Making Knives for a profit

Yakiba :

I need people to use and abuse my knives and tell me what I've done right and more important, what I've done wrong.
Click to expand...

Drop me a line with information on your current models.

-Cliff
 
Yakiba,
I too would be intrested in "testing" out one of your pieces. Email me and let me know.

Thanks,
Mitch
 
I can't verify whether it is true or not but I heard once that out of the membership of the Knife Maker's Guild, about 20 percent are "full time" makers. Out of this 20 percent, 80 to 90 percent of those are "retired" from their other full time jobs. I suppose that knifemaking can be a good "supplemental income" but...

So how many full time "not retired from another job" types are out there?

C Wilkins
 
Donating a knife has been good publicity for me. I donated one to my Shrine Club and we brought in about $1500.00 for the hospitals. I've had four orders from that knife already. Besides, the money raised went to a good cause.
Tom
 
So how many full time "not retired from another job" types are out there?
Click to expand...
I am full-time. I did not get retirement from a job. I am a member of the Professional Knifemakers Association (2 years now), which at one time you had to be a full-time knifemaker to be a member of. Last year they voted to allow part-time knifemakers in. They did this because they needed membership to grow, and there is a lack of full-time knifemakers in the world. Knifemaking can be very expensive, in many many ways. It is possible to make a living at knifemaking, but not easy.

------------------
Lynn Griffith-Knifemaker

My website
GriffithKN@aol.com


 
Actually, my knife sales pay for the chance to make more knives, visit knife friends, take trips to knife shows and meet more very nice, friendly, knife people. What more could I ask for? I retire in 5 years from school teaching and hopefully I will have my Mastersmith stamp or be seriously working on it at that time. Then knifemaking will be a full time enjoyable endeavor. Ray Kirk www.tah-usa.net/raker
 
sounds good, go luck to you. i hope you get to be a mastersmith, i've always admired master smiths.
 
Hang in there Ray, with the quality knives you put out the MS will come. Speaking of full time makers, Paul from A G Russel said there was less than 200 full time custom makers as of 1998. Hard to make a living at but can be done.

------------------
old pete
 
I am now a full time knife maker after going broke repairing motorcycles for 25 years. The new bikes dont break down any more. I have been making knives on my spare time for the last 11 years and using the extra income for the forge, burr-king and power hammer ect. My interest in motorcycles started dying the day I finished the first knife, a piece of saw blade with an elk antler. I sold it for 20 dallars. After that my family hardly saw me unless they came out to the garage. I worked hard at it and was self taught. Now people buy from me at the gun shows in my own area. I also sell blanks, handles, steel, damascus, ect. I am still paying my dues though. If the knives look good people stop and have a look then you have a few minutes to give the sales pitch. Its a great deal of fun and I always learn from the public what to do next for the next batch. Word of mouth is the best advertisement, giving for charity auctions is great in your home town. The biggest problem I have found since going full time is the amount of time I am taken away from the job. It seems like distractions are every 5 min. It is no longer a hobby but its the most enjoyable job I can imagine. Some people are not shy about paying the price I ask 100 to 700 dallars if its the knife they want. They want quality every thing even the sheath. It helped sales when I became a member of the ABS even if I am just an apprentice smith. Oh I almost forgot to tell you my wife has a better paying job. Life is short, Make Knives Bruce Bump
 
I am now a full time knife maker after going broke repairing motorcycles for 25 years. The new bikes dont break down any more. I have been making knives on my spare time for the last 11 years and using the extra income for the forge, burr-king and power hammer ect. My interest in motorcycles started dying the day I finished the first knife, a piece of saw blade with an elk antler. I sold it for 20 dallars. After that my family hardly saw me unless they came out to the garage. I worked hard at it and was self taught. Now people buy from me at the gun shows in my own area. I also sell blanks, handles, steel, damascus, ect. I am still paying my dues though. If the knives look good people stop and have a look then you have a few minutes to give the sales pitch. Its a great deal of fun and I always learn from the public what to do next for the next batch. Word of mouth is the best advertisement, giving for charity auctions is great in your home town. The biggest problem I have found since going full time is the amount of time I am taken away from the job. It seems like distractions are every 5 min. It is no longer a hobby but its the most enjoyable job I can imagine. Some people are not shy about paying the price I ask 100 to 700 dallars if its the knife they want. They want quality every thing even the sheath. It helped sales when I became a member of the ABS even if I am just an apprentice smith. Oh I almost forgot to tell you my wife has a better paying job. Life is short, Make Knives Bruce Bump
 
Sorry for putting this reply up twice. I must have studdered on the send button. Bruce Bump
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top