OT: How rare a breed are we?

I grew up in a family that camped out in the woods, rather than a week in Disneyland. Moving through the Scouts like my dad & grandfather, I learned to appreciate that simplicity of being outdoors alone, or with a few pals...roughing it. The knife was an ever present companion. I have to say the two most valuable are my dad's small folder, and my first Buck folder that he bought me. He was always reminding me, take care of your tools and they'll last you forever. I'm sure that we all have similar stories as "knife guys."

Simply put, the average guy will never understand. This is the same fellow that will go out and spend their paychecks on a car that they drive a handful of days a year during the Summer. I'm not a car guy...I just don't get it. It's all relative. I enjoy my Fiddleback's and other high end tools because I appreciate the craftsmanship & the beauty of a quality tool. They are handmade and unique. I'm at a stage in my life that I can afford quality. Like my dad & granddad, I look forward to the day when I can hand my tools down to someone who will appreciate them. This thread says a lot about who we are....much appreciated.

Kevin
 
Unfortunately, this country is heading to a place where not many understand, know or value quality anymore. You go into the average guys house and you would be hard pressed to find anything tangible that would last and hold up well say over 10-15 years. You'd pretty much find all disposable furniture, low-end electronics and an awful $30 coffee maker that will die in a year or two.

I've showed my collection of FBs to my non-knife nut friends, including 1 of my wife's girlfriends, and they were blown away at the quality. They asked how much they cost and I would tell them. That didn't seem surprised at all. One of my engineer friends thought they would cost more!

I didn't know this handmade/custom world existed to what I know it today... I'm glad there are the users and collectors that can creat the demand for these fine blades. Before I found FB, I only knew of SOG, Kershaw etc. I knew there were some custom bladesmiths that made high-end chefs knives and gyutos for chefs and foodies. I was exposed to this world of chefs knives and water stone sharpening through a website called "Badger and Blade" that's dedicated to shaving and grooming. Seems odd yes, but the Gillette cartridge you spend $3-4/week is like eating every day at mcdonalds. Get yourself a solid metal double edge razor and some double edge blades for 10-25 cents each. You'll have better shaves with less irritation guaranteed. It worked for our dads and grand fathers well before the Gillette machine decided to gouge and plunder our manhood by selling us overpriced toy looking plastic garbage to shave with.

Sorry to ramble and preach, but ever since I've had the "quality epiphany" several years ago I'll never go back. Thank you to FB Nation that can support Andy and his crew!

PS - if you yourself are guilty of the cheap coffee maker... For around $300 you can score one of the best coffee makers on the planet and a solid grinder. You'll have decades of awesome coffee. It's ugly, got one switch ("on/off) and has an actual copper heating component. Brews coffee at the right temp perfectly every time and does not burn it with a heating plate. Maybe I love coffee more than the next guy, but life is too short to drink shitty coffee! Check out a Technivorm Moccamaster.
 
Everyone earlier has made some good points - - - - especially about the matter of quality nowadays. "The latest thing" seems to beat out quality in many areas.

As for knives, not only do I find it rare to see someone carrying a quality custom, it's rare to find a guy carrying any kind of knife at all. The exception that I find,is guys in the trades or farmers carrying some kind of multi-tool in a belt sheath. I've never come across another guy around town or in the field carrying a custom knife (knife shows don't count).

I like fixed blade knives most. I now spend most of my time in an area where I can EDC a fixed blade knife. I'm interested in well made custom fixed blade knives that can be put to work so Fiddleback Forge is perfect for me :)


P.S. - As a side question, I've been a long term BF member and than was away from the forum for awhile (had found what worked for me in knives, so took a break). I renewed my Gold membership about a week ago. Are other guys finding that it takes awhile till the new membership status is shown ? I think I'm following all the steps to change my group status, but nothing seems to work. Maybe they're just backed up ? I used PayPal and I think it has to be updated manually. Thanks
 
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Dude!! When my Cuisinart dies, I am soooo wanting a Moccamaster! I checked them out and they are awesome! I've been a fresh ground coffee drinker since 1998. I love my Java! I've been an advocate for buying quality for years. For me it only made sense to make the move to Fiddlebacks once I changed from folders to fixed blades. The same people who buy cheap, don't realize that over time they're spending a lot more replacing their junk then if they had saved and bought quality to begin with.

Tha Baron said:
Unfortunately, this country is heading to a place where not many understand, know or value quality anymore. You go into the average guys house and you would be hard pressed to find anything tangible that would last and hold up well say over 10-15 years. You'd pretty much find all disposable furniture, low-end electronics and an awful $30 coffee maker that will die in a year or two.

I've showed my collection of FBs to my non-knife nut friends, including 1 of my wife's girlfriends, and they were blown away at the quality. They asked how much they cost and I would tell them. That didn't seem surprised at all. One of my engineer friends thought they would cost more!

I didn't know this handmade/custom world existed to what I know it today... I'm glad there are the users and collectors that can creat the demand for these fine blades. Before I found FB, I only knew of SOG, Kershaw etc. I knew there were some custom bladesmiths that made high-end chefs knives and gyutos for chefs and foodies. I was exposed to this world of chefs knives and water stone sharpening through a website called "Badger and Blade" that's dedicated to shaving and grooming. Seems odd yes, but the Gillette cartridge you spend $3-4/week is like eating every day at mcdonalds. Get yourself a solid metal double edge razor and some double edge blades for 10-25 cents each. You'll have better shaves with less irritation guaranteed. It worked for our dads and grand fathers well before the Gillette machine decided to gouge and plunder our manhood by selling us overpriced toy looking plastic garbage to shave with.

Sorry to ramble and preach, but ever since I've had the "quality epiphany" several years ago I'll never go back. Thank you to FB Nation that can support Andy and his crew!

PS - if you yourself are guilty of the cheap coffee maker... For around $300 you can score one of the best coffee makers on the planet and a solid grinder. You'll have decades of awesome coffee. It's ugly, got one switch ("on/off) and has an actual copper heating component. Brews coffee at the right temp perfectly every time and does not burn it with a heating plate. Maybe I love coffee more than the next guy, but life is too short to drink shitty coffee! Check out a Technivorm Moccamaster.
Click to expand...
 
Pointshoot777 said:
P.S. - As a side question, I've been a long term BF member and than was away from the forum for awhile (had found what worked for me in knives, so took a break). I renewed my Gold membership about a week ago. Are other guys finding that it takes awhile till the new membership status is shown ? I think I'm following all the steps to change my group status, but nothing seems to work. Maybe they're just backed up ? I used PayPal and I think it has to be updated manually. Thanks
Click to expand...

That's something for a Super Mod to work out for you - have you contacted one? IMO, getting opinions from regular members wont solve your issue.
 
bonafide said:
That's something for a Super Mod to work out for you - have you contacted one? IMO, getting opinions from regular members wont solve your issue.
Click to expand...

Thanks bonafide - yeah I posted in the help forum and got a reply from Esav. Also sent an email. I think it'll just take a little time as it needs to be updated manually and there are a lot of members. I appreciate your comment. Sorry for taking the thread off topic.
 
bonafide said:
That's something for a Super Mod to work out for you - have you contacted one? IMO, getting opinions from regular members wont solve your issue.
Click to expand...

Thanks bonafide - yeah I posted in the help forum and got a reply from Esav. Also sent an email to Spark. I was just curious as to whether others ran into this. No big deal, I'm sure it'll get sorted out. Sorry for taking the thread off topic.
 
I think I saw a guy with a fiddleback or WAS at a local grocery store (sprouts)(if that was one of yall let me know)but I only saw the top .5 inch but it looked like a sneaky Pete with a redish handle but im not sure.
 
I couldnt agree more. I feel like the friends I have that carry knives, dont care about haveing a detailed conversation about them like I do.
 
Tha Baron said:
Unfortunately, this country is heading to a place where not many understand, know or value quality anymore. You go into the average guys house and you would be hard pressed to find anything tangible that would last and hold up well say over 10-15 years. You'd pretty much find all disposable furniture, low-end electronics and an awful $30 coffee maker that will die in a year or two.

I've showed my collection of FBs to my non-knife nut friends, including 1 of my wife's girlfriends, and they were blown away at the quality. They asked how much they cost and I would tell them. That didn't seem surprised at all. One of my engineer friends thought they would cost more!

I didn't know this handmade/custom world existed to what I know it today... I'm glad there are the users and collectors that can creat the demand for these fine blades. Before I found FB, I only knew of SOG, Kershaw etc. I knew there were some custom bladesmiths that made high-end chefs knives and gyutos for chefs and foodies. I was exposed to this world of chefs knives and water stone sharpening through a website called "Badger and Blade" that's dedicated to shaving and grooming. Seems odd yes, but the Gillette cartridge you spend $3-4/week is like eating every day at mcdonalds. Get yourself a solid metal double edge razor and some double edge blades for 10-25 cents each. You'll have better shaves with less irritation guaranteed. It worked for our dads and grand fathers well before the Gillette machine decided to gouge and plunder our manhood by selling us overpriced toy looking plastic garbage to shave with.

Sorry to ramble and preach, but ever since I've had the "quality epiphany" several years ago I'll never go back. Thank you to FB Nation that can support Andy and his crew!

PS - if you yourself are guilty of the cheap coffee maker... For around $300 you can score one of the best coffee makers on the planet and a solid grinder. You'll have decades of awesome coffee. It's ugly, got one switch ("on/off) and has an actual copper heating component. Brews coffee at the right temp perfectly every time and does not burn it with a heating plate. Maybe I love coffee more than the next guy, but life is too short to drink shitty coffee! Check out a Technivorm Moccamaster.
Click to expand...

I remember this movie I think it was "American buity" when they show the town from the air
Identical houses, identical furniture , identical people with no bright interest, all depressed and does not know what to do with their life.

I kind allergic to these similar apartment or townhouse complexes.

Repeating next person: when my crousinart would die....

Well I just don't have time to search for good coffeemaker
I am making coffee with a good old fashion way boiling it in special coffee pot like it doing in turkey or Europe
 
On the subject of quality tools, and valuing quality over quantity, I really enjoy this video:

[video]http://vimeo.com/m/78468485[/video]
 
plue said:
On the subject of quality tools, and valuing quality over quantity, I really enjoy this video:

[video]http://vimeo.com/m/78468485[/video]
Click to expand...

Thank you. That was absolutely brilliant.


(I didn't know anything about Vimeo but signed up for the free account. It was quick and easy to do.)
 
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I have to agree, it is sometimes hard to remember that we are not as common as bladeforums here makes me think sometimes. The highest quality knife I have seen someone carry outside of a knife show was a $25 Buck.
Tha Baron said:
Seems odd yes, but the Gillette cartridge you spend $3-4/week is like eating every day at mcdonalds. Get yourself a solid metal double edge razor and some double edge blades for 10-25 cents each. You'll have better shaves with less irritation guaranteed. It worked for our dads and grand fathers well before the Gillette machine decided to gouge and plunder our manhood by selling us overpriced toy looking plastic garbage to shave with.
Click to expand...
I would also recommend a nice solid metal double edge safety razor. Been using one for a year and a half and it works great. A good bonus is that, since the blades are easily removable, you can take the blades out and easily sharpen them up. I have probably gone through five blades in the entire time I have used it, $0.50 each. It is amazing how much money people waste on disposable razors, especially when they could be using that money to save up for a nice knife ;) This one is mine, a Gillette Slim Adjustable Safety Razor:
LDN9tq.jpg
 
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I used a Edwin jagger db89l...... Back before I grew a beard
005.jpg


Keeping it real with some fbf content
003-3.jpg
 
As a 20 year old I am constantly amazed at my friends' lack of respect for quality. They were raised with the disposable goods mentality. At some point I started buying quality goods that started with handmade wallets/belts (Corter and Tanner Goods) and Red Wing and Alden boots. I've also learned to respect a good pair of USA made jeans. It's interesting that the quality wallets, belts, boots, jeans, and knives all have one thing in common... they age beautifully and you don't throw them away. You resole the boots, oil and restitch the wallet, get your jeans patched and your knife sharpened. This thread has clarified my thoughts that my generation and even those before me don't respect quality and probably pay more for their disposable goods.

thanks for making me feel better about putting out the money for quality... I think
 
At least guys over there still carry knives, in the UK the majority of people who carry knives are.criminals carrying cheap kitchen knives. Rare to meet anyone carrying a pocketknife, let alone a decent one.
 
Phillip,

That is very cruel of you to post a picture of that nice Padre. :crushed: You might as well gouge my eyes out with a Palmer to put me out of my misery. :anonymous:

Phil

VANCE said:
Keeping it real with some fbf content
003-3.jpg
Click to expand...
 
Sorry guys
That's an old pic. It's the only one I had with a fiddleback and razor in it
 
Wesco boots, Saddleback wallet and briefcase, Morley razor. We're not so rare, it is just a big haystack. What will be truly sad is when there are no cobblers left to resole my boots. I don't relish the idea of having to learn every trade.
 
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