My custom work...In Over My Head?

[crimsonfalcon07]

If you can find a local maker who would be willing to heat treat the occasional blade for you, it's not too bad. And the steel is pretty cheap, all things considered. 150 bucks will buy you enough 1095 or 5160 to make a ton of knives. Heck, if you only want to spend like 15-20, you can still get 4 feet of steel. I definitely think that if you like modding knives, you might like making them even more.

 

[RogueBowie]

No, I'm cool with most custom work, I dont wanna pick a particular field cos it gets boring after awhile.

Yeah man, but it's also good if there's something you do that really sticks out and people know you for. Because I would send my knife to many of the other Beckerheads on here, not just craftsmen/service providers, if I just need a choil added or some jimping or moderate reprofiling/etching etc. So in that case people will just go to whoever is convenient/cheapest/they've dealt with before. But if you're known as 'the tigerstripe G10 guy' or something, people HAVE to go through you to get that thing YOU are known for, so they can start threads like "I just got CamH_16 scales put on my BK2!! (PICS)"

 

[CamH_16]

Yeah man, but it's also good if there's something you do that really sticks out and people know you for. Because I would send my knife to many of the other Beckerheads on here, not just craftsmen/service providers, if I just need a choil added or some jimping or moderate reprofiling/etching etc. So in that case people will just go to whoever is convenient/cheapest/they've dealt with before. But if you're known as 'the tigerstripe G10 guy' or something, people HAVE to go through you to get that thing YOU are known for, so they can start threads like "I just got CamH_16 scales put on my BK2!! (PICS)"

I will never be the cheapest or most convenient person for custom work, folks will have to ship their stuff here and unless you think your Becker/other blade thinks it deserves a holiday down under its hard to justify. Hell, we'll just have to see wont we...Btw, Is it legal here (if your gold or more) to show off your stuff and then list it for sale? Thats one way I've thought of doing it.

 

[RogueBowie]

I will never be the cheapest or most convenient person for custom work, folks will have to ship their stuff here and unless you think your Becker/other blade thinks it deserves a holiday down under its hard to justify. Hell, we'll just have to see wont we...Btw, Is it legal here (if your gold or more) to show off your stuff and then list it for sale? Thats one way I've thought of doing it.

You might find customers in your shipping range. You're definitely not the first Australian I've seen round here.

 

[crimsonfalcon07]

Btw, Is it legal here (if your gold or more) to show off your stuff and then list it for sale? Thats one way I've thought of doing it.

I'd also be interested in the answer to this if it's not what I think it is, but I'm pretty sure that if it's your OWN work, then you have to have a Maker's membership. I'd also like to get into selling a few of my efforts so I can help fund the ongoing obsession. Not sure if my work will even sell though, especially judging by the lack of participation in my contest, which only requires people to post pics of Beckers. Ah well.

However, if you DO have a maker's membership, I'm pretty sure your plan will work.

You might consider also getting used Beckers on the exchange, sprucing them up, and putting them up for sale, once you get your Maker's membership. I think gold is just for casual sales though.

 

[JWL]

Cam, I feel you. If I remember right, you are 16, is that right? Forgive me if I've mis-remembered.....

I don't know how it is in Australia, but here in the US we seem to put a TON of pressure on young adults to choose their careers ahead of time and to be 100% clear on what field they will study, what they will do after high school, what college and what major they will pursue, etc etc., at a very young age. The implication in all this pressure is that you MUST choose NOW how you will make your living. What we often forget is that we have to teach young adults how to make a LIFE.

I'd say to you that if you enjoy making/modding knives, then that activity alone has inherent value for you, whether or not you end up making money from it. That's reason enough to do it. If it works out that you can develop a career in this field, then great. But for now I'd encourage you to follow your bliss and keep hacking the metal, leather, wood, micarta, and wherever else your interest takes you. The rest will take care of itself.

 

[parbajtor]

Cam, I must have spent that easily on knives and steel and kit since starting seriously about 5 or 6 years ago. I've only actually sold about 8 knives, but have made many more. I currently have about 15 or 16 I've made myself, some from scratch, some I've put handles on bare blades. I've given away a fair few as presents. I think if you consider the money I saved by making rather than buying a present, it doesn't seem as bad. I will put up more knives for sale, but prefer to sell a complete package including sheath and I have a large backlog of sheaths waiting to be done. The knife show season is just starting up, so I have enough items to have my own stall if I want. The equipment and kit I don't consider as a loss and I have a lot of cash "invested" in materials etc. Eventually I will make money from it, but at present it's like very slow moving stock. Considering the replacement costs of some the equipment today, I'm glad I bought it when I did and the material "worth" is more than I paid for it. With inflation running so low, I don't consider these things as losses, just a very low return on a longer term investment. As a commercial venture it would probably be viewed as a bit of a failure, though. I recently got a makers subscription so I can sell on here, but haven't yet followed it up by actively marketing. This is partly because I can't decide how seriously I want to do this. I enjoy making knives and have done a few commissions, but to me a full book and a waiting list of orders would remove most of that enjoyment. I like the fact I can wait for inspiration/enthusiasm to take hold and then "go for it". I suspect that the prospect of turning out the same knife, daily, for the next 3 years would not be attractive at all, hence my backlog of sheaths.
I guess what I'm saying is it's best to decide how you want to approach your knifemaking, either as a hobbyist (in which case do just what you want when you want and justify it economically by telling yourself you could have gambled/drunk your money away) or do it as a commercial venture (in which case don't undersell your labour and account for all your costs within the price).

 

[CamH_16]

Cam, I must have spent that easily on knives and steel and kit since starting seriously about 5 or 6 years ago. I've only actually sold about 8 knives, but have made many more. I currently have about 15 or 16 I've made myself, some from scratch, some I've put handles on bare blades. I've given away a fair few as presents. I think if you consider the money I saved by making rather than buying a present, it doesn't seem as bad. I will put up more knives for sale, but prefer to sell a complete package including sheath and I have a large backlog of sheaths waiting to be done. The knife show season is just starting up, so I have enough items to have my own stall if I want. The equipment and kit I don't consider as a loss and I have a lot of cash "invested" in materials etc. Eventually I will make money from it, but at present it's like very slow moving stock. Considering the replacement costs of some the equipment today, I'm glad I bought it when I did and the material "worth" is more than I paid for it. With inflation running so low, I don't consider these things as losses, just a very low return on a longer term investment. As a commercial venture it would probably be viewed as a bit of a failure, though. I recently got a makers subscription so I can sell on here, but haven't yet followed it up by actively marketing. This is partly because I can't decide how seriously I want to do this. I enjoy making knives and have done a few commissions, but to me a full book and a waiting list of orders would remove most of that enjoyment. I like the fact I can wait for inspiration/enthusiasm to take hold and then "go for it". I suspect that the prospect of turning out the same knife, daily, for the next 3 years would not be attractive at all, hence my backlog of sheaths.
I guess what I'm saying is it's best to decide how you want to approach your knifemaking, either as a hobbyist (in which case do just what you want when you want and justify it economically by telling yourself you could have gambled/drunk your money away) or do it as a commercial venture (in which case don't undersell your labour and account for all your costs within the price).

My view on it kinda lands somewhere in between, I wanna continue customizing blades but eventually the cost will add up and so will the blades, I dont wanna end up with a whole vault of blades. Basically what I'm saying is that I customize something, show it off and then sell it (not making money off it just the cost of the original blade and the materials used so I dont go broke). But thanks parbajtor for taking the time to write such a long and detailed response I really appriciate it man.

 

[CamH_16]

Cam, I feel you. If I remember right, you are 16, is that right? Forgive me if I've mis-remembered.....

I don't know how it is in Australia, but here in the US we seem to put a TON of pressure on young adults to choose their careers ahead of time and to be 100% clear on what field they will study, what they will do after high school, what college and what major they will pursue, etc etc., at a very young age. The implication in all this pressure is that you MUST choose NOW how you will make your living. What we often forget is that we have to teach young adults how to make a LIFE.

I'd say to you that if you enjoy making/modding knives, then that activity alone has inherent value for you, whether or not you end up making money from it. That's reason enough to do it. If it works out that you can develop a career in this field, then great. But for now I'd encourage you to follow your bliss and keep hacking the metal, leather, wood, micarta, and wherever else your interest takes you. The rest will take care of itself.

I'm actually 15, I put in 16 because I thought by the time I was a beckerhead I'd be 16 but guess I was wrong and yeah, your pretty much right so thanks for the encouragement J.

 

[CamH_16]

I'd also be interested in the answer to this if it's not what I think it is, but I'm pretty sure that if it's your OWN work, then you have to have a Maker's membership. I'd also like to get into selling a few of my efforts so I can help fund the ongoing obsession. Not sure if my work will even sell though, especially judging by the lack of participation in my contest, which only requires people to post pics of Beckers. Ah well.

However, if you DO have a maker's membership, I'm pretty sure your plan will work.

You might consider also getting used Beckers on the exchange, sprucing them up, and putting them up for sale, once you get your Maker's membership. I think gold is just for casual sales though.

Unfortunatly I think selling them off will have to wait...Kid selling knives? Doesent leave a good impression on the sheep. I might be able to do it privatly though or something untill I'm 18 and then do it publicly but guessing against rules.

 

[crimsonfalcon07]

Not gonna lie, I wish I had discovered knifemaking and modding when I was younger. Now it just seems like so much wasted time! Keep up the good work, and really focus on at least doing what you enjoy.