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There has been discussion in our blog- http://www.iknifecollector.com/profiles/blogs/the-future-of-organiz... about what the future of "organized" knife collecting looks like and I want to ask a few more questions.

Exactly what would you want from an association for you to join?

If a "new" association formed tomorrow- what would it take for you to become a dues paying member? And how much would you be willing to pay yearly in dues for those member benefits? (don't worry, I'm not planning on starting a new organization, I'm just curious)

What focus or emphasis would you want that organization to have?

Tags: Association, club, international, national

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Giveaways with only my name on it ;)

 

No but seriously, you are running a great show Scott. This is the only place I frequent nowadays since all other forums have become too unpersonal, and it doesn't have any people in key positions who mis-use their "power" on this site.

 

That plus the age average here is much, much higher than the random community which is a major plus aswell.

 

If I would have any gripe it would be an inch to centimeter conversion application, but that's really overkill as a new addition. Me as an international member has had huge problems with this (especially when trying to explain the unit of microns which is based on meters).

 

All in all you're doing an awesome job Scott. Far beyond what anyone could expect from you, that much I'm certain of. So instead of griping I will just thank you for giving us this community and now it's back to posting :)

 

edit: wow, first post, I guess sometimes its good  to live on the other side of the earth lol

I would like to see a good mix of factory knives and custom knives and collectors of both. In my opinion the decline of the NKCA and a lot of local knife clubs is that they became too focused on one small segment of knife collecting.

Shows/gatherings are great to get together as a group to show and tell or buy and sell.

Newsletters can be a plus IF the organization has motivated people to produce and deliver an interesting newsletter.

A website and forum would be a must in these days.

An open and transparent governing board without politics and predjudices may be too much to hope for.

The oportunity to purchase an interesting annual club knife at a reasonable price has proven to be a good incentive to join such an organization.

I would be willing to pay $25 per year in membership dues and might offer other support to an active organization.

 

 

Mike, the second you start charging money for setting up gatherings and shows along with giveaways and such the international member will instantly disappear.

I know that we don't matter much to you, but I like it here ;p

 

Prejudice will never disappear, I believe we have a good atmosphere here to agree to disagree. Removing that social closeness would turn this into just another forum.

The only money IKC should charge is for the expenses they have to do, with a few more thousand members the load will be much bigger, I don't know how many more members IKC can currently deal with though.

I was not at all referring to IKC. Maybe I misunderstood the question from Scott. I was stating what I would like to see IF a new knife collector association were to start up. I was thinking more along the lines of an organization like the NKCA.

I very much agree that we have a good atmosphere here.

I have two intentions to be a member of such type of forums, first is to get more knowledge about knives taste from all around the world and then putting that knowledge into my products (Knives) and sell it to genuine buyers.

First to promote collectible knives and help bring more knife enthusiasts into the knife community and to help sustain and support those already active in the community.

To help the general community by sponsoring charitable projects such as knife raffles and such. This not only helps the general community but also helps to present collectible knives in a more favorable light as opposed to just weapons.

To have a friendly, fun, educational and interesting forum and website for it's members to visit and share information with one another.

To have a member discount program for members to save money on knife related products and services such as knife photos, sheaths, collector/knifedealer/knifemaker insurance. This can help members to reduce or in some cases eliminate their cost of dues/membership.

To offer it's members "VIP" passes and free admission tickets to knife shows.

To offer a monthly newsletter to it's members so they can stay abreast of what's going on in the knife community.

To offer desirable, unique and high quality "Club Knives" to it's membership at reasonable prices.

To have a annual banquet where all members can meet, gather and have a great time before the Blade Show.

Sponsor a knife show which offers it's members a chance to acquire very special knives from in demand knifemakers at very desirable prices.

Set up at knife shows and do seminars around the country to help promote and educate on collectible knives.

Create an annual knife calendar to  increase the exposure of collectible knives both inside and outside the knife community.

To help unite  knife enthusiasts from around the world.

To help knifemakers be successful in exposing and marketing their knives to the broader and more mainstream collectible and art communities.

I would like to see it as a world wide organization. A group that govenments could talk too. In the UK we have no influence on knife laws and are thought of as criminals in the making for wanting to own or carry a knife.  If it had a real voce I would join. Dont know what I would pay.  $20 a year??. I if it had real teeth like the NRA I would pay more.

Newsletters can be a plus IF the organization has motivated people to produce and deliver an interesting newsletter.

 

That one is key to me

I want something I can save and refer too

Kind of like my Knife World magazines

(a PDF would be fine too)

Something with information

Not just a list of the knife shows and knifemakers

It could be knife history, like Oregon Knife Club Newsletter, or maybe" member spotlights" (your favorite knife in your collection, your first knife, grandpa's knife,etc), a for sale or trade section,maybe a few ads

A good mixture of traditional knives, tactical knives, custom knives, USA knives, foreign knives, fixed blade and folding, and  tomahawks and cleavers

 

Club knives are cool

If everyone can agree on what type of pattern and manufacture to go with ;)

 

To be honest, teh reason I joined NKCA was the free book

So give something free off the bat

Like maybe a free calendar.....;)  ;)...Kevin?......;)

Just charge 60 bucks for the membership and give me the calendar for free...:)

Or a Cordura embroidered knife roll

A laminated membership card with  If the Police Stop You With a Knife instructions on the back?

T Shirt

Small whetstone in a mahogany box with the club logo 

Doo rag or trucker hat

Lanyard with pewter logo piece

Leather sheath

A.G. Russell™ Steel Thumbnail

DMT keychain sharpener

2 .oz bottle of mineral oil

And each time you renew you get the gift of the year

Maybe give a free gift for 10 year membership anniversaries or something like that...

 

Having a forum with member only sections is definitely a plus

 

Knife show discounts are not a factor for me

If I lived in The Knife Belt (Arkansas, Texas, Georgia, Tennessee?)

Where I was with driving distance of a knife show every weekend

Then it would probably be a factor

 

An annual knife show or monthly meetings would be nice so you could meet people and show knives

That's probably more of a local knife club thing

Like SoCal Blades knife club

 

"First to promote collectible knives and help bring more knife enthusiasts into the knife community and to help sustain and support those already active in the community.

To help the general community by sponsoring charitable projects such as knife raffles and such. This not only helps the general community but also helps to present collectible knives in a more favorable light as opposed to just weapons."

That's good stuff too

Maybe give a knife to an active service member or as presentation piece to a retunring servicmember

Kind of how they presented custom Bowies to senators back in the day

Or sponsor a young whittlers club somewhere

I would like to try and help the knife community as a whole

Enlighten people and spread the good word about The Good Blade

 

To have a annual banquet where all members can meet, gather and have a great time before the Blade Show.

Sounds costly but fun...hehehhehehe

 

My price range would be $19.99 to $34.99 a year (with free bumper sticker)

 

The lower the annual fee

The more members

Is my motto

You all knew that though, right? ;)

 

 

In my opinion, the perfect scenario would be an International organization with local chapters that encompases all kinds of knives, users and collectors. Local chapters could have monthly meetings and countries could hold annual shows or conventions.

In reality, we already have so many splintered knife groups, clubs and organizations and many are struggling to stay afloat.  We have the oldest knife club in America based in my town, the Kentucky Cutlery Association. That club has dwindled to a handful of members who show up at the monthly meetings and nobody wants to be officers, put together the newsletter or do anything except sit around and trade pocket knives. In contrast, the Knifemakers Guild is successful and growing again because they have several enthusiastic and motivated people working hard for the group.

It is a lot of hard work to make any organization successful. You will always have alot of people who will sit in the back and grumble about what "they" are or are not doing. Just like this forum. It didn't just happen. Scott King put a lot of time and effort into it. That, along with the support of the members is why it works.

I want to have a place where to be able to consult
on old knives , authenticity and period - I did not want to pay - I can bring my experience to other collectors -

and please sorry my bad english . kind regards  Carlos

For me to become a dues-paying member of a new knife collecting association, membership would have to include a monthly publication such as Blade magazine or Tactical Knives magazine, and it would have to offer discounts on knives and knife-related products. 

Hi guys. An association that talks about new knives is great. But a lot of us also collect old knives. This site seems to have guys who only care about the latest "killing" blade. Guys ,a tad less on the Rambo crap would be nice. Now ,that's not to say that I don't dig slice and dice the bad guy stuff.But let's face it most of us will only have to face a pissed off boss or wife( if there's a difference).

I have a large collection of new and old stuff. The new stuff is easy to know and understand. The old stuff,well I can use some help.Hint,hint

john

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