New, KnifeMaker only forums: Your thoughts?

[Wild Rose]

Now, I hate punks and posers and wannabes and anyone else who wants to disrupt this forum, but consider that without at least SOME influx of fresh blood, we become a room full of stuffy old men - set in our ways. No new ideas come to the table. No fresh breeze to clear the air.

That pretty much says it for me! IMO limiting a thread to only a particular group would be counterproductive to the knifemaking community at large.
I've been selling my craft for over thirty years - busting my hump doing it - and currently it is my family's SOLE source of income - there are no other sources of income - i.e. my wife does not work else where nor do I (well I do a bit of website design and that is almost totally knife related).

So after re-reading this entire thread I have a couple of questions:
1) I was not aware that currently there were any limits on who could buy a Knifemaker membership? I may be mistaken, but if there aren't currently then why the worry about posers, etc.? This forum is now open to anybody and I have never seen a great influx of such?????

2) If such "limits" were set who would decide who is eligible? And by what criteria? Would we set up a committee to decide? (I wouldn't think Spark would have the time to wade through and research every application)
He!! - from the multitude of threads I've seen discussing that subject there seems to be a single consensus on who is a "knifemaker"!

3) For this who think an exclusive club house of knifemakers is a good idea why? What gains would one get? I just bloody don't understand? I thought the whole idea was to share our ideas and encourage new makers! Or am I just naive??????

IMO limiting a thread to only a particular group would be counterproductive to the knifemaking community at large.

The idea of bringing the current threads under one roof is a GOOD idea and as Dan (pendentive) said I can only seeing it being a benefit to everyone and if those like myself who are totally dependent on knives, leather, etc. to earn a living would find it beneficial to pony up the membership fee.
Also as somebody who is deeply involved in not only knife making, but the leather that goes with it - would the sheath makers than be banned from getting a Knifemaker's membership because he ain't part of the clan?
Not only that I WANT potential customers aka collectors to see my work so why would I want to have some exclusive area where they would not be allowed???

Again creating an exclusive forum of any kind would IMO just be counter productive and would likely turn off a whole bunch of folks not only potential makers but potential customers and I don't know about ya'll but I sure can't afford to turn off customers!