How far do you THINK you will go in your knife making adventure?

Here is what I hope will happen. I never plan on making a living off of it. I plan on it being a better use of my time (as apposed to watching tv and playing Farkle on the computer). I don't ever want to take an order for a knife. I want to make knives that I like, and sell them to a person that sees it and likes it. Or I hope to give them to charities for silent auctions and raffles. I use to really enjoy woodworking, and it was hobby that you had something to show for it in the end. My other hobbies are simply "how much money do you have to spend on a collection" I've sold several of my guns to help finance my knife making, and I'm happy. I really hope to have an actual shop some day (with heat! Damn WI winters can get cold) instead of a corner in the garage.
 
redsquid2 said:
I am going to have some fun making some knives. I imagine I will sell a few, give a few away, and keep a few. Next year, I want to participate in the Newbie KITH. At some point, I may start making custom knives to the specifications of my friends. I also want to get some leather crafting tools, so I can make leather sheaths.

I love watching my knives take shape.
Click to expand...
Just wanted to let you know that the Newbie KITH had it's first and last year this year. sorry to be the bringer of bad news, but we had a few too many problems.
 
How far do I think I will go in knife making?

AS FAR AS I CAN!!

Will I ever go full time? Not likely. Not until I retire anyway. Hah!
Health Insurance and Mortgage payments, like many others, are the most limiting factor, and I imagine they'll continue to be until I retire. Plus with 3 kids (that's the current number anyway) and a stay at home wife, there are just too many other financial obligations.

In the mean time, I will continue honing my skills and aquiring more tools. Eventually, I would like to get a dedicated shop building (other than my 2.5 car garage).

Ultimately, I would like to get into forging, and at the very least get my J.S. stamp, and EVENTUALLY, maybe even become an ABS Master Smith. I'm only 27, so I suppose I have plenty of time to practice. I expect to get a basic smithy up and running within the first half of 2012.

Another area I would like to dive into, (and ironically, it's been primarily inspired by the starter of this thread) is to get into slip joint making. I'll know I'm good enough when they are half as good as a T.A. Davison piece... ;)

I suppose that's about it for now.... in a nutshell.
 
I'm in it for the long haul. I hope to get my journeyman stamp and then my mastersmith stamp about the same time I graduate college with an engineering degree.

I had a couple of fairly serious injuries that kept me out of the shop for almost two years and prompted me to go back to school. Now that I'm mostly healed up, the plan is to try to supplement my student loans with knifemaking. Hopefully by the time I graduate I will be doing well enough at knifemaking that I can take my time finding a job and not have to take the first thing that comes along. Or maybe I'll pull a Wheeler move and let my degree gather dust while I make knives full time :D

I just love making knives and I don't see myself ever quitting. There isn't another art form out there that allows an artist to use the range of materials, techniques and skills that knifemaking does. Nor have I found another art form where the customers actually appreciate (and are occasionally even willing to pay for :D ) the almost absurd amount of work and attention to detail needed to make a quality knife.
 
Like a lot of others, it started as a hobby and turned into an addiction. I am blessed to have a day job so this is my relaxation. I am seldom so at peace as when I am making a knife. I am currently working towards the Guild and knifemaking will be a part of my life as long as I am able to stand by a 2 X 72.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top