I make boring knives

R

Randy3000

Joined
Jun 3, 2017
Messages
811
Compared to many makers my stuff is very plain jane and run of the mill. Where do you guys get your inspiration? I look at other people's knives and even i attempt to copy them it just doesn't reach the same level of attractiveness and uniqueness. These knives have been carried awhile, hence the patina, that isn't what I'm complaining about.

oW2ugCP_d.jpg
 
I'd be very proud to have made those.
They look very classic to me. Embrace that, look at classic slipjoints, what has been in demand over the years and make your versions of those. Look up old catalogs etc.
TA Davison does that as well and is very succesfull with it
 
Natlek said:
I like them and I don t see anything wrong with them . Have no idea what you don t like on them , send them to me :D
Maybe other knife maker can get better pictures of knives then you ?
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I aint saying they ain't good, i carried one or the other all this past Summer, and they held up well. Maybe some makers are good at pictures and make their knives look better than they are. I just see other makers knives and then mine and i see a big gap there.
 
Hengelo_77 said:
I'd be very proud to have made those.
They look very classic to me. Embrace that, look at classic slipjoints, what has been in demand over the years and make your versions of those. Look up old catalogs etc.
TA Davison does that as well and is very succesfull with it
Click to expand...

That's a good point. His knives don't last long in the for sale area!
 
Randy, stick one of those folders in with the package of coupons and I'll use it for a yr or so and see if I can offer some ideas for you {g}. Those sure look just fine to me.

I do agree photo'ing knives are the hardest thing I ever did. Many years ago I did weddings and other events and never had the problem I do with knives.
 
They look good.
If you aren't happy with them just make more.
If your not happy with the next one's make more
Nothing will stop you making the knives you have in your head only your determination
 
I find inspiration in others work and my failed attempts. While I won’t try to copy another’s blade, I take the style and tweak it to my likings.

I’d be proud to own one of those and even more so if I’d have made them.
I do see your point of run of the mill though. I kind of see 90% in several areas, and some may be coming through because of picture quality and lighting. The nail nick doesn’t seem crisp, the ricasso seem overly large, a slightly taller blade may give you more opportunity for different contour lines.
 
I'm not one to say much, because my photos aren't any better.... but I'd say that a lot of the perception DOES come from photos.

You can get small LED light boxes on Amazon for about $15. Spend a few bucks more and they come with backgrounds, better lighting, etc...

You can get pretty decent photo editing software for free these days, or if you have one of the newer iPhones or Androids, they have some pretty nice photo editing software and cameras built right in.

Take a look at "SharpbyCoop" on instagram or how T.A. Davison does his photo edits.

A crisp, clean maker's mark makes a big difference, as does a consistent finish. I'm not sure about the 2 slips you posted, but they look like they've been well used. Take photos of them when they are new. ;)

Not to say they don't look like great knives, because they do, but the pic is a little blurry, has a lot of extra "junk" in the background, and has pretty significant glare.

Again, I need to take my own advice, but you can take some pretty solid pics with little more than a cell phone, a small tripod, and a a $20 light box. The backgrounds don't have to be super fancy, and you can "stage" the knife with a little bit of sticky tack or putty if you're looking for a slightly better angle.
 
Another tip, minus the "fancy" light box is just to take a photo outside, during the day. Not necessarily in direct sunlight, but not in the shade either.
 
3fifty7 said:
....
The nail nick doesn’t seem crisp, the ricasso seem overly large, a slightly taller blade may give you more opportunity for different contour lines.
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All great points, and reasons why i am carrying them. The taller blade giving more opportunity for different contour lines, now that is something i have been trying for and have a hard time getting. Maybe i can explore more in this area.

I just haven't figured out the tall blade geometry yet.
 
what is that you want? what's your goal?
to make fancy embellished knives?

I would agree with the nail nick and ricasso size.
The slipjoint crowd can be a picky lot of buyers....
The classic designs do seem to be valued, I can't quite understand it myself.
Everyone makes the same lanny's clip or Dino or Native, but I guess that works.

I went out and made my own one of a kind design and pattern and tried to do the difficult things (forged blade, integral radius stainless bolster/liner.) and yet I don't have enough demand...at this point I stopped. Much easier to make and sell a $400 kitchen knife than a $750 folder (for me).

I was advised to lower my folder prices...so instead of the $12/hr I would make $8/hr...um, no thanks :D


STnoVpF.jpg


OZRcXl6.jpg
 
Randy3000 said:
Compared to many makers my stuff is very plain jane and run of the mill. Where do you guys get your inspiration?
Click to expand...

Do something that makes you uncomfortable. Learn to thread the bolster with a fine line, start putting in shields. The eye likes smooth even consistent transitions.

Look at Bill Rupple or Tony Bose slipjoints and let them be your bench mark.
 
AVigil said:
Do something that makes you uncomfortable. Learn to thread the bolster with a fine line, start putting in shields. The eye likes smooth even consistent transitions.

Look at Bill Rupple or Tony Bose slipjoints and let them be your bench mark.
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Uncomfortable, yes that's it. I just start something and it ends up back in my comfort zone. I did shields for awhile. I made my own shields. I made weird oddball shields. I made shields flush with the handle, and raised. I even did a 3d shield where it had different layers to it. It just seemed forced and i didnt like it. I really hate shields on jigged bone, and i love jigged bone. I hate when I do shields on jigged bone, but i see a lot of others do shields on jigged bone and it looks stunning.

HSC /// said:
what is that you want? what's your goal?
to make fancy embellished knives?

I would agree with the nail nick and ricasso size.
The slipjoint crowd can be a picky lot of buyers....
The classic designs do seem to be valued, I can't quite understand it myself.
Everyone makes the same lanny's clip or Dino or Native, but I guess that works.

I went out and made my own one of a kind design and pattern and tried to do the difficult things (forged blade, integral radius stainless bolster/liner.) and yet I don't have enough demand...at this point I stopped. Much easier to make and sell a $400 kitchen knife than a $750 folder (for me).

I was advised to lower my folder prices...so instead of the $12/hr I would make $8/hr...um, no thanks :D


STnoVpF.jpg


OZRcXl6.jpg
Click to expand...

First off, i dont care at all about selling knives. I make enough in my day job. If i really buckle down i can produce a knife a week, but i normally do a knifeevery 3 weeks or so. I like to give them to people as a gift or to repay favors.

I am not a fancy guy. I drive a 2003 honda, live in a cookie cutter house in a suburb, and carry a glock 19. I guess what i am looking for is best summarized by tony bose's work. Just striking classic craftsmanship.
 
Randy3000 said:
Compared to many makers my stuff is very plain jane and run of the mill. Where do you guys get your inspiration? I look at other people's knives and even i attempt to copy them it just doesn't reach the same level of attractiveness and uniqueness. These knives have been carried awhile, hence the patina, that isn't what I'm complaining about.

oW2ugCP_d.jpg
Click to expand...

I like those. Especially the knife on the right. Maybe the nail nick could be more elegant, but I'd proudly carry it. I normally wouldn't comment as I'm no maker, but I liked the design enough that I felt I ought to say something. I think you've got a lot of good going on there.
 
Hengelo_77 said:
I'd be very proud to have made those.
They look very classic to me. Embrace that, look at classic slipjoints, what has been in demand over the years and make your versions of those. Look up old catalogs etc. TA Davison does that as well and is very succesfull with it
Click to expand...

Not a maker but a user and I'd say just those two you show are very fine. What Hengelo_77 Hengelo_77 writes above is spot on.:thumbsup:

Better photos? Yeah that always helps to sell but pretty pictchas don't make a knife. You do :thumbsup: ;)

Ray
 
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