comments that would pi$$ most knifemakers off!!

Maurice, im with you. I think I have asked Mike (L6) and Max some or all of those questions. Dont I feel like the a$$hole now. Think I'll go find my vise-grips and clamp my mouth shut now
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Richard Todd - Digital knife photography
icq 61363141
My WebSite
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Ok, I have a pretty good idea that most of this is all in good fun, but from a customer perspective, here is why you here most of these comments.

Ever hear the saying, 'there are no stupid questions'? Well, thats not true, there are lotsa stupid ones, but they do serve a purpose.

When I first developed an interest in knives, I use to see custom prices and think 'Whoa, that much for a chunk of steel?' Then, I found the various forums a few years ago and asked some of the silly questions. You know what? There were makers who were willing to answer them, and I learned and came to appreciate them.

I think some folks have read about makers who got into the business of making by going to an established makers shop and learning the trade from them. It gives some the idea that alot of makers are eager to share the craft of making. I asked a maker about going to his shop to make a knife. Now, I have no such misconceptions, I know full well that a day of visiting is NOT going to instantly make me the next great maker of the world. In fact, I doubt I will ever be any kind of real maker. I just have an interest in actually watching a knife form out of a chunk of steel. I also think it would be cool to try my hand at it. I simply think having a chance to try it under the watchful eye of a good maker will give me a better understanding of what they go throuhg to create a fine blade.

Im sure some of the comments makers hear sound silly or insulting. But, im willing to bet they are asked by many people who REALLY DONT KNOW. I myself have asked, and probably still so ask stupid questions. Im not trying to insult, I really want to know.

Thats it, im done now
smile.gif


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Richard Todd - Digital knife photography
icq 61363141
My WebSite
Do your site a favor, get quality digital images!!!
New photos added!!!

[This message has been edited by Richard (edited 01-21-2001).]
 
Boy, I sure hope no one took my post seriously. I guess I missed the topic a little. All the questions and comments are just things I've heard since I started dealing with the public this past year. None of those things pi$$ed me off. Far from the truth, they were a source of food for thought. Some made me smile and some really made me take a closer look at what I was doing. Others have helped me with my work.

Hey, we all ask silly questions. But, they're not silly to us at the time. No offense meant MO or Rich or anybody else out there. I just saw the thread and thought it would be fun to share some of the things I've heard from customers and curious onlookers. No stupid questions. They are all worth considering and answering.
 
The only stupid questions are the intentionally inflammatory ones.
"You don't REALLY expect to get $100 for that knife, do you?"
"Am I supposed to believe that you made this?"
Others are just misconceptions. I used to work with a guy that insisted the best heat treat for a sword in the world was a "Blood temper". I told him it wouldn't be much different from brine except for viscosity, and would definitely smell bad. I tried hard to let him know that different steels need different treatment, but he insisted that this crap he saw in a movie or something was the ultimate, but we couldn't do it now because of the liberals.
He was a very disturbed little boy.

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Oz

"Sticking feathers up your butt does not make you a chicken!"
http://www.freespeech.org/oz/
 
I agree with Oz, the really stupid ones that piss a guy off are the intentionally offensive ones.

After showing a few people a case full of knives at the gym the other day, this guy asked me what kind of machine I had that did the hollow grinds.

Fine question.

I told him a variable speed belt grinder.

He says, "Well okay, but what does the job, what holds it and makes it evenly ground like this?"

"Oh, I just do it free-hand, by eye."

Then he asked, "You expect me to believe that YOU could grind something like this free-hand?"

Everything was legitimate and fare up to that last one. That was just a dick thing to say.

But it all works out
smile.gif

Nick
 
<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."

"What do you mean you don't make folders? You're a knife maker aren't you?"

"Can I come make a knife in your shop?"</font>
Click to expand...


"Hey, What's wrong with making payments on a $400 knife? Make monthly payments until it's paid for, then the maker can start on the knife!"

 
Hey Maxi, no offense taken at all. Personally, I think I know ya well enough to know what ya mean, and know your an all around nice guy (yeah right
tongue.gif
) Anyways, I was just pointing out that some customers do ask some of the questions mentioned by everybody simply because of lack of knowledge.

I think newbies should be encouraged to ask all the questions they need to if thier intention is really to learn. I know most makers are generally happy to help us non-maker types understand what gos into the making of a knife.

So, to end this post...I would like to thank MaxTheKnife, Mike Cooper, Tim Herman, Kit Carson, Darrel Ralph, Rob Simonich (hope I spelled that right for once) who have taken the time to answer all my questions and clear up things I have always wondered about knives. There are plenty of makers who have provided very useful info in addition to the ones I mentioned...you all are great folks, and I will definately continue to absorb all the info I can. And Max, I will see ya next month
biggrin.gif




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Richard Todd - Digital knife photography
icq 61363141
My WebSite
Do your site a favor, get quality digital images!!!
New photos added!!!
 
How about I'm not really ""SLEEPING"" with you daughter
tongue.gif


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I may not be the sharpest knife in the drawer... but I've got the sharpest knife in the room.
 
at shows I have my standard varieties and usually one that is completely diff in style and material.
The remark that ticked me off.......
"Who made that one?"

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There is no such thing as "good enough", either your work is good or it is not. How is your work?
SGT BLADES www.therockies.com/hagar/
 
I don't know, Hagar, that sounds a bit like a compliment, if you think about it. They basically said that your departure in styles was successful. That one knife stood out from the rest so well as to lead them to believe that it was made by someone else. Think of it as if you were a different kind of artist. You do most of your work in watercolors, and you try out charcoal, with a few other tecniques. You leave your signature subtle. Then someone going through the gallery passes up your watercolors and says "Wow, who did the charcoal?".
Or maybe the guy was just trying to seem smart.

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Oz

"Sticking feathers up your butt does not make you a chicken!"
http://www.freespeech.org/oz/
 
hehe hmmmmmm!

Lessee...

I do a pretty good job of pissing a few makers off about certain things...so about 30% of what I say would fit into the category...

[This message has been edited by Robert Marotz (edited 01-31-2001).]
 
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