I have both Kershaws and a Ford Ranger so thank you for speaking in my terms
I love them enough and have seen enough to love them when they are great to be disappointed when they are not.
At a high level, let's assume that a person who makes widgets and a person who has collected widgets for as many or even more years both have an emotional investment in the widget. The person who makes them, as an artist or creative... and the collector who simply has a passion for them.
I'm actually an artist of sorts and one thing pretty consistent with many creatives is to be overly critical of that which is closest (a strive for perfection that is really not attainable is often the drive). Another thing about creatives is that if they really care about their art... then it's hard to be humble. Many can easily be quietly hard on themselves, but if anyone else is critical then it is often taken VERY personally. Even if a collector or anyone else very close to the widget doesn't create it, they still can share a similar defensiveness. A creative is often most defensive when they are critiqued on something they have already been critical on themselves for.
If part of a creative's process is as a part of a team, however, you have to learn to be humble and take constructive criticism. People are human and if there is any passion at all, then often times constructive criticism can be mixed with sarcasm, and other tones that are often inappropriate but need to be worked through or filtered by experience and general spirit that the discussion is only heated sometimes because everyone wants the widget to be successful.
I guess I see some similarities between a creative and a collector. I'm used to a manufacturer's creative process where the above is very true. It's hard to just turn that off. I have done it for 20 years. I guess I see a forum as a place for similar back and forth since we all have similar opinions on what works and what doesn't work and we all want to see the widget succeed. I just don't see anything wrong with flaws in product. Nor talking about them. Flaws are just a fact. And when you talk about them, they get avoided and lead toward a better product.
One other thing. The product is the same as the entity that created it. The product represents the creator and vice versa. In Kershaw's case, their customer service is just as important as the product itself. As key to their success as the knives themselves (we all agree that's stellar). This forum is an extension of the product and it's creator. It is endorsed and supported. As such, it should be an open venue.. positive and negative.
If any of the above is hard to interpret, I apologize. One of my weaknesses is to ramble.
OE, this right here sums up in just a few words why I am completely baffled by you! You've loved the product for nearly 30 years, yet you are full of "open criticism" that you still stand by to this day! So what is it? Do you like Kershaw or don't you????
It's like saying "I've driven Ford trucks for the last 30 years, had 2 Rangers, 3 F150's and 2 F250's in that time.....Man I REALLY hate Ford trucks, know what I mean???"
It's not making sense to me. I'm sorry.
Jon
And just what exotic locale were you returning from this time?