How Do You Start Selling?

[Horsewright]

I'm pretty sure Horsewright cuts the blanks with a "Port-A-Band" which he frequently shows in his photos.

Yes I do but am exploring other options right now. Anyhoo I think my advantage is I've made so many of each model that I know, by feel more than anything else how to get em consistent. Kinda a muscle memory thing. Stacy is absolutely right though and that consistency or repeatability is very, very important. Spoke with a guy yesterday from AL as he was ordering a new Sonoran Belt Knife. He was doing some work the night before and had loaned his wife his knife (they were seeding his pastures for his hunting outfitters deal). They were opening sacks of seed and putting them in a hopper and his wife put the knife down on the fender of the trailer. They finished off and drove the 50 miles home and he asked for his knife and oops. They had a friend that lived in the area drive around looking for it and in the morning he made the 100 mile roundtrip looking for it. He said that knife was the best he ever had, it was like a third hand to him and it had skinned countless pigs and deer. He was still wearing the empty sheath. He wanted another just like it. I can build him another just like it.

 

[Busto]

Repeatability is important no doubt, I found it was cost effective to have my "Slipjoint" blades waterjet cut because it made better use of the Sheet of Steel by "Nesting" those smaller blade profiles. I still cut all my fixed blades by hand it just feels like I'm accomplishing something "Hand Made"...

 

[Hengelo_77]

I've only sold a few knives, it was never my goal.
I just make what I enjoy making, I don't want to sell my hobby. I do feel honored if somebody wants to buy a knife made by me.

My first sale was at a knife show, I showed a dealer my self made EDC and he didn't want to put it down anymore.
After that somebody approached me and asked if I wanted to make an other one like it.

I want to sell more now but at my own speed. First step now is learning to make proper pictures, then have a website, after that have a table at a show and present my work and hand out business cards.
But at my speed and because I want it, not because I need to