John White MS Memorial BEST BOWIE Thread - What Happened?

[i4Marc]

I'm starting this discussion so we can talk about why participation has fallen so low. I think the John White MS Memorial Best Bowie thread is a favorite of many. Let's try to analyze what is happening and then get some suggestions for how to get more people involved.





As far as suggestions, if we don't already have a "show me your Bowies" type thread maybe we could start one and pin it to the top so we can find it. I'll start one. Then post all the bowies made that year in that thread even if they were not unveiled on BF. As long as they were made in that year they can be posted in that thread. If Coop is ok with pulling images from his gallery for the purposes of posting in the Bowies thread that would help because he sees ALL THE BOWIES!

 

[eric brinkerhoff]

I was actually working on a Bowie to enter this year (I'm not as good a knife maker as all of you ,but I was still going to enter, just for fun!) But then I lost my blade that was coming along so well! How in the heck does a grown man lose a 14-in quarter inch thick blade?

 

[Richard338]

Marc, great topic worth exploring. There are a number of issues such as people migrating to Instagram or YouTube, but I'll focus on what we can do here.
As you know I organized it last year and again this year. I tried to keep the timing and format the same, copying from the old threads.
The flow has been a heads-up thread in the second week of December, then the nominations thread on December 26, and then the finals thread on the 31st.
Both of these years I've had people contact me due to missing the timing, either of the nominations or the final voting.
My suggestion is that next year we have each of the three steps open for a week.
Having a compilation thread stickied at the top all year as you suggest will facilitate nominations and maintain interest.

 

[i4Marc]

New Bowies! thread is started! The beginning of each new year will be posted in bold type. So finding the beginning and ending of a particular year will be easier. Let's try to keep the posts mostly pictures.

Richard, you have been doing a great job with managing the contest. Thank you for taking on the task.

 

[Richard338]

Marc, I reported your thread asking a mod to make it a sticky.

ETA Thank you mods for such quick action!

 

[JParanee]

I am as guilty as anyone.

Interest in forums seems to have declined in general and I think the last Bowie I purchased won this so its been awhile since I have been chasing the perfect Bowie but if I were to think about it would look like Marc’s fine piece that won this years contest. A modern Interpretation of what a Bowie is meant to be……. Clean and ultra efficient

I do not know if the newer collectors covet the Bowie as much as we all do and did

the makers would need to answer here. Are you getting requests for Bowies ?

i sure do love this annual thread and the pieces are always spectacular thank you to all that keep it going

 

[i4Marc]

Thanks, Joe.

I know that You Tube, Instagram and other outlets have pulled some of our audience and that is only natural. I'm not the most insightful person but I would think that not all but a lot of those viewers would tend to be of a younger persuasion. The viewers and contributors that made the Bowie thread so popular were (probably) an older set of experienced makers, collectors and enthusiasts. The kind of folks who read books and didn't know how to use a smart phone. And even if they enjoyed using Instagram and other sites it doesn't need to be to the exclusion of this site. So what other factors am I missing? Is it something about how this Forum is managed? Is it that it's more tedious to upload pictures here than other places? Is it the stupid "like" button that allows people to quickly click a button and move on without offering thoughts or engaging in thoughtful discussion? Maybe it has a lot to do with each of us. Why can you have threads with hundreds or thousands of views and only a small handful of replies? The views are there but the engagement is not. I don't know but I think it's worth trying to figure out.

 

[SharpByCoop]

It's been noted:

The Bowie-loving crowd has matured, and its participants have dropped off from forums in general.

There are PLENTY of fine Bowies still being created. However, they are being quietly surpassed by the ubiquitous 'Chef's Knife', which appeals to a newer, and younger crowd.

I am certain I captured MORE Chef's knives than Bowies last year. A quick glance at my KnifeGallery confirms this.

And THAT crowd, is being satisfied by the juggernaut called Instagram.

Even Facebook is exceeded by IG. And now Youtube and (dare I say) TikTok is growing in knifemaking viewership.

The itch is being scratched elsewhere. Newer collectors want more exotic types. Innovative and fresh designs.

I KNOW I play a role in viewership, yet I make no apologies. At age 69 I am still working two jobs day and evenings managing this. I traveled to (7) shows last year. So much energy away from my studio. YIKES!

Posting on Bladeforums is a task I can't keep up with, and I know I am a conduit to this arena. (Time cost vs benefit. Where is my work attention MOSTLY viewed?)

So, us old guard have to accept the new dialog venues.

I love the old days, too.

Good thread,

Coop

 

[BuckeyeBladeFan]

Sample size of one so treat this with the grain of salt it doesn’t even deserve.

A few thoughts: I would consider updating the thread name (the contest and the sticky). I get the history and that should not be tossed aside lightly. But a contest of the best camp knives, fighters, bowies, and large fixed blades is far more encompassing. If you have the history of the thread, you realize it is meant to be inclusive. But as somebody that didn’t have that history, it was a Bowie thread which is a lot more niche.

Embrace international makers. More and more of the actively participating makers here are international and several of those communities seems to encourage participation from their peers (casual observation shows this from Brazil, Poland, and other knife communities). A few well placed advocates sharing great work from around the world could dramatically increase entries.

Agree with keeping nomination windows open longer. And the brief dialogue about eligibility. Posted first time anywhere in 2022 vs just on BladeForums. More is better. Maybe a best BladeForums and best overall distinction to keep the value of active here.

Is it possible to post the voting and/or nomination in GKD? As a way to bring more members to this section, it could bring more eyes and discussion to this sub forum for one month a year.

As a last aside, until SharpByCoop said it, I didn’t realize I was one of those ‘newer’ collectors. I would LOVE a Chef’s Knife contest and lament that the custom culinary knife dialogue here is not more robust, including in the for sale section. And, yes, I know I could play a role in changing that. For what it is worth, I have purchased quite a few from makers here as part of my support. But I don’t encourage discussion or dialogue and fully recognize that. I’m not volunteering to start one, but I would be an earnest viewer and probably reach out to several makers about adding to my collection should one exist.

Credit to all looking to improve the experience

 

[Chefget]

Here is my take FROM 2013. My posting in the custom forums has been VERY minimal since this time. Take it for what it's worth...

"As I type this...

18 fixed bowie/blade posts
7 folder posts

When I emailed a fellow forum member several days ago it was 21/3 fixed to folders

I used to post here a lot more in the past, largely due to the fact that I enjoy folders more than fixed blades...it actually got to the point that I thought to myself "One more ABS damascus and stag bowie and I'm gonna........" (I still read a lot, just not much to say)

The point being; is this forum intentionally trying to drive the market in a certain direction, or is it just the preference of some of the more prolific members of the (sub)forum? Do other forums look at C&H BF as an instrument of specific makers and styles or preferences?

Are tactical titanium folders prefered at one place, while highly crafted fixed blades are prefered at another? Yes.

Is there drift and crossover, with members belonging to both? Yes

For many people are the new, "tactical" (ouch), titanium folders with clean lines, shotgun-chambering type opening and the feeling of indestructibility both new and different from what has been seen....one could argue refreshingly different in it's own way and for what it is (besides the obscene prices)? Yes indeed

Beside all that...I believe essentially the same back and for has been heard from religious/political/geographic groups for quite a while

JMHO YMMV

-Michael"

 

[Lorien]

The views are there but the engagement is not. I don't know but I think it's worth trying to figure out.

I think you nailed it, man. Not sure if that's something anyone can 'fix'.

That said, Bladeforums in general is very different than the social media platforms that are robbing us of dialogue and replacing that with quips and platitudes. I think it's that difference which will allow Bladeforums to remain relevant, so celebrating the difference in some way is always worthwhile, and perhaps even proactive. BB is one of the ways that the difference has been recognized and celebrated, so tweaking the format isn't such a bad idea.

One thing that might help would be for Bladeforums to build its own social media presence in all or some of the platforms currently available, for the purpose of driving its followers here. That decision would land on Spark , and would require a pretty hefty commitment.

 

[Richard338]

Good points B BuckeyeBladeFan . I hesitated in posting around the forum to avoid the appearance of trying to draw people over to vote for my piece. I think it's worth doing though and I would hope that Spark would approve. This is all about knives and knife makers and not about promoting sales. This is something I'll be happy to pursue this coming year.

 

[Blues]

Marc, I reported your thread asking a mod to make it a sticky.

ETA Thank you mods for such quick action!

You're welcome. It was an easy fix.

 

[i4Marc]

A few things.....

At least we figured out one thing.....it's Coop's fault!


I named the stickied thread Bowies! so it could easily be searched, but the instructions inside clearly include choppers, camp knives, fighters and other large fixed blades that qualify for the yearly competition. Since the thread has been pinned I will change the title to be more inclusive.

Does Blade Forums have an official page on Instagram? There seems to be one on You Tube but looks like just promos for production knives. Perhaps an official presence on the other platforms can help to drive traffic here (and other sections of the Forum).

One thing that was mentioned is including international makers. That is a great idea but I think it would help if we all invited makers whose work we respect near or far to come over here and join in the Forum. Just don't invite Julian Antunes. He'll win every year. That much talent in one young man should be illegal.

Would breaking up the C&H subforum into a few categories help? Maybe there could be Culinary Knives, Fixed Blades (or some other description for non-culinary fixed blades, but where do you draw the line?) and folders. Who knows?

But the issue is still engagement. How do you get new people and the people who are already here to contribute and participate more?

 

[brownshoe]

I think the drop off for forums is also due to a forum requires more attention than instagram-etal. People want quick and easy. Plus Social media for $ is a bigger draw to makers and their photographers than social media for fun. People who post out of joy are fewer than those that post for "work".