My knife sale show this weekend

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AJH_Knives

Well-Known Member
So, i took the plunge and decided to make 8 knives for an outdoor Heritage days/ craft show. Only got a few hours into it with no sales before the rain came and drenched everyone... here are some of the knives i had on hand.

It was and interesting experience, to say the least. talked to lots of interesting people, some not so nice, some not so smart.... I don't know if I will do anything like this again however.
I did not sell anything. I had the chance, but I would not take a personal check..

I did donate a knife to the local Friends of the NRA banquet, for their silent auction.

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and yes these are for sale!!! :)
 
Your work looks good. I know about "not so nice or not so smart". Sometime the safest thing to do is say "um-hum" and nod your hear like you heard something. The ones who admit that they've never made a knife in their lives but are willing to tell you all about how it's done are just there to hear themselves talk so let it go in one ear and out the other. Most of the people at the shows are pretty nice, though.

Doug
 
That's interesting. I've been kicking around the idea of doing either a gun show or outdoor event. I'm not sold on the gun shows but kinda thinking an outdoor event might be cool.
 
Several towns in the area have weekend events where you can sell "hand crafted items." Been to one and made $100 after fees and gas to get there; no too bad for 4 hours time. Was fun, especially scrambling to cover everything during a sun shower. There was no one else selling knives. I made sure to have several knives available for $25 and some smaller cutting boards. Will do it again in a few weeks.
have been to a gun and knife show, only one table of 50 had hand made knives. was end of day 2 and the man said he had no sales. several other tables had commercial knives, the usual name brands and lots of cheap(less than $10) no name.

My thought would be play up the "HAND MADE" side, have both kitchen(over half the shoppers were women) and outdoor knives, have some inexpensive choices, have lots of cards or brochures. Boss Dog had commented that there were few if any kitchen knives at BLADE this year.
scott
 
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I haven't tried to sell at a show yet, but have been to plenty of craft fairs and gun shows. In general (even myself) people go to gun shows to spend as little as possible. And Scott is dead on about the dealers with commercial knives. Usually by the BUCKET load for about $6 each. Sad sad sad.

I don't think people really "expect" to see hand made knives at these types of events, much-less have the right cash in their pocket to spend on one.
 
More small towns in this area are doing sidewalk sales on the weekend with emphasis on "HANDMADE" items. Went to one yesterday, sold several small knives and ended up with $125 in my pocket after table fee and gas. Not enough to live on, but enough to cover this month's steel and sanding belts. I made sure to have some blades in the $20 to $30 price range; these were the ones that sold. The economy here is still recovering and folks don't have the money they used to. I know our time is precious and "I saw one like this listed for mega$$$$", but I would think you could make a basic knife with a 3" to 4" carbon steel blade that could sell for $25 and have $20 after material cost. No, the blades were not polished to mirror and I used reclaimed wood and polyurethane for the handles; but the bevels were straight, the steel tempered to Rc60, the edge one step below hair splitting. You have to decide whether to have $$$$knives and receive compliments or have $knives and make sales.
just some observations from a tired old sailor glad to be home from the sea.
 
Scott not to put you down or start something here, But by time I figure in my cost of steel, handle material, pins, leather, dyed for the leather,glue for the leather, epoxy, sand paper, sanding belts, electric (grinder,buffer,heat treat oven,temper oven,drill press) buffing compound,misc supplies,shipping cost to get the material, and a little bit for the future equipment replacement fund I couldn't sell knives in my front yard for $20-$30 dollars and keep making knives, let alone go to a show or anywhere else that would cost to set up and pay for gas, (hotel,at shows?), table cost and food.

just my 2 cents
 
Jim, I understand. Not all the knives were $20-$30, those were the ones that sold. The sidewalk sale was in the next county, 40 miles round trip, and was for the afternoon.
for $25 I was selling a basic paring knife with a 3" blade of 1084 or 52100, the blade finished to 320grit wet. No sheath or extras. Wooden scales made from reclaimed lumber. I figured my cost at about $6 a knife. My thought is sell a well made basic knife that is sharp, will hold an edge, and fits well in the hand; the same scheme that Nissan and Toyota used applied to knives.
 
Your knives look great to me. I see a problem with them in trying to market them at a 'craft' show. They are not signed. Your signature on a knife shows you are proud of it. People like that and it adds to the value, My .02 only. ...Teddy
 
I'm going to put some detail into a thread here in a minute regarding abrasive costs so not to derail this one - good discussion, you all.
 
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