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Post by Sir Thorfinn on Jul 27, 2020 13:49:15 GMT
As it says... I'm seeing a LOT of these threads lately. Am I hallucinating?
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pgandy
Moderator
Senior Forumite
Posts: 10,296
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Post by pgandy on Jul 27, 2020 14:04:49 GMT
I've been surprised to see the number of such posts recently.
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Post by RufusScorpius on Jul 27, 2020 14:22:31 GMT
Take it at face value. Any determination of sword authenticity done on a forum like this should not be considered valid. Without seeing the object in person, it's very hard to actually "authenticate" anything. We can give some rough ideas about what the object represents and scale the worth (wall hanger, few dollars, really expensive), but not accurate for market purposes.
I hope people who ask these questions understand the limitations of this venue. It's always interesting to find out what you have, but if you want it appraised, then take it to an expert.
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Post by AndiTheBarvarian on Jul 27, 2020 14:22:49 GMT
I don't see an increased number, the last years there always were such requests. The funniest are those who made the OP without a picture. It's so hard not to answer: "It's the famous White Sword on white background". It's ok to ask how to post a picture and it's ok to ask for ID-ing a sword but in this order please. (not that I'd be a great help with the swords)
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Zen_Hydra
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Born with a heart full of neutrality
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Post by Zen_Hydra on Jul 27, 2020 15:19:08 GMT
Is the sword community really so large that we even need to consider this? It's not like anyone's offering certified appraisals. IMO, being courteous and helpful is how we stand out from the really nasty pieces of work...knife collectors. Screw those guys. P.S.: I've found the best way to figure out if your Japanese sword is a Chinese fake, or not, is to go here (http://www.militaria.co.za/) and ask for advice on how to polish your antique katana on your own. It's like kicking over a fire ant mound.
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pellius
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Post by pellius on Jul 27, 2020 15:37:44 GMT
... ask for advice on how to polish your antique katana on your own. It's like kicking over a fire ant mound. Lol
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Post by randomnobody on Jul 27, 2020 16:51:42 GMT
lol NMB
We've had a handful of ID threads recently. They're not uncommon. Worse than here, still, is reddit's r/swords.
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Zen_Hydra
Moderator
Born with a heart full of neutrality
Posts: 2,619
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Post by Zen_Hydra on Jul 27, 2020 16:56:19 GMT
Worse than here, still, is reddit's r/swords. Word. It's pretty much a meta-level joke there.
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Post by treeslicer on Jul 27, 2020 17:35:25 GMT
As it says... I'm seeing a LOT of these threads lately. Am I hallucinating? No more than usual.
IMHO, SBG gets these requests because we are more approachable on several levels. You don't have to use your real name on the scammer, spammer, and troll infested internet, wait 10 days or so for an admin to notice you and turn yoor account on, and then have the entrenched membership condescendingly ridicule your family heirloom as rusty rubbish and give you a textual wedgie instead of an ID.
Also, because you have people here who really are experts on some aspects of historical sword collecting, and who also have accounts at the "more respectable" sword sites, posters on SBG have as good a chance to get valid advice here as they do anywhere else, with one major difference. The experienced people here actually know how to work on and use the things.
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Ouroboros
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Imperial, Mysterious In Amorous Array
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Post by Ouroboros on Jul 27, 2020 17:52:12 GMT
Most of us lurk, trying to pay back the kindess' we've received by reading, writing and being part of an open community of beings. The knowledge is there if you ask or find it yourself by reading. I'm always brought to tears when I see a user selfimmolate, destroying any and all contributions to the community.
I'm glad people ask, otherwise how would we learn?
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Post by Dandelion on Jul 27, 2020 18:04:25 GMT
Worse than here, still, is reddit's r/swords. Word. It's pretty much a meta-level joke there. Oh yes. Holger likes it there. He is fighting all day long... almost. Well, not so much lately. I think he is getting bored already. But that was some funny posting when somebody called Zombie Tools swords "wallhangers"...
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Jul 27, 2020 18:05:26 GMT
I'll take some umbrage about nasty knife collectors. The invisible sword/knife is a daily occurrence at Blade Forums www.bladeforums.com/forums/bernard-levines-knife-collecting-identification.691/It is easy enough to be cordial in coaxing and encouraging guests and first posters. No one need answer any vacant request. On the free appraisal lane of traffic, it's best to just point to access showing past sales. Figure as many as 1 in 10 are folk that plan to stay around. Unfortunately, that leaves as many as 9 out of 10 that are only interested in the id and value. If SBG is interested in fostering serious interest and sharing, something the forums often lack is a comprehensive imaging post/thread pinned in the announcement section. I put it to moderators, with the help of administrators to put together one such thread. The run of the mill volunteer is tired of doing the forum direction and improvement. This thread was created by a moderator. Moderators should be reading all traffic. Moderators are supposed to be working as a team to better a site. Then there are the unsung heroes actually responding to and offering information (good, and sometimes lacking). In honesty, it is little different than any first inquiry or opinion from a first poster. On that note, again, no one need answer a first post. However, SBG and most forums these days are not exactly growing concerns. Me, I tend to ignore Guest accounts having no gumption in trying to help us help them. If there was a dedicated imaging post/thread, such could simply be offered as an easy reply. Welcome is as welcome does. Forumites can always do better with that but there are cases where steadfast splinters can use some coaching (again, a moderator's chance at actually volunteering). Some boards will deny any outright appraisal, others are pay for play. For instance Blade Forums gold members are allowed to ask values. I rarely offer a ballpark value but most often a generality and prompt a person do some of their own legwork. With some rare occasions, I'l find information literally cut and pasted from forums to ebay and I've had to call out a few and openly asked for my cut . OTOH, there are occasions where forums are at least credited for offering information. Does this board need a dedicated subsection? No, there is little enough traffic as it is. A note on moderators and administration. It may be time to look for some to amply cover hours without being oppressive. I am not looking for a position but I know well enough that a few more lurkers with stripes can help with coaching and assisting. Whatever
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Post by Verity on Jul 27, 2020 19:33:21 GMT
Most of us lurk, trying to pay back the kindess' we've received by reading, writing and being part of an open community of beings. The knowledge is there if you ask or find it yourself by reading. I'm always brought to tears when I see a user selfimmolate, destroying any and all contributions to the community. I'm glad people ask, otherwise how would we learn? I could not agree more with this.
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Post by MOK on Jul 27, 2020 20:54:25 GMT
Most of us lurk, trying to pay back the kindess' we've received by reading, writing and being part of an open community of beings. The knowledge is there if you ask or find it yourself by reading. I'm always brought to tears when I see a user selfimmolate, destroying any and all contributions to the community. I'm glad people ask, otherwise how would we learn? Yep, this right here,100%.
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stormmaster
Member
I like viking/migration era swords
Posts: 7,647
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Post by stormmaster on Jul 27, 2020 21:37:27 GMT
The reddit page is way worst, 85% of posts is someon3 asking for id, most of the time of toys
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Post by Jussi Ekholm on Jul 28, 2020 12:29:59 GMT
Many of the military swords etc. are actually pretty easy to identify if you have focused your studies on them. I do think it is important to help when we can. However I am feeling less optimistic about the future collector generations, as Edelweiss said above it is incredibly hard to get people interested even basic level of this hobby. I am not sure if it is even that 1 out of 10 that stays for any meaningful time in the hobby & group.
Unfortunately I don't have any solutions, it seems the activity keeps going down. Not sure if the sword community is too spread across dozens of different platforms, or if there is just no new supply for new enthusiats to the hobby.
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pellius
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Post by pellius on Jul 28, 2020 20:44:14 GMT
This was certainly *the* forum when I got into the sword hobby, only a very few years ago.
The only other bulletin board type sites I could find were either mostly defunct, required a membership fee, monumentally condescending, or required an invitation/sponsorship to get past the velvet rope.
This site has a fantastic catalog of information, truly knowledgeable members, and is friendly and patient enough to be approachable by total noobs. The site is oriented toward entry level prices and understanding, but still has the high-dollar long-experienced folks that drop by once in a while.
As us newbies learn just a bit more and gain some experience, we can start to field some of those common easy questions.
It’s a good system, and the community is friendly.
For me, there really wasn’t another entry point to the hobby. 😊
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Post by paulmuaddib on Jul 28, 2020 21:34:46 GMT
This was certainly *the* forum when I got into the sword hobby, only a very few years ago. The only other bulletin board type sites I could find were either mostly defunct, required a membership fee, monumentally condescending, or required an invitation/sponsorship to get past the velvet rope. This site has a fantastic catalog of information, truly knowledgeable members, and is friendly and patient enough to be approachable by total noobs. The site is oriented toward entry level prices and understanding, but still has the high-dollar long-experienced folks that drop by once in a while. As us newbies learn just a bit more and gain some experience, we can start to field some of those common easy questions. It’s a good system, and the community is friendly. For me, there really wasn’t another entry point to the hobby. 😊 This was totally me also. Registered 2018 but was here at least a year lurking and studying. This was one of the first, if not the first site I went on. Probably googled ‘katana’ and SBG had the perfect name. All I wanted was to have ‘a’ katana before I died. Guess you know how that went. Haha. It led me here and you guys haven’t been able to get rid of me since. And I agree, Reddit sucks. Sometimes some nice pics but that’s it.
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addertooth
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Working the tsuka on two bare blades from Ninja-Katana, slow progress
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Post by addertooth on Aug 3, 2020 12:28:09 GMT
I must admit that once I got past my "buy everything with a handle on it phase" I have been here less frequently. But then, I have always been spread across multiple (very different) hobbies my entire life.
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seth
Member
Just Peachy
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Post by seth on Aug 3, 2020 15:44:27 GMT
Also, because you have people here who really are experts on some aspects of historical sword collecting, and who also have accounts at the "more respectable" sword sites
Wait, are you implying we are not respectable? I bite my thumb at you sir!
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