Discussion of Sharpening Services Not Allowed?

Balislinger

Balislinger

Joined
Nov 11, 2003
Messages
6,787
I started a thread to find out who is using what sharpening service and what they think about it. For some reason the thread was moved from a discussion section where all members could respond to a work wanted/solicitation section that is private and no one else can read the thread except me and knifemakers? I don't really know how that Wanted/work soliciting subforum works and who can read threads there. I know when I click on that subforum I can only see threads I have started. Maybe knifemakers can see the threads as well. But it seems like a twilight zone for a discussion. My thread was not to solicit any work, just to discuss the various sharpening services that are available. Is the discussion of sharpening services no longer allowed on the forum?
 
Tricky situation. Since the Knifemaker membership actually covers Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider they are the only authorized references for work like sharpening. Discussing providers who are not BF members with proper membership falls under deal spotting.
 
I see. So discussing outside sharpening services is out of line? That seems overly restrictive to me. Don't we want to be discussing services offered to the knife community, even if they are not forum members? Off topic because that's not what my thread was about (it was only about forum members who sharpen), but I thought deal spotting was when you point out a good deal on something rather than open a legitimate discussion about it such as a compare and contrast type conversation. Just my two cents. I don't care that much about my thread one way or another, so it's no big deal
 
By discussing such services, you are essentially advertising for them.

That isn't fair to the service providers who paid a membership fee to use Bladeforums to offer their services.

If you wish to discuss the paid service providers who offer sharpening services, you are certainly more than welcome to do so.
 
Hmmm, I agree that discussing providers of services is a form of advertising, assuming that people are saying good things about the service. When people pay to offer services on BFC that is their form of advertising as well. But to say we shouldn't discuss any providers of services who don't pay BFC to advertise here is too restrictive a position on forum discussions. BFC advertisers should earn business on the strength of their services (and the fact they are also advertising here), not because the forum censors all discussion about other services. Too restrictive to open discussion in my opinion. BFC is a big knife forum, you want conversations about services that are broader in scope that just talking about ones that choose to have a forum presence
 
Esav Benyamin said:
Tricky situation. Since the Knifemaker membership actually covers Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider they are the only authorized references for work like sharpening. Discussing providers who are not BF members with proper membership falls under deal spotting.
Click to expand...

Esav is spot on. The free discussion of techniques and methodologies is what the "Maintenance" forum is about. When you begin to make a query about members who provide knife sharpening services and who might be best it gets into the arena of "promotion". Knifemakers/Craftsmen/Service providers support this site with their memberships and are the only folks whose work may be openly promoted.
Their paid membership affords them that privilege.

That said, there are many references throughout the site that discuss makers and other craftsmen (who are not paid members) but they fall short of overt shilling and drumming.

As Esav stated, it's a fine line...however, in my view, the thread you started belonged in the exchange where it can be read by all and replied to by those who have services to be offered via this site.
In placing it there it removed the issues of deal spotting and providing an unfair advantage to service providers who have not paid for the privilege of having those services advertised here.

It's not a perfect system but it's the best we have and will continue to be a work in progress.
 
Sounds good. There also seems to be alot of petty personal politics around the sharpeners on the forum. I hope I can successfully stay 10 miles away from that waste of time
 
tA little history on how this system developed. When Spark took on sole ownership and adminstration of BF he paid all the bills himself. With the continued growth of the community the costs for equipment and operation reminded him that he was not that rich and he looked for help by selling memberships. The memberships have grown more complex but are still based on the initial principle. You pay for an exclusive right to sell or advertise based on your level. If those who do not pay get to advertise or have others advertise for them there is no longer an incentive to pay and BF will lose the income it needs.
 
Thanks to my esteemed colleagues for articulating it better than I did.
 
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