Full time or part time blade makers - what does a typical week look like for you?

Steelhog

Steelhog

Joined
Jul 2, 2009
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For those of you who make knives for a living or at least part time living, what does your typical week look like? How many blades do you typically strive to produce, how do you break up your workload, what does your spouse/family think, how do you deal with customers, how much is making blades vs. online marketing dealing with web stuff, how would you compare knife making to other jobs you have had and what do you find to be the most challenging aspect of knife making as a carrier or part time career?

These are just a few of the things I have wondered…..you don’t have to answer all the questions just wondering what a day/week in the life of a full time/part time knife maker looks like. Honestly, I’m just super curious. Not trying to get anyone to share anything super personal so feel free to share anything you feel comfortable with. Thanks.
 
I am probably an anomaly but it’s busy for me so far, and I am a pretty new maker. I have no family and just a long term girlfriend (I can barely take care of myself lol).

My full time job is a conservation specialist. I find that I can complete two blades a week, but that’s squeezing in work mornings and evenings.

Social media is obviously gonna help you in addition to bladeforums. S Seedy Lot has advised me not to take orders but it’s hard not to when you’re new, it’s kind of exciting. I can see how it would screw you over later. Might be best to just make knives available as you go.

I think the biggest thing for me is to convey to people what you’re about. Why is your work different? What do you care about? What do you like about the knives you’re making? Be transparent. One thing that drives me absolutely nuts in this world is bad communication with people you’re buying something from.
 
deerrockknives said:
I am probably an anomaly but it’s busy for me so far, and I am a pretty new maker. I have no family and just a long term girlfriend (I can barely take care of myself lol).

My full time job is a conservation specialist. I find that I can complete two blades a week, but that’s squeezing in work mornings and evenings.

Social media is obviously gonna help you in addition to bladeforums. S Seedy Lot has advised me not to take orders but it’s hard not to when you’re new, it’s kind of exciting. I can see how it would screw you over later. Might be best to just make knives available as you go.

I think the biggest thing for me is to convey to people what you’re about. Why is your work different? What do you care about? What do you like about the knives you’re making? Be transparent. One thing that drives me absolutely nuts in this world is bad communication with people you’re buying something from.
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Awesome response - thank you. Love your work and your style BTW.
 
last year was my first year full time. It's a lot of work. It's physically demanding. What I've found is that the harder I work, the better I get. The better I get, the more productive I can be. The more productive I can be, the easier the work becomes. It's like that concept that it takes 5 years or 10 000 hours of work to become a master. I don't know what things will be like in 4 years, but my goal is to master knife making by then. Sounds silly saying that out loud, but it's my goal and it is what it is. The hardest part of it all are the aches and pains. 50 years of thrashing this body's taken a toll on its own, but the stationary nature of knife making, coupled with always trying to gain leverage is taxing. A hot bath every now and then seems to help a lot, but it's hard to find time to take a bath when there's knives to make. I haven't shaved in months. I rarely know what day of the week it is. I have very little time for 'marketing' or whatever, rarely spend time outside this forum trying to get people to pay attention to me, and I don't even remember the last time I had any time or inclination to watch any porn. I've lost any semblance of being a social person, and can barely maintain coherence in any conversation- and of course my wife loves that, lol. Sometimes I hear somebody say something, and then realize with a start that it was me talking. I spend at least an hour in the forest every day with my dog, try to spend a day a week with my kid doing something cool, and I'm aiming to get out on the mountain bike once a week. My good buddy, Matthew Gregory Matthew Gregory once told me that balance in life is important, and recently confirmed that balance on a bike is also important.

It's a simple life and I love it
 
Lorien said:
last year was my first year full time. It's a lot of work. It's physically demanding. What I've found is that the harder I work, the better I get. The better I get, the more productive I can be. The more productive I can be, the easier the work becomes. It's like that concept that it takes 5 years or 10 000 hours of work to become a master. I don't know what things will be like in 4 years, but my goal is to master knife making by then. Sounds silly saying that out loud, but it's my goal and it is what it is. The hardest part of it all are the aches and pains. 50 years of thrashing this body's taken a toll on its own, but the stationary nature of knife making, coupled with always trying to gain leverage is taxing. A hot bath every now and then seems to help a lot, but it's hard to find time to take a bath when there's knives to make. I haven't shaved in months. I rarely know what day of the week it is. I have very little time for 'marketing' or whatever, rarely spend time outside this forum trying to get people to pay attention to me, and I don't even remember the last time I had any time or inclination to watch any porn. I've lost any semblance of being a social person, and can barely maintain coherence in any conversation- and of course my wife loves that, lol. Sometimes I hear somebody say something, and then realize with a start that it was me talking. I spend at least an hour in the forest every day with my dog, try to spend a day a week with my kid doing something cool, and I'm aiming to get out on the mountain bike once a week. My good buddy, Matthew Gregory Matthew Gregory once told me that balance in life is important, and recently confirmed that balance on a bike is also important.

It's a simple life and I love it
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This is great. I can probably learn a lot from both you and Matthew Gregory Matthew Gregory

Bikes bikes bikes. I try to force myself to get out and do the things that got me into knives in the first place. Hunting, wilderness, exploring
 
I have been selling knives for 7 years.

I find myself working in phases according to seasonal influences that limit shop time like artic fronts, spring gardenfarm or summer heat.

I have been pretty steady since February with 20ish hours a week in knife shop per week and then plenty of time in the house marketing, packaging, and hand sharpening.

I don't have any goals on numbers made and just keep working on the process. This last month has been a heat treating frenzy that will set me up with projects until the weather cools in the fall or more likely next winter.

Wife looked at my taxes last year and told me I would be better off giving knives away but knife money is currently funding a gravel touring bicycle so I am not listing to her.

Recently I have been working on finding a balance of knife world and the life I used to have.
 
Lorien said:
last year was my first year full time. It's a lot of work. It's physically demanding. What I've found is that the harder I work, the better I get. The better I get, the more productive I can be. The more productive I can be, the easier the work becomes. It's like that concept that it takes 5 years or 10 000 hours of work to become a master. I don't know what things will be like in 4 years, but my goal is to master knife making by then. Sounds silly saying that out loud, but it's my goal and it is what it is. The hardest part of it all are the aches and pains. 50 years of thrashing this body's taken a toll on its own, but the stationary nature of knife making, coupled with always trying to gain leverage is taxing. A hot bath every now and then seems to help a lot, but it's hard to find time to take a bath when there's knives to make. I haven't shaved in months. I rarely know what day of the week it is. I have very little time for 'marketing' or whatever, rarely spend time outside this forum trying to get people to pay attention to me, and I don't even remember the last time I had any time or inclination to watch any porn. I've lost any semblance of being a social person, and can barely maintain coherence in any conversation- and of course my wife loves that, lol. Sometimes I hear somebody say something, and then realize with a start that it was me talking. I spend at least an hour in the forest every day with my dog, try to spend a day a week with my kid doing something cool, and I'm aiming to get out on the mountain bike once a week. My good buddy, Matthew Gregory Matthew Gregory once told me that balance in life is important, and recently confirmed that balance on a bike is also important.

It's a simple life and I love it
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Thanks for the honest response. I have often wondered how full timers deal with the back pain from extended time on the grinder. I explored you site a bit and love your knives. The trail design also seems like it would also be super satisfying.
 
full time maker since late 2017
most I've made in a month is 14 as I recall, kitchen knives.
I've got it fairly easy as I've set myself up for relative tranquility.
I've moved to the south of France where retirement is more easily attainable.

I get up early around 5 am, I get my coffee and waste time online, I do some stretching. I start working around 7 am
I stop around mid day, make lunch, take a nap from 1-2 like D DevinT
I play golf a few times a week in the afternoon depending on how windy it is.
In the hotter summer, I might go play early morning and work in the afternoon.

when I lived in Central AZ I worked quite a bit more.
Now my financial situation is improved so I don't feel like I have a knife at my throat every month.

I'm 54, 2 kids older, very good health, no debt and own my home.
with retirement savings, Social security and owning my home as well as French healthcare coverage, I believe I will be ok.

Things that keep me occupied, knifemaking, golf, learning French, spending time with my wife when she is around, (she's a French actress so she is away at times), sometimes we stay at her house near Paris, usually in the summer when the weather is nicer in the north.

I don't do well at marketing or photography like the other guys, it's another time consuming skill.

I take orders, for several reasons. I like the interaction with the customer and the relationship.
Often orders challenge you to do something different and experience different materials etc.
Sure custom orders are the least efficient. But I can get $900 for a kitchen knife sometimes depending on the specifics.
I generally don't work with dealers, I don't list for sale on my website. I don't want anonymous sales online, I want to know who my customer is.
sometimes I don't sell, that can be disheartening at times.

I make about 20% of what I used to earn in Los Angeles working in manufacturing but I have my freedom.
I'm not really driven by money (any more)
Also quality of life in terms of earnings is obviously relative to what it costs to live wherever you are.
Where I live, you can live on $1,500 a month easily.
 
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Im a new maker here, so my views don't count.......... but I'm a lifetime maker, and That has increased my learning curve here by a few years (in my opinion)

I just recently stopped giving my knives away, mostly.

I think we go through life in stages. I know that sounds obvious but that isn't really understood until you actually have done it. Maybe a few times...

When I was young I was a Pro Brewer. I did that for around 5 years. I got somewhat locally famous, the brewery had a strong cult following, and this was before craft beer was as it is today.
Those were some of the best years of my life. But so are These......Just for different reasons.
It was Hard work. Dangerous. Creative, and Tiring..... but bringing smiles to peoples faces was worth it!
Things haven't changed. People are stuck in patterns. I'm the same person now, just a different medium. :D

It's funny the similarities between the two. (and gardening, and biking, and cooking, etc.)
Life is for passionate Souls...... We have that here.

Keep doing What you love.


-advice on pain (I was a voodoo witch doctor in a former life, Or something like that)

If it Hurts touch it.
If it feels good...... touch it More.
;)

*Oh....... Make sure your ergonomics are good, and that your grinder Height is adjustable.
I started grinding my primary bevels sitting down, the jury is still out If I like that better?
I'm happier with my grinds, but I feel a little confined just sitting there.

*also I am NOT a productive knife maker..... I stare at my work, sometimes holding the knife forever.
Days to grind, Days for the handle, Days to sharpen.....

And I get too emotional letting them go to a new home.
I could Never be a full time knife maker. A few a month is hard enough.

You guys are ALL my mentors! I value seeing your works, and reading Your posts..... Thank You!
Alot


Thanks.
 
I work a full time job, so I make knives on my free time. On average, I probably spend around 16-20 hours a week in the shop/basement. I usually have enough orders to keep me busy, but I don’t want my hobby to feel like a second job.
 
steelhog said:
Thanks for the honest response. I have often wondered how full timers deal with the back pain from extended time on the grinder. I explored you site a bit and love your knives. The trail design also seems like it would also be super satisfying.
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thanks very much!
I actually have another potential trail gig coming up, which is pretty exciting since there will be a fixed dollar value to that, and it'll get me out of the house, (and still keep me away from people, lol)
Like Harbeer, my family is in a good situation since I've spent the last twenty years of low interest rates shovelling as much money as I could into our mortgage, and other debts, as possible, making our monthly expenses comparatively low. You could say that a maker is the ultimate materialist, since we convert ideas into material things, but I'm not materialistic myself in that I don't constantly feel the need to consume things. My wife and kid are the same way- very frugal and living within our means. Knife making is not lucrative enough at this point to do it any other way, imo.
There's a bar hanging from the ceiling in my shop which I hang from when my shoulders get sore. My problem is that I don't feel the back/shoulder pain until about 5 in the morning, lol. I consider it my alarm clock haha
 
I am a coach/hs teacher and make knives as a hobby (although i turned it into an actual "business" this year). I can't work much during the week due to my school/coaching schedule, so most of my work is done on the weekends/holidays. I'm hoping my knifemaking will offset the loss of my coaching stipend when I decide I've had enough coaching. I have 3 years left until i'm able to retire from teaching and I think this will be a good supplement to my retirement (and it keeps me out of my wife's hair!ha) I always have a pretty good order list going and have as much work as I can handle at this point. I use my summer breaks to catch up on my order list and I'll probably be a little more productive this summer cause they just installed my mini-split this morning!!WOOHOO These 110 Texas summers are a BEAT DOWN in an un-airconditioned shop for this old man!!haha Most all of my sales are through my FB, Insta, and word of mouth...i don't do a lot of extra advertising and only do a couple shows a year.
 
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I work a full time job and over 500 hours of OT in the last year. My time in the shop is limited usually to days off and maybe some lighter work in the evenings after I get home from work, make dinner for the family, etc. In a day off, I can take a hardened, rough profiled unground blank and by the evening, the first few coats of Tung Oil are drying and the kydex sheath done for a 4" hunter. Kitchen knives take a bit longer since I do more tweaking and tuning to the grind as I test it. If I am trying to get one done, I can usually do at least the rough grinding after work and start prepping the handle materials one evening. Next day is the finish grinding/polishing, getting the handles epoxied and day 3 is shaping the handles, kydex, sharpening, etc. I try to keep hardened, rough profiled blanks on hand in a variety of steels so if I get a rush order, I can knock out a custom knife in a few days as long as I have the materials I need.

HT is much cheaper in larger batches, so if I get a order for a hunter, I get the steel and cut out like 4 or 5 basic hunters and try to send a bunch of knives at once. I often send 20-30 blanks at a time for HT and I have a lot of hardened blanks on hand at any given time. If I have down time between working on orders, I make up stuff from blanks and post them as available, or post the blade and see if anyone wants to spec out the remainder of the knife (grind, handle material, etc).
 
Don't remember who wrote this but I fully understand it. Just to be the devil's advocate :
(I'm not fulltime myself)

"When I made my hobby my profession I lost a hobby. "
 
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