Charging for repairs?

Chiro75

Chiro75

Joined
Feb 4, 1999
Messages
5,786
I had a recent customer drop a knife on the floor at work and he damaged one of the G-10 scales. He wanted me to send him some material so he could repair it himself, which will not be easy, but I also offered to fix it for him. My problem is that I kind of price my knives based on what I think the total package is worth. I haven't done any time analysis to figure out an hourly "wage" or anything like that. So, how do you handle repairs? Do you have an hourly amount figured out and you tell the person "I charge $50 an hour for repairs, and this would probably take a little over an hour to fix..." or do you just have a flat rate on different jobs, or what? I'll have to pop the scale off one side while leaving the other intact, cut, profile, drill, glue and contour a new scale, so I'm thinking at least 1.5 hours for me.
 
Chiro75 said:
I had a recent customer drop a knife on the floor at work and he damaged one of the G-10 scales. He wanted me to send him some material so he could repair it himself, which will not be easy, but I also offered to fix it for him. My problem is that I kind of price my knives based on what I think the total package is worth. I haven't done any time analysis to figure out an hourly "wage" or anything like that. So, how do you handle repairs? Do you have an hourly amount figured out and you tell the person "I charge $50 an hour for repairs, and this would probably take a little over an hour to fix..." or do you just have a flat rate on different jobs, or what? I'll have to pop the scale off one side while leaving the other intact, cut, profile, drill, glue and contour a new scale, so I'm thinking at least 1.5 hours for me.
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50.00 :eek: I need to start charging more :confused: :)
I may end up with $25.00 and hour Steve if all goes very well..hopefully...
there's ups and downs.

if you haven't done a job before you have to geusstamate it.
you can't base it on another makers
that's like saying hey do you have a back problem,, I watched a video last night,,, rrrr hey Steve what do you charge for a back crack , I can do it as fast and as good as you I think the video was a good one..HEHEHE ...

you are figuring what the job is worth..
how do you arrive at that number? ,



I have a student that asked this too..he needed to start low and do a great job to get customers, a $100.00 knife x ? time he had in it.
as he gets faster his rate automatically goes up.. less time in the knife
if he took 40 hours to make the $100.00 knife and now he can do it in 20 hours
thats a 100% raze..
and as he gets the
customers and gets faster and better he goes up on the knife price,,

watching sales and the customer. the customer if you watch deep inside him
will tell you if you are getting to much,,
if you are not getting enough money
you'll know it by to much business to handle. time to go up some... :)

edited to add
if you have two knives your making and they will be the same
and you mess one of the finishs up and spend 1 hour more because you had to fix it :confused:

??? do you charge more for that knife? set a buffer zone to cover these things or tell the customer that's looking at the two knives and wondering why is this one $50.00 more? hey I messed that one up and spent more time on it which one would you buy :D
 
I was just throwing $50 out there as a number. Considering the average GM employee makes $54/hour, I think skilled artisans like knifemakers should make a heck of a lot more than that. I quoted the guy $40 for a new scale, which seemed reasonable to me considering the work that goes into it, but I have no idea how it all breaks down, which is why I asked.
 
:D I know you are ,, I edited my post.. I'm just puting out some things that makers are up againist and your leg is hanging out there to yank haha :D
 
That's easy, I don't do repairs on other knives. It takes time away from making knives. The money you make is not worth it to me. If it's a factory knife the person should send it back for a warranty repair. If it's another makers knife the maker should be the one to repair it. The only knives I can see that would need repairing are older out of production factory knives or deceased knifemakers.
Scott
 
It's one of my knives. A tanto I just sold him a week or so ago. Dropped it at work, damaged the funky orange G-10. I wouldn't repair another maker's work or a factory knife.
 
Chiro75 said:
It's one of my knives. A tanto I just sold him a week or so ago. Dropped it at work, damaged the funky orange G-10. I wouldn't repair another maker's work or a factory knife.
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dang why didn't you say so...

the last time a guy dropped one of mine I fixed it for him free of charge
it wasn't damaged to bad scratched up mostly he was flabbergasted that I didn't charge him....

he's bought two more since then :cool: .. you can do it how you see fit.. ;)
 
Dan Gray said:
:D I know you are ,, I edited my post.. I'm just puting out some things that makers are up againist and your leg is hanging out there to yank haha :D
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Dan: If anyone has something hanging out, you Yank it. :eek: :eek:
 
I consider that sort of repair as part of the lifetime guarantee I give with knives I make and sell. The only things I exclude are breakage from obvious misuse.

I think one of the great features of buying custom knives is the maker's standing behind his product.
 
Hey Im the guy that dropped the tanto:grumpy: I belive Chiro75 should be
able to charge me what he belives is fair, and Im just happy that he
would do it for me. Their are others on BF that never got back to
me about repairs, and when they did they gave me some out there
dollar amount $$$.00 and it was just about the same type of damage
so I wound up buying the material and fixed it myself..:mad:
Chiro75 I will try to post pictures within the next few days like I told you
I am swamped at work now. You will get to see one of your blades that has
been worked hard and will be able to evaluate for future work.( not that
you need to) It has held up real well and I work it hard doing all sorts
of cutting with it from kitchen to 3" rope and I havent touched the edge at all.

Anyway drop me a line
and I will be intouch.


Zoo
 
shgeo said:
I consider that sort of repair as part of the lifetime guarantee I give with knives I make and sell. The only things I exclude are breakage from obvious misuse.

I think one of the great features of buying custom knives is the maker's standing behind his product.
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Couldn't said it better myself.


My lifetime guarantee goes as follows- As long as I'm alive I will fix or replace if nessary. NO Questions asked.


150 knives later and still no returns..



cya
jimi
 
shgeo said:
I consider that sort of repair as part of the lifetime guarantee I give with knives I make and sell. The only things I exclude are breakage from obvious misuse.

I think one of the great features of buying custom knives is the maker's standing behind his product.
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That should be the policy of all makers. Well said Steve. :)
Scott
 
Dido what Steve said. I have only had to fix one knife that ive made and was happy to do it at no charge. No better feeling than having a REPEAT customer and this policy is what draws people to custom knives. IMHO.

Thats awfull nice of Zoo to be willing to pay. I have had a couple customers come back asking for me to sharpen the knives they have purchased from me because they dont feel comfortable with it and obviously it is at no charge but often they will want to throw a $5 tip my way for doing so. The money is never taken but its nice to work with people like that.

Shane
 
My lifetime waranty goes something liek this "if you break it, you buy it"...:p okay, not really, I think that that type of thing really depends on the maker, it's a good idea, and good customer service to be willing to do at least small repairs free of charge in my mind, but there are exceptions to that rule as well, Steve's knives are modestly enough priced, that I wouldn't consider there to be a waranty buffer there, maybe that should tell steve something :)

If you manage to break one of my knives, I want to know how (doesn't change the fact that I'll replace or repair it, but I'm currious to see what did it in) I'll send you a new knife as soon as I get through my back-log (you'll be put on the list) or repair the damaged knife when it comes in.

If a knife repair is going to take more than a few hours, I'll probably replace it depending on intricacy.


Tony
 
I pretty much agree with what you guys are saying, although I think the repair thing is a tricky issue. Just to play devil's advocate (because this isn't actually how I feel about it, but it's worth putting out there for opinions), standing behind your product is one thing, but doing free repairs for people when they screw up and break something is altogether different, no? If the scale pops off one day for no reason or the person is spreading peanut butter on their sandwich and the blade breaks in half, etc, then I see what you're saying. But what if someone just makes a mistake and drops the knife and the handle gets banged up? Or they don't know how to sharpen the knife and they mess it up, then want to send it in? And how is that different from if they lose the knife or drop it over water and it sinks to the ocean floor?

FWIW it told Zoo I'd do the repair for cost of materials and shipping back to him, which I told him would be like $12. I'd like to see it done right and I don't mind doing it for that amount. But, am I the only person who sees a difference between standing behind ones own work, and standing behind a customer's mistakes/errors/accidents? Just a thought, now discuss amongst yourselves! :D
 
Chiro75 said:
I pretty much agree with what you guys are saying, although I think the repair thing is a tricky issue. Just to play devil's advocate (because this isn't actually how I feel about it, but it's worth putting out there for opinions), standing behind your product is one thing, but doing free repairs for people when they screw up and break something is altogether different, no? If the scale pops off one day for no reason or the person is spreading peanut butter on their sandwich and the blade breaks in half, etc, then I see what you're saying. But what if someone just makes a mistake and drops the knife and the handle gets banged up? Or they don't know how to sharpen the knife and they mess it up, then want to send it in? And how is that different from if they lose the knife or drop it over water and it sinks to the ocean floor?

FWIW it told Zoo I'd do the repair for cost of materials and shipping back to him, which I told him would be like $12. I'd like to see it done right and I don't mind doing it for that amount. But, am I the only person who sees a difference between standing behind ones own work, and standing behind a customer's mistakes/errors/accidents? Just a thought, now discuss amongst yourselves! :D
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Steve
I can tell on the customers face (what few times it's happened) if he is out to get freebie's or not..
when he looks like he just lost his daughter in the shopping mall and can't think right he is a true jewel
if a guy try's to jump his car starter with the knife and burns the HT out of it
then it's his baby..
a drop on the floor scratches, sure no problem if they want to pay S&H
the S&H will hold them a little responsible ( a little)
and on a worker he may never come back for small things like that anyway..
most guys have a brain they use when it comes to buying and using..

also if they want to pay that's ok too, some guy want to because they feel responsible so let them...so they can feel good about it if that is what they want, but I'll tell them it's not necessary..
as far as dropping it the drink...I'll give him a great price on new one
and offer a thong on it :D
 
just sand it out...How bad is the handle dinged? You may be able to fix it with some 120 then go to 220 grit.
 
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