Pricing

Secondly, dont remember reading it but, I don't do custom order anything. I make what I like skinners and the like common knives if you want what I made you pay. Makes it simple as a hobby.
 
I'll do custom if I think I can make it nicely. I always want to expand my knowledge, and style, so if someone has an idea that is on par with what I do, then hell yeah, lets talk through it and challenge me.

But if they want a crazy design that's just gonna be a one off, then I possibly wouldn't do it. Who knows.
 
John Wilson said:
Please take this as a compliment, but if you are saying that you won't raise your prices until you get some notoriety- that is a big mistake. Take it from me.

If you were sitting at Blade show next to Ed Caffrey, or John Doyle, or Bruce Bump, etc.... then yeah. It's not that you have to charge less because you are not well known, you charge less than those guys because your knives are not yet at their caliber. That IN NO WAY means that you charge less for your knives than you think they are worth. Those guys aren't selling $300 knives. But if your knife is worth $300 then you had better be charging $300. When you begin making $500 knives, then you'll be charging $500. It's not your name that determines the value, it's the value of your knife. As your knives get more refined your reputation builds along with it.

DO NOT undersell yourself. Ever.
Click to expand...
Now if this happen to me I would just put my knifes away and sell soda and beer and curse the person who condemed me :)
 
It would be better to give away a knife than sell it for less than it is worth. Abusing ourselves value-wise is not humble...nor is it healthy.

Someone's expectation of a $50 custom knife is a sign of their ignorance not your value as a maker.

You can buy a beautiful production painting at Wal-Mart etc for $20. A litho from a decent (not famous) artist will be $200 and up. knife making is an art ....even trying my hardest I cannot make a litho of my best knife....right?

Don't mistake style for quality. A simpler cobbish looking knife has a rustic appeal that will sell. Some guys have that style...if you don't you cannot imitate it. Other guys knives are best with engraving on them...if that is not your style you will never get there. Find your style...it will be your most honest knife. Your style will change as you grow but will still be recognizable as YOUR style.

If who's a "better" maker than you is a worry to you, you need to take the time to clear your mind and be happy with your own accomplishments. You only have so much time on the planet and it is usually more precious than we realize. The time spent making a knife is part of that.

because you enjoy something does not make it less valuable commercially. It means that you have put some of your joy in creating something into that knife. That's part of what makes it valuable.

Nothing will steal that joy away quicker than robbing yourself because you don't have courage. In every shop i worked at the guys making the money were not afraid to ask for a raise. As a craftsman you are the one giving the raises.

The qualifier to all this is the self exam....is my shop layed out to be efficient? am I shopping out materials wisely? Do I have a process for evaluating my designs? Do I waste time (you know most guys can go to a gym and talk and walk around and then say, "I did a three hour workout..." This doesn't fly in business...) have I analyzed my processes so that even when I am not wasting time I am efficient? Do i test new materials and ideas(also known as R&D...the lifeblood of any mfg business).

Lowering a price is easy...raising it? Whew....been there done that. I actually had to fire a repeat customer and find a new one because of my
lack of confidence in my own work. If you want to be a whippin' boy the line will be a long one for your work.

Not everyone will like what you make.

So What?
 
Last edited:
Great comments all. After I starting making knives I figured I would or might start to sell a few. I had a few inquiries but always politely declined because (1) I wasn't sure I wanted to sell at that time (2) I didn't know what to ask (3) I had a lack of confidence in my knife making .
But, I was invited to sit with a friend who had a table at a gun show and a chance to display my work. I had a few people stop and look but no buyers. I was way disappointed. I had spent the better part of three days making sheaths and making sure the knives looked the best they good.
I was not feeling good about this. So I decided to post pictures on facebook and commented if interested let me know. I sold all of those knives in two days. The prices were fair for what I felt my skill level was at that time. I've had the same buyers come back and ask me to make additional knives, and they didn't balk when I told them I had raised the prices because my quality had increased.
So at this point I feel like I'm getting a fair market price for my work based on what I see offered on some of the other forums.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top