Need Manufacturer recommendations.

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These will be sold/given away more like puppies and thankfully, my eggs are spread between lots of baskets. ;)
 
neomadic said:
If I can make $10 on each one, I'd be happy. Production cost at low volumes should be in the $30-40 range and from market research, they should sell all day for $150. This leaves a lot of room for others to make money. Ideally, a bigger manufacturer will license the product and run with it, or I can form a partnership with someone that has the production facilities. I have a lot of inventions and would rather get them out there and make a little off each one, enabling others to make more profit off of the ideas, than attempt to maximize the profit on each project and sitting on them.

My design is simple but revolutionary. There is nothing like it on the market. I tested it in the field and it made all of my other knives and hatchets obsolete. I'd love to build them by hand but am no longer capable of doing so due to health reasons. As far as marketing goes, I've demonstrated prototypes to some big names in the survival/bushcraft world and they absolutely love them. The hatchet will show up on a few tv shows as soon as I let them know that we're ready for production.
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In all seriousness, if you can outsource a finished, quality hatchet for $40, I'd love the name of the manufacturer. Even for something like 440C, you'll be spending nearly that on raw stock per piece alone if it's a full tang hatchet of average size. A decent waterjet will likely run you at least $100/hr, on up to even $200/hr or more, but as a machinist I'm sure you know that. That still doesn't account for heat treat, beveling, clean up and finish, handle material (and fit up and finishing), sharpening, a sheath, packaging, shipping and handling, etc..

Not trying to sound like a jerk, but this exact type of thread shows up about once every 3 to 6 months, in one form or another, with the same keywords: revolutionary, innovative, nothing like it on the market, simple design, etc...

If it's a truly unique and innovative design, my advice would be to at least get some quality 3d CAD drawings put together, and submit them to CRKT, TOPS, or whatever other manufacturer you happen to have some respect for, and see what sticks. If you can put a quality prototype into their hands, even better.
 
I've put a little bit of research into this and if I can get to the 1000 unit order level, what manufacturers consider the lower threshold for low volume production, I'm pretty sure $30-40 each is a possibility based on the break on steel at that volume alone. It's a pretty minimalist design. Prototyping at less than 100 units is going to run at least $60/unit.

I want to post the design up here so you guys don't waste time that you could be making beautiful knives with by posting here trying to talk me out of doing something that I've been working on for years. This is a shape cut out of a flat piece of steel with some edges ground on it and a paracord handle wrap. The secret sauce is in the shape, and it isn't even super secret anymore at this point. Cut them out, bevel the edges, polish, sharpen, wrap the blades, then hand them to folks in exchange for ducats, or sometimes even smiles, is my plan. When I can prove the utility and demand, I might take it to one of the big guys.
 
Wish you luck. Interested to see it. If and when you are able to get them going
 
neomadic said:
I want to post the design up here so you guys don't waste time that you could be
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neomadic said:
I've put a little bit of research into this and if I can get to the 1000 unit order level, what manufacturers consider the lower threshold for low volume production, I'm pretty sure $30-40 each is a possibility based on the break on steel at that volume alone. It's a pretty minimalist design. Prototyping at less than 100 units is going to run at least $60/unit.

I want to post the design up here so you guys don't waste time that you could be making beautiful knives with by posting here trying to talk me out of doing something that I've been working on for years. This is a shape cut out of a flat piece of steel with some edges ground on it and a paracord handle wrap. The secret sauce is in the shape, and it isn't even super secret anymore at this point. Cut them out, bevel the edges, polish, sharpen, wrap the blades, then hand them to folks in exchange for ducats, or sometimes even smiles, is my plan. When I can prove the utility and demand, I might take it to one of the big guys.
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You certainly have my curiosity. I don't think anyone is trying to talk you out of anything, but just trying to temper expectations a bit.
A lot of us have been in similar boats trying to take ideas to manufacturers/market. If it were simply a matter of submitting drawings to an OEM, we'd all be doing it. Like I said, this kind of thread comes up a lot.
 
I understand. I'm pretty atypical though. I build crazy stuff, and it usually takes a while, but it always works. I'm happy with much less than others need and am more of a hobbyist than anything too. I also have nothing to lose so am more comfortable taking risks. As long as I at least almost break even with this particular project, I'll be happy. It's kind of a promotional thing for a bigger cause too.
 
before I was a full-time maker which is only recently, I ran aerospace CNC machine shops and manufacturing production operations.
In short you are asking for too much up front for any shop to do.
There is significant investment up front for any shop to do what you are asking and they will likely lose money on your work for the initial runs. They will also likely want some deposit up front even if you have credit references.

You are not offering enough up front for any shop to do what you are asking.
You have no history, no name, and you represent too much risk for them.
you should ask yourself why they just want you to go away.

With that said, try Kevin at @ocmachining in Riverside CA, and search CL for services under Los Angeles for other shops looking for work. Also be advised there is a real labor shortage for skilled labor right now for machine shops.

If you came to any CNC machine shop that I've worked at, we would listen and also refuse your work as "no bid"
too much risk, too much work in learning new capabilities that aren't transferrable and not enough upside.

I'm not being a naysayer or skeptic, I'm just trying to help you understand why you are having difficulty finding the right shop.

regards
 
I think this thread has gone too far into the selling category. That is probably why it was flagging as spam. Registered users are not allowed to discuss selling in any way at all. That is a privilege of a Knifemaker membership.

I think we have given neomadic enough to think about and hopefully he will think it over. If he wants to drop between $6,000 to $40,000 on a prototype . and give them away, that will be an interesting thing.

I will borrow a line from another member here:
"Learning by experience is expensive … you are about to get really smart."

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