5 Reasons I Stopped Taking Orders

Mitchell Knives said:
Taking orders means that I may be making knives that I don't necessarily want to make. The process isn't quite as enjoyable at that point.
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It's still better than flippin' burgers ;)

Nearly all my custom orders have involved at least one feature I likely wouldn't have tried otherwise. I learned from each one. So far the plan is to stop taking orders when I get 6 months behind... we'll see how that works out.
 
First off I have to say I do not and will not do commisioned knives. But here is the way I take orders. I put names on a list and when I finish a knife the first name gets sent pics if they want it I sell it to them if not I send pics to the second guy and on and on. This works out great because I get to make what I want to make and still usually have few names on a list waiting. And if I run out of names no big deal I just keep on making the knives I want to make.
 
I stopped taking orders about 18 months ago. I have 3 left to finish. I don't think I'll do orders for a while. I am trying to up my game. At this time The freedom of no time restraints is a blessed thing. And like Andy said it's more fun to list and sell here on blade forum. If I can get this picture posting figured out.
 
1. Yes
2. Yes
3. Yes
4. Yes
5. Yes
But why do I have six orders on the burner???? Go figure
 
If you have the market to sell what you make at the price you want to sell it at, then it seems like a good idea to me.
 
I'm a hobbyist, not a pro but my policy is to take requests but not orders.
The difference is that I may or may not ever make the request (and will make
it the way I like when I do) but if I do make it I'll notify you and give you
the first chance to buy it.
 
Great thread. Many of you have really captured the essence of the struggle here. No really good answers to be found that doesn't involve compromise of some sort. Here is what I try to do: I take all the orders I can get and make sure I give enough time to allow myself to make other knives/swords in-between. It's a compromise because it kinda makes my customers wait a little longer than they would like, but it also allows me time to do the R&D necessary to keep my skills advancing. And, sometimes it is relieves a little stress to make a fun sword after making 30 kitchen knives or whatever. Just have to find something that works and also keeps the money flowing constantly.
-M
 
I just stopped cause work has been busy, and my kids are all in sports right now and they are only small for a little while. I will make a batch and post them up for sale in my usual places. Maybe one of these days will have the guts to post one here on BFC with the big dogs.
 
james terrio said:
It's still better than flippin' burgers ;)

Nearly all my custom orders have involved at least one feature I likely wouldn't have tried otherwise. I learned from each one. So far the plan is to stop taking orders when I get 6 months behind... we'll see how that works out.
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Agreed! A bad day making knives still beats many of the jobs I've had!
 
Just follow the Busse model. Build what you want and let the buyers fight for whatever they can get.
Your work is outstanding enough to work it that way. Limit the supply, demand will increase and prices will go up. I think that's how it works. :)
 
All of those are good reasons, but number 4 really makes sense and I'd never considered it. Just as soon as somebody places an order, they are saving up for that alone and posting things like, "Man, I love that one - if I didn't have a knife ordered from you already I'd buy that!" I can see how it would be better to just have folks waiting to see what comes out in the next batch and pouncing on something that speaks to them. I just got started, and it IS fun to just make what strikes your fancy. Lord knows, the stuff that Andy likes to make certainly seems to be what folks want to buy! :) If I wasn't a starving wannabe "knife-maker" I'd have wheedled half of his Blade knives out of him! As it is, I'm saving to come up to Blade next year! It must be like Disney World, for dudes!
 
hoopster said:
Just follow the Busse model. Build what you want and let the buyers fight for whatever they can get.
Your work is outstanding enough to work it that way. Limit the supply, demand will increase and prices will go up. I think that's how it works. :)
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Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't Busse a company with employees that make the knives? It is very different when they all are made by one person.
 
I'm hearing this from quite a few makers I know that are at the point of saying they'll make their blades and tell everyone, "This is what I have available" to keep their own ideas alive.
Burn out becomes a real issue too I think if you set your bar too high and your passion becomes a pain.
 
Very good points. I do machining of some parts that I designed. Sometimes people ask if I can do a prototype for them. Once in a while I do, and usually I regret it. In the end it usually costs me money to do custom work for people. Far better to make something and have it sell vs making something specific for someone. It always seems to that no matter how close you come to what they want they are never happy. They always seem to have imagined it different and then it is your fault for it not being like the way they see it in their head.
 
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As a pretty serious collector, I have a hard time with makers who don't accept orders...particularly those who sell to purveyors before a show starts. Except for a few exceptional makers, (Lake, Walker, Steinau, Loechner) most of the knives I buy are ordered or from the secondary market. But I'm willing to wait a year, sometimes more for the right knife. Granted almost anything I order can be sold very promptly to another collector or a dealer. But then again I have 5 serial 001 Osbornes, and a few truely "one of a kind" knives. I can certainly understand your points though.
 
Daniel Fairly Knives said:
Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't Busse a company with employees that make the knives? It is very different when they all are made by one person.
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Why do you say that? I have patterned a lot of what I do around seeing in person Jerry Busse's success at Blade Show.


marcangel said:
particularly those who sell to purveyors before a show starts
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This I can understand. There were a lot of tables with 'sold out' on them at 12:00 noon on Friday. Including one held by a good friend (IMHO) of mine. But, I also understand the urge to say yes to sales. Its funny, because its the makers that collectors like yourself are targeting that the 'purveyors' also target. Its an ironic dichotomy.
 
Here is the other side. I have a few knives handmade knives inder my belt now and know just a bit more about what I want in a custom knife, so I have contacted several makers here about constructing a knife according to my specifications. Several of you have spent a good bit of time answering my questions via email or phone. From a consumer standpoint it pays to shop around a bit and see who will offer what for how much. On one hand I owe it to myself to get the knife I want for what I feel is a reasonable price, and on the other hand I feel a bit guilty because I know I am taking up someones valuable time and I may or may not end up purchasing a knife from them. Time after all is our most valuable resource.
So I don't know where I am going with this ramble but for those of us who are fortunate enough to own some of your works of art, spoken to those of you that have far more knowledge and talent in this area than we, we thank you, we appreciate your time, and we will try not to waste it. At least that's my story and I am sticking to it.
 
Andy, Nick; just got one question for you guys. WHERE THE HELL ARE MY KNIVES? :D
 
I'm new at this knifemaking thing, and have already made a permanent decision against taking orders. I've been burned too many times in the leatherworking business by these jokers out there who don't want to pay up, or look at you with that disappointed look when the beautiful sheath/holster you made for them doesn't have a cupholder, or rockets mounted on it etc. Don't get me started on the lowballing after a price has been agreed upon.

For me, it's a trust issue. I can generally weed out the jokers, but some seemingly serious customers will let you spend weeks on something, and then pull some kind of huge BS at the end of the day.

I've been left stuck with weird, left handed, personalized sheaths and holsters made for the weirdest obscure/discontinued guns and knives ever, that I have lost time, materials and money on. I'll NEVER find a buyer for that stuff. Very disheartening.

I've gone so far as to refuse to refer to any of my knives as "custom". They are handmade to me.

The term "taking orders" just irritates me. Isn't that why alot of guys turn to this hobby/business? To get away from bosses/supervisors they have to "take orders" from?

Most of the knives people want me to make for them are not my style, or are very impractical, nonsensical, or even impossible to make. I don't want to put my name on something that I am not 100% happy with. Alot of people also inquire about making something, but scoff at you when they hear what your asking prices are for the knives you make. Alot of times people expect that making a knife should take about 15 minutes, and should be free. I just don't need that.

I'm glad that there are other makers out there who feel this way.
 
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There's a simple solution to weird, crazy, goofy orders that you're afraid you'll get stuck with if the client backs out. Demand a deposit for at least the cost of materials, and explain why. I've done it, the clients understood, everything went fine.

Some folks have achieved a level of success and popularity that allows them to make whatever they please, whenever they bloody well feel like it. That's awesome! I don't have that success yet. I've made custom knives that I wouldn't be seen in public with (downright silly designs, in a couple instances), but I made them to the very best of my ability. I have a family to feed and I'm not in the habit of turning down work. I like to think that keeping an open mind and being willing to accept challenges outside my own preference is helping me grow as a maker and businessman.

Y'all keep turning away customers. Some of us are happy to work for them :)
 
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