Recommendation? Looking to get some advice from the knife community

[Elgatodeacero]

I think its great you are providing your knives to charity.

I think one helpful thing is to always let potential donators know the estimated retail value, so they get a sense of the value of the item.

A non knife person may not understand that a quality custom knife can easily cost several hundred dollars or much more.

Also, your folders look awesome.

 

[Stang Bladeworks]

I think its great you are providing your knives to charity.

I think one helpful thing is to always let potential donators know the estimated retail value, so they get a sense of the value of the item.

A non knife person may not understand that a quality custom knife can easily cost several hundred dollars or much more.

Also, your folders look awesome.

Thanks. Ill take that into consideration for the next one. To be honest i was hoping to raise a bit more than the normal selling price but maybe indicating that price would show people that its not listed way higher.

 

[BitingSarcasm]

The smart way to the wallet is an emotional connection with the brain that bypasses the "NO" subroutines. Know your audience and pander shamelessly. I bought a piece of teak at the USS Iowa that was part of its deck that's going to be a knife scale when I get around to it--some sailor might geek out over it. Can you get a piece of hardwood floor or trim from the church/venue that you are helping? Those who are benefiting from your generosity might be willing to write a provenance for materials and strengthen that connection. Many causes have a color that goes with them, such as pink for breast cancer awareness, blue for police, red for firefighters, and that multi-color jigsaw for autism awareness that would be hell to replicate. If you can make your own micarta, even better.

Most folks are not knife folks. Give them a definite idea of the value of the knife you are selling (pad a little, for charity) so that they know they are getting a fair return for their money. Then tug the emotional heartstrings as powerfully as you can. Maybe it sounds cynical, but I worked backstage at the Muscular Dystrophy Telethon for years and I am totally understating the process. Your work looks excellent--nice, clean lines and good visual appeal. Slip joints would widen the pool of interested people I would think, too. Good luck!

 

[Stang Bladeworks]

The smart way to the wallet is an emotional connection with the brain that bypasses the "NO" subroutines. Know your audience and pander shamelessly. I bought a piece of teak at the USS Iowa that was part of its deck that's going to be a knife scale when I get around to it--some sailor might geek out over it. Can you get a piece of hardwood floor or trim from the church/venue that you are helping? Those who are benefiting from your generosity might be willing to write a provenance for materials and strengthen that connection. Many causes have a color that goes with them, such as pink for breast cancer awareness, blue for police, red for firefighters, and that multi-color jigsaw for autism awareness that would be hell to replicate. If you can make your own micarta, even better.

Most folks are not knife folks. Give them a definite idea of the value of the knife you are selling (pad a little, for charity) so that they know they are getting a fair return for their money. Then tug the emotional heartstrings as powerfully as you can. Maybe it sounds cynical, but I worked backstage at the Muscular Dystrophy Telethon for years and I am totally understating the process. Your work looks excellent--nice, clean lines and good visual appeal. Slip joints would widen the pool of interested people I would think, too. Good luck!

Thanks, the charity is a childrens hospital so I dont think there are any specific colors. I just wanted to make a knife that is appealing to knife people. They are the only people on my social media for the most part. I will try to broaden my audience but my instagram grows at a very slow rate. For my next one ill do some leg work up front to try and reach more people. I might show the process of it being made to show people that its not just slapped together in a couple hours. Ill estimate a value to give people a rough idea what custom knives cost.

 

[BitingSarcasm]

Thanks, the charity is a childrens hospital so I dont think there are any specific colors. I just wanted to make a knife that is appealing to knife people. They are the only people on my social media for the most part. I will try to broaden my audience but my instagram grows at a very slow rate. For my next one ill do some leg work up front to try and reach more people. I might show the process of it being made to show people that its not just slapped together in a couple hours. Ill estimate a value to give people a rough idea what custom knives cost.

My fundraising brain is going full tilt, thanks to the PTA meeting yesterday. Know any kids from the children's hospital who can make a thank you card to include with the knife? Or maybe etch the child's signature on the blade or sheath. There is generally a newsletter for hospitals, they might be willing to put a notice and picture in it for exposure. When I was making walking sticks for school fundraisers, I used paracord wraps in the school colors, and if there is a popular team around I might still try and draft off them. I think it's an good thing you are doing to help out, and I hope the karma translates into some good exposure.

 

[Stang Bladeworks]

My fundraising brain is going full tilt, thanks to the PTA meeting yesterday. Know any kids from the children's hospital who can make a thank you card to include with the knife? Or maybe etch the child's signature on the blade or sheath. There is generally a newsletter for hospitals, they might be willing to put a notice and picture in it for exposure. When I was making walking sticks for school fundraisers, I used paracord wraps in the school colors, and if there is a popular team around I might still try and draft off them. I think it's an good thing you are doing to help out, and I hope the karma translates into some good exposure.

I dont know any kids there. I have never even set foot inside. To be honest im not willing to ask anything of the kids there. They have it pretty rough already so I dont want to ask them for anything. As far as the hospital itself i did reach out to them and they were very grateful but said they cant promote it because of the negative connotations associated with knives. Im from canada and people can be a bit soft here sometimes. I understand where they are coming from. They dont want to risk losing potential large donations just to get a few hundred dollars from me. I appreciate your response. I love hearing all the ideas so my next one can raise even more. I think it will be a folder.

 

[Elgatodeacero]

Do the geniuses that run the hospital realize that doctors use knives everyday to heal people?!

Maybe a “doctors style” folding knife would get staff to bid on it!?

 

[BitingSarcasm]

Oh, and if you branch out to kitchen knives, you expand your potential audience greatly.

 

[southpaw26]

Looking at your knives, don't be so modest about the quality . That looks like great work . I'm sure in a year or two you won't be far behind this guy www.instagram.com/j.oeser_knives/

On the choice of knife for the auction. I would go for the slip joint. For number of reasons :

1. A much wider market . A fixed blade is mostly for knife people and specialists but a slip joint is something that a non-knife person can imagine as a present for a relative or friend

2. Non threatening - most people would know at least someone who used a or uses a slip joints

3 . Nostalgia - Grandpa had one of those

4. It has a much wider use for the general population . Only the most dedicated of knife nuts carry a fixed blade everywhere and any where.

5 . Would pass most state/ county knife laws as a carry - Therefore more interest in winning/bidding on one.

As you can see most of the reasons I give should enable you to get a wider interest .
I like another poster's idea of asking a youtuber to auction it for you . You might try Nick Shabazz, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCM_f7DAr6zzIHHYggsq8CrA/about Although I don't know how into slip joints he is . He does however know lots of people in the knife trade so he might be able to point you in the right direction. In my experience he always answers his emails.

the best of luck to you.

 

[Stang Bladeworks]

Do the geniuses that run the hospital realize that doctors use knives everyday to heal people?!

Maybe a “doctors style” folding knife would get staff to bid on it!?

I think they are just worried about offending someone else who donates. When i spoke with them they were very thankful. Its a shame we live in such a hyper sensitive world. Unfortunately if you are a knife enthusiast you will run into this from time to time. They dont want to risk losing a multi thousand dollar donation to help me raise a few hundred bucks.

 

[Stang Bladeworks]

Oh, and if you branch out to kitchen knives, you expand your potential audience greatly.

Agreed. I just hate making them. I might have to suck it up and do a few.

 

[Stang Bladeworks]

Looking at your knives, don't be so modest about the quality . That looks like great work . I'm sure in a year or two you won't be far behind this guy www.instagram.com/j.oeser_knives/

On the choice of knife for the auction. I would go for the slip joint. For number of reasons :

1. A much wider market . A fixed blade is mostly for knife people and specialists but a slip joint is something that a non-knife person can imagine as a present for a relative or friend

2. Non threatening - most people would know at least someone who used a or uses a slip joints

3 . Nostalgia - Grandpa had one of those

4. It has a much wider use for the general population . Only the most dedicated of knife nuts carry a fixed blade everywhere and any where.

5 . Would pass most state/ county knife laws as a carry - Therefore more interest in winning/bidding on one.

As you can see most of the reasons I give should enable you to get a wider interest .
I like another poster's idea of asking a youtuber to auction it for you . You might try Nick Shabazz, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCM_f7DAr6zzIHHYggsq8CrA/about Although I don't know how into slip joints he is . He does however know lots of people in the knife trade so he might be able to point you in the right direction. In my experience he always answers his emails.

the best of luck to you.

Thanks for the kind words and advice. I think you are right about the slip joint having a wider audience. I did already contact nick and he was very kind but ultimately he is a very busy guy. He already does some charity work. I did also contact a few others. Alot of people were willing to help. Based on the amount of followers some of these people have i would guess alot of people have seen the post. I think alot of people just look at the pics or aren't interested. Thats why im asking what people think will be the most appealing and what type of exposure they think would be most successful.