READ THE STICKYs

Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith

Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith

ilmarinen - MODERATOR
Moderator
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Aug 20, 2004
Messages
38,480
Every other day, sometimes times daily, a question is asked that the answer has been posted over and over again. Also, it seems daily that a newer maker (or an older one) has a problem that could easily have been avoided with the info that is right here in front of them.....if they had done some reading first.

I will tell those requesters what we tell every new maker who comes on this forum -
READ THE STICKYS

The first one says, "Knife Making Supplies". This sticky has a huge list of tutorials and suppliers broken down by category.

There are other stickys up top on making knives, metallurgy,HT, etc.

Seriously, before making a post, any new person should read all the stickies and tutorials. That will take a couple of weeks, but will answer 98% of all your questions in detail. It will also prepare you for the tasks you are starting on. It is foolish to start a project when you have no idea as to how to finish it.

If you want to search the BF for info, use this search engine:
http://www.google.com/cse/home?cx=011197018607028182644:qfobr3dlcra

The older members should take a look at the stickys,too. There is often new stuff being added.

If you think a thread should be made a sticky, shoot me a PM and I'll move it. If you find an old link that doesn't work, let me know and I'll remove it.
 
I just want to say thanks to all the people that have taken the time to post all the great info in the stickies. It is an amazing wealth of information. The fact that people so freely give away their knowledge on this subject is one of the reasons I'm interested in knifemaking.

Now how do I heat treat my lawnmower blade that I ground into a sorta knife shaped thingy? Just kidding:-)
 
Stacy the stickies are great!

However sometimes speaking (and as someone who still considers himself a newbie). Sometimes the information within the stickies can be confusing. As we progress enough to be able to sit and write a sticky the information within the sticky becomes over the head of the newbie, simply because we are no longer a newbie and now we look at from a different perspective!

I once had a karate instructor that said different people learn in different ways, some learn by reading, others learn by observation, and some have to do the move but, "that doesn't make the knowledge that I am trying to impart to them any less or more valuable however you learn"!

I did construction for years before I got into this knife making game and sometimes I felt like I answered the same question so many times it was unbearable. However if there is one thing age has taught me is to treat every question with dignity! There is nothing that makes me madder than to ask a question and then be treated like a moron. If you did not have the time to answer the question with out all the drama or trying to talk down to someone then don't waste your valuable time to sit their and write a long reply on how stupid the question was and then not even answer the question.

There is nothing that will crush a young potential great knife maker quicker than telling them how dumb there question is. I have had great knife makers that are BS & MS’s who have taken the time to answer a question in great detail to me. Afterward I realized maybe that question was kind of dumb. But I got my answer and it made me appreciate it that much more, and it made that person who took the time to answer it a much bigger person than he was ten minutes before he answered my dumb question.

I sometimes do not like the direction that I see this and other forums moving lately. If we want a forum of nothing but experts, “then we all have nothing to talk about because we all already know it all”!
Having said all that I have learned that for someone who used to be totally computer illiterate that Google is a great tool and the search feature of the forum now that it has been turned back on is also a good place too start! Like Stacy said read the stickies!
 
I couldnt agree more Stacy... it took all I had to not post how strongly I felt about a member staying away from fire and sharp objects yesterday, after asking for help bending annealed steel...

Jason
 
The stickies are great, but they do need some TLC, a lot of links are dead and a lot of the threads have gotten very bloated so it takes quite a while to dig out the info.

I've managed to find answers to a lot of questions using google to search the site. That doesn't mean I never have to ask a question, but usually it got me part of the way there and I asked a more specific question.

As for folks not wanting to answer questions, I don't think that's it at all. The key group of answer guys here clearly put a lot of time and effort into their responses and it's understandable for them to get frustrated when the same question gets asked over and over. The net is a wonderful thing, it stores the information and makes it easily searched.
 
the only thing i would add is not only read the stickys and utilize the search functions but also............

READ ALL OF THE THREADS AND THE POSTS IN THEM!!!!!

take the time and initiative to just read the available information, there is no place else on the planet that your going to be able to find this type, quality, and quantity of knife making information........ use it IT'S FREE!!!!

now back to your regularly scheduled program :)

Jake
 
I've been thinking about this all day. The problem with the stickies is too much information. Too much chit-chat in the stickies and too many technical terms that newbies don't understand. Try explaining hypereutectoid to a beginner. As well, the beginner gets lost on some of the threads, because they figure everything after the OP is just chit-chat. A lot of it is. Stickies should be stripped of all non-relevant posts. As well, dead links need to be removed.
 
Stickies can be a lot of work to get through. But no one needs to memorize everything there the first time out. Browse! Read through each stickie thread slow and easy, skimming faster when it's not what you're interested in or able to understand yet. When you've gotten through what makes sense to you, hopefully you'll have an idea what to get back to once you are actually working on something.

Everyone does learn in different ways. I always needed time to practice, hands-on beat falling asleep over a book every time. But it's good to familiarize yourself with what's in writing -- someone already solved the problem you're faced with.

And as long as it takes to read the stickies, think how much longer it takes to get answers to all the wrong questions you'll ask before you re-invent the wheel. :)
 
I don't know about everyone else, but I spent literally weeks browsing through all of the posts and searching this site for information when I first started before I ever posted. I'm sure when I started out I asked some pretty lame questions, but I at least tried to have a rudimentary understanding of what I was asking about.

There is no one-page easy read that will teach you all there is to know on knife making. You have to dig through the more advanced content to get a more full understanding sometimes. It's not a waste of time, it just TAKES time.

In my mind, there are no dumb questions, but there are some brazenly ignorant ones. As an educator, I do see generational differences from even the short time ago that I was coming up. Much less common now is the self-drive to learn about a topic, and all too common is the, should I say, expectation or demand that information be spoon fed and delivered in a nice neat package. Students seem to have a much larger sense of entitlement, expecting their instructors and the system to bend to fit them.

Anyway, maybe I'm just tired at the end of a long day and not feeling very well, but the information is out there. All you have to do is go track it down, educate yourself, and ask questions to clarify. The stickies are a great place to start.

--Nathan
 
No one is saying that asking a question is dumb. However, asking "Where can I buy steel" ,when the first sticky is " Knife Supplies" shows little initiative.
 
Im still finding new info in the stickies. I think the problem may be the "immediate gratification". When I was young if you wanted an answer to a question to had to look for it not google it. Most of the younger people dont know what its like to dig through books etc. to find information.
 
Pity we couldn't have a prerequisite test that would need to be completed before one posts a question - just to prove they read the stickies. Something along the lines of:

1) What is the critical temperature for 1095 steel?
2) A Hypoeutectoid steel has A) <0.80%C, B) 0.80%C, C) >0.80%C, or D) a shit-ton of Cr.
3) If I wanted to buy a ceramic platen I would go to A) Aldo Bruno, B) Ellis Knifeworks, or C) Jantz Knife Supply.

(Pretty sure the answer to all of those is in the stickies...at least for #1 and #2)
 
Extending the entrance exam:

4) Unknown steel is cheaper to work with that known steel (T) (F)
5) Which grinders are preferred by knifemakers (a) 6" Bench Grinder, (b) 2 X 72 Belt Grinder, (c) Hot Pastrami Grinder
6) Which glue is best for attaching scales (a) Super Glue, (b) Gorilla Glue, (c) J B Weld, (d) Slow Setting Epoxy
7) Harbor Freight is an excellent source for steel piercing drill bits (T) (F)
8) Place the following steps in order of execution (a) Normalization, (b) Annealing, (c) Tempering, (d) Heat Treatment
9) Wootz is (a) Indestructible, (b) Rust Proof, (c) Non-existent, (d) All of the above
10) The absolute best steel is (a) Titanium, (b) 52100, (c) Damascus, (d) Wootz, (e) determined by application
 
bladsmth said:
Seriously, before making a post, any new person should read all the stickies and tutorials.
Click to expand...

Stacy is the mod - so he gets to decide - but I disagree with this thread. The stickys make great bathroom reading (yes, I have wireless internet) and they are wonderful reading, but trying to get a short answer out of them is like trying to use the encyclopedia Britannica without an index.

If you have a simple question, there are lots of people here willing to answer it - and we may refer or link you to a sticky for a detailed answer.

It's just overwhelming for a first time maker working from the $50 knife shop - to have to read about the butt centred pubic structure of his steel as it passes through his nose. :(

So my suggestion is - if someone asks a question that you know is answered in the stickies - just politely link them to the post to smooth the path. We were all there once. Some of us still are. :)

Rob!
 
For crying out loud... I should have known better than to allow myself to get pulled into a conversation like this here...

"snip"
post deleted

I have been called many things on the internet, but never before have I been accused of being anti-technology, ;) that is a new one that I won’t even try to wrap my mind around.:rolleyes:

Stacy, I wish you the best of luck.
 
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