Would you be interested listing your work alloy list in the knife steel chart

Would you be interested listing your work alloy list in the knife steel chart

  • Yes

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • No

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Other

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    0
  • Poll closed .
Gator97

Gator97

Joined
Apr 10, 2000
Messages
3,794
Hi All,


Based on multiple user requests, I'm interested in the idea. Basically visitors commenting on knife steel chart ask if it is possible to add list of knife makers who work on particular alloy. Factory knives are one aspect, but custom makers are a bit different. I can see how this would make easier to find a maker who works on something specific, especially for those people who do not participate in BF.

I think it's beneficial for both, makers and users in order to connect with each other. I've been in that situation myself when looking for someone who'd work on specific steel, and even though I am BF member for more than a decade, still it took months at a time.

To give you a better idea, let's say someone is viewing a specific steel, say CPM 10V. If you follow the link, you'll see 3 expandable sections, Reviews, Standard Names and Proprietary names.
If the idea is implemented, there would be 4th section, Makers, which would list knife makers using CPM 10V or willing to work on it, etc. Maker's name would link to his/her profile or webpage...

I'd like to get some feedback on this subject before investing time into that.
Technically it is not difficult, practically it involves people and changing list of materials, potentially invalid listings or listing things and then not working on them and so on. I have hard time keeping steel listings up to date and current and adding another rather fluid set of data to maintenance can be a problem. Alternatively makers could maintain their own alloy list, using simple interface.

Anyway, please vote, post your opinion etc.
 
Yes, I think that would be a fine idea. While I'm willing to try almost any steel I can get, I have 4 favorites that I feel very comfortable with and confident in.
 
:) I think the idea is good, although underwhelming response is rather surprising. It's not like I am asking for private info, makers list all that on their webpages.
If anything, I'm offering free, multiple links to their site in the end, which are highly targeted.
 
I am neutral about the listing, I have some steels I prefer an some I would not care to mess with. I am not sure it should be about the steel rather than the knife, I just had a discussion this weekend with a new client who had rejected the use of the most popular stainless steels based on some opinions of non-knifemakers. We had an opportunity to discuss what steel would best meet his and his wifes needs for kitchen knives. It was a good discussion to have.
 
Based on my personal experience(dozens of custom knives from many makers) and based on the visitor requests I can say very often it starts with the steel. Chart along with the maker list (if it gets implemented) is meant to make initial connection between the customer and the maker. After that it's between them, discussion, decisions etc...

P.S. If you vote "other" please post few words explaining what does it mean or why.
 
Bump... I need more feedback... Pool will be open for couple more months. If I do this, I have to implement support for Web, Android mobile app and ios apps. Quite a bit a work for me.

And to clarify, you (knifemaker) can check only those alloys you want your potential customers to contact you, even if you list more alloys on your site, and vice versa(reasonably). In other words I am not trying to force any alloys listings on anyone, it is your choice what you list.
Point is if you like/want to work on something people should be able to find you easily... There is not problem finding 1095 knives, but even W1 or o1 isn't that trivial and requires digging threads in these forums(and there are a lot of people outside of BF researching steels and knives).
 
FWIW--
Gator's App alone makes even any novice a sudden savant on steels, and it would be of particular use in:
A) When maker's "announce" they're going to use a new steel, the info would actually get circulated.
B) Uh, hello--the man's offering a direct link to your site through a secure App which is going to direct folks to their site.

Between Gator's site and app, determined folks will learn a buttload...and given how often I and other friends use it, it'd help to know, for example, who is concurrently using a particular steel.

Gator, I'm a little saddened too to see such poor turn out on this, and would take you up on it. Thanks for all your work, bud.
 
Gator97 said:
Based on my personal experience(dozens of custom knives from many makers) and based on the visitor requests I can say very often it starts with the steel.
Click to expand...

As a maker, I concur. The folks willing to spend money on handmade knives these days are often remarkably well-educated about various alloys, or at the very least have developed general preferences through their own research and experience.

Nearly all of my clients are very adamant about steel selection. That ranges from "I want this alloy and no other", to "I generally like this class of steels", to "I prefer this-and-that attribute over others, what do you recommend?". That's positive and satisfying to both of us. :thumbup:


Gator97 said:
If anything, I'm offering free, multiple links to their site in the end, which are highly targeted.
Click to expand...

I think any maker would be short-sighted at best to pass on that, unless they're already so busy that they just don't need to be put in front of new clients. I'm all for it. :)
 
I'm in as well. I, like James Terrio I work with many different steels as many as I can. I'm confident and comfortable working with a select few. Wich reminds me I need to update my website and include the steels I have been working with lately.
 
Thanks for the feedback. Percentage wise it's reassuring so far :) Let's keep this open, even if I decide to embark on this project, it'l require few weeks for proper design and so on.
 
Just thought I'd point out this current example of where such a resource could help both makers and clients... I added the bold but didn't change the wording...

jstn said:
This is my first time ordering a custom so bear with me. I'm not entirely sure what I'm looking for, but I do know I want something in stainless steel (s30v, Elmax, M390, CPM 154, ???) I'm not sure which makers work with which steel.
Click to expand...

:)
 
I hope I'm not talking out of turn, but that fellow I quoted ordered two knives, one from me and one from another maker who also responded to his questions. :thumbup:
 
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