WIP Thoughts

Joined
Oct 16, 2001
Messages
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Hello All,

I am very pleased that we have been treated to a few really nice WIP threads lately. And I just wanted to present a few thoughts, in no particular order.

These really help other makers. Seeing how other people do things gives new ideas and inspiration.

These really help collectors. More knowledge is always a good thing.

And, finally, these really help the people who produce them.

I got to thinking during Burt Foster's WIP thread what a large amount of work it was for Burt to put that together. But then I also thought, wow, this keeps my interest in what Burt is making going, and probably gains him some new customers as well.

This, IMHO, is the ultimate win-win situation. The general viewers, other makers, collectors, first time buyers, and the maker himself all benefit. And what could be better than that?

Best,

John
 
I agree. Extra work for the maker that pays off for ALL.

Wait until you see Tim Hancock's Dogbone Dagger WIP (54 full pages) in his and DDD's new book "The Western Bladesmith". Without a doubt, by far the best I have ever seen.

The only negative I see is that it's possible to get too much of a good thing. WIP threads are getting so popular here they could start to lose their impact.
 
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I also added a 6 page detailed overview of Tim Hancock's
well established workshop, which in itself supplies a great
amount of information for other knifemakers as well as
future knifemakers in the making.

I think that no WIP is complete without several detailed general
views of the various corners in the knifemaker's workshop.

All the best,
David Darom (ddd)

From my book: "Tim Hancock The Western Bladesmith" (2009)
picture.JPG


picture.JPG
 
And what could be better than that?
I'm not sure. But don't fall into a trap of calling it the Best. Thread. Ever. You may get your hand slapped..... ;)

All true. Thanks, John.

Coop
 
Well said John - I could not agree more. I'll go out on a limb and say that Foster WIP would easily be a finalist for the Best Thread Ever title, were such a poll ever to be taken. :thumbup:

Roger
 
Work in progress threads have always been amongst my favorites. They are informative, and though they are not as educational as actually being there while the knife is being made, they are as close to that as many will get.

John made a very good point in that threads are beneficial for almost everyone that reads them. Collectors get to see how knives are made, other knifemakers get a perspective on how someone else makes knives, and the maker posting the WIP thread gets the added exposure.

In my case there will never be so many WIP threads that they lose their impact. My only problem might be the fact that I will not find them all so I will miss out.
 
SO along with best bowie 09 we should have best WIP 09 at the end of the year. As I see 09 being the year of the WIP. Just a thought.
 
Reading this makes me happy I invented WIP threads. ;)

Seriously though, I have done about 20 of them now, and I learned something new with each one. Sometimes you do something goofy and don't realize it until you have 8 people asking, "Why did you do it that way?"

I agree John, I think it's a win/win! :)

Well, unless you don't get one done and it gets drug out for over a year with thirty some odd thousand views ;) :o
 
Anyone know which the first WIP was on BF? It would be really cool if all the wip threads could be found in one archive, eh?
 
Well said John - I could not agree more. I'll go out on a limb and say that Foster WIP would easily be a finalist for the Best Thread Ever title, were such a poll ever to be taken. :thumbup:

Roger

Probably the best WIP thread for sure and as said, perhaps a finalist for all time Best.
Been a lot of good threads though.

Might be Fun to start a "Custom's Forum Best Thread Ever" thread. Perhaps I will next week.
 
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Probably the best WIP thread for sure and as said, perhaps a finalist for all time Best.
Been a lot of good threads though.

Might be Fun to start a "Custom's Forum Best Thread Ever" thread. Perhaps next week.
or perhaps a thread titled "If you were trapped on a desert island surrounded by zombie ninjas, which BF thread would you want to have printed on the back of your silk escape and evasion map?":D
 
At the least, maybe one of those prefixes to declare 'W.I.P'.

If you sort the threads by views and/or responses that is always revealing. This ALWAYS favors contentious discussion. Interesting, nonetheless.

Coop
 
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