bad if we want to return it (and if that guilt isn't enough, some dealers will even make comments where you know they're not all too happy about having to do the return). Plus we'll have anxiety because the secondary market just plain bites these days. After further consideration, maybe we decide its not worth the hassle/risk and don't take the plunge. Take the guesswork away and decisions just may be easier for us.

So, just a simple straight-forward straight-on side shot from the two sides would be appreciated. And a spine shot from above with the full knife would be appreciated, whether or not there is a taper. Some folks like fat handles, some skinny, some in the middle and so that would help tremendously. On the green Hiking Buddy from the 5/18/18 sale as an example, I've got enough neck and back problems as it is but I'm finding myself twisting my neck and head (as if that would actually help ) to get a better idea of the knife. The rear large pin looks like it isn't in line with the front one, or maybe the pin is just on the curve of the knife, or maybe its the angle of the pic adding an illusion. Now, I also prefer a thinner handle but maybe that pin is looking wonky because the handle is really really round, which makes me say "Hmmmm?" and move on to consider the next option. See how that thought process works? So there is your request for every knife; 3 pictures of each knife from those 3 angles. And then if you want to toss another 15 "papow, yeah baby, work it" shots, knock yourself out.

In addition to that, the picture color adjustments shouldn't be monkeyed with to the point where it looks like a completely different color/knife when we get it in-hand. I don't think that I've had that issue with former Fiddleback Outpost pics but this message is honestly for a larger audience (see Disclaimer).

The other point made by @pertinux about the picture content/format/feel seeming like "Outpost pictures" is pretty valid and there have been a good number of comments and discussions behind the scenes on this one. I'd probably say that it would be tough but maybe challenge yourselves to have them not appear as Outpost pics, possibly advertising for other products like the lights and fire steels and such. If you could go back to Phillip's plain ol Spider Carving background, a lot of folks would very likely find that to "feel like home". That said, I also understand the marketing aspect that has to happen here and things are a balance.

But hey a bonus today while we're at it. Why don't we go big or go home with one last thing .. Instagram. What was nice before with following FiddlebackForge was that, when a post popped up, you always knew it was a cool shop pic or something out of the ordinary going on. (In a Billy Crystal squinting sort of way, and asking nicely) Is there any way that a different IG account can be created so it can be used for all the FiddlebackForge.com marketing items?


Anyway, please take this all as a genuine and honest attempt to be helpful and not as hard criticism or Krabby Patties.

And finally, I did consider it at length but people might ask why I didn't send this in a private conversation. The answer is that this is a community (an awesome one) and these things have been on the minds of some (or perhaps more than some) of the community and then folks can either disagree or agree, and maybe the feedback will help you save $$ from spending time trying different things and possibly $$ in making mistakes of varying degree.

Here I just can't resist and have to pick on Robert. But you really might like adding a sort/filter by Blade Thickness, Taper, etc.

 

@Warrior108 I agree, we need more straight on shots of both sides and a spine shot. Also more shots in the traditional Fiddleback style. Glamour shots are nice, but we also need the basic detail shots.

 

Thanks, @Warrior108!

I was actually composing post-lets in my brain about all this, and I do believe you beat me to every punch.



For me, the main points are:

Yes-- against an uncluttered backdrop.

and

What you said about Instagram (I unfollowed, due to the sheer volume and obvious WE ARE MARKETING AT YOU feel)

and

(wait, this is my own) a clarification from Andy or Phillip re: the pee n' snowflakes marketing of the Cumming Bladeworks line of knives. It's one thing to encounter this on a given vendor's site and look elsewhere for the great knives themselves, quite another if located on the Company website and thus informing every single knife in the line.


*I want you guys to sell as many knives as possible.*

And maybe this is how you do it...?

But I miss your voice, and the straightforwardness we've come to know here and previously in your various online representations.

~ P.

 

I would like more photos and photos driven to represent the knife as well for sale days. This is important as @Warrior108 said in regards to us consumers seeing what we are buying. Right side, left side straight on full shots, spine shot, close up handle right/left and maybe close up Blade shots. And I also believe if there is something that makes a particular knife stand out from others, as in an unusual marking or pin out, that this would be explained. With the growing community around Fiddleback Forge, it would help newcomers become familiar and also refresh an old timer as well once in awhile.
I don’t want to leave this post without saying that you guys work really hard at making, showing and shipping these amazing knives. We all thank you for that.