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The online community of knife collectors, A Knife Family Forged in Steel

A discussion about iKC on another forum

So it seems we have become a topic, or the result of one anyway LOL

For those of you that know me, you know I dont go to the other forums. I belong and I get alerts if our name is mentioned but I choose to be here.

Long story, condensed version. there was an issue with a club knife for them by Queen. Someone brought up that Queen does a live chat here and low and behold...we have new members. Welcome to you all.

What I found interesting was the comments regarding iKC and the membership.

"Ya, I went over there and looked around as soon as you mentioned that. All I can say is it seems like the people who hang out there are... how shall I say this... a little off. Read through that forum and you see no real complaints about anything. I'll go, but I don't expect a warm welcome."

"I joined, was instantly greeted by some online members, and saw the same members in the chat box bidding each other a good night as someone was going to bed. They were friends, mentioning that they'd be praying for something I missed ,and seemed nice to me. Didn't read any of the forum though. I Wonder how many members it has and why Queen would select them for this event, though I understand why they wouldn't select EDCF'

"I didn't mean that they were not nice folks, it just appears to me that they seemed like they went way out of their way to be overly polite to each other. It's like a knitting club, but with knives. I could be wrong, but it seemed like a real honest exchange of ideas may be shocking to them. I got the same feeling I get when I pull into a little town in WV and people peer out from behind the curtains and I suddenly realize... I don't belong."

Over the years we have been called many things, but this is the first for knitting club. So those joining us from there, again...welcome. Yes, you will find a tight knit community, you will experience friendship and a family atmosphere. No, we are not a huge community...for us it is not about the numbers but the people, the atmosphere and the knives. I promise no one will peep out the curtains at you, well unless your in JJ's diner LOL.

We dont go out of our way to be nice, we make the choice to hang with nice folks

Tags: forum, iknifecollector

11 members like this

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Replies to This Discussion

In MemoriamPermalink Reply by John McCain on July 30, 2014 at 17:46

Knitting gone terribly wrong !!ROFL

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In MemoriamPermalink Reply by John McCain on July 30, 2014 at 18:23

One more, why all knitters must be stopped !! BTW, my new birthday greeting to fellow members-- ROFL

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Permalink Reply by Ken Spielvogel on July 30, 2014 at 18:54

Well well well, isn't that something. I like it here. And I don't like knitting clubs either.

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Permalink Reply by Ms Data on July 30, 2014 at 21:02

Here is my knitted knife from my knitting club.

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Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on July 30, 2014 at 21:06

OK I have to admit, I like the knitted knife LOL

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FeaturedPermalink Reply by Charles Sample on July 30, 2014 at 21:13

Data, that is the sharpest dull knife I ever saw! LOL

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Permalink Reply by Alexander Noot on July 31, 2014 at 2:49

Don't get me wrong. I LOVE the atmosphere here. I love the positivity.

I just have to realise that we do have a tendency to gush while asking few questions. And that does no one any favours. Let me give a small example.

We had a knife maker here a couple of years back who was (back then) very active. He posted a LOT of his work and got a lot of praise for it.

After a while he disappeared from here due to some disagreement I believe. The exact why isn't important.

I ran into him on Facebook. So I talked to him every once in a while. I started asking some critical questions about some of his designs. Simply because he was an experienced knifemaker and I wanted to learn.

Instead of answering the man started ranting about how I was just an amateur and he sold hundreds of knives all the time and I didn't know anything.

Needless to say I defriended him pretty damn fast. Now.....if people here on iKC had asked critical questions there. The man would probably have shown his true colours a LOT sooner. And wouldn't have suckered people into buying his (in my view) HEAVILY overpriced knives.

There's no need to be rude or sarcastic. But it's GOOD to ask critical questions.

Sometimes we learn something when we ask questions

Sometimes the person we ask learns something they haven't thought of before (happens to me all the time)

Sometimes it turns out the person we're talking to is kind of a fraud.

There's really no downside to it.

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Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on July 31, 2014 at 9:22

Alexander, the questions were asked. The trying to rehabilitation that particular knifemaker took the form of removing comments HE made to others on a regular basis. Rude is not acceptable. Eventually we had to make the decision that it could not go forward, and he was removed. It was the first time I had to tell a friend of mine, his combativeness was not welcome here. He remains a friend, even today. I have no issues with honesty, I encourage the discussions and I am a realist. My friends don't always fit into the mold and I accept what others see as "flaws". I try hard not to judge others. Our rules do not say dont be honest

4. Please refrain from flaming, berating or belittling a fellow member or members. Treat others as you want to be treated.

5. Respect the opinions of others, whether they are right or wrong.

They do however boil down to be nice about it. I dont think that is too much to ask of adults, especially when part of our mission is to bring the next generation into knife collecting.

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Permalink Reply by Alexander Noot on July 31, 2014 at 13:55

Jan, it was just an example.

The man is no friend of mine not after behaving like an ass without reason.

I still think that we gush too much as a community however.

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Permalink Reply by Steve Scheuerman (Manx) on July 31, 2014 at 16:31

Personally, I don't really see it as "gushing" so much as politeness. We have had our fair share of complaints about knives and makers and companies, but we don't feel the need to advertise the issue nor drag everyone into a debate they have nothing to do with. Members have had their issues with companies they have told us about, but they don't flame the companies publicly, and they don't raise an army from the uninvolved to jump on the local hate bandwagon. I see it more as a group of responsible adults that don't say anything if they don't have something nice to say. Or, as some may describe it....maturity. We can settle disagreements through private messaging and conversation, not dragging in the whole forum to participate. Also, we can accept the fact that mistakes get made, and each mistake is not a personal attack on us. Dull blade? Off centre? Bad scale? We send it back and patiently (sometimes) wait for the replacement. None of those are reasons to condemn a company or start a hate campaign. If someone posts a $10 low end knife that they love, we don't feel the need to point out how terrible it is, how stupid they are for buying it, or how much better our own knives are. We encourage and support. We teach and learn. We remember that we started somewhere...and how it felt to be "stupid" for doing this, that or the other. Granted...we cuddle a few companies more than others, but when you can actually talk to the owners and be heard...and be FRIENDS with them, well...kinda a no brainer there.

So if that is "gushing", well...I'll take another helping, please. You want negativity, condemnation, flame wars, elitism, sarcasm and holier-than-thou attitudes, there's LOTS of places to find that. You want family and friends, support, helpfulness, encouragement and caring...well...there sure as heck ain't many places around where you can find that. But, the nice thing is, the choice is yours. To each their own and all that.

Those are my thoughts on it anyway...

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Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on July 31, 2014 at 20:31

Well said Manx!

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FeaturedPermalink Reply by Jeremy B. Buchanan on July 31, 2014 at 21:00

I have visited other forums myself but have chosen to make iKC my home. I have found iKC to be a place where I can hang out with people who care about each other and enjoy spending time chatting with one another. I can't think of any place I would rather hang out after a long days work or an early Saturday or Sunday morning. I thank all of those who welcomed me and made me feel like one of the family instantly. I hope iKC is around a long time and stays just the way it is.