comments that would pi$$ most knifemakers off!!

How about
"Did you make the handle too"
"Why do you have Band-Aids on your table"as there kid or they are bleeding on the knives
Bruce

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Bruce Evans Handcrafted Knives
The soul of the Knife begins in the Fire!!!!!
Member of,AKTI#A000223 and The American Bladesmith Society
asmallpicofbruceforforums.jpg
 
wow lots of real funny coments out there...is..it..sharp? like what kind of comment is that?...no i like my knives dull thankyou!!

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i keep grinding and grinding and it is still too short!!
 
bobh i do display a piece of bar stock to profile to finish and that leads to ones like you dont really do all of that do you? the best one very was i guy that was telling me how great it was to see craftsmen producing knives that would last a life time and he was disscussed with our throw away socity. he picked up one of my carving sets and said $275.00 i could buy ten sets at k-mart for that much money. so i told him k-mart was waiting for him. like tom said you have to let it roll like water off a ducks back

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Laurence Segal www.RHINOKNIVES.com
 
I like the folks who say they a have a knife either store bought or made by another maker and they didn't like something about it. So their brother-in-law/friend-next-door/whatever started grinding away/took a cutting torch to it. Now they want me to take the knife and put new grips and a guard on it/regrind the blade - usually somehow replacing 1/2 the blade that's been ground away on a P20 grit stone - and fix it up nice and pretty like it was/should have been.

Then they're gonna "think about" ordering/buying a new knife from me once their ruined one is good as new. When I patiently explain to these people that I don't under any circumstances/for any price work on knives I didn't make, they always get REAL MAD. Then they try and tell me that I HAVE to do it. The easy-to-understand answer to this is: "I don't have to do s**t."

But I also must say, the vast majority (like about 99.99%) of all the people I've met in and through knives and knifemaking are really good, honest folks. This includes knife makers, dealers and customers. Hat's off to the good ones!

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http://www.wilkins-knives.com
http://www.wilkins.de
 
I think everybody knows this is all just in fun. I mean, we all realize that it's just the nature of the beast to have people out of the know ask silly questions.

So I think this post is kinda funny. Of course we can't let the comments get under our skin, it would be the end of us.

I used to not even like to tell people I made custom knives, just because of the questions and dumb comments that follow. But I realized that I am truly proud of what I do with the time I spend in my shop and if someone doesn't like it, they can go screw themselves.

It's especially awkward being young, because most guys my age work as little as possible and drink as much beer as possible. But all they've got to show for it are beer guts.

I used to do all mirror finishes, and don't know how many times I argued with people about the chrome thing.

I think we all have heard the ones posted so far.

One I get is: "Where's your dad?"

"Why?" I ask

"Well smart ass, I'd like to talk to the man that made these knives."

"Well all right smarty, you're looking at him."

But it all works out. Most anybody remotely close to the knifemaking world is a great time to talk with, and that's what I try to remember.
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Nick
 
<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by NickWheeler:
most guys my age work as little as possible and drink as much beer as possible. But all they've got to show for it are beer guts. </font>

Knife makers tend to do this too, but they develop "organic tool rests" rather than beer guts.
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What do you do for your real job?
I think that one is the question I have to rethink over and over. People dont have the years of knife making and exposure to hand made knives that we all do. The ones asking dumb questions have never been to a knife only show. They hit the gun shows mostly. They are in need of educating and its our job to do it. Its is good for us to tell the story of the knife to anyone who asks. Its challenges our knowledge of what we do. I have explained damascus for years but now they almost all know what it is. Now they want to know more about how to make it. They are finally beginning to appreciate the craft of making knives. Custom made knives have not been around very long except for the "greats like Moran Loveless and Randal" People associate these with quality and value. They are retiring someday and it will be our turn to be great! Bring on the dumb questions! Bruce Bump
 
Here's a couple to laugh at:

What RECENT magazines have you been featured in?

Really, I am a knife dealer... I just forgot my business cards!

So, what's so different between your knives and a (cheapo factory name here)?

Do you have any autos?

Can you put this blade in that handle? No - I mean right now!

Why don't you serrate your blades?

Do you have anything under your table that hasn't been touched yet?

Can you make one with a ceramic blade?

Yeah, but mine has a corkscrew and screwdriver!

What's my price?

I'm a knife maker too. I've been working on this one for 10 years!

What do you mean you can't discount ivory?

Let me take it outside to show my friends. We didn't have enough money for all of us to get into the show!

Got anything with damascus and Pakkawood?

They'd laugh you out of the craft show with those prices!

(Unknown person: ) Give me a couple and I'll write an article for you! Do you have any photos I can use?

Honey, don't touch the nice man's knives. Honey, put the nice man's knife back on the table. Honey, don't drop the nice man's knife on the floor like that. Honey, you're gonna cut yourself! They're not sharp, are they?

Can I take it home to show my wife? I'll send you a check if she says it's OK!

I'll trade ya!

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Folks: I came back to this thread after realizing some people might be taking this subject too seriously. I found the things I posted above to be humorous, innocent comments from people with good intentions, but little education on the world of hand made knives.

The only time I get irritated is when I do take the time to educate someone about what I do (how much time and money is involved and the fact that I make knives so I can feed my family) and that person totally ignores my explanations. It not only affects me, but everyone else at the show who is trying to make a living by selling knives or those who generously display their collections for public benefit.

I believe every maker should share in the responsibility to educate customers without being so calous as to let innocent misperceptions turn into bad habits. That's not doing anybody any favors.

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Tom Anderson
Hand Crafted Knives


[This message has been edited by Tom Anderson (edited 01-21-2001).]
 
Kevin..what you said about the guy lettin someone butcher the knife brought a horrible memory back...i made a real nice little skinner for my brother in law..it was mirror polished ats34 with a cocobolo handle nice little knife the next time i seen it (which was about two months later) it looked like someone went at it with a sidegrinder and sure as s--t he said he tryed to sharpen it but had a real hard time gettin it sharp so he took a grinder to it but he must have slipped and went down the whole side of the blade!!! i was quite choked up to see that little knife butchered..good thing he payed for it and i didn`t just give it to him!!

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i keep grinding and grinding and it is still too short!!
 
<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Tom Anderson:


(Unknown person: ) Give me a couple and I'll write an article for you! Do you have any photos I can use?


[/B]</font>


Those people are called editors aren't they Tom?
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Editors would also ask you to pay for a few months of display ads first.


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http://www.livelyknives.com

[This message has been edited by lively (edited 01-18-2001).]
 
lively:

Yeah! I try to ask to see their OWAA membership card first. (See if they know what "OWAA" means - not too many do!)
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"Outdoor Writers' Association of America"

...and, OWAA has definite requirements for members!

OK, UPI and AP cards will be also be taken into consideration!
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There ARE some bona fide editors and writers that are very good to deal with.
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And, there are some folks who have the personality of a used diaper. I am usually led to believe that (somehow) I owe these people something - even though I've never dealt with them before!
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Tom Anderson
Hand Crafted Knives


[This message has been edited by Tom Anderson (edited 01-18-2001).]
 
it is not a question, its a statement and it REALLY hurt...
in response to my feelings about how my knives should be used instead of collecting dust i was told
" IT'S JUST A KNIFE"...
the worst part about it? it was from my girlfriend. she is getting the boot soon enough
 
I was talking on the radio once and the DJ asked what I did for a living. I said I'm a knife maker. He was silent for a second or three and said " A knifemaker, so, you make the knives huh? Has O.J. been by to see you?".
Where do people think knives come from anways???

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Take care!! Michael

Always think of your fellow knife makers as partners in the search for the perfect blade, not as people trying to compete with you and your work!
http://www.nebsnow.com/L6steel
Buzzards gotta eat, same as worms!!!
 
My all time personal favorite, after showing around the first pattern welded blade I made was " that sure would look a lot better, if you had gotten the mill scale off of it"

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Life is what it is.
 
<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by MaxTheKnife:
"Fihish that up and I'll buy it from you."

"Is that wood or micarta?"

"Do you have a brochure?"

"I'm not sure what I want. Whatever you wind up making will be fine."

"Can I make payments?"

"Why is the sheath extra?"

"How long will it take you to make a knife like this one in the drawing?"

"Don't you have a standard model?"

"I'd buy that if it was stainless."

B]</font>


DAMMIT!
MAX,i asked you every one of those,didnt i?
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I'm with Mayo and Bump on this one. If you are going to sell to the public, develope thick skin cause it's a tough, thankless, frustrating job educating the them about custom knives and damascus in general.

Arthur D. Washburn
ADW Custom Knives
www.adwcustomknives.com
 
My favorite was a guy with a piece of greasy food in both hands that literally picked up every knife on the table and then said:

"I'm looking for a gun....."

Also, the guy with the cheap Chinese folder who wants to know what I'd charge to replace the blade. When I tell him my hourly rate, he responds with a loud stupid laugh and says, "I didn't pay that much for it new" as if that would be a surprise to me.....

Of course, there's also at least one stupid answer on my part. I use a black & white steer hide on my table, and a little girl asked me where it came from. I told her it was the biggest dalmation I ever saw. Her eyes teared up. I felt bad......

 
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