Blade only sales?

An aquaintance of mine is a very fine artist, paintings so lifelike, they look like pictures. He sold one unframed, because the new owner wanted to do it, but he wouldn't sign the picture. He signed it after it had been framed and he approved.

Just a thought, sell the blade, sign it when you are happy with the customers treatment of your work. Makes it even more special to the recipient.
 
I wouldn't sign one whether I approved of it or not. Unless I made it, it's not gonna have my name on it.

I'm glad Bob Engnath was brought up, because that's how I looked at the blades I sold (on a much lower scale of course).

I'm really surprised to see so many makers against it.

Different strokes I guess :)
 
I've got blades I have gotten from makers, but I do not put their name or mine on the blade, even though B.E. said I could.
I've got Engnath blades I have still to finish, from little ones, to a tanto and katana.
A Jim Ferguson dagger I've been looking to finish for 10 years.
A Scott Slobodian Koto Tanto kit.
I'd like to have one of Nicks, but I would put no name one it.
Well, maybe mine on the bolster is okay.
 
NickWheeler said:
I've sold over a hundred blades for the customer to put a handle on.

My world hasn't fallen over yet. :jerkit: :D

You don't mark your name on it... that's all there is to it.

If a person can buy a blade from you, make a horrible, shittty looking knife, and mark YOUR name on it, AND then people BELIEVE THAT YOU MADE IT... then you need to make better knives. :)
Click to expand...


What Nick said...

Craig
 
Just my 2 cents here.

I probably sell as many blade blanks as completed pieces. A large part of my customer base are re-enactors, and they like to do-it-themselves. I also make sure that my customers know exactly where I stand as far as waranty, and authorship.
My blade blanks are not marked in any way, I only put my mark on a knife that I have finished.
I do not extend my warranty on blanks, as I do not know what heat will be applied to the blank as they work. mostly it is just a little tempering as a guard is soldered on, but one customer...I am still shaking my head. He bought a blank but wanted to re shape it, so he set it on his electric range for an hour to soften it, hammered on the back of it to add more curve, took it to be hardened only,he felt that the tempering should be done after grinding to relieve stresses, ground it to shape in a full hardened condition and then took it back in to be tempered. he dropped the knife at the heat treaters, and called me to complain that it broke.
Some people can be trouble, but usually they are the exeption, not the rule. Many of us have started by buying kit knives, or blanks ourselves, I am happy to offer them to people just starting out, or the "once in a while" maker who dosen't want the hassle of making the blade.
 
Looks like quite a bit of yays on this topic. I appreciate you guys giving imput on this. I've given this alot of thought and I can't see a problem with doing it, leaving the blade unmarked and no warranty on the blade. If I'm wrong, then I guess I'll learn the hard way like I do everything else in my life.:rolleyes: :) BTW, let's see the big bear Dan. Always enjoy knife pics.:D
Scott
 
Razorback - Knives said:
BTW, let's see the big bear Dan. Always enjoy knife pics.:D
Scott
Click to expand...
OK you twisted my arm :D
this went trough a fire and I would guess a stag crown on it < with a hiding tang
the customer decided he wanted a Randall trapper style handle put on..
forgive the bad pictures...
randall-rehandle2.jpg

randall-rehandle4.JPG
 
Oh my, that is a beaut.:D Looks like the handle on my model 25 trapper. Dan, you could have a future working at the Randall shop.:p :D
Scott
 
For all you guys who say you'd never sell a bare blade, hey, I can certainly understand where you're coming from. You won't get any flak from me.
But at the same time I am appreciative that at least some makers are willing to do this.

Some time ago, I was in a position where I was looking for someone to make a great big blade for me, which I would finish myself. I had several reasons for this. As a maker who specializes in miniatures, I feel I have enough skill to do the job, but I don't have any equipment to do it in an efficient manner. I don't have a good belt grinder, I'm not set up to do my own heat treating on such large pieces, etc. I don't have a forge, so my material choices are limited to whatever I could find in appropriately sized bar stock. If I wanted to experiment with Crucible L6 for instance, someone else would have to forge it down to a reasonable size for me anyway, so they may as well save me some more time & rough forge the blade shape while they're at it. Also, I am dirt poor and only wanted a serviceable working tool. So I was hoping to save any out of pocket costs possible by doing some of the work myself. Hand sanding for example is one of those things that I could do instead of paying the maker to do it.

In the end, I just ground the blade myself from barstock anyway, but it probably took me longer than most professionals, and I sent it out for heat treating.

Also, this may not apply to most of you, but think about those who work in the Japanese style or tradition. In that case, it is completely normal to sell blades without mounts, or in some cases even without the final shape or geometries.
 
Razorback - Knives said:
Oh my, that is a beaut.:D Looks like the handle on my model 25 trapper. Dan, you could have a future working at the Randall shop.:p :D
Scott
Click to expand...
Scott
the guy asked me to make the handle "as Randall would do it
but on their best day".he said he didn't want it the best I could do.
I thought that was interesting:D

that pommel does not have a nut stuck in the end of it, ;)

Possum you are right
I believe with the masters in Japanese swords
a blade maker did not make has own handle or Scarboard they had their own jobs.
forgive me for I never will remember the terms for the Japanese parts.:(
 
I have had a couple blades made for me,the maker just put his logo on the opposit side then usual to let everyone know he did not build the entire knife.i dont have the equiptment to grind my own blades,but do have fun with handles.

Some of you have a good point,would'nt want someone trying to pass off part of your work as "full custom" work.


 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top