Is engraving a good investment?

[Jason Fry]

Simple question... is engraving a good investment?

Say a 7 1/2" hunter, 416 bolsters, sambar stag. Out of my shop, it's maybe a $250-275 knife. If I were to have it engraved (at a cost of about $200), would I be able to make my money back plus a little? I'd like to have a good looking engraved knife out there with my name on it, but not bad enough to lose money on the deal.

Any comment on the going prices for a well made knife with good fit/finish and engraving from a basically unknown maker?

 

[12345678910]

Simple question... is engraving a good investment?

Say a 7 1/2" hunter, 416 bolsters, sambar stag. Out of my shop, it's maybe a $250-275 knife. If I were to have it engraved (at a cost of about $200), would I be able to make my money back plus a little? I'd like to have a good looking engraved knife out there with my name on it, but not bad enough to lose money on the deal.

Any comment on the going prices for a well made knife with good fit/finish and engraving from a basically unknown maker?

If you like it, do it.

It's difficult to make your money back on knives, let alone engraving.
The knife has to be top notch before you can see any value increase on it with engraving.

Like any other embellishment, the more you do, the fewer people it will appeal to later.
for example, I won't ever buy any scrimshaw, I just don't like it.

 

[Dixieblade57]

It is extremely time consuming! I recently saw a very accomplished engraver shut down his operation, (he made the announcement here on the forum)! He said he just couldn't make any money at it. His work was fantastic and it takes a while for someone to get that good! So that is food for thought!

I guess I should say hand engraving it is going the way that a lot of good craftsman have went. No one wants to pay for the real time that goes into that kind of craftsmanship anymore!

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Short answer:
If you make and sell $1000+ knives, it will pay off.
If you make and sell $200-300 knives it will not pay off.

 

[Bill DeShivs]

I just started engraving a $250 gun! It's my personal carry gun though, so it should at least be good advertising.