Opinion Needed on Whether to Get a Knife Maker/Seller Membership

I haven't sold anything on the exchange yet, but I think the membership is well worth the price. Everything I have made has sold locally before I could list it. Do you have feedback on your knives from users other than family? If people say your knives are equal to or better than their store bought knives, then you are good to go. I put 10 skinners in the hands of local hunters for feedback. They raved about their knives, and all have bought more from me. Same with the kitchen knives.
 
Yeah all the guys who own a few hunting knives or whatever are very impressed with my work. However I have not had any "hands on" feedback from the crazy knife addicts who buy knives on the forums.
 
A couple of points to the OP:

Your knives look very good and so this does not pertain directly to you but remember you only get one chance to make a first impression. Sell or give away knives to your friends and family until you are happy with your work.

Do not UNDERVALUE your work! One of my pet pieves. I don't want to get started on a rant but undercutting a knife for sale by a full time maker (who more than likely contributed posts that help us all get better) just to make back the price of materials is a disservice to the industry. (I am not a full time make nor have I ever sold one of mine (yet)).

By all means sell. I think many many people would love to have your knives so price them obviously lower than a well seasoned maker but more than just enough to cover your costs. It's not an easy balancing act for anyone and the simplest way is to get yourself an education with what is selling for what. Then look yours over and find a price you would be willing to pay if you were in the market to buy your own knife.
 
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Varga Knives said:
A couple of points to the OP:

Your knives look very good and so this does not pertain directly to you but remember you only get one chance to make a first impression. Sell or give away knives to your friends and family until you are happy with your work.

Do not UNDERVALUE your work! One of my pet pieves. I don't want to get started on a rant but undercutting a knife for sale by a full time maker (who more than likely contributed posts that help us all get better) just to make back the price of materials is a disservice to the industry. (I am not a full time make nor have I ever sold one of mine (yet)).

By all means sell. I think many many people would love to have your knives so price them obviously lower than a well seasoned maker but more than just enough to cover your costs. It's not an easy balancing act for anyone and the simplest way is to get yourself an education with what is selling for what. Then look yours over and find a price you would be willing to pay if you were in the market to buy your own knife.
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Good points, realistically unless you're cranking them out in less than 4 hours they're going to be at least $100 if your F&F is good.
 
Thanks for the vote of confidence regarding my work. I agree with what was said about only getting one chance to make a first impression. I end up learning a lot with each new knife I make. I may want to wait until I get a better grinder and can perfect my grinds. My half broken 1x42 with terrible tracking makes everything a lot harder than it needs to be. Belts just won't align where I need them to on thr right edge of the platen. Hence the sloppier grind near the ricasso on the presentation sides of the knife.
 
dzlvs8 said:
Thanks for the vote of confidence regarding my work. I agree with what was said about only getting one chance to make a first impression. I end up learning a lot with each new knife I make. I may want to wait until I get a better grinder and can perfect my grinds. My half broken 1x42 with terrible tracking makes everything a lot harder than it needs to be. Belts just won't align where I need them to on thr right edge of the platen. Hence the sloppier grind near the ricasso on the presentation sides of the knife.
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Take a look at Nick Wheeler's sanding videos. He shows a sanding block that cleans up the plunges quite nicely. On my craftsman, I left the plunges a bit proud, and cleaned them up by hand.
 
Willie71 said:
Take a look at Nick Wheeler's sanding videos. He shows a sanding block that cleans up the plunges quite nicely. On my craftsman, I left the plunges a bit proud, and cleaned them up by hand.
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Cool Thanks. I will definitely check the videos out.
 
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