What keeps you from participating in a KITH?

[tryppyr]

I've been giving a lot of thought to KITHs lately (can you tell?). I already have some ideas about how to improve participation, but I want to reason check those against real data. So please help by answering this poll about what keeps YOU from participating in a KITH.

 

[jll346]

Have wanted to be part of it also. For me it is minimal shop time. I would never want to commit and not be able to come through.

 

[David Loukides]

Hi Greg,
Your KITH is a Real Nice Work of ART.
Others are at different skill levels
Some would just put in shoddy work to try to make a score.
I would rather Give a Nice blade to somebody with out wanting something in return.
This was my first impression a few years ago. Maybe time to look at how it goes this year.
I will send a PM of the Blade I gave away after the blade show.

 

[Carl_First_Timer]

I am so busy with work and personal stuff I cannot commit to a KITH. I am hoping to slide in under the wire with an entry though. :thumbup:

 

[CarpScot]

The quality of my work isn't high enough yet and an occasional lack of funds means that committing to a time frame wouldn't be a very responsible choice on my part.

 

[tedinatl]

My issue is time. I hardly have enough time to fill my outstanding orders, let alone maake a blade to give away... Would love to, though!

 

[Matt Brook]

I didn't enter last year because I wasn't up to what I perceived was the required skill level. I entered in the Christmas KITH this year and was 100% sure, so swapped over to the newbies KITH when it came about. I know that I can make a decent knife, but I still felt like I needed to prove it. So Newbies this year and Full next year!

 

[Sterlinghaney25]

I'm not sure I would enter because I don't think my blades are in the same priceline as the ones that are usually put into these kiths, take your dagger with the engraved handle if you put a price on it I'm sure it would be in the 3-400$ maybe more range. I enjoy my bowies and so does everyone I gift them to but I wouldn't feel right giving a 150$ knife for one of much greater value( it would be good for me but not fair to the person with more skill is what I'm trying to say) that and I put more value on my sheaths than my knives make a kith for that and I'm in for sure.

 

[lonepine]

I don't have the mentality nor patience of a REAL craftsman, yet I'm cursed with this unknown drive to make knives. I'm a hack and my knives have numerous "character marks", which is what I call flaws. What I do would not be good enough. I am in total awe of those who can make such stunning pieces.

- Paul Meske

 

[Seals]

I feel mine are good,but not good to trade with the masters here.(yet)

 

[GTH11]

I didnt participate because of the split, i felt it took the spirit and suprise out of it. I percieved it as a nonchalant gesture amongst us makers, and then values were brought up, and skill levels, and entering both could be percieved as being greedy....If i built a masterpiece and only recieved a twine wrapped necker, i dont think i would be mad or feel cheated, because it is simply a giveaway among makers!? Whos to say there isnt a future hall o famer lurking in the newb pool? I feel the only requirement for entering should be a makers mark, even if engraved!!! Greg

 

[Sterlinghaney25]

I agree Greg 100% I was going to enter until I read another thread discouraging makers that they should be as skilled as others. I know the rules state it should be the best the maker can produce but I don't think my 100% would impress a more "professional" smith. All of my up to date blades have been stock reduced so I know there's not the same skill level of a forged demascus blade. Im going to enter the newby kith so maybe I'll be on the professional end next time around lol I wouldn't mind getting a cord wrapped "sharpened steel" blAde as I read on another members thread as lOng as the maker puts all they have into a knife, everyone has a different definition of quality. Just my .02
Sterling

 

[Jason Magruder]

I almost bailed when it was split into two groups. In my opinion that kind of defeats the purpose of the kith. It isn't supposed to be about what you get back. Or at least not about the monetary value of what you get back. It should be about the challenge of making a knife for another knifemaker, someone who will know instantly if you've cut any corners or made any mistakes. It should be about community and sharing with each other. It should be about learning and teaching and helping each other to make better knives. And it should be about having fun.


We are all newbies here. We all have more to learn. Even guys that most of us would consider masters of their craft such as Mr. Wheeler or Bruce Bump would if you asked them probably claim to still be learning. If the perfect knife were a journey of a thousand miles, some of us are just taking our first steps and others are a few miles down the road, but no one has yet reached the end.

 

[Bruce Bump]

I love participating but lately been just too busy paying bills. I was like a kid at Chrismas again the two times I did it. The knives I recieved were very well made although not perfect I could tell the makers put their hearts into them. I'll never sell them and will always cherish them. Please participate if you can finish one in time.

 

[melsdad]

For me there were several reasons on the list, but I went with Not sure I could complete one in time for the obvious reasons. Then I am not sure my work is up to par for this yet. I would hate to get a great knife, and have someone dissapointed on the other end, or vise versa. Maybe for next year I will get involved in a KITH. I would atleast like to hear some feedback from other makers of what they think of my work.

 

[Justin.Mercier]

Time!! I've had zero shop time since i started restoring this car... I'm a goodly ways along now though, so... next year i hope to make a lot of knives =D

 

[amcardon]

It's the dang ADD... Can't stick to one thing for very long and if I get interrupted it is dang near impossible to get me back onto it. That and I have a hard time with the detail work like hand-sanding or really fine movements, my hands shake and twitch really bad if I try to do the real detail stuff (just ask my cadaver dissection group from my anatomy class, after accidently cutting some important structures they didn't let me do any of the detail dissection anymore!); same reason why I didn't go into surgery! Anyway, the ADD is why I've been a little absent around here for a bit - I just needed a little time away to get me ready to go again. I make knives for fun, only ever sold 1 and it was unintentional, I have had bad experiences with a couple KITHs in the past (haven't participated in any on BF, maybe that's my problem ) but that's no biggie.

I'm actually hoping to have one done by the deadline but with school and my family - well, let's just say spending time with my kids is going to win over shop-time any day of the week! I really do love watching the KITHs and would love to participate (come on, there isn't a single person reading this that wouldn't be grinning ear to ear opening up a surprise custom knife Christmas morning!) but I'm just not sure it's in the stars for this year...

BTW - that dagger of yours is coming along beautifully; good on ya Brother!

 

[Patrice Lemée]

No time for me, simple as that.

I disagree about the split. I thought it was very well handled by Stacy and others involved. I see it more as helping someone starting out to fell better about joining.

 

[mgysgthath]

As an entry level knifemaker, I'm hesitant to enter because I don't consider myself to have enough experience yet. I see both sides of the argument for the split, and I can identify with both. I wouldn't want to insult someone who made a piece of art, with my amateur hour work. The newbie KITH gives me a chance perhaps next year, to enter and not feel like I'm unwelcome or cheating someone.

 

[BMK]

What is KITH?