Summertime - School is Out - Newbies Will Abound

Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith

Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith

ilmarinen - MODERATOR
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Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Aug 20, 2004
Messages
38,524
It's that time of year. Produce is showing up at the farm stands, fish are showing up in your favorite hole, shorts and halters are showing up on the jogging trails, ....and newbies show up in Shop Talk.

Lets try and be patient. Guide them to the stickys, answer basic questions as politely as possible, and let necroposters know that a thread is many years old. They are eager, young, and don't want to take the time to do their homework when out of class ( some probably didn't do it when in class).



Newbies -
These are the things you need to do:
Fill out your profile ... all of it. Age, location, hobbies, occupation, etc. It helps get better answers and offers for local help.
Try looking at the stickys first. That is a lot of info, but it is there because people want it.
Use the BF search engine - https://cse.google.com/cse/home?cx=011197018607028182644:qfobr3dlcra It will find a lot of great info.

Look at the date of any thread you find in a search. It may be 2, 5, or 10 years old. PLEASE, don't post a reply on it. That is called necroposting, and frowned upon. Post a new thread and link to the old thread if you have a question about it.
 
Be direct but pleasant, be courteous and appreciative; many of us have worked for decades to get here. Stay on point, knife making has specific areas of learning. Learn as much as you can about, say handles, before moving on to heat treating, there different subjects. If your not serious, take up golf, its easier and a whole lot cheaper.


Fred
 
I'm off to check the jogging trails! :D




Seriously... I have gotten a lot of help here so I try to answer a few questions every morning just to help out. I still need the help too!
 
When you receive a number of answers that are mostly the same, there is a reason for that. If you already know more that everyone here you have no need to ask. Jess
 
I like that the Count, like many here is so freely giving of information. It's amazing he knows the answers before the questions are asked!
 
What if we convince new comers that the count is some sort of algorithm, a sort of robot, programmed with the combined knowledge of all knife makers. Treat him as some sort of natural force that emanates from the forum itself.
 
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I was new once so I try and maintain a level of patience. It's tough though when the information being sought is so readily available through the stickies or via a search. When I was first starting I used these two sources a TON and only posted questions if I really needed a specific answer that I couldn't find. That being said, if an individual is respectful and genuinely trying to help themselves, I enjoy helping them.

That's the double edge of the information age. It has made some people lazy in regards to the pursuit of knowledge. It's the pursuit that tempered a lot of the giants in the bladesmithing world. Being able to seek out and find information on your own is a skill that takes practice. Once you get to where your search-fu is good, all the info in the world can be at your fingertips. Also, when seeking answers for one particular question, you often get answers to a lot more unasked questions.
 
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