Full Time and Part Time Woes

jhiggins

jhiggins

Joined
Jul 11, 2003
Messages
3,258
Argh!~

I work f/t but have this p/t knife thing going on. WHY IS IT SUCH A STRUGGLE? Without getting into all the gobbledygook of the sticky at the top of this page, I'd like to examine what it is like to work full-time, all the while wishing I was home working on knives - or whatever relates to knifemaking.

Here I sit, pecking away at the PC. I have a machine out there that needs a new speed pot installed on the delivery conveyor. There is a faucet in the men's room that is out of order (dang obsolete parts), another machine out on the floor is plagued with electrical gremlins, and needs my attention. All I want to do is knifemaking and forge work. The problem is that I just can't give up this money right now, so I have a lot of anxiety just dealing with all the bs here at work, when all I really want to do is be at home in my shop.

How do you guys feel? I know a lot of you hold down f/t jobs. Is this knifemaking thing causing you any problems at work?
 
I hear ya, brother!


I kinda like it, though.

I have a day job that pays the bills, but at the end of the day, I'm the first one out the door!

I get my real joy being at home with my family. But as soon as the kids are asleep......I strap on my weekend warrior mask (known here as a respirator :rolleyes: ) and get to work!

It's my opportunity to work out those creativity bugs...

That said, if I'm cranky or irritable, I don't even bother going in the shop. I'll screw everything up I touch, just makes it worse.

That, for me, is the joy of on-again-off-again knifemaking. If I work when I'm feelin' good, I make a better product, in half the time.

Last Saturday, I set out to grind a handful of knives and finished 8. I was cookin....doesn't happen often, though.
 
John, this has all been hashed out before. My response was on the careful side because I didn't want to give newbies the idea that all was Rosy.

I am sitting here in my office, in a company that I 50% of and wish I could be grinding knives or making muzzleloaders or hunting or fishing etc.

I play with knives and sharp things a lot but do not sell them. If you are wondering why so much of what I build is a prototype with a lot more emphasis on function rather than looks, it's because I'm trying to come up with something that I can manufacture at some point.

The interchangeable poll hatchets are a good example. Someone suggested protecting the idea and while I didn't mention it, I have started the patent process for it and for my handle up sheath that I prototyped years ago.

I didn't mention it because if someone here wants to build them, I think it's great. My feelings on copying patented designs for personal use or one at a time manufacture, is legendary.

Now if someone wants to start mass producing them, we will have to discuss it.

The point I'm making is that in order to make money at this business, you have to find your niche, develop your product, plan for the manufacture (Large or Small scale) and go into it with both eyes open.

Just being talented is not enough. You have to eat.

I don't want to embarrass anyone but Bruce Bump is one of the most talented makers I know. He is currently working a full time job. I know other makers whom I won't mention, that are legends in their own minds. They have had breakdowns and spend most of their time telling how they saved the industry. For some reason these arrogant bastards have made a fairly good living selling so so knives and equipment.
And yes, that's my opinion, but that's all I am giving...(My Opinion not fact)

Go figure!

Plan your strategy and include in the plan how to eat!
 
The corporate life and the inherant politics really bother me at times and many times I daydream of grinding on some blades or writing the great American novel or finishing some screenplays. But once that knifemaking becomes my job, I think it might take some of the fun out of it. Right now, I pretty much make whatever type of knife that floats my boat. I wouldn't want to have a set of designs and make them over, and over, and over, and over.
 
Thanks for your candor, Peter (Don?). Like you, I do a lot of my work just as an experimentation and to see if it can be done. I also like all the peripheral gizmos and gadgets involved with knifemaking. I make knives, and if someone wants to buy one, fine. I just enjoy the art of it. I immerse myself in it, and if the piece pleases me, I offer it for sale. If it never sold, it would occupy my bench forever or get lobbed into a tree and forgotten.

Knifemakers as a whole are fabulous people. We all share some common ground. I can truthfully (to paraphrase Mr. Clemens) say that I've never met a knifemaker I didn't like. Will I ever do something that will change the world or "save" the industry of custom knives? Probably not, but this craft will sure make a fine retirement job, heh?

**sigh**

So here I sit again, pecking away. Every few seconds I look up at the clock on the wall and I can hear every second tick. Freedom today comes at 2 pm. My wife has some award being given to her at the hospital tonight. I got to run home and shower and shave this mess of hair off my face. Got to look presentable for all the mucky-mucks!

:)
 
I keep saying I'm semi retired orrr is that retarded?? never the less
The wife works and that's the way she wants it.
this is what she wants me to do because it's what I like. without
her I'd be a bit lighter..and hungry.. God love her
being behind in repeat (as in stuff I did before) orders is a drag most the time
I really want to take my time and do what the he!! I want to..
so it can be a JOB JOb too and is for me.. and some of the pizzazz is gone..
be careful what you wish for,, money don't trip my trigger but in
another 10 years or so I may have a different out look about that.
too much of a good thing is not good in the long of things..
 
Jeff I know exactly how you feel. I was there and am better now after finding out it is so hard to make a living making knives. I use it now for a terrific hobby and spending money. My job right now is just interesting enough to keep and pays well too. It is a steady income and I can base my bills and life on it but the knifemaking is where my heart is. Making can consume us and make us not worth much to our employer and family if we arent careful. The day job had better offer benefits and such or else you need to find one that does. Have you ever seen the movie: "Joe vs. The Volcano" with Tom Hanks? Now that was a no-where job. He worked at a petroleum jelly and anal probe factory! I bet your job is better than that one. Just do your employer a favor and give him his moneys worth and when you get home go out to the shop for therapy.
 
Jeff, I guess I should clarify some of my terms. When I say manufacture, That's what I mean. It bears no resemblance to make. Custom made knives are more of a useful art form than they are a tool. They are labor intensive and can't be farmed out to casual labor.

Manufactured knives are tools that range in quality just like any other tool. One can make a good living manufacturing knives without being artsy. The reverse is not true.

We had a big discussion not long ago about calling a knife with a premade blade, a custom knife. The general consensus is you can't. A custom knife is like a fine painting or sculpture. It just happens to be useful as well.

I got a Kershaw for my birthday. It's a nice knife and I love the speed safe design. It sure ain't art though. Further, no one in his right mind would pay more than 40 or 50.00 for one. Think how much you would need to charge to grind one, put it together and tune it and still make a 20% profit.

Deciding what you want to make, how to make it and still make a profit and figuring a way to hire someone to make it for you so you can have a few hours free time is important.

Good luck :)
 
I have a full time job that is not too onerous that I enjoy. I work for the State so I have job security and decent benefits (although not near as good as everyone thinks). I am not really a "people person" so I can hide behind my computer and steer people to e-mail. I cherish my shop time highly, and find my chief identity and personal fufillment in the knife work. I have learned to work fairly efficiently with the limited resources I have (which are more than many have). Being part time allows me the luxury of keeping it simple without the make-a-living pressure. I am not sure I would want to do it full time. I would get burned out, and physically stressed out.
 
I work full time and will be for 3 more years.
I make knives as a hobby and sell them to buy new equipment.I just aquired a KMG.
Got involved with silver work and lapidary years ago and let it get to involved with orders for buckles and rings. Took some time off to add on to my house and never got back into it
So I try to limit myself to doing what I want with knives and selling what I make cause I don't want to have a collection of my own knives. That way I can keep my interest up and still enjoy knifemaking as a hobby.
A guy asked me once"How much for this knife?" I said I could let him have it for $85.00 . He said How about if I want 5 just like it? I said in that case they would be $150.00 each.
Take care
TJ
 
Bruce Bump said:
Jeff I know exactly how you feel. I was there and am better now after finding out it is so hard to make a living making knives. I use it now for a terrific hobby and spending money. My job right now is just interesting enough to keep and pays well too.
Click to expand...

Thanks, Bruce. I feel the same way about my job. All the roads I have traveled in the past have converged on this position I'm in now. It feels like I was predestined to be here and that this job was made for me. My boss and his boss agree, and have included me in their future plans for the company. I'm part of the management staff here, but I get sooo much priveledge, its scary sometimes, and I feel conspicuous and weird when I take it (which is rarely). I usually just work through all my lunches and leave when everyone else has gone for the day. Being of old yankee stock, its hard to slack off and my motto is, to quote myself, "It's easier to BE busy than to LOOK busy."

I'm sure all the craziness will pass when I get my new smithy up and running and get the house remodeling done. So many things vying (sp?) for my time these days and therein lies the root of my evils.

I want to thank you folks for replying to this thread with your insights. Fine gentlemen - the lot of you.
 
My brother ran a seminar for people wanting to own their own business.
One of the things he often talked about was how many people he saw that came into a small lump of money and were determined to leave their secure 40 hour a week jobs with all the insurance and benefits to get into a business where they worked 7 days a week 10 or 12 hour days with no benefits for not so much money.
I guess what I'm trying to say is as much as we want to do what we want to do the numbers rarely work without a lot of struggling. This effects our whole family. Build your business part time as much as you can if you can. When and only when it doesn't make financial sense to work your day job any longer
should you think about going full time. Work hard on the stress issue.
Self employment could be a lot more stressful than anything you're going through now. It can also be a saver like it was when I became disabled.
It enabled me to keep my home. Something to fall back in hard times is a wonderful thing.
I don't write well so I hope you can make a bit of sense of what I'm trying to tell you.
Good Luck whatever direction you take
 
I understand perfectly what you are saying, Tom. Thanks for the advice. I don't think I could ever make a go of it just making knives. I really don't have any stress to speak of. I'll be making knives as a hobby until I die I reckon. Between my 401k and some property I have, I'll be doing okay at retirement. Thats when knifemaking will be a decent retirement career, and not until.

I JUST WISH I COULD DO IT A LITTLE MORE! hahaha!

Peace, Bros, and thanks for your comments! :)
 
I've been trying to round up tools so I can get into knifemaking ever since Kit Carson talked me into it a few years ago.The job I have right now is killing me,and the whole time I'm there I'm thinking about knifemaking.I want to do it so bad but the hours I work are killing me.I came in last night and tried to do some grinding but I was so tired I couldn't concentrate and kept messing up so I just shut everything off and came inside.I hate my job but right now I have to keep it and hopefully one day I can find one that will allow me more time to do what I want to. :(
 
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