How do you get highly skilled makers to post here?

Brian, That is old info. Posting knife ( and grinder) photos in Shop Talk is fine....for everyone.

Any member of Shop Talk can post any photo of something he made, as long as it isn't a sales pitch.

You, Kevin, Nick, anyone - paying member or not, can post a photo of a knife....even if that knife was going to be for sale. Same goes with a grinder info thread, or a bubble jigs, platen, etc. thread. If the thread is mostly info and learning, it will be allowed. The mods will get with the poster if it steps over the line ( which we do now and then)..

The Kevin dust-up was totally about something else ( personalities and other old beefs), and other people caused it.
That problem has been made straight. Again I will post it clearly:

Any member of Shop Talk can post any photo of something he made, as long as it isn't a sales pitch.


A photo thread of a bowie with the statement - "Going to the customer tomorrow", with info on the knife and how it was made is welcome and highly encouraged.
A photo thread of a bowie stating "Just Finished - needs a new home - $550.00" is not allowed.

BTW, the talk about the new sub-forum being a paying forum seems to be leaning the same way -. Anyone can post in either forum. The mods will shift any threads to the right forum if needed. It looks like if this gets going, it will not have any membership restrictions.
 
bladsmth said:
Brian, That is old info. Posting knife ( and grinder) photos in Shop Talk is fine....for everyone.

Any member of Shop Talk can post any photo of something he made, as long as it isn't a sales pitch.

You, Kevin, Nick, anyone - paying member or not, can post a photo of a knife....even if that knife was going to be for sale. Same goes with a grinder info thread, or a bubble jigs, platen, etc. thread. If the thread is mostly info and learning, it will be allowed. The mods will get with the poster if it steps over the line ( which we do now and then)..

The Kevin dust-up was totally about something else ( personalities and other old beefs), and other people caused it.
That problem has been made straight. Again I will post it clearly:

Any member of Shop Talk can post any photo of something he made, as long as it isn't a sales pitch.


A photo thread of a bowie with the statement - "Going to the customer tomorrow", with info on the knife and how it was made is welcome and highly encouraged.
A photo thread of a bowie stating "Just Finished - needs a new home - $550.00" is not allowed.

BTW, the talk about the new sub-forum being a paying forum seems to be leaning the same way -. Anyone can post in either forum. The mods will shift any threads to the right forum if needed. It looks like if this gets going, it will not have any membership restrictions.
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That's a good clarification.
 
Thanks for posting, Brian.

And thanks for clarifying things, Stacy. I wasn't aware the photo posting policy had changed.
 
I want to jump in here. I consider myself a beginning knifemaker - I've finished maybe 20 knives and about 60 pocket tools at this point, so maybe not a total novice, but definitely a beginner.

I've ask two who drifted away why they did. Their reply boils down to "It's just not worth the fight anymore."

The fight they are talking about: people who are responding to inquiries by passing down demonstrably incorrect information as fact. If they point out the error, they get dragged into a fight - there are just too many people with egos tied to bad information.

From a beginner's perspective, it's a pain to sift through all the claims to get to something like the truth. For example, there's a thread right now where someone is claiming that dry ice temps work as cryo if it's for four hours or more. Even as a beginner, I think to myself "That doesn't sound right... I could check into it... I think Stacey said something about cryo versus subzero and the time at each, as did Kevin Cashen... is it worth tracking down?" Then I think "based on my experience with other people (now banned), the poster will probably get defensive and say it's always worked for him (or, better yet, that it worked even better then LN in his secret tests but he doesn't have any data or even details as to how he did the tests...)." At that point, I just figure it's not worth it.

I conclude I probably just need to spend more time in the shop, and less time on the forum. It's got to be worse for people who are actually good knifemakers.
 
Open discussion without acrimony and argument is how to get them back.

A few weeks ago, Nick Wheeler was leaving the forum....maybe forever!
Then we all started talking about the problems like adults, and started sharing our ideas on how to fix it, and a few changes were made....and the attitude lowered...... Even Kevin put in his thoughts.

And now Nick has a new ( very informative) thread on fitting handles.

I think the proof is in the pudding. Polite discussion about good info will get them to post. It also never hurts to tell them how much help they provide :) Lets all keep working together on this.
 
So since the rules have been changed, does that mean the members who have been banned for breaking the old rules would be allowed to return?
 
jawilder said:
So since the rules have been changed, does that mean the members who have been banned for breaking the old rules would be allowed to return?
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I don't think anybody got banned for posting a picture within that period, Jason.
 
bladsmth said:
I think the proof is in the pudding. Polite discussion about good info will get them to post. It also never hurts to tell them how much help they provide :) Lets all keep working together on this.
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I see that you and others already helped clarify on that post. Thanks.
 
Rick Marchand said:
I don't think anybody got banned for posting a picture within that period, Jason.
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Unfortunately, Tai Goo was booted out over the issue of self promotion and whatnot. I understand that many disagree with him but I also know that many have learned a lot from him.

*I really don't have a dog in this fight and know that I can go to other forums if I want to read his posts, but I'd rather be able to read his posts here, if he were willing and able to return.
 
Tai was not banned for just that. The main reason why he stayed so long, was his talent and willingness to help folks. Tai was/is a huge influence for me and many others. Part of me hated to see him go but I couldn't help but notice a sigh of relief when he was gone. Tai was the best and worst of Shop Talk in one man. He was too extreme.
 
I rarely post here because I never take pics of my work, and since I can't contribute I try to minimize my "consumption". But worth noting, I think, is this: Heat treat threads are trouble-makers. I've wondered if there shouldn't be a subforum for ALL HT discussions, just to keep the emotion elsewhere.

Also...This is as good a place as any to thank Nick and Rick Marchand for their great posts. I've learned a lot and truly appreciate the effort that goes into them. Others too, but I always look for theirs.
 
Wow, Tai was actually banned.

Bummer.

I really got a kick out of him, and he was always willing to help.

Definitely gave more than he took.
 
Rick Marchand said:
Tai was not banned for just that. The main reason why he stayed so long, was his talent and willingness to help folks. Tai was/is a huge influence for me and many others. Part of me hated to see him go but I couldn't help but notice a sigh of relief when he was gone. Tai was the best and worst of Shop Talk in one man. He was too extreme.
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That's a good way of putting that. I like Tai a lot and consider him a friend so his weirdness didn't bother me a bit. I think his level of talent and particularly his type of talent is better appreciated by knife collectors more than other knifemakers. Around here he was more like a bottle of Scotch at a Kentucky barbecue. The truth is his antics contributed to the drama around here, and right now this place seems to need less drama. I would argue for his return because Tai Goo is awesome, but he is a square peg and there aren't many square holes here. Perhaps some time down the road? I guess it is what it is, *shrug*.
 
Fellhoelter said:
Wow, Tai was actually banned.
Bummer.
I really got a kick out of him, and he was always willing to help.
Definitely gave more than he took.
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Rick Marchand said:
Tai was not banned for just that. The main reason why he stayed so long, was his talent and willingness to help folks. Tai was/is a huge influence for me and many others. Part of me hated to see him go but I couldn't help but notice a sigh of relief when he was gone. Tai was the best and worst of Shop Talk in one man. He was too extreme.
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It shouldn't be that surprising, Don Fogg banned him before he came here.
 
Lets not talk about Tai anymore... there are sour feelings on both sides of the fence. I apologize for starting the discussion.
 
Rick Marchand said:
Lets not talk about Tai anymore... there are sour feelings on both sides of the fence. I apologize for starting the discussion.
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:thumbup:

Sorry. You're right. Less drama. At least right now.
 
And that right there is why highly skilled makers don't want to come here, because people regret tai goo not being here anymore.


I am not sure what can bring talent back, I think what Nick's doing is good. If the quality of info is so high that it brings in intermediate and even proffessional knifemakers as opposed to just catering to newbs then thoe intermediate and pro guys will be more willing to share.
 
As I've gotten a little older I've come to realize that certain plain and obvious facts that I used to "know" were in fact simply my opinion. And many opinions, such as those involving religion, politics and quench oils can be topics of contentious debate. Some topics should simply not be touched with a ten foot pole.

In civil discussion it is important not to state one's own opinions as fact in order to prevent offending those whose opinion differs from your own. This is a key aspect of showing others respect and reducing the drama that has plagued this forum.
 
Nathan the Machinist said:
As I've gotten a little older I've come to realize that certain plain and obvious facts that I used to "know" were in fact simply my opinion. And many opinions, such as those involving religion, politics and quench oils can be topics of contentious debate. Some topics should simply not be touched with a ten foot pole.

In civil discussion it is important not to state one's own opinions as fact in order to prevent offending those whose opinion differs from your own. This is a key aspect of showing others respect and reducing the drama that has plagued this forum.
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Worth re-quoting. Nathan, this is the kind of mentallity we are going to need around here. I don't think there was a better way of wording that.

Sincerely... THANK-YOU.
 
Nathan the Machinist said:
As I've gotten a little older I've come to realize that certain plain and obvious facts that I used to "know" were in fact simply my opinion. And many opinions, such as those involving religion, politics and quench oils can be topics of contentious debate. Some topics should simply not be touched with a ten foot pole.

In civil discussion it is important not to state one's own opinions as fact in order to prevent offending those whose opinion differs from your own. This is a key aspect of showing others respect and reducing the drama that has plagued this forum.
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As a buddy of mine used to say, "Amen brother Ben", in other words he agreed whole heartily! :thumbup:
 
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