Company name or your name?

[gimmejr]

What made you all decide between using your own name on your knives or coming up with a company name that had nothing to do with your given name?

[james terrio]

Pride.

Accountability and folks being able to find/recognize my stuff also plays a huge part. I do use a seperate name on a sub-genre of what I do, because it's more of a niche market, and different from my more "standard" work. But those knives also have my real name attached to them. I feel this builds a certain level of what-you-see-is-what-you-get among my clients; they're not dealing with a corporation or an answering service or a salesman, they're dealing with me.

Honestly, it's mostly pride. I don't need to hide behind some made-up marketing-guru focus-group-driven trendy name.

[J. Oeser]

I figured, why try and come up with a unique name when my last name is about as unique as they come. I never have trouble with my name being taken already when I try to use it for any user name. Plus, I'm the one making the knives not some company.

[tryppyr]

I use my own name because I'm not in business. If I had a business I'd use that name for anything I'd sell through the business. The reason for the latter would simply be to build the brand, and make the business name stand for something (other than a tax bill at the end of the year).

One thing about coming up with a company name... it uses a different part of the brain than coming up with a knife design. I had a company in TX that I used to do business in an antique mall selling watches and jewelry. It took me a long time to figure out what to call the company. I ended up with Temporal Treasures. Not a very good name, but at least it was unique. The problem with the name is the multiple meanings of Temporal. Too many people use the meaning that Temporal = Temporary.

Besides, that name is too long to put on small cartouches for knives.

[Patrice Lemée]

All the great ones use their name so I figured it was the right step in my quest for greatness.

[kc custom]

I won't sell a knife without my name on it, if I screw one up bad enough and won't put my
name on it I could care less what happens to it. You are selling your name---- or not.
Ken.

[Mike Fennessy]

I think the full last name is classier than a clever company name. It seems much more timeless to me.

[Mike Turner]

I am easily confused so I use the one on my drivers license .

Seriously I put my name on every knife I make, I want people to know who made it. I never understood why people have to make up names or silly logos unless they are embarrassed by what they make and don't want anyone to know who made it, just saying.

[Robert Dark]

I want my grand-kids to someday see a knife with "R.Dark" on it. I think it would mean more to them than seeing a blade with some crazy design that nobody remembers when you are gone. They may, or may not be proud to say that their grandfather made that knife once-upon-a-time.

Not a lot of people named "Dark" in the U.S. (at least comparing the name to Jones or Smith). It shouldn't be hard to figure out who, many years ago, totally messed up a perfectly good piece of steel.

Robert

[Burl Source]

My feeling is;
If you are making good knives and you are the one doing the work, use your name.
If you will be mass producing knives and others are doing a lot of the work, use a company name.

[Brian Ayres]

I want my knives to be works of art. Functional, but art... Like most artists, I will sign my art.

I might consider a brand name if I was producing midtech/production knives, but even then I would still most likely choose to put my name on anything I was responsible for designing....

[Mooseyard]

I've been trying to figure this one out for myself lately. If I search my last name along with "Knives" I come up with a couple of hits for "Hoffman". Hochgreve is an old family name and I've been considering using Hochgreve by Hoffman, with just an "H" for the makers mark. I'm not even close to the point of selling knives, but I guess I would like some kind of mark for the future.

[Rick Marchand]

I started with a company name... then made my name synonymous with it. There are pros and cons to either. I think people need to know YOUR name but at the same time, if by some chance your company grows or you want to move on and diversify, a separate company name comes in handy. I like having both.

[gimmejr]

Yeah I guess there are pros and cons for both. I did a search for a my last name for knifemakers and came up with a guy who makes some kind of weird self defense type knife. I dont think I want to be confused with him.

[710]

I use my name convereted to numbers

[Danbo]

I etch my last name on all mine.

[DanCo]

Currently I stamp my initials that are put into a design (sort of). I am in the process of getting a new stamp made that will simply be DanCo . My name is Daniel Combs, there are other makers with this last name, so I combine the two names and it rolls off the tongue well. Plus it has been my nickname personally as well as the moniker I use on all the forums I frequent. I feel that this will also allow me to diversify later if I want. Hope this helps.
Daniel Combs
DanCo

[Cody Hofsomme]

I have been marking mine with my initials in a design. I have had a few people say they love it, and one reputable maker tell me I should change it to my name. I like my mark, but also hear what others are saying about putting your name on your blades. Not sure what I'll do, but untill then, I"ll keep my mark. Whats your oppinion? If its not hyjacking the thread.

Cody

[Rick Marchand]

Cody... all I can say is that I can't find you from the mark on your knives... and when I do type in your full name, I only get the farrier info.

[frc505]

I look at it this way ... Your the one putting
You blood sweat and tears into making a
Knife why not put your name on it I know
I will ! Im far from selling any knives but if
And when I get to that level I'll stamp my
Name on it and have a card That says :
Cervantes custom cutlery IMO its more
For me then anyone else plus I just like
Saying it ans the way it sounds !,kinda
Like the hyenas on the lion king saying
Mufasa ! Goosebumps

Frank