- Joined
- Jul 23, 2015
- Messages
- 12,520
Disclose everything you want up front. Many well regarded makers seem to tend toward limiting custom jobs if not avoiding them altogether, and one of the reasons seems to be unnecessarily lengthy back and forth exchanges just to find out what the potential customer wants.
Fixed, or folder, blade steel, style, size, thickness, grind, special features, handle material, shape, finishing, sheath type, etc. If you have pictures of your design, share them. How will you use the knife? On what materials? In what environments? What is your desired time frame? What aspects of the build are you flexible on (because not all makers do all things)? Are you willing to defer to the maker's suggestions for the build, given that they know how they do their best work? What is your budget (ballpark)? Are you willing to pay a deposit to demonstrate your commitment to the job? Makers deserve to know they are not spending time and resources on someone who is not serious. If you want a maker to feel good about working for you, then it should be a no brainer to disclose these things up front.
Once you provide this info, you will be more likely to receive bids on the job from makers who can actually do what you want, and would enjoy doing so. For example, do you really want to go seven emails back and forth before you learn that the maker you're in discussions with doesn't do hollow grinds, when that is what you had your heart set on? Or ten emails only to find out the maker does not work with organic handle materials like bone or antler? You get my point. The more you share up front about your expectations and flexibility, the sooner you'll get the right maker for the job, the more of both your time and theirs you will save, and the more fun the whole process will be for maker and customer alike.
Fixed, or folder, blade steel, style, size, thickness, grind, special features, handle material, shape, finishing, sheath type, etc. If you have pictures of your design, share them. How will you use the knife? On what materials? In what environments? What is your desired time frame? What aspects of the build are you flexible on (because not all makers do all things)? Are you willing to defer to the maker's suggestions for the build, given that they know how they do their best work? What is your budget (ballpark)? Are you willing to pay a deposit to demonstrate your commitment to the job? Makers deserve to know they are not spending time and resources on someone who is not serious. If you want a maker to feel good about working for you, then it should be a no brainer to disclose these things up front.
Once you provide this info, you will be more likely to receive bids on the job from makers who can actually do what you want, and would enjoy doing so. For example, do you really want to go seven emails back and forth before you learn that the maker you're in discussions with doesn't do hollow grinds, when that is what you had your heart set on? Or ten emails only to find out the maker does not work with organic handle materials like bone or antler? You get my point. The more you share up front about your expectations and flexibility, the sooner you'll get the right maker for the job, the more of both your time and theirs you will save, and the more fun the whole process will be for maker and customer alike.