How does someone become a moderator or knife tester?

G

Gunner

BANNED
Joined
Jul 15, 1999
Messages
302
Hi guys I am very interested in testing knives. I would like to know how everyone came about being a moderator like Cliff Stamp. Do you have to buy the knives first do a review, then buy another and do a review until you get well known? Or what? Thanks. Geoff.

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I am the way the truth and the life no man shall come to the father but by me. John 14:6
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Gunner - You get to be a tester by buying one (or more) knives and testing them. I'm not sure about being a moderator, it's a position of no small power, so you probably just have to know and be trusted by enough people
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All knives are created equal, then i get my dirty big hands on them and the real fun begins.
 
The same way as you get to Carnegie Hall.

[This message has been edited by TomW (edited 03-27-2000).]
 
How do you get there Tom? Is it a long drive?
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Gunner, wanna test a knife? Go buy one, use it, test it and write it up in the review forum. Simple as that.

BTW, I know you have been trying for the longest time to trade for a knife. Have you looked into the Cold Steel seconds? Good knives with very minor flaws, but usually pretty cheap. Or maybe a Newt Livesay knife, those can be found pretty cheap. Not very pretty, but good knives. Or John Greco, he makes knives for under 100 dollars, they are supposed to be pretty good. When ya decide on which one to buy, write it up, I would like to see what ya have to say about them.

Richard
 
<G>....I guess im not gona say it!
Good luck in you quest!

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Jay
Life is like a box of chocolates,never know what your gona git!
 
Hey Gunner...

Your first review can be of the neck rig I sent you if you wish!
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Theres a small start...

ttyle Eric....

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Eric E. Noeldechen
On/Scene Tactical
http://www.mnsi.net/~nbtnoel
Custom made, High Quality
Concealex Sheaths and Tool Holsters
Canada's Only Custom Concealex Shop!

 
Gunner:

To become a knife tester, in theory your objective will eventually be to have knifemakers and manufacturers sending you their knives for testing, rather than you having to go out and buy them. In the beginning, that's usually difficult -- you'll need to establish some kind of credibility first. So the first few reviews, you may have to buy the knives yourself. Which means you might want to stick to less-expensive knives if you're on a budget. Use these reviews as a way to hone your skills, both testing-wise and writing-wise. You can definitely build a reputation by doing well-written reviews that aren't very tough on the knives being tested, but I'd advise that a tough-but-fair reputation will get you just as far and be more useful for people on the forums.

I started getting manufacturers contacting me and sending me knives after I wrote the rec.knives FAQs. When I started doing reviews, that made it easier. When I became moderator of the Knife Reviews Forum -- in part because of my earlier reviews, as you see it all snowballs -- it became easier still.

Having someone ask you to be a moderator seems like a tougher proposition. There's ostensibly only 3 places to be moderator -- bladeforums, knifeforums, and tacticalforums, and I don't think tacticalforums even has a Knife Reviews Forum. I think that typically, the potential moderators are contacted by the forum owners (Mike/Spark) and asked to be moderators, rather than vice-versa. Ask them what they think you need to do; I'd imagine it's to write some reviews and build some credibility in this area.

Joe
 
When I first read the title of the thread, I immediately thought that someone will swoop in and ridicule Gunner's otherwise seemingly sincere questions. In any case, I commend you all for for being polite and helpful.

After Joe's reply, I have very little to add. He's more qualified to answer anyways. Still, I'll add what little I have.

Both questions ultimately lead to one fundamental requirement and that's having a large dose of integrity. Integrity is needed to make a honest review, and also to be able to moderate with fairness during heated debates.

Like most things we do, experience is important too. We have to start out small. The review department is already covered. To gain experience for moderating forums, I suppose there are two things that can be done. Firstly, it doesn't hurt to hang around a forum for long enough to get to know the people and what to expect out of the forums. Secondly, it wouldn't hurt to start out a club or forum of your own. MSN and Yahoo both offer such services. They're easy to set up and maintain, and they can be quite a bit of fun.

Final thoughts. Unfortunately, moderating positions are very far and few in between, but there are so many of us. And sometimes, I pity the moderators and the job they faced to do. Actually, my wife is an UBB moderator on a different kind of forum site and she tells me it's actually difficult work. Often times, you have to be more graceful and fair than most, willing to deal with people who may never like you and knowing that no matter what you do, somebody somewhere will not be satisfied with your decision. The way I see it, it's more like a janitorial job: Underpaid, under appreciated, and overworked. Well, ok, I hear it's not like that ALL the time.
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But power-trippers need not apply. In fact, they'll be run out of the village in no time. Better to be a wise follower than a foolish leader.

Oops! Gotta go. In any case, thanks for listening to me ramble.
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[This message has been edited by SB (edited 03-28-2000).]
 
Hi Guys....

I'll tell you what my editor told me several years ago,,and I've always stuck with it...

When doing head to head reviews on products, Be Fair, Honest, and point out at Least one feature that is good about each of the products.

Try to keep your reviews Non Negative in nature while still getting across your point to which one come out on top.

ttyle Eric...

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Eric E. Noeldechen
On/Scene Tactical
http://www.mnsi.net/~nbtnoel
Custom made, High Quality
Concealex Sheaths and Tool Holsters
Canada's Only Custom Concealex Shop!

 
A note to anyone that might think that this is just a plight to get a free knife or two, it is not. This in no way is linked to what some might call my past pestering about getting a new knife. Ok this is the deal, if you can go back to when i first joined this forum i always have been interested in becoming a knife tester. I have even called some knife makers about becoming a tester, I even spoke to Jeff Randall. I am going to college this fall and taking outdoor recreation, similar to what Ron Hood teaches, after which I feel that I might have the qualifications to do some reviews. This post is just to get information, I in no way am begging to get any knives. Thanks. Geoff.

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I am the way the truth and the life no man shall come to the father but by me. John 14:6
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In my case, I was the originator of the "Community forum" concept back before BF started. Odd thing is, I'd planned it for someone else
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. Back on Knifeforums long ago a particular "General forum" (equivelent to BF's main forum) moderator got rotated out, there was some controversy, I figured "General" was too big anyways so off-knife-topic and humor stuff could be carved off making a home for the individual in question, improving KF and ending the controversy. What the heck - the "individual" was Mike Turber
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so when he fired up BF, he liked the idea but didn't need it personally so he offered it to me
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.

(For the record: KF is under new ownership, the original controversy is ancient history.)

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Everyone is responsible for their own reputation online. That's always been true, and it won't change. You gather what I sometimes call "credibility points", and the reason you never want to get in a flamewar with somebody is that it'll COST you "credibility points", WIN OR LOSE
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.

You might be completely in the right, but "if you roll around in the mud don't be shocked if somebody thinks you're a pig"
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.

Now Gunner, I'm *not* saying you're guilty of any of the above
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. I'm just giving general examples
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. No insults even slightly implied
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.

The BF moderators are either people of exceptional general credibility (example: James Mattis, Bald1, Cliff, Joe Talmadge, MANY others) or they bring a particular skill to a technical forum, such as the people running Shop Talk, Wilderness, or the various tacticals.

Or they've got a maker/manufacturer/dealer forum, in which case I think they should be allowed to run that "as if it was in their shop"...so you get different "cultural flavors" for each. The Spydie forum is more businesslike than "Bill Martino's Mutant Bar and Grill" as we like to call it
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.

Eventually, I'd like to see a "mechanics and general engineering" forum run by someone who's a better mechanic than myself
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. A good idea for a forum is always welcome for discussion but final approval is Mike's of course.

Jim
 
Not a lot, but as soon as I do I will post about it. Thanks. Geoff.

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I am the way the truth and the life no man shall come to the father but by me. John 14:6

The word of God is full of living power. It is sharper than the sharpest knife, cutting deep into our innermost thoughts and desires. It exposes us for what we really are. Hebrews 4:12

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Gunner, I see you are trying to trade off an ang khola, or however ya spell it. Above, you say you are testing it, and gonna write up the review. Just curious, is this a new one, or used? Did somebody donate it to you? Are you planning to finish reviewing it? Im interested in seeing its performance. If its wasnt donated, do you mind if I ask what ya paid for it? Just in case I want to consider one in the future, ya know.

Richard
 
The Ang Khola I am getting as a trade for a ghillie suit. The one that I am gonna test I already have its a surpati. Thanks. geoff.

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I am the way the truth and the life no man shall come to the father but by me. John 14:6

The word of God is full of living power. It is sharper than the sharpest knife, cutting deep into our innermost thoughts and desires. It exposes us for what we really are. Hebrews 4:12

&lt;&gt;&lt;
 
Geoff....

Can you email me some pics of the suit ??

ttyle Eric..

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Eric E. Noeldechen
On/Scene Tactical
http://www.mnsi.net/~nbtnoel
Custom made, High Quality
Concealex Sheaths and Tool Holsters
Canada's Only Custom Concealex Shop!

 
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