Presentation and Packaging

MT Knives

Well-Known Member
I tried to search this topic, if it has already been covered please provide thread. Otherwise I would like to know what others are doing for packaging and presentation. Pictures would be great. I have used watch boxes and zipper bags. I am just looking to improve my presentation of my knives and would love your guys help. Also any links would be great. Does anyone use wooden display boxes and how affordable are they? Thank You for all the help!
 
I've purchased some from Paper Mart, Some from Uline and years ago I had a run of 300 boxes and those are long gone and so is the company that made them.

A Box can be nice, but it's what's in the box that really matters. A lot depends on where your knives are in the market?
 
Here are my thoughts on the subject. Packaging is what it takes to get it too the customer safely and in the shape it leaves the shop.

In other words, if I am presenting the knife locally by hand to the customer I try to go with a box and try to do it with a little more class. If the knife goes out thru the mail, I package it like it is going to be thrown, bounced, stepped on, and run over because, often that is what happens. I have shipped US priority mail, UPS and I usually wrap the finished knife and sheath in parchment paper, (you can get rolls of parchment paper from several sources including Walmart) and then it is done in bubble wrap and packing peanuts. In other words package to withstand a nuclear event!

I feel it is not necessarily what the package looks like but I want the knife in it to arrive there undamaged. I have used everything from the USPS shipping tubes to the priority mail boxes but I always over-pack and over-tape the box/container the knife is in. I once did a remodel job on a snack bar that was in a major post office and after watching them sort the packages by throwing it across the room 12-14' into different buggies to go out in on different mail runs, some hit the floor several times. It is a wonder anything arrives undamaged!:what!:


Now here is the kicker I have a certificate I send out with each knife that is printed out on the printer. It doesn't matter if it is a local delivery or a long distance package, this certificate goes with it! I still try to deliver all local knives by hand, I just feel that is a touch I like to do. I usually print it and seal it in a ziploc bag and I will enclose that bag between two pieces of cardboard to get it there undamaged. It is printed on that type of paper that looks like it is old. Here is what the generic form looked like! This has been modified and changed so these are now just rough drafts of what goes out with each knife!

coa3_zps8cee286f.jpg


Then I customized it with the following info:

The steel that this knife is made from was __________. IE, 1080, etc.

This knife was formed using the method of _________. IE, reduction / forging
The handle is made from ______ IE, Red Oak, and has a _________ IE, pickled finish; it is pinned with _______ IE, brass pins.
The bolster is ________IE, hand poured Pewter.
The sheath is hand made and sewn with _________IE, linen thread; it has been given an _______
IE, antique finish and has _________IE, been embellished with a design custom made for this knife.
This knife has been designed to give you many years of good use. Please be careful and enjoy!


Clifton Craft
C Craft Customs

There is a second page that I print up that looks something like this: I have a stamp of a bear that I use on my sheaths, and there is a pic of it on this page. However for some reason it did not copy and paste when I copied this too the thread!


C Craft Customs
The bear I use as my mark, symbolizes, power, strength, and leadership. It also is meant to honor and celebrate my wife’s Creek Indian heritage. Who, without her power, strength, and leadership over all these years, would not have allowed me to accomplish all that I have been able to!


C Craft Customs
With every custom knife I build I try to accomplish three things. I want that knife to look so good you just have to pick it up, feel so good in your hand you can't wait to try it, and once you use it, you never want to put it down !
If I capture those three factors in each knife I build, I am assured the knife will become a piece that is used and treasured by its owner!

C Craft______________________

This knife has been sharpened before being sent out to you. It is extremely sharp and therefore due care should be exercised on your part!

THE MAKER OF THIS KNIFE ASSUMES NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY INJURES INVOLVING THIS KNIFE ONCE IT LEAVES MY HANDS!




Printed up on the aged looking paper and printed in a nice font it looks real nice and the customers seem to like it! I had one get damaged during transport. The customer called me to let me know the knife had arrived and he loved it however the certificate had a hole punched in it where something had pierced the package and the customer said the knife was in pristine condition but the paper work had been damaged and could he get another copy. So I printed it up and sent it out to him!

So as you can see unless it is a local delivery I don't put too much into packaging but those two pages seem to mean a whole lot to everyone I have delivered them to to this date! I hope this helps to answer your question.
 
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Mr. Craft,

Thank you for your suggestion. I also send out a certificate with my limited Edition knives and put them in the Uline boxes. The first run I just packed them in the sheaths and a few people suggested something a little nicer. I agree that it is what is in the box that matters, however some people don't see it that way. So to keep the customers happy I was looking for ways to improve what I am already doing. I found some zipper cases by Bill but he is too busy. If there was someone other there that wanted to build quality cases looks like there would be a good nitch for it. Boss Dog has some that I think might fit some of my knives I might see what I can do with that.

I have 6 knives I am working on now in the $1500 range that I would like to have a nice custom box for, but so far no luck finding something in the price range I am looking for.

Thank You for your help!

Patrick
 
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