clashing taste with a customer

Go ahead and make the knife like YOU think it should be and don't worry about what the customer wants. Then when he rejects it because you didn't follow his instructions, you can at least say you stuck to your guns and did it your way.
So now you don't have a sale, just an unhappy customer, but you can sleep well at night knowing you didn't compromise your stand.
So what if his hands are too big...that's not your problem!. Tell him that's his tough luck, you make handles to fit a "normal" man and that's it!
He should go to the Big Hand Knife Store and get a damn production knife, not bother a custom knife maker like yourself to have a knife made that fits him.
Some guys have a lot of nerve asking for special treatment!
I'm never gonna be a knife maker if that's the kind of stuff you have to put up with!!:grumpy:
 
hehe rayban..


I read a thing i think it was on tracy mickley's site about this very thing. I dont wanna put words in his mouth but it was something to the effect of knifemaking becoming a chore for him by doing other peoples designs. One day he decided to stop taking those jobs and just make stuff and put it up for sale and all the fun in making knives was back just like *that*.

I discovered first hand what he was talkin about. I made one recently for my brother's father in law who wanted a deer skinner, I thought to myself ok self, that doesn't sound bad i can do this.
He sent me this whacky drawing of what looked about like a cake spatula with a rounded end and big 'ol swirly looking gaurd and f'd up looking loops and points, guthooks, a pirate knife looking pommel and curves and s all over it. It was uglier than home made soap!
i told him uuuhhh, ya know i have only made like 2 knives and stuff and am doing good just to make my grinds half way even. Anyways, finally talked him into something more sensible and do-able on my end, even then we would agree on little stuff, i would make it then he would come back with "oh could you make the handle do this or that" after i already ground that metal away ya know! Almost seemed like he was f'n with me...
anyway that knife sucked. The end.
 
I think I would tell the customer how strongly you feel about proper proportions and putting your name on something you can be proud of. Then if he still wants it his way, tell him you'll put his name on the knife with his design, or will put your name on the knife if he chooses your design. You still get the sale, the customer gets what he wants, and your reputation is safe.
 
Knife design is good only to the "eye of the beholder". I have to relate a situation that came up a few months ago. I made a knife that was way out of proportion; the blade was just too big for the handle. A friend was working a show with me and when I put this one on the table we both laughed at it and almost took it off. Before the show started a dealer walked by my table spotted the ugly knife and said "that is just what I have been looking for" He walked away completely happy with his purchase.

I work very hard at keeping blade to handle proportions right (in my mind anyway) but numerous times I have lost sales to the big handed customer that finds my perfect proportioned handles just too short.
 
I remember the guy who runs Bandit Blades(always forget his name) showing me a knife he made for a customer.
He thought it looked weird, and would never use such a knife himself, but the customer LOVED it.
The customer should get what they want; as long as you make it with quality, it won't reflect badly on you as a maker.
I happened to think it was a neat blade. If I'd had the cash, and the customer backed out, I'd have bought it.:)
 
Well , it's good to know that other knife makers in this world like to make exactly what they like. I thought I must be the only one. Then the reality of why set in and I had to admit to myself that other people just might not like what I thought was perfect. Just go down to your local Walmart and watch the couples walk in, they come in all shapes and sizes and everyone of them saw something they like in the other.
The real deal for me is that it is easy for me to make a knife I like, I'm excited about it and can't wait for someone else to see it. Just the opposite for a knife I am not really into to. I push my envelope on designs just for this reason, otherwise I only know what I like and not what someone else does.
I believe a true knife nut looks at the craftmanship of the blade, now he might not buy a knife he doesn't find appealing but he will know it was a well made custom knife. That does not mean the next person will not buy it.
I am with you Gerry, design is in the eye of the beholder. Just like kissing a girl, it's much easier and fun to kiss one you think is pretty than to kiss one you find ugly. It's so much easier to make a knife you like than one you don't.
I say if you can't make the knife to your personal best then do the guy a favor and tell him so, if you can put that aside and make him the knife he wants to the best of your ability do so and be proud you could. It takes all kinds to make this world go around, don't get stuck in the mud and always think you know what is best.
 
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