Custom maker's and Kitchen knives - why so few?

Redrummd

Redrummd

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May 21, 2007
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I would like to raise a question and discussion regarding why so few kitchen knives are made by custom makers?

It seems they should be a BIG part of the offerings of many, as the customer would be inclined to get a set of knives over time instead of just one knife.

In addition, many women would be interested in getting them for use - even if they are bought as gifts for them.

I have been trading my works for other maker's kitchen knives as gifts for my wife and done a few in stone for my wife.

She pretty much has stopped using any other than the customs as they cut better and are more comfortable than her "old" mid range set by a well known company....

So, the question is why are so few maker's showing and making kitchen knives?
 
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I plan to make more but the marketing is different, I thought knife guys would buy a custom kitchen knife for the wife so they could buy more custom knives that has not happend for me. I just need to focus on where to sell kitchen knives. I have not seen alot of repeat business the feedback I get is they use the knife for everything, I think they feel they dont need another knife.
 
make a 300$ hunter then make a 300$ kitchend knife

think about the steel and time of grinding to make that full flat ground blade
i have been workig on the last 4 years to get my name in the kitchen knife world and its just now gettign off the ground

i cant tell you how many 160$ hand rubbed 8inch santuko i had to sell just to get a few good dreviews
also most makers grind them way too thick at the edge an dthatn puts off buyers till you get a rep for havig a good grind
 
I haven't done any for years. Women then would spend the necessary money for a good custom hunting knife but would not by a kitchen knife at the same or less price.
 
In addition, it takes so long to make a nice matching pair, let alone a set. My wife has been patiently waiting for her set for about 5 years.:p
 
I have made about 50 chef's knives for pro chef's in this area. Took me almost 15 out in the market before people really came looking for them. The marketing is very different and if you plan on selling to pro chef's you'll find them to be an unforgiving group. They won't tolerate issues that most custom "knife" people understand.

At least that's my experience with chef's knives.
 
its also easier to sell other knives than kitchen knives. kitchen knives sorta need to go in a set, wich means more work for the knife maker and more $$$ for the buyer
 
I'm in the process of building a damascus slicer for a customer right now. It's definitely a different type of endeavor than I'm used to. I've had a number of customers ask me the question about why I don't make/market more kitchen cutlery...I really don't have an answer. I am learning that its a totally different arena. One guy that seems to have it figured out is Bob Kramer.... take a look at these:

Kramer Knife auction 1

Kramer knife auction 2

I had a customer send me links to those auctions, and at first I thought it was a joke...but I guess not. Bob seems to have that market well in hand.
 
I made a bunch years ago and am actually working on a couple right now for gifts. Customs are just about all we use in our kitchen.
It's alot of work to make em right. I can mke a high end folder, or bowie in the same amount of time. Do the math :)
 
Don Hanson III said:
There's a thread on Kramer's ebay knives in the Bernard Levin forum, y'all should check it out :D
Click to expand...

if he ever opens his log again i think the goin rate on his blades is 200$ an inch for mono steel and 400 for dammy
nice guy too as i got soem steel off him last year
 
Interesting. I'm wanting to make some kitchen knives for friends and family. I haven't started selling knives yet. I'm learning, but some interesting points about the labor and expertise involved vs. the price you can fetch. It seems to me, the middle end buyers want sets and higher end buyers would be more likely to buy by the knife. Most likely the maker would get less per knife doing a set. So, you guys doing this to make money or as a business, it wouldn't seem the reward is worth the risk. I'd be really interested in hearing Will elaborate about selling to pro chefs.

I've seen Jay Fisher do some sets, but I'm assuming they were not cheap. My guess would be in the $3K - 5K+ range - this could be highly understated. At that price, although the materials he uses are first rate, I think it would be difficult to find someone using them commercially. Maybe a pro chef would spend that for a home set?

I'd say you need to get to the more volume single knife purchasers who are willing to pay more per knife. In a way it's a shame, because the kitchen is one place you could really showcase a high quality custom made knife and appreciate it almost daily.
 
butcher_block said:
if he ever opens his log again i think the goin rate on his blades is 200$ an inch for mono steel and 400 for dammy
nice guy too as i got soem steel off him last year
Click to expand...

He is a nice guy, I talked to Bob on the phone a couple months ago and sent him a bunch of W2. These latest two ebays knives will go higher than the one a few months ago, $8100. Bernard and his cronies are trashin him perrty bad.
 
Wow, look at Bob go! 46 bids on one and 30+ bids on another and check what he gets for a single knife. I'd say Bob definitely has it figured out. What's even better is by him fetching the price he does, it should help expand the price for other makers. Amen brother, God bless you!
 
Kramer is pretty much THE name in custom chef's knives. A lot of my customers asked if I can make a knife "like a Kramer". One thing to consider if you didn't want to do cutlery sets for pros would be to make a custom carving knife. The guys I work for consider their carving knife to be their showcase blade. They want people to poop themselves when they pull the carver out. Usually when a chef is using a carver, it's in front of a crowd so they want "wow" factor.

The guys that trash other makers are usually mad that they can't get them as a customer (for purveyors) or can't compete with them.

If anyone is interested in how I market my chef's knives, please drop me a PM. It's not some super secret just one of those things I prefer to share in private.
 
WOW jsut read that thread
sorry to see such thoughts in a thread lik ethat
and to think i have plans ona 3k slicer and some other high end kitchen knives i guess i l get out of the market
BTW back to the why you dont see kitchen knife makers much

hows this for math i can sell a 1100$ mono steel slicer cause i have beeen working on getting a foothold in the market
i have a dammy bladed hunter that i can seem to sell for 300$ im jsut not known as a name for hunters
pick what you like to make and make it work for you
for me thats kitchen knives and razors
 
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