Knifeforums.com has been sold!

[Grant Lamontagne]

http://www.fwmedia.com/press-room/knifeforums

F+W Media Announces Acquisition of Knifeforums.com

Expands Company Scope to Survival and Preparedness

F+W Media, Inc. announced today the acquisition of Knifeforums.com, a premier online community for knife, firearms, and outdoors enthusiasts. The acquisition complements the Company’s current Firearms, Knives, and Outdoors Communities, adding actively engaged enthusiasts who connect through Knifeforums.com highly trafficked web forums to its industry leading brands, including Blade magazine , it’s e-commerce store and annual trade show.

With this acquisition, F+W Media announces Jim Nowka, founder of Knifeforums.com, will join the company as associate publisher focused on developing content, engaging conversation, and building audience in the area of survival and disaster preparedness. Online forums, education, e-books and print books, as well as co-located seminars at the Blade Show, the world’s largest knife and cutlery show, are in development now led by Nowka together with the F+W Media team.

“Knifeforums.com has been a leading online resource for everyone who makes and appreciates great knives for nearly 15 years. It’s exciting to invite our Blade Magazine customers to their communities, and vice versa,” said David Blansfield, President, F+W Media. “And having Jim Nowka on the F+W team is a “win-win” for everyone, for us and our customers. We’re excited to be working together to offer up new and improved products and services to people who are keenly interested in not just knives and firearms but disaster readiness as well.”

“Partnering Knifeforums with Blade magazine will benefit both parties,” said Nowka. “Knifeforums will now have access to the editorial resources of the Blade and Gun Digest brands, while the editors can engage directly with our forums’ communities. This coming-together will help us provide the information resources current and future customers need. Expanding our interests further into survival and disaster preparedness will be a big-plus too.” Nowka is formerly an advisor to the Combined Forces Special Operations Component Command (CFSOCC-A) and is recognized as an expert in scenario planning and disaster readiness.

The Firearms, Knives, and Outdoors Community at F+W includes: Blade magazine; the Blade Show & International Cutlery Fair, held every June in Atlanta, GA; Gun Digest magazine; Tactical Gear magazine; Gun Digest Books; and ecommerce stores GunDigestStore.com and ShopBlade.com. Knifeforums.com brings a broad range of topics to the community – outdoor cooking, kitchen cutlery, survival and disaster preparedness. For more than 35 years, Deer & Deer Hunting magazine has provided serious whitetail hunters with practical and comprehensive information about deer and deer behavior to make them better hunters. The popularity of the magazine led to the launch of two television programs – Deer & Deer Hunting TV (now in its 7th season on Versus) and the newest release Land of Whitetail (appearing on The Pursuit Network).

Def

[dks]

These are usually good news for the seller, not so good for the forum members; assuming the new owners will try to "guide" their views.
Good luck to all involved, anyway. Anything that keeps knife related forums going must be a good thing

"Partnering Knifeforums with Blade magazine "

Wasn´t Blade magazine already partnered with Blade forums too ? 

[Grant Lamontagne]

I have no idea.  I have been a member of KF since before BF existed, and back before Jim owned it.  I am certain he will make sure that there are no significant alterations to the feel of the site and the direction of it.  Jim is a good guy and a good friend, and I wish him all the best with this.

Def

[user24]

maybe they can get the site running properly again, it's dog slow at the moment!

FW looks like they have some expertise in this area so it sounds like a positive thing. Cool! Wonder how much they paid for it?

[Grant Lamontagne]

I have no idea what they paid, but I know what offers Jim has turned down in the past, so I'm assuming it must have been significant!

Def

[Ombudsman]

So their next step will be to try to buy MT.O 

[Grant Lamontagne]

I doubt they have enough money for that... at least not after buying KF!

Def

[tattoosteve99]

That better not happen I like the freedom here

[Grant Lamontagne]

Don't worry guys, I have no plans to sell out... cheaply...

Def

[duckman1975]

Don't worry guys, I have no plans to sell out... cheaply...

Def

It's not a bad idea partnering up to a larger company, as long as they are hands free on the discussion 

[Grant Lamontagne]

I doubt we would find one that would agree with our policies- pointing out product flaws is not a great way to make friends.

Def

[duckman1975]

I doubt we would find one that would agree with our policies- pointing out product flaws is not a great way to make friends.

Def

Yup I guess some companies are thin skinned about pointing product flaws but they are missing out on the opportunity to make a good product better or a lousy product well not lousy 
I bet a lot of those company does research on their products here....... Maybe work up a silent partner agreement 

[Metropolicity]

I doubt we would find one that would agree with our policies- pointing out product flaws is not a great way to make friends.

Def

Yup I guess some companies are thin skinned about pointing product flaws but they are missing out on the opportunity to make a good product better or a lousy product well not lousy 
I bet a lot of those company does research on their products here....... Maybe work up a silent partner agreement 

I know I have probably cut down on some R and D on their end

[duckman1975]

I doubt we would find one that would agree with our policies- pointing out product flaws is not a great way to make friends.

Def

Yup I guess some companies are thin skinned about pointing product flaws but they are missing out on the opportunity to make a good product better or a lousy product well not lousy 
I bet a lot of those company does research on their products here....... Maybe work up a silent partner agreement 

I know I have probably cut down on some R and D on their end

Agree  You should recieve royalties if they copied your mod.

[Ombudsman]

I doubt we would find one that would agree with our policies- pointing out product flaws is not a great way to make friends.

Def

Yup I guess some companies are thin skinned about pointing product flaws but they are missing out on the opportunity to make a good product better or a lousy product well not lousy 
I bet a lot of those company does research on their products here....... Maybe work up a silent partner agreement 

I know I have probably cut down on some R and D on their end

Agree  You should recieve royalties if they copied your mod.

Then Leatherman owes me a ton for my Mini Skeletool Mod aka Style PS   

[Grant Lamontagne]

There's been a few they would owe members here for!

Def

[tattoosteve99]

Well if ever decided to sell this forum sell it to us. That way it can stay as is.

[Grant Lamontagne]

Let me know when you have a spare $100k and we'll talk! 

Anyone Want To Buy A Site?

Def

[Mercury]

I hope this place stays under Grant forever.  It's the coolest place online.  I am a member at a few other places but this is my favorite and definitely the only one where I even have over 500 posts.  I lurk at EDCF all the time but I rarely post anymore.  I'm also on Jerzeedevil forums and a few golf forums but none compare to MT.o.

[New_World]

I hope this place stays under Grant forever.  It's the coolest place online.  I am a member at a few other places but this is my favorite and definitely the only one where I even have over 500 posts.  I lurk at EDCF all the time but I rarely post anymore.  I'm also on Jerzeedevil forums and a few golf forums but none compare to MT.o.

+1.
I mainly carry knives know, but I hardly ever visit the other forums.

[Syph007]

I hope this place stays under Grant forever.  It's the coolest place online.  I am a member at a few other places but this is my favorite and definitely the only one where I even have over 500 posts.  I lurk at EDCF all the time but I rarely post anymore.  I'm also on Jerzeedevil forums and a few golf forums but none compare to MT.o.

I'm very similar.  Member of many other survivalist and knife forums, but since I found MTO this place feels like home... I feel like I can actually express my opinions here and I dont get attacked for not likely something.

[Grant Lamontagne]

That's it, you guys are banned.   

It has long been my philosophy that a forum is a place for people to share thoughts and ideas, not a place where everyone has to think the same thing or get in trouble.  If everyone has the same point of view then what's the point of having a discussion?  We can all just stand around randomly saying "Yup" like the guys on King Of The Hill (not a shot at Texans!  ) rather than actually talk about things.

This is a bit corny but I've often said that when a forum stops being about the intelligent and respectful exchange of ideas it becomes an againstum and while that may work for some places, it's not what I wanted.

I also think that discussions are like living things and should be free to evolve naturally, and if they stray off topic, well then so be it.  The fact is, it makes for more reading enjoyment if a thread goes any which way members want, and you never know what the end result will be!

These are all concepts I learned from my first forum home long before starting this site- and that forum was Knifeforums.  It was a bit strange inthe early days as my interest in SAKs made me feel kind of like an outcast.  When I asked about SAKs once back in the early days the response was always the same- "put away that toy and get yourself a REAL knife!"  So I did, and I started collecting tactical knives, although to be honest I already had quite a few!  Eventually SOSAK started up and I think I was the twelfth person to join the hidden forum there and I worked hard to make it the best forum on the site.  Not to toot my own horn, but I think I succeeded since for a while it had the third highest traffic of any forum there, right behind General Knife Discussion and the Knives For Sale forums, and accounted for about ten percent of KF's overall traffic.  Not bad for a hidden forum about toys on a site dedicated to "real knives!"

I wanted to keep the family friendly feel whgen I started this place, and while I never really told anyone this it seems to have just developed that way, and I'm pretty proud of that.  Some time ago a good member here told me that out of all the forums he visits, this is the one he lets his (then) seven year old daughter visit, and she eventually even became a member here!  How cool is that? 

Anyways, sorry for the ramble, but I can honestly say if it weren't for the various stages of evolution I experienced at Knifeforums, there wouldn't be a Multitool.org- at least not the way we see it now.

Def

[AimlessWanderer]

That's certainly why I'm here - it's the only forum to be part of. Other than the great community spirit and absence of the infighting that is rife elsewhere, where else would an outspoken outcast like me who carries a Gerber MP700 regularly, actually prefers non-locking folders over locking, and doesn't think that Leatherman is the almighty supreme ruler of the multitool world be able to hang out? 

 

[Grant Lamontagne]

Well, you may have a few issues on the Leatherman Facebook page, but there may be other forums that would have you!  I just don't know of any off the top of my head, but then I don't visit other forums anymore! 

Def

[Syph007]

doesn't think that Leatherman is the almighty supreme ruler of the multitool world

 

Funny thing is.. I used to be one of those guys who was only aware of leatherman.   I didn't even know Victorinox made MT's before joining here.. now I have a swisstool RS and 2 spirt x's and the fit, finish and function of those make them the best in my mind, and I've not carried a leatherman since.  I still like Leatherman and will buy more of them,  but I LOVE my swisstools!

[badwolf]

Well, I really like this forum, I have almost 600 posts, for me that's a lot, I have every intention of making it a lot more. This is by far the most friendly, helpful and informative forum I have ever been on as a member or lurker. I would never have gone with the charter membership if I didn't think this site was worth it

Merry Christmas To All At MTO

[Mercury]

I agree about thread development.  If the OP or members posting decide they want to stick to topic then they can, but we rarely stay just on that original topic all the time and it's downright refreshing to be able to go off on a tangent for a while and be allowed to continue it.  I have never had an uncomfortable moment between myself and another member here and when people do get a bit out of sorts they get reminded by the mods real quick.  Not that it happens very much though!  I have a membership over at knife forums and I am also a member of SOSAK subforum, but I haven't been over there in forever.  I do remember it being pretty cool though.

[tattoosteve99]

Well as others have said...I used to carry a gerber mp400 forever. It was my first multi. I still have it. Used too I thought leatherman were just crap. Not true I found out as now I have 3 and more on the way. Gee thanks guys. Now I look at multis a different way. SAKs are now my hot topic especially alox. Didn't even know what alox was before this forum. Now I own...ah to many . I like the freedom of being able to discuss freely actually anything including tools.

[Grant Lamontagne]

Here's the official release:

http://www.blademag.com/profiles/blogs/blade-f-w-media-acquires-knifeforums-com?et_mid=531208&rid=3576195

F+W Media, Inc./BLADE® Magazine announced today the acquisition of Knifeforums.com, a premier online community for knife, firearms and outdoors enthusiasts. The acquisition complements the company’s current firearms, knives and outdoors communities, adding actively engaged enthusiasts who connect through Knifeforums.com's highly trafficked web forums to its industry leading brands, including BLADE magazine, shopblade.com and the BLADE Show.


With this acquisition, F+W Media announces Jim Nowka, founder of Knifeforums.com, will join the company as associate publisher focused on developing content, engaging conversation, and building audience in the area of survival and disaster preparedness. Online forums, education, e-books and print books, as well as seminars at the BLADE Show & International Cutlery Fair, are in development now, led by Nowka together with the F+W Media team.


“Knifeforums.com has been a leading online resource for everyone who makes and appreciates great knives for nearly 15 years. It’s exciting to invite our Blade Magazine customers to their communities, and vice versa,” said David Blansfield, President, F+W Media. “And having Jim Nowka on the F+W team is a 'win-win' for everyone, for us and our customers. We’re excited to be working together to offer up new and improved products and services to people who are keenly interested in not just knives and firearms but disaster readiness as well.”


“Partnering Knifeforums with Blade magazine will benefit both parties,” said Nowka. “Knifeforums will now have access to the editorial resources of the BLADE and Gun Digest brands, while the editors can engage directly with our forums’ communities. This coming-together will help us provide the information resources current and future customers need. Expanding our interests further into survival and disaster preparedness will be a big-plus too.” Nowka is formerly an advisor to the Combined Forces Special Operations Component Command (CFSOCC-A) and is recognized as an expert in scenario planning and disaster readiness.


The Firearms, Knives, and Outdoors Communities at F+W includes: BLADE Magazine; the Blade Show & International Cutlery Fair, held every June in Atlanta, GA; Gun Digest magazine; Tactical Gear Magazine; Gun Digest Books; and ecommerce stores GunDigestStore.com and ShopBlade.com. Knifeforums.com brings a broad range of topics to the community – outdoor cooking, kitchen cutlery, survival and disaster preparedness. For more than 35 years, Deer & Deer Hunting Magazine has provided serious whitetail hunters with practical and comprehensive information about deer and deer behavior to make them better hunters. The popularity of the magazine led to the launch of two television programs – Deer & Deer Hunting TV (now in its 7th season on Versus) and the newest release Land of Whitetail (appearing on The Pursuit Network).

Def

[ICanFixThat]

Any information on what this means for the SOSAK forum on there, and it's great history of information?