Cosmetically Challenged Knives???

L6steel

L6steel

Joined
Sep 23, 1999
Messages
5,855
If a maker has a knife that is fine from the standpoint of steel and heat treat, and all the performance considerations, but had some cosmetic flaws, would you folks consider buying it at say 50% the usual price??? I am just tired of trashing perfectly good using knives just because they don't look as good as I think they should. Either way you vote, I appreciate your input! Take care! Michael
 
L6STEEL, since the looks don't matter very much to me at all, I would take the blade at 50% and consider it a very good deal indeed.

-Cliff
 
That is a great idea.I agree that it is a waste to trash usable knives.The only problem I can see from the makers standpoint would be some way of identifying the knife as a 2nd.Perhaps omitting your mark or grinding it off.

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~Gordon~
 
I guess it depends on price range. I would think that you would have to drop well below $100 for bargain hunting to set in. I'm primarily a steel man, so looks aren't primary, but I start to have higher standards as the price goes up.
 
I've seen knives with flaws show up at a knife dealers table and wondered just how many people handled that flawed knife at the shows he dragged it around to.
Keep that in mind when you sell a flawed knife. Sure, it's a waste of a good tool to throw it away but it could come back and haunt you. It was a good suggestion to remove the name.
 
Michael, that's an interesting proposition. For me the answer would be, that depends.
It would depend on; half of what price, is it what I'm looking for, could I finish the knife myself and make it look presentable?

Somebody not too long ago brought up this idea, but they were looking to buy, it went over like a Lead Balloon with the makers, who simply didn't want their names on a knife that wasn't up to their standards.

I happen to think it's a very good idea.
 
You are running into the same problem I have with my photographs. No one is as critical of your work as you are. Most customers are as happy with it as they can be. Perfection does not exist but we keep trying to reach that goal. But then only you can determine when a knife is too bad to sell (price aside). I have started a nice collection of custom knives but if I look hard, I can find a spot that could of been better on each and every one. But we are talking hand made products and that is the whole charm of a custom knife.
Now if you don't want to sell them I will be happy to give them a good home.
smile.gif
 
Obviosly yall havn't seen some of G.W Stone's earilier stuff or some of the great Ralph Bone's stuff ,these are highly collectable and very sought after Pcs. today so you may want to concider this when you go to judge just what cosmeticly challenged is ,I have alot of knives that I hope fall to the bottom of the ocean someday before they turn up but each pc. represent's a place in my life I cant go ever again and these thing's should be concidered too

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TbarK Custom Knives
http://vip.hpnc.com/~tbark Therefore I erge you brother's in view of God's Mercy to offer your body's as living sacrifices holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship Romans 12-1
 
YES. I generally start applying my own cosmetic blemishes not long after purchase anyway. If Cold Steel sold their seconds to dealers to sell at a certain % off, I'd buy those too. But since you can only buy 'em factory direct and CS prices are so high, I can get the real deal for less than the seconds by going to my local dealer.
 
Post them in the custom for sale forum and watch 'em fly.

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Best Regards,
Mike Turber
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I'm just starting in with making knives and I know exactly what you mean. Materials are to expensive to throw away, and then you also have to be able to get more when you run out. If I were youI wuld sell the knives as seconds. Go ahead and leave your name on them, nonly clearly mark them as seconds. Maybe have 2 different etches you do, one for 2nds and one for your normal high quality work. That way there is no question about the quality of your knives if the only one someone see's is a 2nd. They'll know it was sold with the understanding thatit had blemish somewhere on it.

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Fix it right the first time, use Baling Wire !
 
I think that this would be a great idea for the simple fact of wanting to carry a custom folder from the maker of choice,I have a modist collection of customs and can not bring myself to carry them for fear of damaging them ,purchasing a cosmetic 2nd would take care of the problem,so long as the flaw does not affect performance,so try it but I would follow Carver's advice and mark it as a 2nd,wouldent omit your name though as it is still good work just cosmeticly imperfect.
This would possably serve a second purpose of coaxing budget minded knife enthusiast's into the custom knife market.

Kevin
 
I would certainly consider purchasing a piece with a "blemish" at a significant discount. Reputation being king, using a 2nd mark is a capital idea. It protects your reputation and the buyer who could otherwise pay a premium price in the secondary market.

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"Fear the man who has nothing to lose"
 
Wow!!!!Thanks for all the replies!!! I was thinking of not marking them at all, but I agree, it would be best to mark them and signify them as seconds or X-outs. Take care! Michael

http://www.nebsnow.com/L6steel



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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!
 
What about taking a hint from the drumstick industry and calling your 2nds a different line.
e.g Regal Tip sticks are the top of the line. The sticks that aren't quite up to that standard, but are still very usable are sold as JoJo's. Everyone knows that JoJo's are the second line, but when you buy JoJo's, you're getting pretty good quality, just not the top of the line.

chizpuf
 
Maybe you could come up with an alias that you put in place of your regular name/logo on the blade. Something that select people would recognize as one of your seconds, but wouldn't generally embarass the purchasers to show. Something like "L6 Custom".
 
YES.

I regularly buy seconds. I have a Spydie return in my pocket right now. (That was a brilliant idea. Take knives people broke and returned, and sell 'em again) I have three of their seconds in my desk drawer (I use them as gifts for close friends that I know value function over looks). Whether or not I would buy a second of yours depends primarily on the price. I may have a decent number of blades, but I do not 'collect' them. I rationalize the expense by only buying blades I would use, with prices I can afford to use them at. This doesn't prevent me from stashing them all somewhere, and carrying a beat up blade, it's just my rationale.


Stryver
 
I agree with Chizpuf. You are going to have to clearly and permanently mark the knives as factory seconds, or better yet a different brand name. Downside, not everyone will notice it's a factory second even if you mark it with a six foot tall neon sign. Faults may well be reported without the distinction.

By the way "what kind of quality control does maker so and so have if they are fininshing so many defective knives?" This has been said of Cold Steel with respect to their factory seconds. Be careful.

 
I believe they should be sold unmarked so that you do not have bad pieces out on the market with your name or mark on them. If peoole want to buy them let them buy a user.

Once people find out you make a cheaper line some people will want a mistake on purpose.
 
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