Something New for This Forum

Since this new forum is called hammer and tongs will there be another forum created for stock removal makers? I jest, but if compartmentalization is taking place then it seems to be the next progression
 
I think that my confusion comes from the name of the sub-forum;hammer and Tongs seems to be about forging, at least that's what I thought when I first read it. And then I looked at the posts that were moved there, and my first gut reaction is...those posts have nothing to do with forging. And then it was posted that H&T is a place for WIP's and beginning makers 'first knives' (which is a great idea to me). Maybe the Mods could move some more of the type of threads that would belong in H&T to get a better idea of what belongs there. I know that would help me in understanding where is the correct forum to post the right topic. Just my $.02. ...Teddy
 
I think what is being missed is the fact that so many of us are ADHD or visual learners. We don't categorize things the same way other people do. We look at the big picture and fit pieces into the whole where they seem to fit based on our previous experience. Non visual learners start with smaller topics and keep new information within the parameters of those categories. This is why visual learners (70% correlation with ADHD) always say "yeah, BUT....)

As a visual learner with ADHD,even though I am formally post secondarily educated, the stickies don't make sense in organization to be useful to a new maker with a similar learning approach, which is part of the reason why we see the same posts over and over. (Laziness is the second reason.)
 
Willie71 said:
I think what is being missed is the fact that so many of us are ADHD or visual learners. We don't categorize things the same way other people do. We look at the big picture and fit pieces into the whole where they seem to fit based on our previous experience. Non visual learners start with smaller topics and keep new information within the parameters of those categories. This is why visual learners (70% correlation with ADHD) always say "yeah, BUT....)

As a visual learner with ADHD,even though I am formally post secondarily educated, the stickies don't make sense in organization to be useful to a new maker with a similar learning approach, which is part of the reason why we see the same posts over and over. (Laziness is the second reason.)
Click to expand...

Wow I just learned a lot about myself... Thanks Willie!

As stated by many, I don't think more space is better in this case. I think titles of forums have been misleading all along, and even more so with this new one. I am tired of having my 100% knife making related threads moved, so I stop posting and reading here for the most part. Why not call it "Knife Making" and let people talk about making knives. If it is a topic that no one cares about or silly it will drop off the page and the moderator can let the forum moderate much like the custom forum does. Moderation should be saved for the bickering and name calling that sometimes happens in heated discussions here.

I don't see why people have a problem with Newbies like myself posting up WIP's. I see it doing two things; 1) lets the veterans see where you may be making a mistake and 2) No matter how new you are there is always someone newer that can lear. If you dont like to read Newbie WIP's ... Don't.

I was part of a small group a few years ago that started making knives right here on BF. It felt almost like a graduating class we fed off and helped each other through the mess. I never had any of my posts moved during that time. I have them moved all the time now, It almost feels like Shop Talk is catering to the newer makers and pushing away the more established ones. I have my feelings of why this is but will keep them to myself :rolleyes:
 
Willie71 said:
I think what is being missed is the fact that so many of us are ADHD or visual learners. We don't categorize things the same way other people do. We look at the big picture and fit pieces into the whole where they seem to fit based on our previous experience. Non visual learners start with smaller topics and keep new information within the parameters of those categories. This is why visual learners (70% correlation with ADHD) always say "yeah, BUT....)

As a visual learner with ADHD,even though I am formally post secondarily educated, the stickies don't make sense in organization to be useful to a new maker with a similar learning approach, which is part of the reason why we see the same posts over and over. (Laziness is the second reason.)
Click to expand...

Yeah, BUT Willie... :D

I'd bet heavily on laziness being the primary reason we see the same questions over and over, and inability to use the search function.

Anyways, more on topic: While I generally think that newbies, like myself, are generally better off reading and not posting unless the post will likely generate or otherwise provide some useful information, new posters are often what breathe life into a place. After all, we all started out new at some point. Maybe not new as makers, but new as posters. And, as Ryan points out, many of us, myself included, have learned all we know about knifemaking from Shop Talk. Some of what I've learned I've picked up from answers to other newbies questions. Others have come from reading the stickies and utilizing the search function.

I don't really have enough time on here to have any meaningful perspective, but I have spent a fair amount of time on (and moderating) other forums. From what little experience I do have, a lot of the activity, including the threads that get a lot of activity and therefore are interesting to people in here, do tend to be newbie questions. A lot of great information gets provided in response to questions, that wouldn't otherwise likely be included, since the makers with the information just might not think of it. Site traffic and popularity is important, and, as long as things stay civil, why not cater to what people actually want to talk about? The Becker subforum is actually a good example, as it's one of the liveliest subforums on here, and everyone there seems to be quite happy.

If we HAD to break shop talk up, I'd really prefer to have a section to which we move really awesome WIP's and other informational threads. Shop talk could be sort of the litmus test; if a thread proves to have a lot of really good information, it could get moved to the library/university section: that sort of section doesn't really die, because it's basically an archive for the good stuff. Shop Talk strikes me as a place to talk shop, which properly seems to include all aspects of knifemaking, ADHD included (I missed that one, but, as another person with ADHD, it would be very helpful to me). There are so many facets to knifemaking (which is the main reason I like it so much), that I think we'd be hard pressed to appropriately categorize it.

Just my 2 cents. I come here because I appreciate the community of knifemakers and I tend to learn a lot here, newbie questions or not. Stifling posting can only stifle information flow, in my opinion.
 
It seems we should focus on what the real problem is to get it solved.

Do the members in shoptalk think there is a problem because people post questions over and over again? Usually this problem in a forum solves itself because members simply do not answer the posts or direct them to use the search. That is really not a big problem but rather how all forums operate.

Is there a problem because some well known members posts are moved even when active members of the forum think they are relevant to Shop Talk?

In all honesty why not ask those once active posters in shop talk why they no longer post and why they go to other forums to get an idea what problem with Shop Talk caused them to leave... .Was it newbies, being insulted, having their posts moved or whatever?

Identify the problem and then lets remedy that. Putting up forums will not solve the problem if the lack of forums was never the problem to begin with.
 
As a novice with almost one year experience, I thing the value we add is noting some details in steps that seem too obvious to mention for the more experienced makers. I was thinking of doing a WIP geared to new makers with a current project, as a lot of the WIPs are either JS level and up, or 1st knife level. A WIP with novice equipment could be helpful for the guys starting out trying to make their 1st EDC or skinner. I am rethinking this if it is not what the members here want.

For further discussion re: ADHD/visual learning, there is a thread in hammer and tongs on this. Its more appropriate there. http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...rehistoric-man-ADHD-Contemporary-knife-making
 
Last edited:
Fred

This is the first knife I posted on Blade Forums back in 2004. I had made a hundred before this one, I consider the ones previous to this one "learners" I waited to post a knife because I wanted to have something worth sharing; besides I was busy learning the craft and didn't have time for the computer. This is old school thinking but @ 70 I figure I qualify as old school.

A new makers section would open the flow and advance the content of the forum.

brf005.jpg
 
Its more about tenacious than it is smart. Glad you like the knife.

Fred
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top