Fiddleback Friday Troubles

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Rick Lowe said:
As a note: Being one of the whiskered old non-computer compliant Fiddleback fans, I was still able to copy and paste on the thread and get my last two weeks picks.
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Bravo! Hell, not only are you an incredible leather bender but you can copy and paste too!
 
As much as I love your knives, at the end of the day, they're just knives. Anyone who whines about not being able to get a knife they wanted needs to grow up and get over it.

I wanted the Camp knife from the last Friday thread in the worst way, but I would never even think to complain about anything like that.

The people who are complaining must have a serious sense of entitlement, and that's exactly whats wrong with society today. Giving in to them only makes things worse.

You're not going to be able to please everyone. Run your business as YOU see fit.
 
While I agree that there's no "fair" way to solve supply/demand disparities such as the one you're facing Andy, I really do think you should reconsider posting the FF sales unannounced. (The "fair" thing to do would simply be double your prices each week until people stop buying!)

Based on what people are saying about writing 'sniping computer programs' I don't think anyone realizes who absurdly simple it actually is. I could whip up a Python script in less than two minutes that would alert me whenever Fiddleback makes a post on this website, and after another three could have a relatively sophisticated auto-responder. This is not something just any CS major could write, it's something anybody could do after 45 minutes on Khan academy.

Posting a thread on Thursday, or sending out an email stating what time the next FF sale post will be made would only serve to help the less computer savvy and I don't see how it could possibly hurt anyone. Still vary the times, but let people know a day in advance.

People certainly have no right to feel jilted by your current practices but that doesn't mean there's no room for improvement.
 
The people who are complaining must have a serious sense of entitlement, and that's exactly whats wrong with society today. Giving in to them only makes things worse.

You're not going to be able to please everyone. Run your business as YOU see fit.
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Very well said.
 
Andy,
While I have realized my pockets are not deep enough nor my time on PC on Fridays available enough to compete for the ones I want----------- THAT IN NO WAY IS YOUR PROBLEM.

I don't really understand the complaints? Sure it is tough to get a nice Fiddleback these days but that is supply and demand. There is still the route of the flea market (which I love), your dealers or even the auction site.

While they are excellent knives and worth every penny, I do not think the ability to acquire them is worth stepping over bodies.

I think you are doing just fine.

Bill
 
justsomedude said:
Based on what people are saying about writing 'sniping computer programs' I don't think anyone realizes who absurdly simple it actually is. I could whip up a Python script in less than two minutes that would alert me whenever Fiddleback makes a post on this website, and after another three could have a relatively sophisticated auto-responder. This is not something just any CS major could write, it's something anybody could do after 45 minutes on Khan academy.
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Ding ding ding. I've said it before: It ain't rocket surgery.

And yet people act like I'm putting on some magical invisibility cloak and picking pockets.

If you can sharpen a convex edge, you have the intelligence it requires to robo-shark. Period.

EDIT: I will say this though: the entitlement mavens tend to be the same folks who don't even know how to hold their knives properly, much less sharpen them. And I like to watch people with more money than common sense suffer.
 
Andy,
i haven't been around in a long while for the Fridays, but only because funds got tighter, and I have been too busy to be able to check. I think it is a lot of fun and it will be sorely missed by many if it is done away with. Those that are that upset about missing a knife should maybe reexamine their prioritiesand remember this i about the fun and the community not just steel and micarta (or what have you). You make a fine knife, and the best ergos.
 
D.H. said:
This. Times one thousand.

Don't let the bastards grind you down, Andy.

Behaviorally speaking, I hope this is going to be like putting a misbehaving dog in a crate: it barks and barks for while, louder than ever, then it stops when it realizes nobody cares about its tantrum.

Or it doesn't. In which case you tell everyone it has rabies, take it out into the back yard, and Old Yeller it.
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No irony here.
 
I suspect most of the whiners wanting to boycott have fairly sizable collections. It also sounds like this "need or have to have" attitude is "teetering" at the very least on addiction. Now don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with having a large collection if that is your thing, and most of you that have many do so without having a freakout when you don't get your grail or whatever. I believe someone touched on this before, but in my opinion there is something very off with those wanting to boycott and getting this bent out of shape over a KNIFE! All you negative nancy's need to take a serious look in the mirror. Maybe try and put some of that bad energy into helping someone less fortunate than yourself and see how it makes you feel. Do you have any idea the strain you are putting on Andy and crew with your tantrums?

I think the Friday rules are just fine. It is a privilege we get to see Bud's sneak peak threads. To think that every knife in his pics will end up in a Friday thread is ludicrous. We already have the Fotki preview to see exactly what will be up and a heads up on the time every week. What more can you ask for? I feel fortunate enough that due to shoulder surgery I have found, and have been able to participate in the Friday threads. Soon I will be back at work and no longer able to sit in front of my computer but you sure won't hear any complaining from me. Ironically last Friday I was without a computer and my phone alerted me to the Friday thread while raking my yard. I still managed to snag a knife that normally goes in the first few posts. Thanks to the new models for allowing that to happen.

Now there are a lot of good folks here. I have had both pm's from those who scored something I was after that decided to offer it to me later, and pm'd someone myself that scored one I liked and was able to get a knife. This really is a great niche we have here everyone. Thanks to Andy and crew and everyone else here for making this place what it is. There is enough bad in this world already so let's not add any more. Let's get back to the good side life!
 
I'm going to buck the trend a bit and say that maybe it's time to consider reducing the fiddleback friday focus and start to transition towards resale...

I guess it comes down to: Where do you see fiddleback forge in 5 years?

Given the current growth of the company over the past couple years, a fiddleback friday post would have 100 knives in it in 5 years. Andy would be sleeping every 5th day since he'd be grinding all the time. He'd have to hire more people, which means more knives to make to pay them.... How much more web-traffic could bladeforums really support?

Fiddleback forge is too big for this anymore. I'd like to see Andy's time free up a little. I'd like to see what new stuff comes out when Andy isn't grinding all day. I'd love to do a customer "make your knife" day trip to the forge, or see him at more national knife shows, or buy a production bushfinger from cabelas or bass-pro.

There's always a place here to sell a few special "Made by Andy" models here on a friday....
 
twrhnd1 said:
I suspect most of the whiners wanting to boycott have fairly sizable collections. It also sounds like this "need or have to have" attitude is "teetering" at the very least on addiction. Now don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with having a large collection if that is your thing, and most of you that have many do so without having a freakout when you don't get your grail or whatever. I believe someone touched on this before, but in my opinion there is something very off with those wanting to boycott and getting this bent out of shape over a KNIFE! All you negative nancy's need to take a serious look in the mirror. Maybe try and put some of that bad energy into helping someone less fortunate than yourself and see how it makes you feel. Do you have any idea the strain you are putting on Andy and crew with your tantrums?

I think the Friday rules are just fine. It is a privilege we get to see Bud's sneak peak threads. To think that every knife in his pics will end up in a Friday thread is ludicrous. We already have the Fotki preview to see exactly what will be up and a heads up on the time every week. What more can you ask for? I feel fortunate enough that due to shoulder surgery I have found, and have been able to participate in the Friday threads. Soon I will be back at work and no longer able to sit in front of my computer but you sure won't hear any complaining from me. Ironically last Friday I was without a computer and my phone alerted me to the Friday thread while raking my yard. I still managed to snag a knife that normally goes in the first few posts. Thanks to the new models for allowing that to happen.

Now there are a lot of good folks here. I have had both pm's from those who scored something I was after that decided to offer it to me later, and pm'd someone myself that scored one I liked and was able to get a knife. This really is a great niche we have here everyone. Thanks to Andy and crew and everyone else here for making this place what it is. There is enough bad in this world already so let's not add any more. Let's get back to the good side life!
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Well said, twrhnd1.
 
Mr. Roy & Crew:

Please, PLEASE don't ever stop doing what your doing. Also don't allow someone to make you second judge or question you're ethics.

I've not had the pleasure of meeting anyone at Fiddleback in person, only internet correspondence. Even only after that, I feel like a person would be hard pressed to meet a more hard working, good bunch of guys (& gals).

To whomever is referring to Andy & crew as dishonest, you couldn't be further from the truth. I'd be a liar if I said I've never been disappointed in some of the tactics forum members use to shark a knife. I've seen a grail knife or two go, but the crew at the forge NEVER, NEVER fails to produce absolutely stunning knives each and every single Friday. To me, they only keep getting better. Those few times I've left a little upset, I drive home from work and open up my box where I keep my knives and appreciate what I have. I am lucky enough to own eight fiddleback's, all of which I love. Shouldn't slander a knife-maker when it's someone else causing the grief. A little patience goes a long way and despite missing a knife or two, I am sure that there will be more in the future.
 
solid4ever said:
I'm going to buck the trend a bit and say that maybe it's time to consider reducing the fiddleback friday focus and start to transition towards resale...

I guess it comes down to: Where do you see fiddleback forge in 5 years?

Given the current growth of the company over the past couple years, a fiddleback friday post would have 100 knives in it in 5 years. Andy would be sleeping every 5th day since he'd be grinding all the time. He'd have to hire more people, which means more knives to make to pay them.... How much more web-traffic could bladeforums really support?

Fiddleback forge is too big for this anymore. I'd like to see Andy's time free up a little. I'd like to see what new stuff comes out when Andy isn't grinding all day. I'd love to do a customer "make your knife" day trip to the forge, or see him at more national knife shows, or buy a production bushfinger from cabelas or bass-pro.

There's always a place here to sell a few special "Made by Andy" models here on a friday....
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if this forum had a "Like Button", I'd have clicked it for this
 
The whining is not coming from old-timers with collections, that much is evident from only a few posts.

The problem of late is one of attitude and those unwilling to participate in community.
 
Andy,

You and Fiddleback Forge improve my quality of life. You make my life more enjoyable. You do this for more folks than you will ever realize! You can sell your product to whom ever you want; who the heck has a right to tell you that you can't! If this was my business, I'd tell those few people to kiss my butt!

Boy, the fat kid with the big knife has some eloquence today!

-Will
 
I'm with Dedery and Necro on this.....

I'm new here, and I'll be writing against my own interest.

Are your knives selling with your current way of doing business ? Yes, as far as I can see. No reason to change unless I'm wrong about that.
Boycott shmoycott! Hogwash is what that is....
I have few Fridays when I can be present to compete with the other members here. My tough. I wish that I could order the knife that I want, directly from your web site. I can't .... My tough, once again. Does it make the knife that I want any less desirable ? Nope. It just means that it'll take longer for me to get it. A high production factory, you're not..... Only a fool doesn't understand that (don't mean to insult anyone here).

I understand your concern with regards to your reputation and if the word gets out that your knives are too expensive (bull) or/ and unobtainable. That's what you'll need to evaluate, not an easy task.

NO reasons for you to change anything, unless your $ flow is going down.
I've read nothing but good things about you and your knives. Just my 2 cents.
Enough said! Cheers !
Jocelyn.
P.s. Haven't read all the comments that came prior to my post, but I suspect that I've echoed the sentiment of many others.
 
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I'll second what Willic said!

The whole reason I started making some of these beads was stemmed from my knife collection. Seeing these guys transform a block of wood and slab of metal into a mini work of art inspired me to get off my butt and get busy working with my hands.
 
solid4ever said:
I'm going to buck the trend a bit and say that maybe it's time to consider reducing the fiddleback friday focus and start to transition towards resale...

I guess it comes down to: Where do you see fiddleback forge in 5 years?

Given the current growth of the company over the past couple years, a fiddleback friday post would have 100 knives in it in 5 years. Andy would be sleeping every 5th day since he'd be grinding all the time. He'd have to hire more people, which means more knives to make to pay them.... How much more web-traffic could bladeforums really support?

Fiddleback forge is too big for this anymore. I'd like to see Andy's time free up a little. I'd like to see what new stuff comes out when Andy isn't grinding all day. I'd love to do a customer "make your knife" day trip to the forge, or see him at more national knife shows, or buy a production bushfinger from cabelas or bass-pro.

There's always a place here to sell a few special "Made by Andy" models here on a friday....
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This may be the case though what do you think would be the consequences of the "few special "Made by Andy" models" being listed on a Fri???
 
I hope you keep on with your business model as it is. For every complaint there are probably numerous new customers eager to buy. It is rather hard for me to buy on the Friday sales do to computer speed, but not totally impossible. I did get one a few years back. That doesn't make me not like the Friday sales though. What they buy on Friday may land up on the Flea market down the road, and that is good enough for me. In general acquiring Fiddleback knives has become much easier over the years. I have always been amazed at the attitude of some buyers that think that if buyer A didn't get the knife they somehow would have, even though there were 10 others trying for it.
Please ignore the complainers without real injury. There is no perfect system I am sure you can see from this thread that the vast majority love the way you do business.
Keep up the good work
 
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