Scott 594 Or Something Else?

blazenstar,
I respectfully disagree with several of statements in your reply to me.



If this were true, this forum would not be one of the most popular. Hundreds of others have sought and received help without the drama that your threads seem to generate.


.
This is clearly not accurate. There are several other stamp forums with horrid reputations for negativity and flame-fests. This forum is as friendly as any out there. This is due to the fantastic job the moderators do here.



I agree that you have not insulted anyone else, I agree that some responses to you have shown frustration. But stating that you are a CEO or have royal bloodlines is not projecting mannerisms? Those types of statements will never generate anything helpful when posted on an online anonymous forum.



I would never make assumptions about what you did previously. But considering the thread topics you have started and the questions you have asked, your experience does not seem extensive. Nothing wrong with that but some of your questions do not seem to match up with these kinds of statements. And you have also been replying with researched answers in other's threads. These things were why some wondered out loud if all of this was legitimate. Please note, I mean no offense here and am only trying to help this all work out.


This forum is not commercial or a business for the posters. You are asking for favors, no one is getting paid for helping you, everyone is volunteering and donating their time for free.


I agree with you 100% but this is why I am imploring you to reconsider the way you post. And yes, some of the rest of us also need to lighten up a bit too. I think some movement from both sides will go a long way to resolve the negativity here.

Have you considered holding off on posting responses quickly? I ask because you often double and triple post, this may be a sign that you are not gathering your thoughts together and end up having to append your posts. I often reply on my own computer, save the file, and wait a few hours before actually posting. More times than not I find that my end up making significant edits to my first thoughts.

Many, many others have sought the exact some type of help and answers to their questions without the drama. Occasionally some threads do get filled with drama but the reasons are usually quite easy to see. But in general this forum is as friendly and helpful as any you will ever run across. We all, those asking for input as well as those who give input, should work towards getting along. If you were to follow what I have outlined in the last few posts, I think that everything will work out. If you stay the current course, I do not think that things will work out as well.
Don

Blazenstar,
I am merely a person on the Internet conveying my thoughts via a keyboard. My words were not intended to upset you beyond hopefully getting you to change your perspective.

Stating unwillingness doesn't necessarily mean conscious intended unwillingness. No, you don't display intentional disrespect. Yes, some have in various threads replied to you in a manner that both you and I perceive as rude. Yes, you often do display sincere gratitude for the help that you receive.

Regardless of how a thought is conveyed, nice or not, understanding the message is what is important. Sometimes harsh wording is a valid option after other alternatives have proven to be ineffective. My choice of words, being harsh, has obviously been perceived by you as being rude.

Your strong reaction is perfectly natural. Instead of focusing your anger to defend yourself, I ask of you to use it to look critically at the methods that you use to make observations.

The only thing that I criticized you about is your current methods of observation. So far, they have not served you well. You are capable of much more and because of that I am challenging you to be more receptive of thoughts outside of your own.

I don't receive any compensation for my participation on this forum. Infrequently I do get messages of appreciation which I enjoy. Other than that minor influence, I have no monetary biases that influence me to tell anyone what they want to hear. I do what I do for altruism. I am here to learn and to help educate others of what I have learned.

Sincerely,
Ryan

Don,
I was composing my message when you posted yours. I am replying again to thank you for your continued efforts.


stallzer,
I agree.

Don..I shared who I am AFTER I was harrassed by a few posters. Again, I went in a room and someone asked me a question and they made a choice on their own to continued to follow me in other threads to make negative comments when I attempted to de esculate the situation. I was very polite and cordial. I ignored when a negative icon was presented, and I guess the person was not please that I did not react to it. This does not mean that should be okay harrassing anyone in these forums including myself with or without informing who I am.I have a private business as well. I do not want to continue to discuss this behavior I experienced. It has soured my taste in more ways than one. When I am serious about the subject of stamps,i am not here for jibs.
I have been on the largest established US/International radio music room on the net over 3 million people have been there over the years. I have been in a room with over 100 people and did not have others act in this fashion when I hosted shows as myself. I'm not the one creating the drama. Im very Professional in more ways than one.

Sincerely,

Blazenstar

Don, Blazenstar and others,

Let's try to put all of this in perspective. Stamp collecting is a hobby. It should be fun. We search through stamps for the challenge and the thrill of the chase. While occasionally profitable, most collectors search for "bragging rights", not the money.

I don't respond to as many threads as I used to. I will respond if I believe something major was missed, like the counterfeit 2 cent Washington a few weeks ago or if initial responses to the thread are not as helpful as they could be. Also, since I don't know who actually runs this forum, I have been cautious lately because of suspected activity related to posts on this forum.

We need to encourage more collectors to look at their stamps and covers carefully. At some point in the future we will experience a shortage of exhibitors and expertizers unless we encourage intellectual inquiry. While some methods or examining stamps are more effective than others, everyone must start somewhere. Unfortunately catalogs don't provide enough assistance and may even provide information or measurements without enough clarity or precision.
There is no substitute for joining one or more stamp clubs or societies. In this case, anyone interested in the Washington/Franklin or the Fourth Bureau Issue (1922 to 1938), should think about joining the United States Stamp Society. (Classic collectors should also consider the United States Classics Society.) Both offer constantly improving web sites and access to the complete run of the back issues of their journals. The United States Specialist on the USSS web site is particularly useful.

Now, what is the most efficient way to sort 1 cent Fourth Bureau issue stamps? The most important difference is the color or shade. It should be possible to sort the 1 cent stamps into three or four piles based on the shade. The lighter, brighter yellow green or light green stamps are all from after 1930 and can be ruled out as having any chance of being a rare perforation or printing variety. (Fly specking the later light green stamps for plate varieties is more difficult than examining red or carmine stamps.) Flat plate stamps are a deeper, more saturated green than the early rotary press stamps which will have a duller or almost grayish green appearance. The early rotary press stamps is where most of the action is.

After sorting by color, subdivide by format. Coil stamps can easily be pulled out. Straight edge stamps are either booklet singles or sheet margin singles (flat plate and (rarely) coil waste only). Flat plate stamps can generally be distinguished by ink setoff on the back. Some confuse flat plate booklet pane singles with rotary press coil waste. Few, if any side margin coil waste straight edges exist. (Bottom (or top if earlier) wide sheet margins exist. (Also, fake perf 11 x 10 coil waste stamps have been created by perforating the top and bottom margins or coil stamps.)

With enough experience it should be possible to sort stamps by format based on aspect ratio. Rotary press coils are wider (or taller if endwise) and rotary press sheet stamps are taller (or wider if horizontal format). With enough experience, flat plate booklet pane stamps will appear to be a bit wider. Eventually, certain major die or plate varieties will become noticeable enough to be pulled out without having to examine each stamp with a magnifier. (For checking, I recommend a 10 Peak Loupe with a measuring reticule and a 15 power loupe for fine detail.) Having found more than 80 Scott 500 type Ia stamps over the years, it becomes easier after the first or second one. With careful enough observation, most major catalog varieties look different enough to the naked eye to be distinguishable without having to use magnification for the initial search.

The bottom line is that sorting stamps by color (or format) before starting will save a lot of time and avoid having to measure perforations on stamps that have no chance of being anything other than ordinary. Some have argued that any perforation gauge will do. I strongly disagree. Too many errors will occur derived from imprecise catalog information coupled with use of unsuitable or inaccurate perforating gauges. The Kiusalas gauge is essential for understanding US stamps.

Now, do I use a perforation gauge? I own a Kiusalas gauge and a couple of Multi Gauges, but I don't know where they are at the present time. When I must check perforations, I use another stamp or measure in a high resolution scan using Photoshop. (A gauge would be needed with more modern or foreign stamps, but that is a different topic.)

Finally, I would encourage collectors in this area to try to find a mentor. While this site can partially take the place of that, posters need to be more sensitive to the need to supply accurate information and limit the scope of posts to that.

As I said in the beginning, I don't respond to every post and I try to be selective about responding.

Clark

I did read your entire, wonderful post and thank you for it. But, shame on me, this is the part that jumps out at me.


Would you be willing to elaborate?
Are there security issues I should be concerned about?

This site appears to be registered in Australia. The outside activity is in no way related to this forum but may have occurred because of posts here or in the other SCF forum.

My preference would be to see forums like this run by recognized philatelic societies or organizations.

Clark

Boy, has this thread gone south. Shades of Belfastgirl.

Jack Kelley

blazenstar....it is you who keeps bringing up other
outside interests.
When you are called on them ....you do not respond.

How does one on the board know....
1. You are the CEO of a major stamp company...
2. You have Royal bloodlines...
3. above quote....
4. Im sure there are more....

You make statements w/o any facts/evidence.

This is a stamp board....please keep it to that.

Thank you Clark for your excellent explanation you had provided. I truly appreciate and respect your statements. I will look at the other societies as you suggested. and I agree with you about the specialized gauge which I plan to purchase in the near future.

Sincerely,
Blazenstar

Kevin..last time..back off..you created these issues and you have no idea how naive your statements are expressing in a public spectrum.. Not taking your bait when my own privacy matters. I don't have to prove myself to you.

It is very inappropriate to defame a person's character in a public forum especially when you do not know myself privately off the internet. Myself and experiences are truly factual including my private business.

Sincerely,

Blazenstar

Seriously dude, stop the drama and get back to Stamps.

blazenstar,

You have been admonished by more than one member on this site. It would be best to heed stallzer's advice before the Moderator's contact you.

Jack Kelley

Clark. Thank you for the very detailed explanation that will literally save hours and hours of searching and frustration. It is help like this that keeps me coming back to this forum.