Open or Closed Books?...
- Thread starter Bmgillum
- Start date
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- Feb 18, 2016
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- 2,209
Depends on the knife someone wants. If I specialize in kitchen cutlery and you want a sword from lord of the rings or something I'm gonna turn you down lol
But if you want an 8in chef knife with a forged finish, brass ferrule and some wood you had stabilized from you dads land then sure is take it.
Alot of the fun in being a maker is were also artists, we like to use our creativity so constantly taking someone's idea and making that knife limits that creativity.
Also if you say "I want this knife I drew with this blade material, this handle material, this shape" then once the maker finishes the knife you realize it's not exactly what you wanted so you flake out and dont pay, that maker just spent up to a week or more making this very specific knife that might not sell. Just some food for thought
But if you want an 8in chef knife with a forged finish, brass ferrule and some wood you had stabilized from you dads land then sure is take it.
Alot of the fun in being a maker is were also artists, we like to use our creativity so constantly taking someone's idea and making that knife limits that creativity.
Also if you say "I want this knife I drew with this blade material, this handle material, this shape" then once the maker finishes the knife you realize it's not exactly what you wanted so you flake out and dont pay, that maker just spent up to a week or more making this very specific knife that might not sell. Just some food for thought
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- Oct 19, 2011
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- 4,990
I would much rather work on my own projects. I have a lot of ideas I want to try and that's the fun of it for me. I don't like the pressure of having a customer waiting. But it is part of the business. I do like the satisfaction of impressing a customer. I have only had one instance of having a customer back out of a knife order after it was completed. It sold two days later to someone much more deserving anyway. I don't take orders for wacky stuff. I build knives in my style or wheelhouse. So, I know if the order falls through at the last minute the knife will likely sell regardless. Sometimes you get a friend of a good client who saw your work and he/she wants one too. I don't mind that so much. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate orders and most customers are great people. I just like working on my stuff the best.
- Joined
- Dec 4, 2016
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- 1,215
I Would rather work on my own knives because i tend to get a little more adventurous and don't worry about time as much.
BUT..It's very satisfying when someone orders a knife Too.
However I will Stick close to my Style of Making.
BUT..It's very satisfying when someone orders a knife Too.
However I will Stick close to my Style of Making.
- Joined
- Aug 9, 2016
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- 26
A little bit of both. It is nice knowing that a piece will be sold when completed and sending in progress pictures to the customer as I move along. The only down side is taking my time around working full time and three activities of my kiddos and finding the time to work on the project. I don't take things outside my wheel house and refer the person to another maker if I can't do the project. However, I do step out and try new things from time to time and grow.
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- Feb 26, 2017
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Great question!
Along those same lines, something I was wondering about: some knifemakers, even though they have orders on their books, continue to make and sell other knives on a regular basis (e.g., putting other knives up for sale on IG or BF).
I know sometimes it's because the maker is waiting for supplies to come in for the book order, or they sent the blade out for heat treat, but I've also seen it happen other times. I'm curious why - to work on stuff they prefer to work in, in between orders? To keep their listings going as a way of marketing?
Along those same lines, something I was wondering about: some knifemakers, even though they have orders on their books, continue to make and sell other knives on a regular basis (e.g., putting other knives up for sale on IG or BF).
I know sometimes it's because the maker is waiting for supplies to come in for the book order, or they sent the blade out for heat treat, but I've also seen it happen other times. I'm curious why - to work on stuff they prefer to work in, in between orders? To keep their listings going as a way of marketing?
daizee
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2009
- Messages
- 10,915
Always working for someone else gets boring. As a hobbyist maker, I do both concurrently. Projects start when they start, end when they end. I try to dovetail processes when the timing is right (heat-treat etc.).
PEU
Gaucho Knifemaker
- Joined
- Aug 6, 2006
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- 1,122
I mostly work following my order book (its an excel sheet LOL) I'm a full time knifemaker so having some order on the work schedule helps.
Also, I like to tell my customers: when I get bored of making knives, I make a knife... Meaning, if I get tired of fulfilling orders I put a break and do a knife I like to do, sometimes two, that does the trick for me, the plus side is that these knives are high end and sell pretty fast, so win-win...
Pablo
Also, I like to tell my customers: when I get bored of making knives, I make a knife... Meaning, if I get tired of fulfilling orders I put a break and do a knife I like to do, sometimes two, that does the trick for me, the plus side is that these knives are high end and sell pretty fast, so win-win...
Pablo