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I think this has sealed the deal, honestly.
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Discussion: Selling Knives as a Beginner
- Thread starter Don Nguyen
- Start date
I think this has sealed the deal, honestly.
daizee
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
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- Dec 30, 2009
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My experience...
From the start I wanted to sell, but had no idea of my production rate, methods, or... anything.
It took a year before I was confident I could produce a a blade I was willing to take money for. (only totaling about 17mo now) Not all will turn out that way, and I like the suggestions here for the seconds.
Browse the exchange, find the price point that you think matches your scale, materials, complexity, and execution.
You have to be satisfied with your work before you sell, but learn to be realistic in your evaluation of your work compared to the market. I think this takes awhile to achieve. Comparing factory/small-batch knives I respect to my own hand-work, at my price point, was a useful benchmark.
-Daizee
From the start I wanted to sell, but had no idea of my production rate, methods, or... anything.
It took a year before I was confident I could produce a a blade I was willing to take money for. (only totaling about 17mo now) Not all will turn out that way, and I like the suggestions here for the seconds.
Browse the exchange, find the price point that you think matches your scale, materials, complexity, and execution.
You have to be satisfied with your work before you sell, but learn to be realistic in your evaluation of your work compared to the market. I think this takes awhile to achieve. Comparing factory/small-batch knives I respect to my own hand-work, at my price point, was a useful benchmark.
-Daizee
- Joined
- Nov 29, 2010
- Messages
- 1,320
Don, thanks for bringing this subject up! It's one reason I came here today was to search for past threads on this subject. I struggle with this all the time. I've made about 30 or so knives since last year. I haven't put one up for sale yet although I've given most away. I have some friends and a neighbor who regularly stop by to see what I'm making and to see if I have any "flawed" knives to give away 
In order to figure this question out for myself, a while back I started doing what Rick Marchand suggested on the previous page...
I started going to a lot of gun & knife shows and checking others work out. I was surprised at what some others would sell and it was a big boost to my confidence. I saw many cosmetic flaws that would have ate at me if they'd been on my knives. Of course I saw a lot of knives that made me realize that there is a huge difference in what one maker thinks is "good enough" and what another thinks is "good enough". There were also a lot of great knives at these shows that inspired me to do better and gave me a goal to shoot for.
I also started buying knives from makers who's designs I like and from makers I respect. I can't judge the performance of my knives if I have nothing to compare them to!! This also opened my eyes to many things. Some cost a few hundred bucks. I really needed that money for knife making supplies, but the desire to find out how my knives stacked up to theirs was greater.
I'll be the first one to agree that structurally flawed knives should be destroyed and never see the light of day. But I'm beginning to come to grips with the fact that I may be the only one seeing what I perceive as a flaw in some of my knives. I'm not quite ready to put one up for sale yet, but I believe I'm getting closer to actually doing it.
In order to figure this question out for myself, a while back I started doing what Rick Marchand suggested on the previous page...
I started going to a lot of gun & knife shows and checking others work out. I was surprised at what some others would sell and it was a big boost to my confidence. I saw many cosmetic flaws that would have ate at me if they'd been on my knives. Of course I saw a lot of knives that made me realize that there is a huge difference in what one maker thinks is "good enough" and what another thinks is "good enough". There were also a lot of great knives at these shows that inspired me to do better and gave me a goal to shoot for.
I also started buying knives from makers who's designs I like and from makers I respect. I can't judge the performance of my knives if I have nothing to compare them to!! This also opened my eyes to many things. Some cost a few hundred bucks. I really needed that money for knife making supplies, but the desire to find out how my knives stacked up to theirs was greater.
I'll be the first one to agree that structurally flawed knives should be destroyed and never see the light of day. But I'm beginning to come to grips with the fact that I may be the only one seeing what I perceive as a flaw in some of my knives. I'm not quite ready to put one up for sale yet, but I believe I'm getting closer to actually doing it.
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- Sep 27, 2007
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If you wait until you are as good as you're going to be, you'll never sell anything.
I strive to make the best knife I can, in every aspect--- but I've never made one that was perfect. Knives I made 10 years ago have flaws that I didn't even know to look for at the time. Not huge glaring things, but things that could have been improved if I had the eye and the skill to do so. I don't regret selling them at all. They were the best I could do at the time, and were purchased by happy customers.
If a buyer is in the market for a perfect knife, he's never going to make a purchase.
Just do the best you can and keep moving forward.
FWIW- I wasn't ready to sell the first knife that I sold--- but the guy who bought it thought I was.
Great post, buddy! Especially the last line. Good stuff
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- Sep 26, 2011
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I don't really like selling my knives cause I really don't like any of them my last 2 folders I enjoyed making and like the way they turned out the wife says if i want more material its got to go lol but I look at other makers knives and see just how much of a novice I really am then I see how advanced I am when I see major flaws in other makers knives that they seemingly decided to accept as passable but To the op don there is a lot of fantastic info given in this thread, just keep at it and strive for perfection and before you know you will only find a couple things wrong with the knives you make instead of many things. If you can make a knife that you would buy you are on the right path
I just wanted to take a sec to thank Ecos in particular and Don for starting this thread, and all who contributed.
It's more than a little daunting to see the best of the best on the interwebs, throw in top drawer photography and it's easy to think that nothing sells unless it's perfect.
My first few folders got snapped up for nothing or trade by eager friends and neighbors, but after that I ended up with a stack of them that are "pretty good but not good enough."
Well, this thread inspired me to just find homes for them at reduced prices, and now I have some jingle in my pocket and some folks have pocket knives that they're thrilled with. Like Ecos said, I'm not passing them off as the cream of the cream, just good solid tools and so far everyone is happy. Thanks.
Andy
It's more than a little daunting to see the best of the best on the interwebs, throw in top drawer photography and it's easy to think that nothing sells unless it's perfect.
My first few folders got snapped up for nothing or trade by eager friends and neighbors, but after that I ended up with a stack of them that are "pretty good but not good enough."
Well, this thread inspired me to just find homes for them at reduced prices, and now I have some jingle in my pocket and some folks have pocket knives that they're thrilled with. Like Ecos said, I'm not passing them off as the cream of the cream, just good solid tools and so far everyone is happy. Thanks.
Andy