Posting Photos - Who can and can't ?

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Brian,If you don't sell knives, there is no issue. Also, there is no restriction against posting photos of grinders, gizmos, and gadgets. The restrictions are against posting photos of knives that you make. This is because that is in a way a type of advertising.

If it was just folks like you and Tai, who post their projects for all to see and learn from, this issue would not have come up. That is educational, and not the problem. But there are some who post each new knife they have coming up for sale and that is just a way to advertise.

If you have retired from the knife making business, I see no problem with you posting photos of your projects with a basic membership. Brian's website clearly states that he has currently closed his books. That is good enough for me. I am sure he will consider changing his membership level if he decides to get back in the knifemaking for profit business.

scs,
You are expressing the concerns the mods had when discussing this situation. Shop Talk is a unique place. If a person is only posting a knife photo here, and not in the other forums, most likely there will be no issue. If the posts are educational or group related ( KITH,BBQ, etc.)
The occasional seller or serious hobbiest isn't the target either. It is the long time sellers who have never stepped up to the plate as knifemakers.
In a place like The Gallery, or Custom and Handmade, the reason for this rule is much clearer. The problem is that if you make an exception in one arena, it bleeds over into others.


Most everyone reading this post should go on doing what they have been doing. The mods will contact anyone they think needs to reconsider their membership level. If you think we are talking about you, and are are worried about your knife photo posts, just send me or another mod an email/PM. We will check your postings out and tell you if we think that you should get a knifemaker level membership to post knife photos.
I personally won't be advising changes to 99% of the fine folks on Shop Talk.
Please don't confuse my keeping the rules with me not appreciating all that everyone provides to the knife making community here. I truly feel that Shop Talk is the best place on Bladeforums.
 
bladsmth said:
Most everyone reading this post should go on doing what they have been doing. The mods will contact anyone they think needs to reconsider their membership level. If you think we are talking about you, and are are worried about your knife photo posts, just send me or another mod an email/PM. We will check your postings out and tell you if we think that you should get a knifemaker level membership to post knife photos.
I personally won't be advising changes to 99% of the fine folks on Shop Talk.
Please don't confuse my keeping the rules with me not appreciating all that everyone provides to the knife making community here. I truly feel that Shop Talk is the best place on Bladeforums.
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Folks need to read this twice. There is way to much misunderstanding. WIP's, gadgets, gear, feedback seekers and occasional content additions are not the problem...... PLEASE DON'T MISUNDERSTAND.
 
bladsmth said:
If it was just folks like you and Tai, who post their projects for all to see and learn from, this issue would not have come up. That is educational, and not the problem.
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Just to make sure I'm understanding this correctly,... are WIPS and tutorials in Shop Talk to be exempt from the rule and/or exceptions to the rule?

I think that would be a good call.
 
I think that would be a good call. It gets to the spirit of the law rather than the letter of the law.

The letter of the law states only "knifemakers" one can post a picture of the knife they have made (This is where we have problems)
The spirit of the law is that if a knifemaker wants to advertise themselves or their knives, they have to pay membership fees to BF for that ability (I think most people would gladly agree with this)

Along with this, if someone without the "knifemaker" membership were to be contacted regarding the sell of a knife/item they made, they would have to turn down the sell or upgrade their membership level.
 
I personally think that $60 a year is a pittance for the information one can garner from this site. I only make a handful of knives a year, but paying for the ability to post some for sale, you can sell 2 blocks of wood and cover that. One knife sold more than covers the cost.
 
Tai Goo said:
Just to make sure I'm understanding this correctly,... are WIPs and tutorials in Shop Talk to be exempt from the rule and/or exceptions to the rule ?

I think that would be a good call.
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Yes,
As Shop Talk mod, I think it is within my jurisdiction to allow photos of knives posted for Shop Talk reasons. If someone with a basic membership level has a thread every week titled, "My new knife WIP", then I'll send them a PM.

I think that should end any problems with the good guys who want to help and share :)
 
Thanks for clarifying that Stacy.
S̶o̶u̶n̶d̶s̶ ̶l̶i̶k̶e̶ ̶p̶e̶r̶h̶a̶p̶s̶ ̶I̶ ̶c̶a̶n̶ ̶c̶a̶r̶r̶y̶ ̶o̶n̶ ̶a̶s̶ ̶u̶s̶u̶a̶l̶.̶
Edit: Further clarification made it certain I should not post pictures.


To be clear though, I do sell knives, I am a full time maker.
But, there's a 2 year backlog, so the books are closed.
I am not selling knives to the general public over the internet.
 
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bladsmth said:
Yes,
As Shop Talk mod, I think it is within my jurisdiction to allow photos of knives posted for Shop Talk reasons. If someone with a basic membership level has a thread every week titled, "My new knife WIP", then I'll send them a PM.

I think that should end any problems with the good guys who want to help and share :)
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Great! That's perfect. :)

Hope no one abuses it.
 
Nope not a paid member and definitely won't be one here from now on........

Like Wick I have never sold a knife through BF but HAVE offered a lot of info FREE that I normally charge a student $35.00 + an hour for so I reckon it's your loss not mine since the info I have give to others free is much more than I haver garnered here (and nope my head is not so big that I think I'm that important)..........and I have only ever posted pics as a way to hopefully inspire others so anyone wanting that knowledge/inspiration can now pay me direct or get it free elsewhere (most ya'll know where) where my hard earned info and the fact that I take away from MY money earning time to offer to others free of charge is appreciated......so By.....................
 
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Brian, Chuck, you guys are great contributing members here. I've personally learned from both of you. I am dismayed to see you react in such a way, and more dismayed to see you go. I believe I understand in a basic way what is bothering you, but I'm just curious why such a vehement response? From what I can read the rules as discussed and enforced are not at all directed at inhibiting users of your type.

Please, let's keep in mind not only any intended slight perceived, but the camaraderie and community we all share here. I know the internet aesthetic is to keep things free as much as possible, but it's not always possible. I don't believe however that anyone is asking for people such as yourselves that give much more than receive here to buy a membership to be able to post pics.

Chuck, I learned how to make a Mexican loop sheath from your tutorial. Not here, but through here. Brian, all of your stuff on folders and your recent grinder post are inspirational. Thank you to both of you and to all the others who may read this that I've learned from here at BF.
 
"
"Those who use Bladeforums and post their opinions and procedures as well as their knives should be willing to pay for that.
Those who feel they have a "right" to use it for free are freeloaders.
It is just that simple and plain......you use it - you should pay for it."

I believe that's what's offended a number of people
 
That does seem a little blunt. But then, in an online environment, it's tough to see who statements are being directed at sometimes. There are no doubt users who would merit such an assessment. It's also true that the patience of people, mods, whatever who deal with internet jackassery on a regular basis can grow thin sometimes when dealing with the rest of us. It's easy to look at a statement just put out there and sail in with a reactionary statement without considering context, and the lack of eye contact and other cues here don't help.

Anyway, I don't really have a dog in this fight (and I hope it's not a fight) other than my wish for the continuation of a quality environment in Shoptalk. I'll shut up now.
 
Salem,

No hard feelings on my end.
A little dismay, but no ill will.

These rules do directly inhibit us though.

I can no longer post pictures of just about anything.
I make stuff, I sell stuff.
I don't sell here, but that's irrelevant.


Salem Straub said:
I don't believe however that anyone is asking for people such as yourselves that give much more than receive here to buy a membership to be able to post pics.
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You are mistaken.
We are being told that we must pay to do so.
Well I don't know about "we", but I have been told specifically.
 
Just to repeat. I know of no other forum that restricts photos of a makers work, unless the maker states that the work is for sale, that it was made to be for sale, or was sold. Just saying. The owner of the forum sets the rules, and I accept the way it is, although I totally disagree with this one.
 
Not vehement at all - just being honest and yes being called a freeloader is plain BS, but I tain;t fighting since that's plain a waste of energy, just having my say while it's still free to do so. FWIW - I could have taken all that free advice I have offered here and written it up for a magazine and got paid for it - never yet had one ask me to pay them for using an article and those articles are a form of advertising as well so that's where I'm coming from. On the other hand if I wanted to advertise only I would gladly pay, but I DON't post to advertise...no need to since 99% of my work comes from folks seeing my website anyway and I'm once again almost a year back ordered. Correction: I did have ONE person order a sheath from my posts here........
As I said I can do the same thing elsewhere and I saw this coming sometime ago when they split this forum off with a section only for paid members and is one of the reasons I seldom post here............

As for taking it to Sparks - I had my say so IMO no need to go any further than this.........IMO - Stacey as a Mod you SHOULD be notifying the owner of posts like this - it's part of the "job" and yep I know all about being a mod and the time and hassles it can take, since I'm one on a couple of other forums where my time will be better spent in the future......and yep I'm in agreement with Wicks post just above - it's the owner's choice and I will abide by it but I don't have to like it.........
 
"The only members who may promote or display their personally built knives, services and/or products in the discussion threads or via their signature or home page listing in their user profile are "Manufacturers", "Dealers" and "Knifemaker/Craftsman/Service Providers".

This rule is very precise and exact. Either it should be fully enforced or amended. If it is going to be enforced, it should include any member who displays any "personally built knives", which should extend to KITH and non-selling makers.

I for one would rather see it amended to say:
"The only members who may promote or display their personally built knives, services and/or products in the discussion threads or via their signature or home page listing in their user profile for the purpose of financial gain are "Manufacturers", "Dealers" and "Knifemaker/Craftsman/Service Providers".
 
Unfortunately, this sort of conversation is needed to insure that the community doesn't devolve into a chaotic mess where people ignore the rules with impunity.

Whether we individually like the rules or not, it's important to remember that we agreed to abide by them when we created accounts on this forum. Even if the rules have changes since you first signed on, the fact remains our usage of this service is implicit agreement to abide by the rules.

It is sad when some people take such offense to a conversation that they decide to leave. However, if we start punching holes in the rules to keep that from happening, the rules quickly become meaningless and will be ignored with impunity. That may sound like fun to some, but in the end if the forum is taken down because the hoster is fed up dealing with the whole thing, the loss to the community is much greater than the departure of some individuals in the community.

People come and people go. That's a natural part of any community.
 
tryppyr said:
Unfortunately, this sort of conversation is needed to insure that the community doesn't devolve into a chaotic mess where people ignore the rules with impunity.

Whether we individually like the rules or not, it's important to remember that we agreed to abide by them when we created accounts on this forum. Even if the rules have changes since you first signed on, the fact remains our usage of this service is implicit agreement to abide by the rules.

It is sad when some people take such offense to a conversation that they decide to leave. However, if we start punching holes in the rules to keep that from happening, the rules quickly become meaningless and will be ignored with impunity. That may sound like fun to some, but in the end if the forum is taken down because the hoster is fed up dealing with the whole thing, the loss to the community is much greater than the departure of some individuals in the community.

People come and people go. That's a natural part of any community.
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Greg, does it not occur to you that you are in violation of the rule when you post pictures of your knives and WIPs since you do not hold the "Knifemaker" membership. You may be fine under Stacy's interpretation of the rule, but you would most certainly be in violation if the rule were to be strictly enforced.
 
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