- Joined
- Aug 1, 1999
- Messages
- 3,036
Sorry if I was presumptuous Neil. I'm the eternal optimist about these things. If I weren't I'd have a real job.
I have a bunch of nails on my shop wall that I call the Elephants' Graveyard. It includes all my "aw sh*t" knives (failure category 1), and a good number that I finished and just wasn't completely happy with something about the knife. It might only have been the way something didn't quite work aesthetically (failure category 2). And of course there are those knives that after they've seen their 3rd or 4th knife show, you kinda get the message that maybe it should have fallen into failure category 2 (failure category 3).
Category 1 knives remain there forever (sometimes I have to add a couple nails), as a reminder of what I did. Category 2 knives are collected by a friend who works with underpriviledged kids, and he uses those to do the good work he does. Category 3 knives usually end up in a charity auction (Kiwanis, Shriners, etc.) or a sporting society auction (One Shot Antelope Hunt, Ruffed Grouse Society, etc.).
In the end, they all benefit someone, mostly me!
If you want to get some terrific mileage out of that knife, find a kid who will never own a custom knife for economic reasons, but has a respect and love of blades. Give it to him. It will feel better than any sale you ever made, and you will always remember that knife as one of your best.
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Jerry Hossom
www.hossom.com
I have a bunch of nails on my shop wall that I call the Elephants' Graveyard. It includes all my "aw sh*t" knives (failure category 1), and a good number that I finished and just wasn't completely happy with something about the knife. It might only have been the way something didn't quite work aesthetically (failure category 2). And of course there are those knives that after they've seen their 3rd or 4th knife show, you kinda get the message that maybe it should have fallen into failure category 2 (failure category 3).
Category 1 knives remain there forever (sometimes I have to add a couple nails), as a reminder of what I did. Category 2 knives are collected by a friend who works with underpriviledged kids, and he uses those to do the good work he does. Category 3 knives usually end up in a charity auction (Kiwanis, Shriners, etc.) or a sporting society auction (One Shot Antelope Hunt, Ruffed Grouse Society, etc.).
In the end, they all benefit someone, mostly me!
If you want to get some terrific mileage out of that knife, find a kid who will never own a custom knife for economic reasons, but has a respect and love of blades. Give it to him. It will feel better than any sale you ever made, and you will always remember that knife as one of your best.
------------------
Jerry Hossom
www.hossom.com
