The Good Old Days

Huntsman Knife Co. LLC.

Huntsman Knife Co. LLC.

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Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
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Sep 10, 2010
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With the recent discussion about photobucket taking down the links in Nick’s legendary WIP thread, I decided to save some of the posts for future reference. I’ve been through Nick’s thread top to bottom many times but hadn’t checked it out in a couple years.

Man, what a walk down memory lane.

Before I knew it I had a bottle of vodka cracked open was going through all the classic and completely epic threads we all know and love. The Wheeler Steel thread, Patrice Lemee’s Kukri WIP, Ankerson’s steel testing thread etc… The nostalgia was real. I hate to use the term "good old days," because I haven't even been a member that long myself, but there was something really special about those threads and that time period.

For me, those threads were the Wonder Years of this forum. Looking over them took me right back to being 20 and wanting to make my first knife. I remember when the Wheeler Steel WIP started and I’d check the forum every day for new posts. It made me really sad when I looked at the post dates and realized that almost 7 years had passed. It made me ever sadder when I looked at Nick’s post history. He’s been completely gone from the forum for a while now.

We still have exciting WIP’s and a tight knit community, but I can’t help but feel that the wonder years are behind us. This forum has changed, and for me, knife making has changed. It feels like the magic of a bygone era is lost.

This post really doesn’t have a point, but I think we should all look back and raise a glass to this forum and all of the great people that have made this place so special and so magical. There is truly nothing like the knife community. Knife making is a labor of love for us all, and I think at the end of the day, it’s this forum, the customers, and the relationships we build that keep us coming back to the shop.

So pour one out to the good old days, the epic threads, the banter, and the guys like Nick that made this forum what it is.

Cheers:thumbsup:
 
I have been around this forum for a long time and some really great knifemaker's who used to be on this forum like, Nick Wheeler, Bruce Bump, Kevin Cashen, Jerry Fisk, etc. for one reason or another don't post here anymore.
 
Nick is kinda my knife making idol. I've spent hours on YouTube watching his videos. I watch the hand sanding 101 video every time I hand sand for long periods of time. It sucks that those guys don't post anymore. Maybe someone else will step up
 
At least one if those mentioned got tired of having to defend his posts from the ignorant. It happens, but it seems prevalent on internet forums of all stripes. I have gained a lot from this forum, and don't see myself leaving anytime soon. Too much to be learned here, and I don't expect I'll know it all anytime soon.
 
There are still guys with tons of experience and skill that speak up. Not as much as I wish they would, but they’re still here for now. Just take a look at their work and it’s easy to see whether they know what they’re talking about or if they’re talking out of their ass.
Sometimes it’s better to contact them privately if you have questions, like Kevin said, they don’t feel like dealing with the trolls.
 
The good ol' days don't have to be old. Times are what we make them. If we want this place to be special it falls on all of us to do our part. That means civility, quality contributions, respectful disagreements, thoughtful discussion, truthful but encouraging critiques, etc. Sometimes when facts are called for, the best thing we can do is keep our opinions to ourselves. No question, Nick has been very generous with his knowledge. He has my respect and appreciation as well. But there are an awful lot of talented makers still here who contribute regularly. And it's not just the makers. There are also the steel nerds ( I mean that with great affection) that share their insight, tests and knowledge. Even the folks who aren't the most experienced knife makers (yet) still have some expertise to share about machining, welding, cryogenics, rebuilding power hammers, calibrating hardness testers.....the list goes on. Everybody has something to contribute. So maybe instead of looking back we should be looking at how we all can contribute in a positive way moving forward.
 
i have also noticed many famous makers used to hang out here, now they do not, and i have wondered why. they will never notice, but i show my appreciation for the info they left behind by trying to help people newer to the hobby than myself, as you guys do also.
 
Make good new days. This is the life cycle of web forums. Every one.

Forum begins
Membership grows slowly
A small number of content creators become prolific
Membership and participation grows dramatically
More members become prolific, some simply due to forum activity rather than being SMEs
Prolific members begin tiring of repeatedly explaining themselves to new membership
Forum ownership changes something that content creators dislike, or feel betrayed by.
Questioning becomes increasing incessant
Straws break backs individually or in some cases in a blaze of glory
Activity dwindles with loss of prolific members
General membership waxes poetic about the glory days

The choice at that point is always to continue to reminisce, alienating new blood that wasn't here and doesn't get it (this place used to be great! ) or to pick up the reigns and start creating content in the vacuum.

Few actually die. Most wallow. Some are large enough to recycle perpetually organically.
 
john april said:
i have also noticed many famous makers used to hang out here, now they do not, and i have wondered why. they will never notice, but i show my appreciation for the info they left behind by trying to help people newer to the hobby than myself, as you guys do also.
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Well said John, and my sentiments exactly. One of the reasons I feel the same way is our moderator @Stacy Apelt . is always willing to go above and beyond to help out new guys, like myself. I have been paying if forward as best i can both locally, her on this forum, and on several FB groups I participate in.
 
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kuraki said:
Make good new days. This is the life cycle of web forums. Every one.

Forum begins
Membership grows slowly
A small number of content creators become prolific
Membership and participation grows dramatically
More members become prolific, some simply due to forum activity rather than being SMEs
Prolific members begin tiring of repeatedly explaining themselves to new membership
Forum ownership changes something that content creators dislike, or feel betrayed by.
Questioning becomes increasing incessant
Straws break backs individually or in some cases in a blaze of glory
Activity dwindles with loss of prolific members
General membership waxes poetic about the glory days

The choice at that point is always to continue to reminisce, alienating new blood that wasn't here and doesn't get it (this place used to be great! ) or to pick up the reigns and start creating content in the vacuum.

Few actually die. Most wallow. Some are large enough to recycle perpetually organically.
Click to expand...
Good points all around John, and most likely, spot on. You are one of the knowledgeable folks hear who is always willing to help out. I will continue to try to do the same. I think it's human nature to wax nostalgic. Things are often rosier in hind sight. I've been here about two years and I have felt from the beginning that this is THE primary source of most of my knife making knowledge. I want it to be the same for others starting out. Typing "read the stickys" a couple of times a week is a small price to pay for the community.
 
kuraki that makes sense. many of them probably found a new home on instagram as well. thanks kevin.
 
I agree with all that has been said. I miss the epic WIPs. I’ve tried to help where I can, but I’m still learning. I feel like an intermediate, far from expert. Since more experienced members left, I’ve posted my limited knowledge to try to fill in the gaps, and have hosted a few Kiths. This forum is what we choose to make it, within the rules.
 
Willie71 said:
I agree with all that has been said. I miss the epic WIPs. I’ve tried to help where I can, but I’m still learning. I feel like an intermediate, far from expert. Since more experienced members left, I’ve posted my limited knowledge to try to fill in the gaps, and have hosted a few Kiths. This forum is what we choose to make it, within the rules.
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You're one of the good ones Warren. thanks.
 
i first learned to make knives in the early to mid 90s when i was just a kid collecting blade magazine issues and attending the NYCKS with my dad...imagine my surprise 15 years later to find a resource like this ! Amazing stuff. I think if you looked at the forum from a statistic point of view it has continued to trend upwards...its up to members like us to keep generating high quality content and keep this place relevant. I feel a bit nostalgic with the old threads but i still am using this forum just as much now as as in 2012.
 
Blade forums is still very relevant. Ask a knife related question on Google search and most times blade forums is in the top selections with answers.
Can't imagine what it was like with Cashen here and some others. I have DVD's from some of them, they are my go-to's for refreshing my feeble memory.
And, there are still good, knowledgeable builders here.
 
From what I've seen a lot of them have moved to facebook, and some are active there who never really showed up on the forums.
We've still got a good number of very talented makers here (Don Hanson III, Karl Andersen, and Frank Niro come to mind in particular), and I personally find this community more enjoyable than Facebook for the most part.
Quality of content generally seems better here too
 
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Geoff Flato said:
From what I've seen a lot of them have moved to facebook, and some are active there who never really showed up on the forums.
We've still got a good number of very talented makers here (Don Hanson III, Karl Andersen, and Frank Niro come to mind in particular), and I personally find this community more enjoyable than Facebook for the most part.
Quality of content generally seems better here too
Click to expand...


Don’t forget Salem, one of the most helpful members I know.
 
I will also say that in the end there really isn't that much benefit to providing information to a forum like this. Even providing relevant answers and topics can get lost to louder "experts." After a while it gets old spitting in the wind.
 
Ive been around a awhile. I miss guys like Kevin and Nick. I go offline in spurts myself.. I don't think a lot of these guys mind the same question over and over as much as the arm chair, been a knife maker for two years experts that tell them what they are doing wrong. You just have to look over stuff like that, don't mind the fools as papaw use to say.. On the same token even if you are a big name your not above questioning either.. Ive seen a couple big name makers on this forum have a pure hissy fit because they were "questioned"..
The lure of facebook and instagram is big. for one thing no moderation. You say what you want to say. If someone says something stupid then you can tell them as such without worrying about a moderator booting you off.. Then in the same instance lack of moderation is a problem because social media is full of experts who spout misinformation at will..
The net is good and bad, you have to learn to take the good and leave the crap and even then you still end up turning off the computer for weeks at a time..
 
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