Advice on turn around time

I

iraqvet1980

Joined
Aug 20, 2009
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I'm an apprentice smith with the ABS, been working on knives for about a 8-10 months now. I started as a total newbie to the process, so it's been slow go...and maybe I'm just a slow learner. :rolleyes:

My question is this : I work by myself in my knife shop, using a coal forge. (Yeah, I know, not efficient, but it's all I could afford.) What should I be expecting as far as turn-around time for my knives that I make?

I know that each knife takes longer due to materials used, size/style of blade, the amount of detail work in a blade, etc. I know full time makers are able to make ends meet and some do very well, and their efficiency must be incredible.

Any of you have advice or experience you're willing to share with me? :confused:
 
I totally appreciate what you're asking and where you're coming from, but this is kind of like asking how fast you should drive your car.

There are just too many variables to be able to answer your question...and even if there weren't, it still would be nearly impossible to answer because everybody is different.

My recommendation is to learn to make the knives you want/like.... go to the makers you admire and respect, and get their advice...even better if you can learn from them.

You'll be far better off just striving to make the best knife you can in whatever style you're after, than worrying about how long it does or doesn't take you. :)
 
Nick, I appreciate your outlook and common sense approach to answering my questions. Perhaps I have been looking at this process all wrong. You have opened my eyes. Thanks much !!
 
Nick is right on the money....listen to his advice. It doesn't matter if it takes you 10 or 100 hours to build a knife....every single one that leaves your shop must be the best work you can do.

When "time" becomes the priority in your work, you become a knife Manufacturer....when quality is the priority, you are a "Knifemaker."
 
Nothing wrong using a coal forge, I actually prefer it to gas but good coal is hard to get here on the west coast. I would suggest finding a local blacksmith/ farrier in your area that uses coal to help you learn how to tend and run your fire. Cost of coal vs. Gas for me is coal I can do the same work for about 1/4 the cost of gas but gas is convenient.

As for time? Like Nick said there are way to many variables to consider. I agree with Nick as I think you will be far better off at spending what ever time is necessary to build the knife than worry about how fast you can make them. I am a seasonal driven maker so I can not be caught up in how long it takes me as my regular job (full time farrier) and my way of life (Farmer/ rancher) take precedence over knife making and as the seasons and weather come and go so does the time I have to make knives. So I make knives when I have a few extra minutes.

So take your time and do the best you can and speed will come on it's own.
 
It takes as long as it takes. Anywhere between 4 and 30 hours for me, depending on what kind of knife I'm working on. Two points come to mind that haven't been said already. One, you can make 10 knives that sell for 100 dollars each, or make one knife that sells for 1000 dollars, either way you have 1000 dollars. Some people crank out alot of knives, some take a long time and make really incredible knives, but not many do both. Two, if you're talking about turnaround time on orders, always tell them it'll be at least a month or two longer than you think it will take. That way you always deliver "early" in the customer's mind. Way better than being late!
 
Thanks all, for your wise advice. I've got a different outlook now...Ed is right on about the difference between a manufacturer and a maker. I suppose I never thought about it that way. :D
 
Nick is right on.

Don't watch the clock, but just concentrate on what you are doing. You'll get faster and more efficient as you gain more experience.
 
My very first knife took me about 50 hrs. of work to complete and now 11 years and many knives later I still put in around 50 hours per knife. Part of that is due to complexity increasing but mostly, I've learned more about quality, fit and finish, and I'm never happy with "good enough". Honestly, I don't really keep track of hours spent... Who does when you're doing something that you really enjoy. I am, however, working on a semi-production model right now that I am keep track of hours and materials... Ed nailed it... That's called Manufacturing and it's not nearly as enjoyable as the freedom that comes with Knifemaking.

Not to sidetrack the thread or anything but I just noticed something about Tai... I just got the latest edition of blade magazine and noticed that Tai has a knife featured... Congrats Tai! The thing that I noticed is that in the magazine there is a picture of Tai along with his knife... Has anyone else noticed that Tai's Avatar is a self portrait? :D :) maybe it's old news... I've been away for a while.
 
If you want to waste a lot of time, rush your work. I get excited about something and want to see it completed and so I rush what I do and of course I start to make mistakes. I like what jkf96a recommended, "if you're talking about turnaround time on orders, always tell them it'll be at least a month or two longer than you think it will take. That way you always deliver "early" in the customer's mind. Way better than being late! "

LonePine
AKA Paul Meske Wisconsin
 
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