Attention K-mart shoppers

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Sometimes you will see a maker ask for feedback in a sale thread if a knife isnt selling. I find that to be a good practice, but that doesnt mean it should be open season. I, for one, would openly be happy to get feedback on pricing if members thought they were way off! Is tough also sometimes because some makers here sell knives at prices that make me wonder how they even recoop materials, belts, sandpaper, electricity and upkeep costs. To non makers, this might make them wonder "hey why arent all these knives that cheap?"
 
IMO, cost discussion should be private between the buyer and seller. Like Mark said, the maker posts a price, if someone feels one way or the other and is not interested, then just move on. God knows there is a big selection of custom pieces from which to choose. IMO, there are some of the best makers in the business who offer their knives for sale here. If someone can't find something to their liking.......well what can i say.
Scott
 
people always call me a rude sob-even i can see posting that a maker is asking to much is -well assinine-

if you dont like the price bfd-keep looking till you do find whats in your price range-dont talk smak about a price that in no way effects you-

when i do tile jobs on the side i give a price-they pay or they dont-if they try and talk down the price i just walk-ive never quabbled about the $$ a custom costs,they say and i pay
 
I agree I have several knife makers I like dealing with, like there knives and am a return customer. I hope I am a good customer to them. I do find there are signs if it going to work or not for both parties. You just got to go thru some time and money to find them.

It's allot easier that way and for both knife maker and buyer/owner you eliminate the bummers for lack of a better word.

I have posted this before:

I think it's a two way street that goes in the same direction, both knife maker and buy/owner are happy.

One day one year I hope to own a Gossman Knife, but is ok either way, I'm going to slip back and take it easy for a while. Having said that I just bought my third knife seconds ago from GL Drew, the period piece.

Cheers :)
 
I'm going to make a copy of the first post from this thread a sticky and lock it.

This can fade into the sunset.

Glad everyone is happy.
 
Mark Williams said:
I'm going to make a copy of the first post from this thread a sticky and lock it.

This can fade into the sunset.

Glad everyone is happy.
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Before this thread dies, I just want to say I agree.
Also, besides just talking negatively about pricing in a for sale thread, negative reviews of knives purchased here should be saved for off-forum communication, or TGB&U. If you're not happy with a makers work when you get it, try to get it straightened out privately first, then if that doesn't work, take it to TGB&U. Keep it out of this forum.

My 2 cents. :)
 
Years ago I was discussing knife trading with an oldtimer and one of the things he told me was:"Buyin' knives ain't like tradin' guns. You are dealing with a man's product. Pay the man's price or walk away. It's rude to ask a man to put a lesser value on his hand work."
I always remembered that. I will deal on factory knives but not on a man's own product.
 
drducati said:
Years ago I was discussing knife trading with an oldtimer and one of the things he told me was:"Buyin' knives ain't like tradin' guns. You are dealing with a man's product. Pay the man's price or walk away. It's rude to ask a man to put a lesser value on his hand work."
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Good words to live by.
 
drducati said:
Years ago I was discussing knife trading with an oldtimer and one of the things he told me was:"Buyin' knives ain't like tradin' guns. You are dealing with a man's product. Pay the man's price or walk away. It's rude to ask a man to put a lesser value on his hand work."
I always remembered that. I will deal on factory knives but not on a man's own product.
Click to expand...

Doc,
I hope you don't mind, but I just copied and pasted that little story into a draft in my email files. The next time somebody tries to dicker with me over the price of one of my knives, I'd like to use it. Do I have your permission?
Thanks,
Scott
 
Years ago I was discussing knife trading with an oldtimer and one of the things he told me was:"Buyin' knives ain't like tradin' guns. You are dealing with a man's product. Pay the man's price or walk away. It's rude to ask a man to put a lesser value on his hand work."
I always remembered that. I will deal on factory knives but not on a man's own product.

Very nicely stated. I post and sell several knives through the BF exchange but its not my only place of selling. Just because a knife doesn't sell on the BF doesn't mean its over priced, it just means that some people on the BF aren't interested or can't afford it at that time. If you find several markets to sell through, beleive me it will sell if priced reasonably no matter what anyone else thinks.
I don't expect anyone I buy materials from to work for an unreasonable wage, if I and everyone else did they wouldn't be in business very long, so why do some people think we makers should, believe me they sure wouldn't work for a lower wage. Knife making is a very expensive profession, a lot more expensive then many non makers realize, but its up to the maker to educate them as to the expense, if you price a knife try to stick to that price, if you keep dropping your prices buyers will soon learn all they have to do is wait and you'll lower your price several times. I was told by a well known purveyor that you can always raise your prices on the next knife if it sells quickly, but if you lower them it will only show you'll take less for your work and it wasn't worth your asking price to start with. Be consistant and fair, it will sell.

Good luck,

Bill
 
drducati said:
Years ago I was discussing knife trading with an oldtimer and one of the things he told me was:"Buyin' knives ain't like tradin' guns. You are dealing with a man's product. Pay the man's price or walk away. It's rude to ask a man to put a lesser value on his hand work."
I always remembered that. I will deal on factory knives but not on a man's own product.
Click to expand...

Well said Doc
 
Well said Doc and Bill. Pricing knives is always a tricky event. I always try to base my pricing on what I think is a fair amount for the work and quality. Since knives are the sole income in our household (and have been for several years now) dropping prices for us is not an option as it might be for someone who is making knives as a hobby. I know guys who sell the knives they make purely to buy supplies to make more and I know others who sell knives to feed their families. If someone doesn't like the price on one of my knives, I'm sure there is another maker out there who can satisfy their desires and budget.
 
Greetings K-Mart Shoper's
It seems that I have really upset the preverbial apple cart! I had no idea that I was dealing with the LORD Almighty in the business dealing that I had. For all of you that this didn't concern you may kliss my rosie red. FYI you almost cost the dealer a sale. If any of you would care to put up have at it. Another FYI in case you cannot read or you are too sutpid to look this web site has only 660 +- members and that means BUYERS also which is not many, another FYI I have spent over $7,000.00 in the last couple of months and I don't have to answer to you ????heads. If it is your money then you spend it. If you are holy than thou then enjoy it. In the words of a great man UP YOURS!
 
Hey Milton, are you talking about bladeforums? It has 89,744 members and the record for people online at once is over 1500 people!!!!!!!!! That is a lot of people looking all at the same time.

drducati
Basic Member Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Fla
Posts: 343

Years ago I was discussing knife trading with an oldtimer and one of the things he told me was:"Buyin' knives ain't like tradin' guns. You are dealing with a man's product. Pay the man's price or walk away. It's rude to ask a man to put a lesser value on his hand work."
I always remembered that. I will deal on factory knives but not on a man's own product.
Click to expand...

That is an excellent comment..kinda reminds me of the fact that when you get a new tattoo..you don't negotiate price with the tattoist..it is take it leave it only :)
 
I don't know about the rest of the makers here, but I'm more than willing to work within a customer's budget. If I have a design that someone likes but it is more than they want to spend, we can always try to get a lower price (within reason) by changing handle and blade material for a similar piece. I think that a lot of makers will have a base price for a design, anything extra is added to that (CPM steels, stabilized burl, filework, extra shipping costs for out of country sales). I would like to think that if some of the ABS guys had a pattern-welded bowie (like a steve dunn bowie *drool*) they could offer the buyer a dressed-down version of the same model for a better price (although I realize some makers are too busy to make this feasible). Less work for the maker, less cash for the customer. Basically, when I'm discussing an order with a customer, I ask them for a price range and give them a list of the materials and steels that are in that bracket. My orders can vary as much as $100-150 depending on the customer's specs (based on material cost and added work time for different steels and finishes).

Milton, you might just be fighting in the wrong ring - I'm pretty sure this thread was prompted by something that had nothing to do with you (I could be wrong though).

Have a good one,



*edit*of course I'm still mostly dealing with local guys I meet face to face and don't have a lot of orders yet - hopefully that may change in time, then my way of doing things may have to as well.
 
Milton3672 said:
Greetings K-Mart Shoper's
It seems that I have really upset the preverbial apple cart! I had no idea that I was dealing with the LORD Almighty in the business dealing that I had. For all of you that this didn't concern you may kliss my rosie red. FYI you almost cost the dealer a sale. If any of you would care to put up have at it. Another FYI in case you cannot read or you are too sutpid to look this web site has only 660 +- members and that means BUYERS also which is not many, another FYI I have spent over $7,000.00 in the last couple of months and I don't have to answer to you ????heads. If it is your money then you spend it. If you are holy than thou then enjoy it. In the words of a great man UP YOURS!
Click to expand...

This thread was pretty much dead and buried, and had nothing to do with you to begin with, what are you babbling about? :confused:
 
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