I'm sure all of you guy's have had to deal with this, How to handle friends and Famil

A.W.Stovall

A.W.Stovall

Well-Known Member
Wanting knives , I have been making knives for 4 yrs and started selling them recently and with special orders and normal stock I stay snowed under and I don't want to be rude , most are not custom knife people and look at you like your crazy when you tell them how much I have in them , I'm slow at making them and can barely keep up , just wondering how you guy;s handle it .
Thnaks Anthony
 
That almost sounds like a great problem to have, Anthony. :) I'm really glad to see that your work is getting the attention it deserves. Good luck finding an adequate solution.
 
I put them on the list just like every one else. Being family or close friends doesn't get them to the top of the list any faster.
 
One of the most difficult things in our "business"...is keeping "family/friendship" and "business" separate. It's amazing how many "friends" you have...when they want something. There may be some hurt feelings in the process, but it's absolutely necessary to let people known that knives are your business....and that business is business, and "friendship" is friendship.....and there is a distinct difference between the two. Very often, whether purposely or not, friends and family will place you in difficult/awkward situations because of what you do.......the best policy is just to be honest and up front with them.
 
I did give the Mother & Sister in law each a knife.
that's because they both asked upfront how much because they wanted one. I have also given a few seconds where I didn't want to sell them because they had some cosmetic flaw to other family but I don't put my logo on those.

Like Ed stated. Biz is Biz and friends are friends and family is? Well family!

Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com
 
Anthony I know the feeling,I make my son-in-law a knife every year for Christmas.Everybody else pays cash:biggrin:
Stan
 
I've given away seconds, or knocked 10% or so off the final price, but that's about it. They go on the list with my regular customers.
 
Just wait till you have teenage grand kids who aren't bashful about what they want. They'll keep you busy and poor all by themselves. How many sets of throwing knives can you possibly use ?


Rudy
 
Man, you guys are a bunch of hard cases! ;) I'm still new having made only about 40 knives. I'm still in the "I'm flattered someone would want one of my knives" stage. If they're friend, family or a Pastor, I'll usually make 'em one. I also feel a little guilty taking money because I have so much fun making knives and sheaths, it almost seems wrong to take money for it...lol...almost ;) But they do have to wait in line like everyone else.

The upside to this is that I tell them what I would normally charge for a knife like that and ask that they tell everyone where they got it and how much I charge and to post pics on their Facebook page if they have one. This has brought people to me wanting to buy a knife. If you're going to give a knife away, make sure you get some good publicity out of it! :)
 
This is an age old problem. before becoming a full time maker I was a mechanic, after a 16 hour day the last thing I wanted to do when I got home was work on a car. I find friends more expeting than family. I usually make at least one family member a knife for Christmas each year. When friends ask about a knife I find this works. "Why don't you come by the shop, we'll draw up something , you can pick out your handle material and I'll give you a price. They seldom show.
DonL, I did the same as you in the beginning. I couldn't beleive someone wanted a knife I made. most of the time I would sell a knife for what materials cost to make it. As demand increases the loss becomes greater. Also when it's your livelyhood free is not an option. As Ed said, seperate friens and family. Or you'll be spending hours repairing Flee-Market knives with materials that cost more than the knife is worth. For the friend of a friend.
 
Hey Anthony,
You'er lucky - none of my family even want one of my knives. They'd have to admit my skinners are better than anything they have, after they picked them apart before seeing them. Who'd want a M390 hardened to Rc 62 when they could have a Buck?
 
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