- Joined
- Dec 7, 2008
- Messages
- 7,187
I just wanted to take a moment to say Thank You to all the Blade Forum members who made 2009 a fun year for me. You guys are responsible for a lot of pleasant changes for me.
I joined the forum about a year ago when I was contacted by one of the makers who buys handle wood from me. I had made some knives as a hobbyist but nothing to brag about. I was fascinated by all the amazing knives as well as the willingness of the members to share their hard learned knowledge. You guys were always pleasant and always gave patient responses to my ignorant newbe questions. Thank You.
A short time after joining I purchased a dry vacuum/pressure system to begin stabilizing wood. About 50 of the makers on the forum agreed to work with me to help refine my stabilizing process so I could provide stabilized wood that was prepared how you want it to be. This resulted in quite a few changes in the process.
All this while, I had been doing the knife handle wood as a sideline from my regular job. Much on my own time. Where I work we make furniture and carvings from burl and figured woods. We have a couple galleries and a large wood yard where we sell the raw wood. My main job was making gallery pieces with the wood, as well as selling raw wood to furniture makers and guitar builders. When I was able I would cut up wood that I thought would make good knife handles. Some of which I listed here on the forum. You guys taught me a lot.
In just a matter of months you guys changed things where I could no longer just do the knife wood as a sideline but needed to allow a lot more time. I was OK with that because I was having fun. A lot of you posted photos showing what you made with our wood here as well as sending me emails with photos of the awesome knives you made. For me that was a lot of fun.
To make a long story a bit shorter. Because of what you guys have done my boss now allows me to select any wood I want to cut up for handles. Even from his own private stash. If I want something we don't have, he lets me search it out and buy it. If I want to spend most of my time with wood for knife makers, that's ok too.
He used to give me a hard time about being obsessed with custom knives. Now he brags about me supplying the wood to some of the very best knifemakers (you guys). In the coming year I will focus on providing the best burl and figured woods I can find and list them here on the forum. I will be rebuilding my webstore to provide batches for teachers, beginners and production runs. But you guys will always get to see the very best stuff here first.
Enough of my rambling. Thank You BF members.
Burl Source -aka- Mark from It's a Burl
I joined the forum about a year ago when I was contacted by one of the makers who buys handle wood from me. I had made some knives as a hobbyist but nothing to brag about. I was fascinated by all the amazing knives as well as the willingness of the members to share their hard learned knowledge. You guys were always pleasant and always gave patient responses to my ignorant newbe questions. Thank You.
A short time after joining I purchased a dry vacuum/pressure system to begin stabilizing wood. About 50 of the makers on the forum agreed to work with me to help refine my stabilizing process so I could provide stabilized wood that was prepared how you want it to be. This resulted in quite a few changes in the process.
All this while, I had been doing the knife handle wood as a sideline from my regular job. Much on my own time. Where I work we make furniture and carvings from burl and figured woods. We have a couple galleries and a large wood yard where we sell the raw wood. My main job was making gallery pieces with the wood, as well as selling raw wood to furniture makers and guitar builders. When I was able I would cut up wood that I thought would make good knife handles. Some of which I listed here on the forum. You guys taught me a lot.
In just a matter of months you guys changed things where I could no longer just do the knife wood as a sideline but needed to allow a lot more time. I was OK with that because I was having fun. A lot of you posted photos showing what you made with our wood here as well as sending me emails with photos of the awesome knives you made. For me that was a lot of fun.
To make a long story a bit shorter. Because of what you guys have done my boss now allows me to select any wood I want to cut up for handles. Even from his own private stash. If I want something we don't have, he lets me search it out and buy it. If I want to spend most of my time with wood for knife makers, that's ok too.
He used to give me a hard time about being obsessed with custom knives. Now he brags about me supplying the wood to some of the very best knifemakers (you guys). In the coming year I will focus on providing the best burl and figured woods I can find and list them here on the forum. I will be rebuilding my webstore to provide batches for teachers, beginners and production runs. But you guys will always get to see the very best stuff here first.
Enough of my rambling. Thank You BF members.
Burl Source -aka- Mark from It's a Burl
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Honest, generous, personable (at least on the net). Make friends first, then offer them the chance to get great drugs, err, wood. Lots of people try this. Few succeed. 
