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Used to be cheap knives were for sale at festivals and gatherings and I just don't see it anymore. Must be a reason, such as they're available online and everywhere else
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Desperate:Please give advice!!!
- Thread starter KlayKutlery
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I have skimmed through this thread and I love the general idea/enthusiasm for doing a side hustle like this for fun on weekends. I would say to focus on first narrowing down what knives/brands you would sell and then look to what knife adjacent products/services you could offer. Something that might help and draw in people is focus on selling USA Made knives which would limit the brands but in the current market and in rural areas of the southern USA saying it is Made in USA, and at least saying nothing made in China, can be a strong selling point. This wouldn't be too difficult and you could have mostly more budget friendly options but include a handful of higher end stuff that you might find the rare buyer for. You can offer on top of that sheaths, sharpeners, lanyards, lanyard beads, display cases, and knife storage which some of those product might be harder to find USA only suppliers and even non china made. You could also offer sharpening services depending on what kind of sharpening gear you have and how quickly you can do it.
JPD1998
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I go to many Flea Markets in North & South Carolina, one of them is popular with locals, so I'll focus on that one.
Most of the knife dealers sell no name cheap knives and mostly autos. The average price of the autos ( OTF's mostly) are $20. The generic folders $5 and up.
But most sell other things too like cheap swords, sword stands, sharpening stones, coins, shark teeth, stun guns, brass knucks, cheap optics, flash lights, etc
One guy has a section with self defense items targeted towards woman ( folding batons, plastic combs with hidden daggers, pepper spray with pink holders etc)
From their knife inventory it looks like they are buying bulk directly from the Chinese commerce sites.
Maybe even group buying, because they always all seem to have the same auto knife inventory.
But there are several guys who specialize in collectible knives like Case.
One dealer that comes to mind has a mix of new Case knives, vintage folders and new knives from Schrade, Rough Rider etc.
He has a dedicated table with cheap tacticool knives too.
Some of them adjust their prices based on the time of year... holidays , tourist season etc)
Hope this helps
Most of the knife dealers sell no name cheap knives and mostly autos. The average price of the autos ( OTF's mostly) are $20. The generic folders $5 and up.
But most sell other things too like cheap swords, sword stands, sharpening stones, coins, shark teeth, stun guns, brass knucks, cheap optics, flash lights, etc
One guy has a section with self defense items targeted towards woman ( folding batons, plastic combs with hidden daggers, pepper spray with pink holders etc)
From their knife inventory it looks like they are buying bulk directly from the Chinese commerce sites.
Maybe even group buying, because they always all seem to have the same auto knife inventory.
But there are several guys who specialize in collectible knives like Case.
One dealer that comes to mind has a mix of new Case knives, vintage folders and new knives from Schrade, Rough Rider etc.
He has a dedicated table with cheap tacticool knives too.
Some of them adjust their prices based on the time of year... holidays , tourist season etc)
Hope this helps
- Joined
- May 9, 2002
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- 12,776
I think you may need to do the math on what you are trying to move and what your overhead is going to be.
If you buy 100 knives at $1 a piece and somehow manage to sell them all for $2, that's $200...less the $100 upfront. If a booth rental is $100 for a weekend, then you have done a lot of work to stand around and hustle knives all weekend for $0
A couple of things I have noticed:
1) Profit margin on a knife is pretty low. It actually my be better on the cheap ones because most people consider anything under $5-$7 "cheap", so a 100% ROI may be possible...but you will most likely have to buy a ton of them and hope that you can more them all before they put your profit in the negative range. Higher end stuff, like the name brands, have pretty dang low margins on them.
2) Most of the guys making a living selling knives are companies selling a ton of them and mostly online. Flea markets around here don't even have the same amount of merch on the table as they did when i was a kid buying that crap 25-30 years ago. Even way back then, the guy that was kind of our "go-to" dealer when I was in high-school usually tried to specialize in niche stuff. So he would have a table with pocket knives, swords, daggers, etc. Then he would have a whole section of something like blow guns. Paintball and CO2 paintball guns were really popular back then, but expensive for most. He started carrying .40 paintballs to go with the the blowguns as well as feeders that would hold 10 or 15 balls in a tube that dropped them into the breach. Before long, about 20 high-school boys were running around the woods of southern indiana with blowguns pelting each other with super cold (and PAINFUL) paintballs. We bought our blow guns, feeders, and bags of paintballs all from the same guy the first weekend of every month when the giant flea market was held. He found a niche even in the budget market.
3) Physical knife shops CAN exist, but you really do need to have an online presence AND offer something now one else does. My LKS is run by a really nice guy. He carries mostly higher end stuff. The most basic you will find might be the $60-$70 Chinese made Spyderco, but his business is mostly Microtechs because there isn't a dealer in 100 miles of here. I don't go in there without planning on spending at least $300. Anything under that, and you can almost certainly get it cheaper online. It's just nice to get to handle what you buy when you are going to drop 3+ bills on it. He has a problem keeping knives in stock since they move so quickly. I think the idea of buying low end from a knife shop is pretty much a thing of the past.
So I hope you can find a little niche to fill that doesn't break your bank. I think that you'll have to get comfortable with idea that getting a return on what you put into it is going take several flea markets. You'll have to factor in that you will have some loss in addition to some expense as you won't ever sell 100% of your knives at a profit. However, if you figure that you can stomach to spend a couple hunder bucks and have the energy and desire to stand out and talk to folks over the weekend, go for it
I have already had the conversation with my financial guy of asking at what point can I start doing break even/slight loss kinds of work. Thats generally the most rewarding stuff as you really don't CARE if you clear a profit.
If you buy 100 knives at $1 a piece and somehow manage to sell them all for $2, that's $200...less the $100 upfront. If a booth rental is $100 for a weekend, then you have done a lot of work to stand around and hustle knives all weekend for $0
A couple of things I have noticed:
1) Profit margin on a knife is pretty low. It actually my be better on the cheap ones because most people consider anything under $5-$7 "cheap", so a 100% ROI may be possible...but you will most likely have to buy a ton of them and hope that you can more them all before they put your profit in the negative range. Higher end stuff, like the name brands, have pretty dang low margins on them.
2) Most of the guys making a living selling knives are companies selling a ton of them and mostly online. Flea markets around here don't even have the same amount of merch on the table as they did when i was a kid buying that crap 25-30 years ago. Even way back then, the guy that was kind of our "go-to" dealer when I was in high-school usually tried to specialize in niche stuff. So he would have a table with pocket knives, swords, daggers, etc. Then he would have a whole section of something like blow guns. Paintball and CO2 paintball guns were really popular back then, but expensive for most. He started carrying .40 paintballs to go with the the blowguns as well as feeders that would hold 10 or 15 balls in a tube that dropped them into the breach. Before long, about 20 high-school boys were running around the woods of southern indiana with blowguns pelting each other with super cold (and PAINFUL) paintballs. We bought our blow guns, feeders, and bags of paintballs all from the same guy the first weekend of every month when the giant flea market was held. He found a niche even in the budget market.
3) Physical knife shops CAN exist, but you really do need to have an online presence AND offer something now one else does. My LKS is run by a really nice guy. He carries mostly higher end stuff. The most basic you will find might be the $60-$70 Chinese made Spyderco, but his business is mostly Microtechs because there isn't a dealer in 100 miles of here. I don't go in there without planning on spending at least $300. Anything under that, and you can almost certainly get it cheaper online. It's just nice to get to handle what you buy when you are going to drop 3+ bills on it. He has a problem keeping knives in stock since they move so quickly. I think the idea of buying low end from a knife shop is pretty much a thing of the past.
So I hope you can find a little niche to fill that doesn't break your bank. I think that you'll have to get comfortable with idea that getting a return on what you put into it is going take several flea markets. You'll have to factor in that you will have some loss in addition to some expense as you won't ever sell 100% of your knives at a profit. However, if you figure that you can stomach to spend a couple hunder bucks and have the energy and desire to stand out and talk to folks over the weekend, go for it
I have already had the conversation with my financial guy of asking at what point can I start doing break even/slight loss kinds of work. Thats generally the most rewarding stuff as you really don't CARE if you clear a profit.
TimmyJ
Gold Member
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- Dec 20, 2015
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- 413
This will most likely be the outcome of your venture.
Just spend a $100 on a knife for yourself and take up whittling.
We’re all jerks here, if you catch us in the wrong mood. We even have a few a$$holes, super-jerks all the time. If you’re going to deal with the public, and don’t have a plan to handle that, you’re in for some disappointment.
Personally, I admire handicapped people who stay active and accomplish their goals. I’ve seen too many who sit back in their self pity and don’t.
In a nearby town there’s a guy in a wheelchair who runs a little storefront, mostly it’s just a place to store his eBay inventory, a motley collection of stuff he’s gotten cheap or almost free. Knives, old tools, camping gear, all kinds of stuff, and a few packaged food and beverage items.
I buy something from him every time I go in there, and I ask if he needs something moved, stacked or hauled. He’s a cranky old fart, but he’s making his own way as best he can. I like that.
Maybe you want to display more than knives, have a box of old sheaths and holsters there too. Guy stuff like fishing and outdoor gear, tools and hardware, those might go. Add a little stand of jewelry or kitchen stuff so a guy’s wife has something to look at while he’s looking. Learn to do leather or Kydex, or sew up camo belt bags and stuff sacks. Handmade stuff sells good if it’s reasonably priced. I talked to a guy who sold his homemade fire starters at his booth. You’ll try out different ideas, and keep what works.
And we’ll be here, critiquing your ideas and suggesting new ones. We’ll still be jerks, maybe you’ll be one too, but it’ll be fun. Best of luck to you.
Parker
Personally, I admire handicapped people who stay active and accomplish their goals. I’ve seen too many who sit back in their self pity and don’t.
In a nearby town there’s a guy in a wheelchair who runs a little storefront, mostly it’s just a place to store his eBay inventory, a motley collection of stuff he’s gotten cheap or almost free. Knives, old tools, camping gear, all kinds of stuff, and a few packaged food and beverage items.
I buy something from him every time I go in there, and I ask if he needs something moved, stacked or hauled. He’s a cranky old fart, but he’s making his own way as best he can. I like that.
Maybe you want to display more than knives, have a box of old sheaths and holsters there too. Guy stuff like fishing and outdoor gear, tools and hardware, those might go. Add a little stand of jewelry or kitchen stuff so a guy’s wife has something to look at while he’s looking. Learn to do leather or Kydex, or sew up camo belt bags and stuff sacks. Handmade stuff sells good if it’s reasonably priced. I talked to a guy who sold his homemade fire starters at his booth. You’ll try out different ideas, and keep what works.
And we’ll be here, critiquing your ideas and suggesting new ones. We’ll still be jerks, maybe you’ll be one too, but it’ll be fun. Best of luck to you.
Parker
This^ sounds like a decent idea.
I think some people are making this a lot more complicated than it needs to be.
Here's what I see-
The OP doesn't have any unreasonable or grandiose expectations. He has stated that he's not looking to get rich, maybe just make a few dollars and fill some free time selling used knives. Sounds to me like he's a level-headed person with a good grasp of what he's looking to do.
Setting up a table at a "flea market" or similar event doesn't need to be complicated. After all, the OP isn't talking about leasing a storefront, spending all of his savings, and mortgaging his house, all in the hopes of creating a business that will make enough money to support his family. Again, he's just talking about setting up a table, and selling some used knives. I don't think this requires an extensive business plan.
As long as the OP isn't spending more than he can afford to lose, as long as he isn't going to go hungry, or be unable to pay his bills, I don't see any harm in his idea. Lots of people spend A LOT more money on vacations, fishing trips, hobbies, and a wide range of stuff that they don't really need (like expensive knives
), just for the enjoyment of doing so, or to pass the time, and with no chance of making any profit.If all the OP is looking to do is spend a few hundred bucks, and give himself something to do by renting a booth for a day/weekend, and maybe make a few bucks profit in the process, that sounds perfectly reasonable to me, and I say more power to him.
Welcome to Bladeforums Klay.
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- Feb 11, 2022
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Guys! Thanks tremendously for the support. There's a couple people that pinpoint my idea. Not trying to get rich. Just trying to make a couple bucks and enjoy people conversation and interaction. If everything works out in the future I'm sure I'll move onto better quality product but as of now I'm just trying to get started...
Thanks a million guys!
Thanks a million guys!
afishhunter
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Among others, Buck, BTI (Offshore Schrade &Related) SMKW their Rough Ryder and Marbles line, FROST, OPINEL, MORA, and Master Cutlery all have booths.
Not everyone who is "into" knives can afford or is willing to spend $80 ~ $100 for a knife, and few knife shops carry only $100 plus knives, or just one hand openers.
A lot of folks still buy, carry, and use multi blade slipjoints. Still others buy, carry, and use friction folders like Opinel, MAM, and SVORD.
The show highlights knives for every budget and taste.
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i think you just need obtain a retail/resale license which shouldnt be hard, then you can buy from wholesale sites and sell whatever you buy for a markup, if you are buying straight from china i dont think they require it
drj211
Gold Member
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- Jun 26, 2008
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OP: Sorry to be the rain on the parade, but something to consider.
You mentioned in one of your posts that your venture would be “tax free.” In most states, if you are selling products on a regular basis, you’ll eventually need to worry about sales tax. Or you can just disregard and see how that works out.
If you make any amount more than you purchase an item, that’s called profit. Profit means income. Depending on your state, you may be liable for income tax on the profit. Federally, you will be responsible for your profits. Or you can just disregard and see how that works out.
I truly wish you well and am sorry to hear about your accident and resulting injuries. Being on disability, be very careful to keep everything else you do on the legitimate side of the line.
You mentioned in one of your posts that your venture would be “tax free.” In most states, if you are selling products on a regular basis, you’ll eventually need to worry about sales tax. Or you can just disregard and see how that works out.
If you make any amount more than you purchase an item, that’s called profit. Profit means income. Depending on your state, you may be liable for income tax on the profit. Federally, you will be responsible for your profits. Or you can just disregard and see how that works out.
I truly wish you well and am sorry to hear about your accident and resulting injuries. Being on disability, be very careful to keep everything else you do on the legitimate side of the line.
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K
KlayKutlery
,
Steely_Gunz
brought up the point I wanted to ask while I scrolled through this thread.
What is the cost of renting booth space for a day or weekend at your local flea market?
If you do go down this road you have been given good suggestions if you can decipher them. Cutlery Corner 100 knives for $100 or 100 for $200 will get you some assortment and some volume. A few Mora and Opinel will offer a better alternative. You could offer a handful of kits to sell as kits, cause everyone thinks they are a blade smith after a Forged in Fire marathon. Hell a few railroad spike knives may sell.
For $500 in inventory and the cost of a booth you could be up and running.
Whether it’s worthwhile or not depends on your time and basic math.
Steely_Gunz
brought up the point I wanted to ask while I scrolled through this thread. What is the cost of renting booth space for a day or weekend at your local flea market?
If you do go down this road you have been given good suggestions if you can decipher them. Cutlery Corner 100 knives for $100 or 100 for $200 will get you some assortment and some volume. A few Mora and Opinel will offer a better alternative. You could offer a handful of kits to sell as kits, cause everyone thinks they are a blade smith after a Forged in Fire marathon. Hell a few railroad spike knives may sell.
For $500 in inventory and the cost of a booth you could be up and running.
Whether it’s worthwhile or not depends on your time and basic math.
Last edited:
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- Jan 9, 2006
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- 9,684
Haven’t read all the comments so May have already been said.
With most manufacturers and wholesalers you will need a tax Id number or EIN of some kind which may require forming a corporation.
Best is to call them and find out.
Then wouldn’t hurt to talk to a lawyer for advice.
A business general liability policy to cover yourself would be a requisite also.
Another thing that I know some have done to put items in a flea market is go to estate auctions and yard/moving sales.
Might be able to find some decent used knives you can touch up and sell.
Learn to tinker and might even be able to find old lamps at yard sales cheap that just need a new cord or end. Coffee pots etc.
Don’t limit your options yet. Be more able to cover costs.
With most manufacturers and wholesalers you will need a tax Id number or EIN of some kind which may require forming a corporation.
Best is to call them and find out.
Then wouldn’t hurt to talk to a lawyer for advice.
A business general liability policy to cover yourself would be a requisite also.
Another thing that I know some have done to put items in a flea market is go to estate auctions and yard/moving sales.
Might be able to find some decent used knives you can touch up and sell.
Learn to tinker and might even be able to find old lamps at yard sales cheap that just need a new cord or end. Coffee pots etc.
Don’t limit your options yet. Be more able to cover costs.
Last edited: