What might happen if?.....

Kohai999

Kohai999

Second Degree Cutter
Joined
Jul 15, 2003
Messages
12,554
Lorien said:
I'd love to watch a documentary on knife shows and knife people. Be cool if a videographer took an interest in this world enough to expose more people to it.
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Lorien posted this in another thread.

One of the reasons that Kevin Jones and Jerry Fisk started moving forward with the concept of the CKCA is to expand the knowledge of custom knives with more accessibility to people who might be interested but know about them.

Let's say that a videographer with access to History Channel or Discovery got a prime-time spot, and produced a top-notch program showing the community in the best light.

From my experience, there would be a short-term insanity in the community. Some makers previously unknown would skyrocket in popularity, and everyone would want their work.....making it unaffordable, as we know the term. Other makers would become insufferable egomaniacs.

A huge passel of folks would inundate shows, and many old-timers used to things being a certain way, would stop going.

I see positives for makers, and see long-term positives for the community, but a whole lot of short-term negatives.

What do you think?

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Just take a look at the motorcycle community before and after the "American Chopper" and "Biker Build-Off" Discovery Channel series. I think there are several parallels that can be drawn.

I'd hazard a guess that the "insufferable egomaniacs" would flame out fairly quickly.
 
The biggest problem that I see is that it would have to be limited by the amount of time available and it's repeatability. Unfortunately not everyone worthy of "face time" would be included, and there's a good probability that some unworthy would. Who sets the standard? I agree, the publicity would influence sales, collecting, and values both short and long term.

I think that a really good introduction to custom knives could be accomplished by doing a show covering a good hammer-in. But then you (due to method, not madness) leave out those who do stock removal (and who would argue that those masters are not worthy).

One good way to limit the professional jealosy would be to use dead and gone masters as the subject. This unfortunately too, limits the subject. As can bee seen by the Blade Show Loveless tour, any one of a dozen makers could easily be the subject of a show longer than could be reasonably sold to television. Still, this would have perhaps the most minimal effect on prices as the number of pieces is set. The biggest failing with this model is that the modern makers and methods would get a pass, and while I don't see waterjet cutting (for example) as that "custom" neither do I think that all current advances are unworthy of being shown.

One thing I think would be a good series would be based on the "History of the Gun" series done a few years back. Call it "American Master Bladesmiths" or "The Knife in America" or the like. Focus on the historical market and designs; show factory work, custom stuff, designs and makers, slipjoints, bowies, etc. Give everyones piece of the hobby a shot at some time on the air. Scripting would be an issue, build a panel with guys like Bernard Levine to insure no major mistakes are made. What I think such a series would do is bring in several different disciplines (history, art, science, manufacturing, etc) and be much more accessible (and easier to relate to) for the audience (which is the average person not currently interested in knives). The advantage to this is you're selling those other subjects not sharp pointy things that hurt people, and can make it successful commercially. And you limit the number of people who get put out of joint because they weren't featured.
 
Access is not that hard these days. I've done work and consulting for the Military Channel and the same guys who shot my spot are free lance camera guys and they work on a majority of the different shows. They basically told me that you have to have someone with experience shoot the footage and put it in a nice package and pitch it to one of the production companies. They will not even talk to you until they see some sort of quality film. if they like it, they will try to sell the idea to Discovery Channel or History Channel. I'd be more than happy to spearhead this effort if we can find someone with some video and editing experience.
BB
 
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Short term it'd birth droves of drive-by makers that we suffer through in the Makers area. Long term it should work but still it's one of those boxes you can't close once you've opened it.
 
Anytime you get a huge dose of exposure to a certain hobby, interest or art you temporarily bring in some outside interest this does not mean some will stick with it but it usuallly peters out.

On a positive note just like in the Rennisance the ARTS had patrons this gave the artisans a steady supply of funds and interest which in return allowed some of the greatest art of all time to be prouduced. So the more people involved might not be a bad thing.

I would like it because maybe a bunch of old rich guys will bring hot chicks to the shows fall asleep early and let me entertain them at night that would be good for me and better that getting drunk with STeven:D
 
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JParanee said:
Anytime you get a huge dose of exposure to a certain hobby, interest or art you temporarily bring in some outside interest this does not mean some will stick with it but it usuallly peters out.

On a positive note just like in the Rennisance the ARTS had patrons this gave the artisans a steady supply of funds and interest which in return allowed some of the greatest art of all time to be prouduced. So the more people involved might not be a bad thing.

I would like it because maybe a bunch of old rich guys will bring hot chicks to the shows fall asleep early and let me entertain them at night that would be good for me and better that getting drunk with STeven:D
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HAHAHAH that last part made me spit coffe all over the 'puter screen. That is some funny stuff right there.
 
There are some exciting things in the planning stages of happening and others which have the potential to happen over the next 18 months or so to help bring custom knives more to the forefront of the mainstream collectible community. One of these endeavors will be introduced at BLADE Show. Exciting times :thumbup:

Good thread Steven.
 
a number of folk have pointed out in the past that maybe a reason why shows aren't attracting as many peeps as before is that there are too many shows. I'm not convinced that's the reason.
 
These are exciting times in knife making, any movement in showing knife making as the art form that it is, is good for our craft. I think that it is only a matter of time before we have a show like american chopper but with custom knives all we need is a is an crazy knife maker with a short fuse long on laughs with a killer shop. let the sparks fly. nice thread STeven
 
Dave Lisch reality show. Unreal!
 
Ummmm "crazy knifemaker with a short fuze".... guess the long on laughs and killer shop would be the hard part to find. I think it'd be funny...

Wide shot....

Maker screaming, flinging blade across shop, holding hand and hopping

Medium shot....

Maker applying super glue to wounds and picking up blade

Close up....

Phone rings,

"Yeah, it's at the sheathmakers, just waiting on him cause you know how sheathmakers are."

"Damn, guess I need to hurry up on this order"

Rack focus from face to sparks as knifemaker starts to grind

Fade to black
 
Studs of Studio 4
 
D lisch said:
These are exciting times in knife making, any movement in showing knife making as the art form that it is, is good for our craft. I think that it is only a matter of time before we have a show like american chopper but with custom knives all we need is a is an crazy knife maker with a short fuse long on laughs with a killer shop. let the sparks fly. nice thread STeven
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1. First bolded section, Dave, not necessarily true....at all. The analogy Aaron(bluejaunte) made before about the idiots on the chopper shows is apt. IMO, the LAST thing we need is a bunch of dickweeds wanting to rub elbows with knife people....you are really talking about two different worlds colliding here.

2. Having a show like American Chopper about knife folk would suck just as badly as L.A. Ink, imo, and if you don't think it sucks, you are were never a tattoo artist.

3. Like I told Kevin today, I AM 1/2 way willing to gamble that a good, well-produced show about knife folk might be good for the community, but that is ONLY because I already have most of the knives that I want, and as it gets harder for me to procure what I want next, I'll stop trying....keep in mind, have been actively collecting for 25 years.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Having seen what Discovery and its offshoots have done with shows about other areas of interest I have, I shudder to think.

"Tune in next week for the premier of our new show, American Blade Masters! Rather than guys in a shop making custom cars screaming and being complete assholes, we'll have it in a knife shop! Watch as Pops and Junior Poopenmeyer struggle to get a hundred knives finished in two weeks for the big knife show! Can they make the deadline? Will the heat treater get back from vacation in time? Will their fit and finish pass muster for anyone with enough sense to know which end is the sharp one? Will Pops blow a vein when he finds Junior reading knife forums instead of grinding blades? A show so cutting edge, it's sure to dull your mind!"

Really, it doesn't matter what the business is that they're covering, they're more interested in showing people behaving badly than in informing the public what is involved in making a quality custom product.

That being said, go for it if you wish. If you have any control whatsoever of the final product, please try to turn it into something that isn't a complete farce and misrepresentation of the craft in general.
 
They wouldn't want to work my pace or hours. Getting up at 5 to watch me read forums and emails in my underwear. Would be a awesome show.
 
Lorien said:
a number of folk have pointed out in the past that maybe a reason why shows aren't attracting as many peeps as before is that there are too many shows. I'm not convinced that's the reason.
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Not the reason, but certainly one of the primary reasons. A reason which should correct itself over time. We've seen several shows drop by the wayside recently and I believe we will see others doing the same.
 
A well thought out documentary is one think a reality show about knife makers would suck just ike every other reality show out there. Reality TV is one reason this country is not as great as it once was. Mindless Jerry Springer BS never makes for good tv
 
JParanee said:
A well thought out documentary is one think a reality show about knife makers would suck just ike every other reality show out there. Reality TV is one reason this country is not as great as it once was. Mindless Jerry Springer BS never makes for good tv
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You're right Joe, any documentary or show would need to be as good a quality as the knives being created. Highlighting or playing off the colorful personally of an interesting individual or knifemaker is one thing but creating the shenanigans and showbiz for ratings (one father/son bike build show comes to mind) is quite another and has no place for what we as a community are trying to bring to custom knives.

It's ALL about quality in whatever you do.
 
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