Small community?

[trespasser]

This is actually a referance to "who the heck are ya?". I understand that many of you know and are close to one another. I dont really expect or in my case deserve "inclusion" in what has to be, to the people who make their living at it, a rather select group. But I will say this, I cannot find in my regular "real life" people who can or want to talk about knives and hardening and rockwell and hammer faces. There is beauty in that steel when it has those shades of red ghosting across it, fresh from the fire. You know! I may not be a professional, I may never be, but I dig making knives. Big time. I respect those of you good enough or determined enough to make knives for real. I will not answer questions that I am not qualified to answer, and I will try not to waste anyones time. (after this post). But it sucks to know what I know, and have no one to converse with. To wit, here I am. Respectfully and as always, Levi Sinclair Farster.

 

[John Andrews]

Levi, you are most welcome here! Being a knife maker, new or a scarred old timer, you have fallen into good company here. We welcome knife knuts, collectors, alike. You will meet some real rascals here, too. Good type, and the best of the best.

 

[ddavelarsen]

Levi welcome to the forum! But you better watch that Andrews, he'll suck you in with compliments till you start thinking you're hot stuff - and then someone else will quietly remind you that you're just regular beans like everyone else.

John's right though - the folks at Shop Talk are the most welcoming and sharing bunch of makers anywhere. This is a good place just brimming with arcane knowledge that'll blow you away. Don't be afraid to ask a question here - no matter how esoteric it may seem there'll be someone here who not only knows what you're talking about but has mastered it. I get blown away every day here with what people know and are willing to share. I usually start and end my day here, though like you I don't have much to add and generally try to keep my mouth shut. (Others may disagree with that last part. )

We are incredibly fortunate to have this place to come to. The folks here make up a community unlike any other forum; it's more like an extended family than anything else.

By the way, your experience watching your family and friends' eyes glaze over when you start talking about knives is pretty much common to all of us. At work when they start talking about sports I occasionally chime in with heat treating minutae or knife nomenclature, just to remind them there's more to life than MVPs. My boss rolls his eyes. It's all good natured but in fact it's lucky that I'm a solitary type because knifemaking is a solitary endeavor. But because Shop Talk exists you always have someone who knows where you're coming from and is willing to answer your questions - regardless how often they've been answered before.

Welcome, have fun, and join in. The more the merrier!

 

[blgoode]

Come on in and have a seat my friend. We're all just a bunch of knuckleheads anyways! You'll find some of us may be near you and you'll meet up at hammerins and such. Do you have pics of your work? I could post them for you if you'd like?

 

[indian george]

Levi: If you live around me you are welcome to stop by my shop. On Saturday's when the weather is a little warmer I usually have a few members of NECKA here making Damascus and talking knives most of the day.

 

[rlinger]

Stick around. With that attitude you'll do just fine at what you wish to accomplish.

RL

 

[Doc Hollywood]

This is actually a referance to "who the heck are ya?". I understand that many of you know and are close to one another. I dont really expect or in my case deserve "inclusion" in what has to be, to the people who make their living at it, a rather select group. But I will say this, I cannot find in my regular "real life" people who can or want to talk about knives and hardening and rockwell and hammer faces. There is beauty in that steel when it has those shades of red ghosting across it, fresh from the fire. You know! I may not be a professional, I may never be, but I dig making knives. Big time. I respect those of you good enough or determined enough to make knives for real. I will not answer questions that I am not qualified to answer, and I will try not to waste anyones time. (after this post). But it sucks to know what I know, and have no one to converse with. To wit, here I am. Respectfully and as always, Levi Sinclair Farster.

HERE HERE! and welcome to the club of steel fanatics.

Doc

 

[Robert Dark]

Welcome Levi.............Sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride of your life.

There is more information located here than Carter has pills.

Feel free to jump in feet-first any time.

Robert

 

[Gossman Knives]

Welcome Levi Everyone here is great. I have really learned alot from being here. Dave you are sooo right with you paragraph about your work. It does seem like we're alone out in the so-called real world. Levi there is alot to learn and you'll have fun reading some of the posts these guys make. It's better then a sit-com on TV sometimes.
Scott

 

[Nowicki]

Welcome. This is a great place.

Larry

 

[Mike Hull]

................. I will not answer questions that I am not qualified to answer,................... But it sucks to know what I know, and have no one to converse with. To wit, here I am. Respectfully and as always, Levi Sinclair Farster.

Welcome to Bladeforums, Levi! I love that part of your post!!
Ask away. I have a feeling that you won't be wasting our time, and, after all, that's why we get paid the big money.

 

[jhiggins]

Welcome to ShopTalk, Levi. You'll find that we are a freindly oasis in the middle of the simmering stew that comprises the rest of this site. Real knifemakers live here. We are all real folks. Some of us are full-time knifemakers, some of us are part-timers, but all of us are full-time, full-ON friendly types. Use search to your discretion, but don't be afraid to ask. Sometimes the right question opens up new dialog on an old treatise. Fill out your profile, make a sig, tell us where you are geographically. Use your real name so we can relate, and join in the fun!

 

[Don Hanson III]

Welcome Levi, this is a good place to be, hell it's better than TV
I jumped in here a while back and they didn't run me off, great group of guys here.

Don Hanson lll

 

[galadduin]

and you can answer some of the questions as there are some guys know less than you (me for example), so don't underestimate the knowledge you have.