I'm retiring

pwheeler

pwheeler

Joined
Dec 30, 2013
Messages
282
Well, today officially marks my last day as a full time knifemaker. I didn't take my career quite as far as I would have liked, but I got a few good years of doing what I loved on my own schedule and managed to not starve to death, so I'll call that a win. I just found out that I got accepted to medical school at Wake Forest, and I have to move there from CO and start class in the next 12 days. I wanted to say a huge thank you to the bladeforums community, I learned much of what I know from the folks on here and I am hugely grateful for that. I am also grateful for everyone on here that bought my knives and kept the lights on over the last few years. It was a struggle at times, but I have a feeling that in my old age I'm going to look on this time fondly. So thank you Bladeforums, I owe you a lot!
 
Congrats on med school. Now the bad news. You will be taking a significant pay cut for the next 8 years or so and work twice as many hours. ;)
 
after med school you will get a good job and be able to afford nice equipment and return to being a craftsman on the weekends :) congrats.
 
jdm61 said:
Only if they have the longview because in the short term, you will have no money, no social life and you will stink of formaldehyde. :eek::D
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It seems like most of the 27-32 year-olds are taking the long view, either that or I'm just not as charming as I thought.
 
john april said:
after med school you will get a good job and be able to afford nice equipment and return to being a craftsman on the weekends :) congrats.
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And make your own 18th Century amputation kit to put on your desk to freak out your patients. :D
 
john april said:
after med school you will get a good job and be able to afford nice equipment and return to being a craftsman on the weekends :) congrats.
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Already planning the dream shop, it'll be about a decade before it's plausible but one day it'll be there. I'm definitely planning on continuing to do knives for at least years 1-2, but It will probably go from 2-3/wk to 1-2/month. In year 3 it gets real gnarly. I'm actually looking forward to making whatever seems fun or interesting, instead of making what will pay the bills. So long Santokus...
 
Congratulations Phil! I wish you the best in your next adventure. It'll be a different kind of grind haha.
I'm proud to say I own one of your knives courtesy of the KITH. I have admired your workmanship and unique style and you have been and inspiration to me as a maker.
 
Congrats!

Wake Forest is a great school! If you have any questions about Med School, feel free to ask - I may have graduated 31 years ago, but I still help teach the med students who rotate thru Ortho at my hospital...

Bill Flynn
 
Congrats and good luck. Don't worry, those women who are looking for money now will still be looking for money at 60.
Tim
 
Congrats and good luck!

I wonder how long it will take you to want to sharpen a scalpel...
 
Congrats! Been a fan of your work for a while. Best of luck to you in the future.

Jim
 
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