JK Handmade Knives

This saddens me but I understand. I’ve bought more JK knives than from any other maker since the time I started on Bladeforums. I still have many of them or have gifted them to my sons. The few I’ve sold I’ve regretted selling. I hope things turn around.
 
In my opinion, to run a business like knife maker, one must be super active on social media. BF, bcusa, and Instagram in addition to face book. So many people are exposed to products through those outlets.
 
LukeTheSpook said:
In my opinion, to run a business like knife maker, one must be super active on social media. BF, bcusa, and Instagram in addition to face book. So many people are exposed to products through those outlets.
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I think this is very true. So many businesses nowadays only sell via Facebook stores. I don't use Facebook at all but if I had a business I don't think I could avoid using it. There are two billion users of that app! That's a lot of eyes on your product. If even one in a million people were interested enough to click through to your website that's still a couple thousand hits (just theoretical numbers of course).

The problem certainly isn't your quality! I have one or two of your knives that I purchased myself and the bulk of the collection that belonged to my dad (around 50 JK knives, give or take). Your blades are outstanding. The problem has to be marketing and promotion. At the extreme end look at Cold Steel and Lynn Thompson. The guy is a shameless carnival barker selling a huge array of knives that are, by and large, pretty mediocre and pedestrian. Yet his shameless self promotion has made CS one of the best known knife brands on the planet. I'm not advocating using a Chipmunk Chopper to dismember pig carcasses on YouTube but there has to be a middle ground.:D
 
LukeTheSpook said:
In my opinion, to run a business like knife maker, one must be super active on social media. BF, bcusa, and Instagram in addition to face book. So many people are exposed to products through those outlets.
Click to expand...
LukeTheSpook said:
In my opinion, to run a business like knife maker, one must be super active on social media. BF, bcusa, and Instagram in addition to face book. So many people are exposed to products through those outlets.
Click to expand...
I actually had my own forum on BCUSA for 6 months, never sold a thing, I just didn't fit in there. I also had a knifemaker membership on my Usual Suspects forum, never sold anything there either.
 
I’m not really a social media guy but every night I scroll through some Instagram. I see more products and pictures and learn more about makers on there than I do anywhere else.

For a successful knife business involving hobbies, you have to have a YouTube channel and a instrageam. And a million photos of those beautiful knives in action. An intern would administer it for free.
 
I am sorry to hear that you may be leaving. I have always wanted one of your affordable Element knife models.
 
I think Facebook is a better option than BCUSA. They're large-ish for the kind of forum they are but pretty small fry compared to FB. I agree, I didn't fit there very well either.
 
I have avoided joining Facebook, I am one of the few who do not need or want it, despite the benefit of it, but I understand the advantage of the of exposure there, I have also found a few makers who I like but they do not have a web page. I have learned a lot from this JK forum, I own I think 3 JKs, bird and trout, a small neck knife, and a combo handled small utility, I like them a lot.
 
Hey John, don't stop doing what you love to do. Keep going. You do some great work and have a good following. You're gonna have down times. Just the nature of this business. Right now the market is saturated with so many knives. I watched the survival/bushcraft market soar over the years. When I started there were very few makers selling in that market. Me and a handful of other guys making knives for this market. Then it started to climb as bushcraft invaded the US from the UK. It was always survival skills in the US. Not so much "bushcraft". So keep your head up and stay positive. You will succeed.
Scott
 
Any time anyone asks for recommendations on a maker, your's is the first name a throw out there. I still talk about the knife making class I took. Hate to see you go.
 
JK knives mean a lot to us too, and we want to see You continue with that success and satisfaction. Great supporters here and forums followers, let us know if we can help in any way. I get a big kick that you also enjoy what you do, that means a lot, even if there are trying times, how many of us can say we love we what we do for a living?
 
JK Knives said:
All these encouraging posts (and orders coming in) have convinced me to renew the forum in January.
Thanks for taking the time to post.
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