The Evolution of the Cutlery Ecosystem

[Ivan Campos]

I got inspired to write this thread by reading the « Old Timers » thread that got me thinking about how much the forums - BF and USN and so many others with vários dégrées of influence - were responsable for thé growth and évolution of Custom Knifemaking and, after thé social media takeover, what has replacéd them. Frankly, I have seen à lot of things being born and evolve in thé forums, read and participâtes of à lot of discussions, folowed the évolution of brands and custom makers, learned à lot, bough and sold things, made many Friends and felt like the forums were like home.
Then it was all over so quickly and it went like that for many years but social media never really replaced the forums and the interest groups are, in general, very shallow sources of information and with almost no discussions or information sharing. Basically, people post pics, have a few likes and make pontual question, very often with no answers.
So my question is: the forums created a full écosystèm of collectors of various dégrées of interest and knowledge, knifemakers, dealers and companies and influenced a whole generation and now, where are the knife public getting educated at the same level or, on thé lack of that éducation, what can we expect from future knife collectors? In my opinion, social media was à trap that has séparâted us more than put us togheter and never reached thé vital rolê of the forums.
Hope I have made myself clear. I try to be concise but am not very good at that

 

[knarfeng]

Traditionally, knife knowledge has been passed from father to son, and from grandfather to grandson. I would expect that to continue.

 

[yablanowitz]

Traditionally, knife knowledge has been passed from father to son, and from grandfather to grandson. I would expect that to continue.

Optimism is a beautiful thing. The only things I see being passed down these days are ignorance and apathy.

 

[knarfeng]

Optimism is a beautiful thing. The only things I see being passed down these days are ignorance and apathy.

Speaking from a personal perspective, my son and daughter both enjoy and are both knowledgeable about cutlery. I don't think it's that far a stretch to consider that other members may also be teaching their offspring.

 

[Ivan Campos]

As a matter of fact, I wasn´t talking about this but about the exchnge of information inside the forums between knife apreciators of all kinds, knifemakers and the factories, that has led to many trends and impusionated the careers of many new makers back them. The forums really made things happen and shaped our reality nowadays and now I just can´t see something of that magnitude happening anywhere anymore and am wondering how the knife industry would evolve in this vacuum - or am I missing something here?

 

[Ebbtide]

The knife forums at the turn of the century created a unification of like minded people, that could interact with each other. As opposed to reading a magazine.
There was also a frenzy of learning. Exchanging of information.
It was all so new and exciting.

Nowadays the info is everywhere. Over saturated if you will.

I think the worst thing to happen to bf is the “like” button. It’s a conversation killer. But that’s me.

 

[Ivan Campos]

I could not agree more with what you worte especialy about the "Like" button!

 

[Ivan Campos]

Still on the subject, where do you think this information saturation Will eventually lead us?

 

[Ebbtide]

Apathy?

Here we sit with the knowledge of the world in our hands and we still get “How do I sharpen…..” threads.

Hard question to answer!