I used to browse the forums when still working regularly in my 'real job' but blade forums was not one of them. I didn't know about these forums then. I remember seeing some guys with 1500 posts on the ones I belonged to and thinking to myself, 'man, some people have too much time'
Now I sit here with what, nearly 8k myself.
I was actually more into the LandCruisers and Pinzgauer forums back then and the old 50s and 60s Chevy trucks which I restored for fun. Back then I only belonged to one knife forum which was in fact knife forums and the only one I knew about but even then I used to browse and not post and I think I waited quite a while before I even registered as I recall. It was the only one I belonged to but I found BF through the KF and some members there that also were/are members here that became customers of mine in some cases. I regularly posted there, had a moderator position there at KF and still do and also shared a forum with my friend Dirk (Oupa) and some other like minded friends.
Little by little I started noticing that the lions share of the work I was interested in doing and getting asked to do, IE, more modern one hand opening and closing pocket clip equipped locking style folder work was all coming from one of two places. Blade forums or the Spyderco forum and not knife forums or the USN or anywhere else I frequented. In fact it seemed that even though I was in good standing per say on one forum, I never fit in there. On knife forums, the guys in my forum there didn't much care for Spydercos or Emersons and go more for slip joints and fixed blades which I did work on and for many years but I eventually burned out on those and found the newer models much more appealing both personally and for other reasons. I like modern style folders, I like screw construction, making pocket clips and I like and prefer locks most of the time although I do still buy and appreciate the nostalgia of a good slippie.
In short, most of the work I get comes from blade forums and most of the best friends I've met also and BFs ended up being where I fit best I think. I also like the way people can speak their mind and the moderators here try to allow a more impartial stance allowing a lot more to be shared than other forums will allow in discussions and so on before locking or banning a member. Not perfect I know, but its the best of all the forums I've ever belonged to by far and that alone was quite appealing.
Now I hardly visit the other forums, resigned my membership on one and was banned from one other for stating a fact but making the mistake of doing so to the administrator who later apologized and invited me back. I never went back. Fortunately I haven't really missed the other forums although I do still visit some and help out on knifeforums but not as often as I once did. My own forum here gives me all I need to fill my bench with work.
STR
. One day, late 1990s, I became aware of the Leatherman tool. Curious, I did some internet research and came across this forum. One thing led to another, and I got engrossed in all kinds of knife lore; learned how blades are made, how to properly maintain them, also managed to accumulate a small collection. Almost everything I learned was from this site.
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