Do Purveyors and dealers make a living

C

ccdanielwm

Joined
Sep 9, 2010
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24
I am rather new to the world of custom knives, only really knowing of them for about 5 or 6 years. I have carried a knife since I can remember, but only maufactured knives.

I have read some forums on investing in knives here. I was wondering if purveyors make a living dealing knives? I also wonder if it is tied to the location of your business?

I go to shows in my area and although there are some custom makers at these shows (generally 1 or 2) the rest of the knives there are "el cheapos". I am not including the 1 or 2 dealers who sell good manufactured knives like kershaw or spyderco. The few makers here make good knives with little to zero notoriety.

Is there a way to make consumers more knowlegable of good knives? It is really fustrating for me to go to a gun and knife show and wade through hundreds of bad knives to find a handful of good ones. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
 
ccdanielwm said:
I am rather new to the world of custom knives, only really knowing of them for about 5 or 6 years. I have carried a knife since I can remember, but only maufactured knives.

I have read some forums on investing in knives here. I was wondering if purveyors make a living dealing knives? I also wonder if it is tied to the location of your business?

Just like any business, some dealers do very well, some do OK and others barely get by. Location could matter if one was to only have brick and mortar exposure, however since most have websites (though some much better than others) location probably has little to do with success.

I go to shows in my area and although there are some custom makers at these shows (generally 1 or 2) the rest of the knives there are "el cheapos". I am not including the 1 or 2 dealers who sell good manufactured knives like kershaw or spyderco. The few makers here make good knives with little to zero notoriety.

Is there a way to make consumers more knowlegable of good knives? It is really fustrating for me to go to a gun and knife show and wade through hundreds of bad knives to find a handful of good ones. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
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BY going to shows, hammer-ins and even visiting maker’s shops in your area.

Shows:There is no other place where you will find as many knives by so many makers in one place. Makers will invite you to handle their knives talk about them and answer questions. You have the Blade Show which is the largest knife show in the world that takes place in early June within a 3-4 hour drive of you in Atlanta GA.

Hammer-ins:
Mainly put on by and for makers, however collectors are always welcomed and hammer-ins are an excellent place to learn about knife construction, fit, finish and materials. The ABS puts on an outstanding Hammer-in in Asheville NC in early March. In a couple days you would be exposed to some of the best knifemakers in the world, some of the best knives, demonstrations, collector seminars and an opportunity to purchase fine knives.

Shop visits:
Most makers will gladly schedule a shop visit for an interested collector. Even the most well known makers are very approachable and enjoy interacting and discussing knives with both new and experienced collectors.
You have many fine makers located within a couple hours drive of you.

BY, monitoring and examining dealer websites.
I know of no other single place a collector can consistently learn more about custom knives without leaving their home. They contain an abundance of custom knife information from photos and descriptions on all types and styles of knives, to bios on the makers. These sites can give you a good idea as to what’s selling and at what price.

BY, reading and participating on the better custom knife forums where collectors can benefit from the vast and diverse knowledge of experience makers and collectors. There’s good information on knife styles, design and collecting philosophies.

BY, studying the knife publications.
The "Knives Annuals" contain over 1000 photos of all types of customs knives. This is a great place to familiarize yourself with the different maker’s styles and to develop an appreciation for what knives you want to collect.

Subscribe to Blade, Knives Illustrated and Knife World as these publications will help to keep you up to date on knives, makers, trends and basically what’s happening in the knife industry.

BY, joining and participation in knife organizations such the ABS, the Knifemaker’s Guild and knife collecting associations such as the CKCA. These groups have a lot to offer collectors in the form of education, contacts, knife acquisitions, literature and finding other individuals who share your knife interest.

Hope this helps.
 
thanks kevin

I did not realize the blade show was held in Atlanta and as far as Asheville I was not aware it held hammer-ins. There is not any exposure to those sort of events here. I appreciate your help.
 
If you want to see a wide selection of quality custom knives, go to a custom knife show, not a gun show.

And everything Kevin said.

This forum is also a pretty good source of information - upcoming events are often previewed / discussed and past events reviewed.

Yes- purveyors do make a living selling knives.

Roger
 
+1 on what Kevin and Roger said

The hammer-in Kevin spoke of is actually in Waynesville - just about 45 minutes south of Asheville - its held at a Community College in the area.

Pick up a "Knives Annual" at the bookstore to find local makers in your area. Not everyone has a listing in the book but it is a good start.
 
To be more specific for finding directions the hammer-in takes place at:
Haywood Community College
185 Freelander Drive
Clyde, North Carolina

Last year (among other things) we saw Jason Knight make a knife, saw damascus being created, saw Steve Rapp make one of his beautiful metal sheaths and of course the "Battle of the Bladesmiths". A truly enjoyable and educational knife weekend at a very beautiful part of our country.

Here's some photos and information: http://www.customknifecollectorsassociation.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=89&highlight=hammer-in

Not completely sure of the exact date for this year.
 
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on_the_edge said:
I think you mean Jason Knight...:)
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Yes, (thank you ) that's exactly who I mean, Jason Knight. :o

Last week I typed tapered "tank" rather than tapered "tang".

I really need to start thinking about what I'm typing rather than what I have to do next. ;)
 
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