Customers Modifying Orders

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i4Marc

i4Marc

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Oct 19, 2011
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Ok, any of you who have been doing this for some time have come across this situation. A customer sees one of your knives somewhere and contacts you about having one made. All good. Then you get an email, "could you swap out "x" steel for "y" steel. Ok, no problem. Then later comes another email, can you make a modification to the design, and sends you sketches or pictures of an idea they had or saw someplace.

I make knives primarily for myself. I design them and build them according to my sense of design and purpose. Swapping out materials is not a big issue. Altering my design is. I want to accommodate the customer if I can up to a point but if the modifications are not what I would consider to be in my "style" or to my aesthetic then this becomes a problem. If the buyer backs out of the project after the knife has been built then I have to find another buyer for something that may or may not appeal to other potential customers who are already familiar with my style. Or, if the buyer follows through and buys the knife, then a knife I'm not thrilled with that bears my name is floating around in public.

What are your thoughts on customers modifying your designs?
 
Marc, If you aren't a knifemaker membership, I will have to close this thread. What is your current membership level?
 
Happens all the time, sometimes you have to put your foot down.

How many of us makers have wasted hours dealing with the lookiloos who after dozen emails never come through in completing the order?
 
This is why some makers take a non-refundable deposit.
Personally, I almost never take deposits, and I normally don't start on a "custom" piece until I've sent the final drawing to a customer and they agree to move forward. If there happens to be a call or email while I'm working on the knife, I'll do what I'm comfortable with, and refuse what I'm not.
If this causes the customer to back out, there's really not much that can be done, except scrapping the knife, or finishing it and putting it up for sale.

At the end of the day, it's your name going on the knife, not the customer's. (unless they want it personalized, in which case I make the etch light enough to grind off, just in case... :D )
 
If you make knives long enough you will have people buying anything you make and calling you asking to see more knives. At that point I quit taking custom orders and eliminated the problems altogether. I really hated making ugly knives from paper drawings that I was given for patterns. I squirmed when I etched my name on them. I won't do it anymore. I think a knife maker should keep a few knives along the way to show people in the future and just enjoy the best ones. Larry
 
This spring I decided to stop doing custom orders. It’s too much stress to make sure you get someone else’s vision right, while maintaining a functional design. My repeat customers tell me what they want the knife for, and I build them a great knife. Of course they select the materials they want, but the final design is up to me.
 
I have decided moving forward that I will make knives how I want and list them for sale as they are finished... No wasted hours in texts and changes, no more harassment when the knife will be finished, waaay lowered stress. This is the method I am choosing to use personally!
 
I seldom take orders.
My knives are just made on ’spec. That is, I make a number of them in the style I do and thats what they are, and no shortage of buyers btw...
The few occasion I ”take an order”, they get what I made.
If somehow they reject it, so what?
It will readily sell to somebody else.
 
I'm just a hobbyist. So for the most part, I make the knives I want to, and then list them for sale.

Regarding customs, I only accept requests for them if : 1) it's for a knife I think would be interesting to make, 2) I have the time to make it and 3) I have the proficiency to make it, since my name goes on it.
 
I only take custom orders I want to make. Sometimes someone asks for something I haven't done or thought of and it's intriguing enough I want to do it.

But "copy this bark River handle and this randall blade but make it full tang with a double guard" no thanks.
 
I'm sorry but the words customer and order are talking about sales. Registered and basic users an not talk about sales.
I guess the non reply to my question lies that you do not have a knife makers membership. If that is so you also need to remove your sales website from your signature line.

Feel free to PM or email me about this. Thread closed.
 
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