Knife "Paperwork"

C

Chris 54326

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Sep 13, 2017
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I'm just getting started in the journey of making knives and sheaths. But the few I've sold so far have been followed by many questions. Which makes me think some sort of "certificate" to be delivered along with the knife would be good to have.

What kind of certificate do you put in the package with your knives? I'm thinking something that allows me to tell what steel/steels were used, what type of heat treating and an approximate Rockwell hardness, what type of metals/woods were used in the handle, and any other things that might be of interest to anyone buying one of my knives like comments about the sheath, etc., etc.

So would any of you be willing to share what you do.........or maybe even a template of your certificate?
 
Date acquired and era made, maker, steel used, handle material is the minimum -

You want the date acquired/era made in there because there are milestones in a companies lifespan, good and bad, that are important to collectors and users. Maker is important, you'll be surprised how easily it is to forget a maker if you've had a knife a longtime, especially true if the maker uses some oddball symbol as a mark. Steel type is a given. Handle type is important, I've seen people spend hours trying to figure a wood out. These are the big ones.

You can throw Rockwell and heat treat in there if you know it.

Also any special odd options.

Also if there is anything interesting about the sheath or if you had a custom sheath made for it.

Another thing with fixed blades, take a pick of the knife in and out of the sheath. People forget what goes with which lots of times.

Edit - Just for your records, note the price paid, and update the value every few years. This will help you when you need to sell or if your heirs need to sell.
 
Glad you found it a bit useful. I have to admit I'm a bit embarrassed, I didn't catch that you wanted it from a makers perspective till after I was done. I just saw the title and started writing.

One tip I'll give you from a buyer's perspective, that might help you as a maker, is that if you include a certificate, sign it and maybe include a note at the bottom. A simple "Hey, hope you enjoy the knife , signed xyz" tends to make people remember you.

Also people tend to enjoy the little asides and odds and ends they get from makers. Tales of working a new material or designing a customer's knife. You'll see it in the correspondence a lot of older makers have with their buyers and many times with the general public.
 
Chris 54326 said:
Anyone else able to contribute answers to my question?
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My preference is to send a personal email along with the details and care of each knife which includes a personal thank you

this helps me also in retaining a record that I can recall when needed
 
No, an answer to my question about what kind of certificate you include with your knives when you present them to your customer.
 
Chris 54326 said:
No, an answer to my question about what kind of certificate you include with your knives when you present them to your customer.
Click to expand...

I make my blade guards out of a manilla folder, then I write the info on the side. I usually write the date the knife is completed, my makers mark, blade material, handle material including the type of pins, and sometimes my email address.
 
Chris 54326 said:
No, an answer to my question about what kind of certificate you include with your knives when you present them to your customer.
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I think N Natlek meant your note could include answers to the common questions you get. I've never sold a knife, but in the field I work in, we don't just answer common questions, we also use them to inform future communications. If two customers have asked you something, odds are others would want to know the answer, too.

-Tyson
 
I guess I'm just not communicating effectively. I've asked the same question elsewhere and have received certification "cards" such as this one. I am just trying to see if some of you guys have any suggestions that I might add to this certificate.

p4003181027-3.jpg
 
Honestly, I've never included a certificate for anything I've sold, knives or other wise. Not that I think it's a bad idea. I've just always figured that guys are more interested in my knives as users, more than collectibles, and nobody has ever asked for anything like that. It's not like I serial number anything either (I've actually lost track of how many knives I've made or sold), so what would prevent two similar knives from getting mixed up?
 
I think I agree with you on the "Knife #" comment. But that's exactly the kind of input I'm looking for. I'd probably remove the "completion date" also. But I do think the blade steel (and combination if it's Damascus) and handle material information would stay on the final draft of the certificate.
 
Chris 54326 said:
I guess I'm just not communicating effectively. I've asked the same question elsewhere and have received certification "cards" such as this one. I am just trying to see if some of you guys have any suggestions that I might add to this certificate.

p4003181027-3.jpg
Click to expand...
Ok, you can get as detailed as you want. If I offered an actual certificate like that, I would probably add the blade thickness. In other features you could add its intended purpose such as edc, hunting, survival, tactical, etc. To be even more detailed you could add the type of blade grind you used and the type of handle shape.
 
I suppose one could do all of that.................but those aren't the type of questions I've received by customers upon delivery of a knife. I make a knife. They see and like it and then buy it. Then the questions come which are basically the items listed on that certificate.
 
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