Knives On Order 2019

JK Knives said:
How do you operate your leather business without checking emails? My new policy is two emails, if no reply within three days the order is canceled.
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Lol its not much of a buisness it's more of a hobby that sells a few things. My real job and work email owns my soul. When I see that envelope icon appear I know my day just got longer
 
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I’m wondering why people think it’s funny to waste my time placing orders and me spending time replying to numerous emails, just to apparently not want the knives. I originally had a custom Rule #9 for next week. Luckily I got a call from a guy who wants me to make a blank, so I’ll be doing that.
I think people think I do this for fun, not true, I need the business to pay my bills just like everyone else.
 
JK Knives said:
I’m wondering why people think it’s funny to waste my time placing orders and me spending time replying to numerous emails, just to apparently not want the knives. I originally had a custom Rule #9 and an Element Hunter for next week, both fell through. Luckily I got a call from a guy who wants me to make a blank, so I’ll be doing that.
I think people think I do this for fun, not true, I need the business to pay my bills just like everyone else.
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That's one of the reasons why I stopped taking orders.
 
I remember awhile ago mentioning that by just by doing knives as you want and making them available would allow you the freedom to experiment and control the direction of the business as far as overhead. Maybe ask what knives people would like to see, much as you are doing now. I know that would be a disappointment for everyone who are the fence about getting a knife to their specs, but I think you would still have a waiting audience waiting to snatch them up. For example, to offer a little bit of choice, I like with your Element series, you make a few options available, so maybe make a few available with different options for that style of knife. Or just make a few with different handle materials and make them available. I like how we see a few Childress knives done this way. Just my two cents, do not want to start any arguments, just a thought.
 
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cbach8tw said:
I remember awhile ago mentioning that by just by doing knives as you want and making them available would allow you the freedom to experiment and control the direction of the business as far as overhead. Maybe ask what knives people would like to see, much as you are doing now. I know that would be a disappointment for everyone who are the fence about getting a knife to their specs, but I think you would still have a waiting audience waiting to snatch them up. For example, to offer a little bit of choice, I like with your Element series, you make a few options available, so maybe make a few available with different options for that style of knife. Or just make a few with different handle materials and make them available. I like how we see a few Childress knives done this way. Just my two cents, do not want to start any arguments, just a thought.
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Alternatively, you could do both, if time allows. Maybe one week is orders and the next week is "whatever I want to make". Or vary by month or however you're feeling for the week (within reason if you have orders on the books to stay on schedule). I think a few makers do something like this, making the popular models as a regular item/offering and then offering the more rare or custom spec stuff as special order. I think wait times are less accepted by more people as we've become used to the logistic prowess of Amazon, and that forced a lot of other companies to figure out how to ship quickly and still make money. Of course, the making of the item is the challenge here for the quick turnaround but there are a few economists that think the next big economic revolution will be rapid customization with technologies like 3D printing combined with the logistic efficiency that Amazon has had. It would also mean that off-shoring production would become obsolete for many things.

It takes the lean manufacturing principle to the max on the JIT side with only making items to order. We see some of this with limited set of options and consumers can pick what they want out of a set of pre-made components, like the manufacturers with the custom shops (not truly custom knives, but custom spec.).

Example: someone places and order for a knife, John orders exact chunk of metal or has one pre-cut for several different designs (supplier partnership is key if they stock or process parts for you), you get that within a day and grind it up that day and/or the next. While this is happening, handles are being printed or shaped internally or externally in prep for fitting to blade. HT blade, fit handle, refine fit and finish, done (I've over-simplified this in the sake of brevity). This could even be automated to the point that this process starts once a person submits the order via the web and the CNC's, etc. start building from the order submitted.
 
cbach8tw said:
I remember awhile ago mentioning that by just by doing knives as you want and making them available would allow you the freedom to experiment and control the direction of the business as far as overhead. Maybe ask what knives people would like to see, much as you are doing now. I know that would be a disappointment for everyone who are the fence about getting a knife to their specs, but I think you would still have a waiting audience waiting to snatch them up. For example, to offer a little bit of choice, I like with your Element series, you make a few options available, so maybe make a few available with different options for that style of knife. Or just make a few with different handle materials and make them available. I like how we see a few Childress knives done this way. Just my two cents, do not want to start any arguments, just a thought.
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I’m still sitting on several knives I made to post for sale, interest in my knives is low.
 
I’m familiar with lean manufacturing, we did that on several products when I was still employed at the factory.
There is a minimum size of materials when ordering, and as for having the blades water jet cut or CNC machined, that’s not going to happen. I prefer to be the maker, not some machine. Guess I’m kind of a dinasaur.
 
JK Knives said:
I’m familiar with lean manufacturing, we did that on several products when I was still employed at the factory.
There is a minimum size of materials when ordering, and as for having the blades water jet cut or CNC machined, that’s not going to happen. I prefer to be the maker, not some machine. Guess I’m kind of a dinasaur.
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That's more for how economists see the mass manufacture side going, it's still moving towards make to order. I think there will still be a place for a lot of handmade "artisan" type products, and the artisan thing is really how many industries are heading, like food. The problem for knives, I think, is that the younger generation is fueling that push towards bespoke and artisn craftsmanship and I think knives, or anything potentially weapon related, are less popular as we like technology a lot too. It would be interesting to see what demographics are buying which products in the marketplace. Millennials are, or will very soon be, the biggest generation in the workforce, which means their interests will begin driving product demand and development even more than they have been, in a macro-economic viewpoint.

Any who, we're off topic a bit on this one, maybe a conversation that should've been in the "whatever thread".
 
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