We Appreciate You, and We Need You

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110% behind every single line written so far in this thread.... sometimes i wish i hadn't found these knives and this forum in favor of my wallet :)... I am sort of fighting an addiction but its a good one! Keep doing what you doing...You guys rock!
 
Best wishes. I can't imagine having to make payroll, buy supplies, pay rent, and so forth on what must be razor thin margins. I'd love to spend some time talking with you over a beer about building a business from scratch. I think it would make an interesting book-- one that seems to be missing from the market when I looked at working up my own little hobby-business.

I've come to the conclusion that there needs to be a 5yr incubation period for startup businesses with less than 500,000K of property/machinery/inventory and 5 or less employees, where you are exempt from about 95% of regulation. I just don't know how to craft that 5% so you don't flush your hazardous waste down the toilet, treat your employees like crap when they get sick from inhaling the dust, and then just re-incorporate in 5 years and start all over.

My hat is off to you for figuring this all out and it's been inspirational to watch it happen from my early memories of you getting kicked out of your basement by the State Farm Agent who didn't like the heat treat oven or the grinder. But I may have it all mixed up.
 
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I'm behind you and the forge crew, Andy. I'm a knife fanatic and you guys make my favorite blades, bar none. I tell everyone that if they want an heirloom quality knife that can't be beat, this is the place to get it. My fiddleback collection continues to grow and hope to continue to become more acquainted with all of you!

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Fiddleback said:
I want to take a minute to thank you all for your support. You have helped us to build an American manufacturing company over these last 9 years. I have always been very proud to be a part of it. As this economy slows, please know how important your support is to us. We need you, plain and simple you are our lifeblood and we can't do this without y'all. We need your enthusiasm to spread the word about our tools, our knives. We need your friendship and camaraderie here in the forums. We need your posts here and in other forums to spread enthusiasm for Fiddleback Forge knives. We need for you to give us a chance to back our product and uphold our warranty. And one more thing we need from you is for our friends who have been turned off by forum drama to forgive us, soften your hearts and return to us, posting and enjoying camaraderie and knives here. On this I am personally asking for forgiveness on bended knee. We have always tried to make the Fiddleback Forge forum a drama free zone. Recently there was an uptick in the drama, and I thought it was unfortunate. The thing is folks, this is slowly killing Fiddleback Forge. We are facing tough times economically here at the Forge, and we need your help. We need your understanding, and we need your forgiveness.

Please folks, reach out to our friends that have stopped posting. Reach out to other knife lovers. Please help me keep Fiddleback Forge afloat, and all of these craftsmen's jobs safe and sound. I cannot do this without you.

Andy
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Thanks for being right up the road crafting some of the nicest knives I've seen.

Over the past 20+ years I've probably bought, sold and lost conservatively a thousand knives from Frost 'Collectables' (remember the undertaker bowie that came in a coffin?) to el cheapo folders to mid to higher folders (SOG, Boker, Spyderco, Benchmade, Emerson, Chris Reeve) to Kitchen knives (Henkles, Wusthof, Shun, el cheapo). Just a huge amount of knives because I just like to buy knives and use them and/or keep them and/or take them out of the box and look at them.

About 2 months ago, I found you folks here, your address being up the street, sharked a Friday or two then took off work early to see your shop. I was welcomed at 3:30 on a Friday, introduced and shown around the shop until 4pm with everyone probably wanting to leave. This type of personal interaction and care with customers doesn't exist at retail anymore, trust me I know as I've worked for various small and large national and regional retailers for my entire adult life. You've got a customer for life in me, maybe not 1-2 knives every Friday, but love the product, the service, and the experience you and your team provide grounded in one of my top addictions.

Funny quick story, went out with friends and buddy's new boss bought a new Porsche 911 Turbo 4S blah blah yada yada. His boss asks what I drive and my buddy says confidently "The knife he's carrying (FF Scandi-man) is nicer than your Porsche and cost 100 grand less". I spit out my black and tan and agreed. Everyone noticed I was carrying a different knife and wanted to see it, while no-one went outside to see the Porsche (although I wanted to).

Don't know about the forum drama, as I just recently arrived, but it pretty well defines the internet today. Just keep calling everyone out to stop and think about the bigger picture.

Keep up the great work and let us all know what we can do to help.
 
Andy I don't think you have anything to apologize for. The work that comes out of the Forge is top notch and am sure that you will come out on top of the current problems.

It has been a few slow months for business everywhere but things will pick up soon. My very best to all the talented and nice folk at the Forge.
 
Thank you again for your posts folks.


ndmiller said:
Funny quick story, went out with friends and buddy's new boss bought a new Porsche 911 Turbo 4S blah blah yada yada. His boss asks what I drive and my buddy says confidently "The knife he's carrying (FF Scandi-man) is nicer than your Porsche and cost 100 grand less". I spit out my black and tan and agreed. Everyone noticed I was carrying a different knife and wanted to see it, while no-one went outside to see the Porsche (although I wanted to).
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Man, that story made my night. Thanks!
 
Andy,
Like many here, I've stood by your brand for a while now. I can personally attest to the fact that you guys are one of the last great holdouts in the knife industry -- you have a wildly talented staff, amazing product, and hands down the best customer service / warranty in the world. Hang in there my friend, this too shall pass. In the interim, you guys are doing an awesome job cranking out new designs and rolling out some killer midtechs!

Stay the course and things will right themselves; in the interim, I'll try to crank the post count back up! :thumbup:
 
i just wanted to say....
to the guys at the Forge.....don't read these awesome responses out loud to your spouses....it's a bit overwhelming and i had a little tough time getting through them all w/o pause...Kylie has always said im a big softie
it makes working in the 27 degree Winters & the gawd awful Summers worth it.

Thanks to all the friends & customers for the continued support!
 
I'd like to offer moral support. One day I'd like to offer financial support by purchasing a bolstered woodsman. Love that model. Don't go under before I get my woodsman....Pleeeeaase!

P.S. On a business trip to Atlanta thru Friday and totally bummed I can't break free to visit the forge. Keep up the good work, keep the stock rolling. If I can help (by purchasing a woodsman :) let me know.
 
Fiddleback said:
...And one more thing we need from you is for our friends who have been turned off by forum drama to forgive us, soften your hearts and return to us, posting and enjoying camaraderie and knives here. On this I am personally asking for forgiveness on bended knee. We have always tried to make the Fiddleback Forge forum a drama free zone. Recently there was an uptick in the drama, and I thought it was unfortunate...
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Andy, you do not need to ask anyone forgiveness for anything that has happened on this forum. I think I am a pretty comprehensive lurker, and the only drama that I have seen take place here was created 100% without you or the Fiddleback crew. You and the rest of the Fiddleback team maintain a level of class and professionalism here on the forum that is second to none... while saying things like "If you don't get your shit done, I'll freeze your junk to an anvil and hit it with a mallet." :D

I am proud to be a customer, not just because of the quality of the product, but because of the way you interact with your customer base and how you run your business. I know that times are tough, but I have no doubt in your ability to weather this storm and maintain a successful business. I have happily give you thousands of my hard earned dollars, and feel that every knife I purchased from you was well worth what I paid. I will continue to buy you knives, and will continue to talk about you to anyone that will listen. I am not the only one that feels this way.

Hang in there, Andy.
 
Andy your talent pulled all my disposable income from custom folders market about 6 months ago. Bladeco is down the street from me and started my appreciation. Since then I've score a Friday Recluse and a few more off the exchange. The storm shall pass and I'll be suporting you through it and after. Can't wait to see what's up Friday!
 
Like a few of the other posts, I am new to the Fiddleback community. I came here by a circuitous route through modern EDC folders, "tactical" folders, traditional folders, and most recently fixed blades. What I was looking for was a unique, purposefully designed knife with an emphasis on handle design and functionality. I found that, but I also found a genuinely great community of people. You are right; one of your greatest strengths is in this community, and I think it is safe to say we are 100% behind you. I look forward to being a part of this for many years to come.
 
I'm new to the Fiddleback forum, as a matter of fact, I'm new to this forum in general. I recently got my first Fiddleback and I am forever a fan. I would not have participated as much in Bladeforums if it was not for this forum. Everyone I know are non-knife people BUT that still does not stop me from telling people about what knife company they should check out. Fiddleback is one of those knife companies. I love the fit and finish of their knives. My Asp, feels extremely comfortable. I am currently unemployed yet I still got myself a Fiddleback knife. That shows you just how great of a knife company Fiddleback is. I will continue to preach the words of Fiddleback and hopefully you will get new enthusiasts from it.
 
Its very good to see new folks around the place. Thanks to y'all for speaking up. And thanks to everyone for the support. Never forget that we do this for you!
 
Andy, I got my start with Fiddleback a few years back first because of seeing the gorgeous knives you made. Then the community that's here helped me get me going with deciding on which models and with acquiring some. Once I had my first I was hooked. Comfortable, hardworking, gorgeous tools with some good folk making them and a really nice community surrounding it. You and your guys in the shop have always been helpful, even when having to touch up a couple knives for me.

I now consider this place a kind of home away from home. This last year has been a rough one for me and the time and money haven't been there like previously years, but you still have my support whole-heartedly.

There have been some ups and downs on the way but you've found a way to push through the downs. With your leadership and the support of the community I trust that that will happen now.
 
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I've been hanging out here for some time now, and one of the reasons I like it so much is that adding all the drama that has happened in this forum into one pile, compared to other areas on Blade Forums this is still a drama free zone :D

I think one aspect of this forum speaks volumes about the amount of interest in Fiddleback Forge knives. The "Flea Market" thread is less than three years old, is 446 pages long, and it has had nearly a million views....
 
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