A Note On Prices

Right on Andy , you do quality work, no one is forced to buy fiddleback. There are plenty of fully functional production blades out there.
 
Andy, you get what you pay for.

From my experience with your knives I can safely say that they are worth every penny you charge.

Do what you have to to keep up the good work.

I dare say that those that judge your knives on price alone do not understand the level of performance your knives bring to the table.




Big Mike
 
I can understand what you're saying about hobbyist knifemakers because I started making knives a few months ago. Only I have no interest in selling my knives for the low price they'd fetch. I'd prefer to give them to friends or keep them. I don't need the money to pay for supplies. I'm saving far more by not buying many knives anymore!
I don't think you can fault a hobbyist knifemaker for selling his knives for cheap. If he wants to sell his time for pennies that's up to him. Nor can you fault the buyer in my opinion. All you can do as a professional knifemaker is make a superior product.
 
I cant afford to buy any customs right now but I think that your knives and Carl's knives are under priced by a large amount for the quality and the attention to detail that goes in to them.
 
I do not haggle over prices,I have an idea about the cost of material but I do not know the cost of the makers time and expenses.I think asking for a discount insults the maker and you should apologize for his time and move on.
Thanks,
Michael
 
I have bought several of your knives and consider them to be worth every penny in both performance and craftsmanship. They are heirloom pieces that will last many generations, and be useful the entire time. 200 years from now people will look at them and say "wow, that guy knew what he was doing..." How can you put a price on that?
 
I have always thought your prices were more than reasonable. All actual expenses aside, there is great worth in a pair of hands that have made hundreds of knives. I actually find it difficult to keep my fixed blade prices around the prices that you sell for. And I don't rent a shop or have employees. That's one reason I focus mostly on folders now.

I see the same thing building houses. My subs and suppliers give me a fixed price and even when I explain that to some buyers they expect me to build their house for no profit. I don't need any more practice, I need to make a living. I'm sure the same goes for you.

Keep up the good work Andy!
 
First, whoever tried to price you down should walk the plank. They should be ashamed enough to never surface again.

Second, your prices allow a working man to afford an executive's knife.

Third, I've feared the day would come when bureaucracy would overwhelm a small maker such as yourself. It's been an honor to do business with someone who took your path; I remember well when you lost your job and went full time, wrestling with the obligations of being a parent amidst the unknown. I hope you're able to negotiate the System and continue to make knives.
 
i'm curious what happens to your un-sold knives (from the every friday thread for example)? do they go to dealers (who pays you the original asking price) and they then mark it up so they can make money? or you lower the price for dealers so they don't have to mark it up even higher to make a profit?

i don't have a dog in this fight since i don't haggle on price, or in the market currently for any knives regardless of maker so i'm just genuinely curious how small business works :) i work in a software field so there's no such thing as excess inventory and this thread brought up something i'm clueless to but always wondered about.
 
I've bought 4 Fiddleback Forge knives...3 directly from Andy and one from the exchange. I don't make a lot of money but I do okay. I tend to go without for a long time them I'll reward myself. The first 3 knives weren't even for me they were gifts...The last knife I bought, The Duke, was a knife that I knew right away when I saw it it was My FiddleBack...The only problem was I was strapped for cash. So on an off chance I dropped Andy an email after if he would consider a payment plan. To my surprise he offered that plan to me. I ultimately came up with the entire cost of the knife and paid him in full the same week. But that is just an example of the type of Customer Service Andy provides.

I think your product is priced well. I'm not buying a knife from Walmart I'm buying a hand made one of a kind knife for each knife I buy. I have 2 KPH and they are slightly different. That is what I like about these knives. They are not just knives they are treasures that I look forward to passing down the line in my family in the generations to come.
 
Compared to most other knives I think Andy's knives are very reasonably priced. Many people seem to expect makers to work for very little money because they like what they do for a living... I'm very happy with the price and I'm looking forward to giving Andy more of my money:D
 
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I appreciate that there seems to be a rise in Americans crafting things in this country despite our growing problems. I see it in Etsy, kickstarter, and here; I appreciate fiddleback and I respect the prices and am very proud of Andy for enduring, and for allowing us to buy such a fine blade if we're so inclined.
 
Well....I'm not sure now where I fall in your description on pricing....but I always thought your knives were well worth the cost, and bought several to prove it. :-) I don't have employees, insurance or shop space rental, etc. and it's unlikely that I'll ever go full-time....but I can't afford to make knives at all if I keep all of them or give them away. The "hobby" has to help pay for itself. Since I'm not a full-time maker, it's my evenings and weekends that I use, so I'm acutely aware of the value of that time - especially for a dude with 7 kids. I hope I'm not part of the problem for the legit makers. Despite the fact that I don't have a name that is recognizable as a Custom Maker, I have been charging what seems to be a fair and comparable market value for the few that I do have the time to make, for the express reason of not depressing the market. I see it in my day-job, larger companies with a plethora of employees taking on work for wages or reducing what they include in what once was a "full-maintenance contract," just to keep their guys busy or keep getting a check in the mail - but over time it's causing the billing rates and pricing for our industry to go down while all our costs in every other area are going up. It's not sustainable, and we have kept our pricing at what it needs to be...but it has made us the high bid nearly every time. Unless the customer is fully aware of the concept of getting value for his expenditure, then they go with the lowest bidder. My response to that is that our company and THAT customer probably wouldn't have been a good fit anyway. ;-)
 
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Your prices seem very fair to me. If I couldn't afford one of your knives, there are plenty of serviceable knives out there for less money. I happen to be lucky enough to be able to afford to pay a premium for an exceptional handmade product, and I'm happy to do it.
 
I guess there is just something wrong with me or my train of thought...First...anyone asking you the maker to lower your prices should be shot on sight...that's just despicable to me...second...if you make a product that I want and it's handmade, then I will pay the price you are asking for it...it's just that simple for me. Price shouldn't be negotiable. As an example, I inquired about having a custom folder made for me over a year ago...I thought the maker had forgot about me...low and behold he emails me a month ago and says he is ready to start on my order (I didn't know he had an 12-18 month back log) we email back and forth about the details and when we get everything ironed out he gives me the price...maybe a lot by some standards...not a lot by most...but it's something I've wanted for a long time and I'll gladly pay the price with out batting an eye. I guess what I'm trying to say in this case is "this is what you want from me...this is what it will cost" plain and simple.

This is a custom run business...people (IMO) often forget that. Try going to a manufacturer and getting a knife made "your way" and see where it gets you. For those not willing to pay the price I would say "you just don't want it bad enough". I've sold off lots of knives to pay for some of my orders from the makers on this forum, and I wouldn't change a thing about that. I'm just grateful that the makers here are willing to make me a knife...to my specs/request...and allow me that indulgence...and still make the whole experience nothing but pure joy. That, in and off itself, is just one of the many things that make this place so great to be a part of. So...to this anonymous individual who complained about pricing...don't let the door hit you...where the good Lord split you...we'll gladly buy the "expensive" handmade knives and leave all the foreign crap for you...

(end of rant...sorry for the walls of nonsensical rambling)
 
Fiddleback said:
I came up making knives and pricing them based on the market and demand. It is hard for a new craftsman to price his work and I get that. I was honored to sell you a knife Mykel. I hope I haven't offended you. Folks like you are why I wish I could lower the prices. But unfortunately, I can't.
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Thank you Andy & sorry for being a bitch in your forum,it was morning for me & I hadn't had my coffee yet.:rolleyes:
It was a pleasure buying a knife from you,and your customer service is laudable.You repaired the Arete for me that I got off the Ex & cleaned & marked the Muk no charge,so again,I apologize for the negativity,just making a point ya know.;)
And I wouldn't expect nor ask you or any maker to lower the price of a knife.Never have & never will.
It chaps my hide when someone sends me a lowball offer on a knife I'm selling on the ex at a much lower than retail & very fair price,so I know where you're coming from there.
Take care & good luck Andy,here's hoping for a brighter future for all of us.
Myke
 
You know what they say, when you buy a quality product, you only cry once. I'll happily pay more to a small maker with a better quality than a large business, and consider supporting people who work hard to make quality things just part of the purchasing experience and pleasure of owning the beatiful things they make.
 
Andy when I first came to this forum I saw your knives. I knew then I would own a couple. I had never bought a handmade knife before now. I sent you a email and you replied right away without knowing who I was. I have since bought a hiking buddy and deciding which will be my next one. Which brings to the prices of your knives, you have caused me to spend my very hard earned money on buying your knives. I've learned that sometimes doing what you love is more rewarding than working for the man and hating what you do. I work very hard myself and like to reward myself with something that I can and will pass on the my grandson. You fill that for me and I will buy other knives from you and maybe get to shake your hand one day. Till then keep your love going. One last thing I often say if it were easy then anyone could do it. That's the case here and you sure make it look easy. That alone does not come cheap!
.
 
I really want you folks to know that I do fret about pricing. I do strive to keep them down. I want my knives bought and used by Boy Scouts, fishermen, hikers, bikers, backyard bushcrafters and AT trailers alike. So far I have followed my heart with each decision I've made building Fiddleback Forge. It has worked out for myself and my family. The business has no debt, so this helps. I take my knifemaking very seriously, and work at it hard and consistently. That keeps me from feeling guilty about liking my work so much.

FYI, I am a strange case among knifemakers. I had piddled around and made 6 or 7 knives with the help of the guys at the HI forum here on BF. (You may not know this, but I was in a hard place at the time and the knives saved me IMO.) In some thread over there, I learned about George Washington Sears, and the Nessmuk. I drew one up, and made 6 of them, my first batch. I had more requests than knives and they all sold for $100. I had 36 hours in them. That came to about exactly the amount I was making at my second job as a helper to a deck builder. $12/hr, which I thought at the time was a good part time wage. So IMO, I have never undercharged for my work. When I was in the AG Russel Catalog, I learned from AG that lowering prices was a sign of a poorly managed brand. It was not acceptable to do when you have dealers. I have never lowered a price since then.

Edited to add a pic of this first batch made around May of 2007. I showed the Osage one to J. Neilson at the Blade Show, and he gave me some critical advice. He said my grinds were impatient. I've worked hard at improving that. Thanks Jay. I can't imagine how you picked one thing for me to focus on in that knife. It was rough.

Dness82-vi.jpg




Big Mike said:
I dare say that those that judge your knives on price alone do not understand the level of performance your knives bring to the table.
Big Mike
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This quote makes me very happy Mike. Thanks!

AF said:
I can understand what you're saying about hobbyist knifemakers because I started making knives a few months ago. Only I have no interest in selling my knives for the low price they'd fetch. I'd prefer to give them to friends or keep them. I don't need the money to pay for supplies. I'm saving far more by not buying many knives anymore!
I don't think you can fault a hobbyist knifemaker for selling his knives for cheap. If he wants to sell his time for pennies that's up to him. Nor can you fault the buyer in my opinion. All you can do as a professional knifemaker is make a superior product.
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IMO, the seller and buyer are culpable. If the buyers want a thriving custom knife market, then we have to attract the best and the brightest. $5/hr won't cut it. A newb when I started could get $100 for an acceptable newbie knife. We now have them at $60 all day every day. 40% lower due to the IDONTGIVEASHIT hobby maker and their IGOTTAGETEVERYTHINGFORNOTHING buyer.

As to your knifemaking, make sexy knives. This is critical. Sex appeal is what sells. Hold your drawings up to your eye and make sure all the curves are appealing from all angles. Lumpy parts, uncontinuous curves, and jutty <male> looking things on a knife are ugly. Brass won't sell anything and neither will 440C. These are two illogical prejudices of knife buyers. Just accept this and stay away from those excellent knifemaking materials. I love both of them, and it hurts to leave them out, but I do.





J. Oeser said:
I have always thought your prices were more than reasonable. All actual expenses aside, there is great worth in a pair of hands that have made hundreds of knives. I actually find it difficult to keep my fixed blade prices around the prices that you sell for. And I don't rent a shop or have employees. That's one reason I focus mostly on folders now.

I see the same thing building houses. My subs and suppliers give me a fixed price and even when I explain that to some buyers they expect me to build their house for no profit. I don't need any more practice, I need to make a living. I'm sure the same goes for you.

Keep up the good work Andy!
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Thanks Jared. I can't wait to get my hands on the Barlow you've made me. I really like the part about the value of the hands that make the knives. I think its such an honor to be a craftsman. I love telling folks thats what I am.

JV3 said:
i'm curious what happens to your un-sold knives (from the every friday thread for example)? do they go to dealers (who pays you the original asking price) and they then mark it up so they can make money? or you lower the price for dealers so they don't have to mark it up even higher to make a profit?

i don't have a dog in this fight since i don't haggle on price, or in the market currently for any knives regardless of maker so i'm just genuinely curious how small business works :) i work in a software field so there's no such thing as excess inventory and this thread brought up something i'm clueless to but always wondered about.
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The dealers get a discount and their batch is sprinkled with unseen knives and knives that didn't go at FF.
 
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