Brad Lilly
Moderator and Awards Boss
Here in lies the issue, there is legal and then ethical. If someone is misrepresenting their products they may be fraudulent. Since knifemaking is not covered by a governing body or association that is recognized by the government then the profession of knifemaking dose not legally exist therefore just about anything goes.What you all consider 'ethical'. This is very important to me.
Ethics are as different as each individual person and are defined by our life experiences and influences. The law applies to everyone (I'm Canadian so mine are different) but ethics only apply to one person, you.
So to cut to the point. What I consider the requirements of a knifemaker apply to only me and no one else, until the government establishes a standard. Instead of asking "is this guy a knifemaker" it may be better to ask "why dose it matter". Each of us making and selling knives has to do what they think is best and hope that satisfies their customers.