Yes, as I understand. What happens if the group slows down on purchases and potential purchasers are alienated from process. Would Fiddleback, WA Surls, and Osprey's sales be impacted? My mind works like this; if I want something I'll try myself and if I can't get it on my own, then someone else can have it. I'm just saying.
Sierrawill,
While I'm quoting your post, this is not directed specifically towards you. Because my reply offers help and insight to any newcomer, I'm posting this rather then sending you a PM or email on the side. Hopefully you take it as helping hand reaching out and not an attack.
Glass half empty: It's a "gang up"
vs
Glass half full: I was at a Christmas play at my kids' school in Vanderbilt TX where you're lucky to be able to make a cell phone call let alone load a web page on a phone. There is zero wifi signal in the school also. I asked a couple folks, if they weren't interested in the item, to give me a hand and so they did. I thought that 1 person out of 3 might help and didn't expect all 3 to assist. But they did so its a positive / support thing. Its unfortunate if someone takes these things as a conspiracy. Another example is that someone commented yesterday that they like something in the Fiddleback preview but will be up in the mountains. I PM'd and asked if they were really interested in the knife and wanted help getting it while out of pocket. They accepted and were appreciative.
Timing/motivation: If you're 10 seconds late or a minute late to a sales thread unlocking, then it is on you for not remembering and being on time. You may as well be an hour or a day late. Set your PC and/or phone time to update with the network, set a reminder/alarm, be ready before the unlocking, refresh/refresh/refresh at the time of unlocking and reply promptly. How are you going to ask folks to not be competitive - or to not help someone out if they're going to be out of pocket?
Reaching out and being part of the community: It could be said that its also on you for not not asking for help or not making your want known. By simply replying in the "Its Thursday" thread that you want to go for something, most of the time folks would not compete with you. On the contrary, you're likely to get help solicited or not. Especially given my collection, I would not compete against a newer follower because its the last thing I want to do to discourage someone or push someone away (alienate) from any of these makers. People can't just keep buying so you need to expand the market of buyers or else the makers won't last. We'd shoot ourselves in the foot by keeping new people out. Heck, I was a new person in the first part of 2016 and was amazed at the help and outreach that I found with these knives. The out-friggen-standing community (including the Makers) is probably 50% the reason for my attraction to these knives if not more.
If you miss something you really want: PM or email the person who got something you really wanted with "Hey, if you don't like that when you get it or ever want to part with it, let me know and I'll take it off your hands" People do it all the time and I've got notes next to half my knives of people who expressed interest. And I have a list of sold knives where probably 15-20 were sold to folks who expressed interest at the point of original sale. I never even had to work up a WTS post/thread.
who does what I don't know with all those knives?: I slept on this and this first part is intended purely with humor but; Have you been talking to my Wife?
Unfortunately, unless you live near one of the brick and mortar OKT/WAS/FF vendors, you can't check these out first-hand before buying. So, you have to "buy to try" and see if you like something. Then if you don't like something, sell or trade it .. often at a loss these days. Many of my purchases are "buy to try" and I've sold/traded a lot. Just in the past week, I landed a super nice blue Esquire and because a newer person commented that they really wanted one like that and would just have to watch in the future, I offered it to them and passed it on just because it would mean more to them. That was a knife that a person could make $30 profit but I went into it being ok with covering PP fees and shipping at a loss - because it was the nice thing to do. They ended up doing PP gift on their own out of appreciation for getting the knife. I've done a few of those and there have been folks who likewise passed something on to me.
To answer the question though: Even if I collect the knives because I like having a running theme, they're still all used and rotated. There are some I've purchased as gifts and given away. There are some that I've purchased and are intended for my children as they grow into them.
My personal offer: My belief is that Osprey K/T, WA Surls and Fiddleback Forge gravitate
good people. Because "buy to try" can be expensive and not everyone can do that, I am willing to send
any of my knives to a member on here as long as they are someone who frequents these forums. After that, its the honor system to not abuse a knife (that I say can be used) or to not use a knife (that is new/unused and I prefer to just be handled/fondled).
Remember to check out the sticky
Osprey K/T Thursdays Tips & Places to buy an Osprey K/T knife
