Participation in the Custom Knife Community?

[Kevin Jones]

I have been using knives and have been fascinated with them from an early age, but if it wasn't for the internet, I would not have nearly the same involvement with them.

It was using the internet that I found internet knife dealers and it was one of those dealers that opened my eyes to the vast on-line community and forums, and more significantly, the location and dates of knife shows.

Considering many friends and acquaintances think my love of knives is strange to say the VERY least, it was great to discover knife shows where I found rooms full of knives and others that shared my love of them.

Personally, I find no substitute to holding a knife in my hands to get an accurate appreciation for its fit, finish and overall quality, which translate into desirability.

I would say the internet is great for getting infomation, interacting and seeing great pictures of knives, but there is no substitute for the pleasure of going to shows.

I have never been one for organizations but I agree that Kevin has done a great job in forming the CKCA and his contributions to the Custom Knife world are substantial.

Unfortunately, due to outsourcing and current economic conditions, my funds for buying knives are non-existent presently.

I went to Blade for the first time this year and it was more than expected and I hope to make it back and also to a hammerin.

I still subscribe to Blade and with the knowledge acquired on the internet, my knife collecting will be more enjoyable when I have the $$$ to buy some knives.

Peter

Hi Peter.
It was nice speaking with you at the past Blade Show. Meeting fellow knife enthusiast, especially ones you often interact with on forums and such is one of the most enjoyable parts of a show.

You make a good point in that enthusiast can still enjoy, participate and learn in a collectible community even when times are tight and there may not be money to buy. I have found in my travels within collectible communities where enthusiast who buy fewer pieces at times spend more time studying, learning, networking and are often very knowledgeable. We see examples of it here on this forum.

Participation helps both the maker and the collector see what is going on.

Whenever I run into a collector I learn from them and I am told the opposite is true. Some things don't mean much when you have only one side of the picture but communicated to someone who has the other side the whole thing comes together.

We hold a bi weekly coffee break at our shop on Tuesday evenings for makers, collectors, traders, users and other interested parties. This gives us all a chance to look at what is going on and discuss it for the benefit of all.

This Tuesday Nov 4th is our next coffee break 7 to 9 PM Call 905 670 0200 for directions.

George

Having get together is a great idea George. I know Uncle AL has a monthly "get together" in his shop/store in AR the third Thursday of the month. I hear from Jerry, Lin, Chuck and the guys how much fun they have.

I do a lot of the above. The forums have been a very good tool for me because they can essentially be a "poor man's school" for knifemaking. I have sold around 16 knives so far and out of that, only three have been sold anywhere other than the forums. That will hopefully change this weekend in Belgium, but the forums will still be in the lead by 3 or 4 even if I sell out. Although conventional wisdom says that the forums are not only a relatively small subset of the total custom community, they are probably also a small subset of the internet custom knife community. With that said, I think that the forums may have an impact on recruiting NEW knife knuts, particularly younger ones, that is disproportionate to the size of the general forum audience in relation to the custom world as a whole. Did that make any sense at all?

Joe, good luck over there and have a blast. :thumbup:

 

[Lorien]

Kevin, I really appreciated this statement:

"You make a good point in that enthusiast can still enjoy, participate and learn in a collectible community even when times are tight and there may not be money to buy. I have found in my travels within collectible communities where enthusiast who buy fewer pieces at times spend more time studying, learning, networking and are often very knowledgeable. We see examples of it here on this forum."

 

[SharpByCoop]

I wish I could 'participate' more online. Really. Yes, I do read daily, and post when I have a moment. Like many of you, I am working more than one job, and have to manage my time.

There is a BIG time difference separating reading vs. posting. Posting is a responsibility (for those who wish to contribute), and hence is more time-demanding. I am always thankful to read other's well-thought-out posts, because of this.

That said, much of the work which keeps me away from the online community will directly benefit us in some way; portfolio shots or dealer webshots ultimately provide knives that end up in the hands and eyes of collectors around the globe.

I part looking at my watch, knowing I have an article to write for a finger-drumming editor about the Tactical Invitational, and a cadre of knives awaiting in my studio for patient dealers. By not being here I might be participating more...! He he he!

Coop

 

[george tichbourne]

I think that if more knifemakers opened their shops on a regular basis to interested public it would spread the word about custom knifemaking.

I realize that the part time makers would find it difficult to spare the time but us full time makers can and should do it.

Another idea is to keep an open door policy for visitors to accomodate the travelling public who would like to see a working knife shop.

George

 

[Kevin Jones]

I wish I could 'participate' more online. Really. Yes, I do read daily, and post when I have a moment. Like many of you, I am working more than one job, and have to manage my time.

There is a BIG time difference separating reading vs. posting. Posting is a responsibility (for those who wish to contribute), and hence is more time-demanding. I am always thankful to read other's well-thought-out posts, because of this.

That said, much of the work which keeps me away from the online community will directly benefit us in some way; portfolio shots or dealer webshots ultimately provide knives that end up in the hands and eyes of collectors around the globe.

I part looking at my watch, knowing I have an article to write for a finger-drumming editor about the Tactical Invitational, and a cadre of knives awaiting in my studio for patient dealers. By not being here I might be participating more...! He he he!
Coop

Talking about participation and contribution. I was sitting here trying to imagine a custom knife community without your photos.
Yep, hard to imagine. The large degree to which your's, Chuck's, Eric's and David's photos have enriched the custom knife industry is unmeasurable. :thumbup:

I think that if more knifemakers opened their shops on a regular basis to interested public it would spread the word about custom knifemaking.

I realize that the part time makers would find it difficult to spare the time but us full time makers can and should do it.

Another idea is to keep an open door policy for visitors to accomodate the travelling public who would like to see a working knife shop.

George

George, I love visiting maker's shops. It's true most maker's have similar equipment and tools, however each one sets up a little different. For example, I enjoying seeing different forger's anvils. Jerry Fisk has his own peculiar design with his name cast into it. Mike Ruth's anvil is on a big wood platform where dozens of ABS smiths have carved/burned their names into it. It's also interesting seeing tools that maker's have made and/or adapted to do specific processes.
I would recommend any collector that has a maker within driving distant to give them a call as I'm sure they would welcome you.

 

[lwrhea]

This a great thread Kevin. I have already read my sentiments so I wont repeat it, but I do agree that involvement in the knife community by collector or maker can only help it's growth and overall health. Thank you (Kevin and others)for being so determined to stick with your beliefs and all your hard work. Lin

 

[Hmathews]

I agree with what George said about having an open shop. We welcome visitors and have had a good many stop by while they were on vacation or business in the area. It does help to know that they will be in the area so we can clean up a bit prior to their visit, but we welcome visitors anytime.

Charlie and I also enjoy hosting a Georgia Custom Knifemakers Guild meeting at our shop each February. The knife community is welcome to attend the Georgia Guild meetings, whether maker, collector, user or dealer. They are relaxed, educational and fun if you like knives. The meeting at our shop is a hands on meeting where you can learn to forge from several accomplished smiths, see demonstrations of equipment and techniques and participate in bull sessions with makers that have years of experience and makers still working on their first knife. We also try to have enough Knifemakers Guild members present so that if you want to complete an application to the Guild you can get it all done in one spot and in private if you want. Our Guild is also the home place of one of the best Smith's at sucking an unsuspecting knife enthusiast into the realm of maker you ever saw.

These gatherings are worth the time and effort that goes into them many times over. We always meet new friends and get to put faces with forum names and e-mails. If you want to spend time getting to know some makers I would look into some of the state knifemakers guild meetings or hammer-ins. If they are like ours you might find yourself in the market for an anvil or a grinder or both, and expanding the custom knife field is what this whole game is about.

 

[jdm61]

Unfortunately, the way my shop looks right now, I might have to require that vistors have an up to date tetanus shot if they want to drop by

 

[McIntosh]

What's funny Joe is that I was just thinking the same thing.