Relative Value

R

ronl

Joined
Nov 3, 2010
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4
I am trying to get an idea of how to price knives. I am sure there are a million schools of thought on it.

So, rather than talk about something vague, let me toss out an idea.

On page 28 of the Jantz supply catalog, there is a knife blank. It is D2 and has a cost of $29.95...

Now, if I were to do up a brass bolster and some Burl grips and made it look like a masterwork, what would the value be???

Just a range is all I am looking for.

With regards,
Ron
 
ronl said:
I am trying to get an idea of how to price knives. I am sure there are a million schools of thought on it.

So, rather than talk about something vague, let me toss out an idea.

On page 28 of the Jantz supply catalog, there is a knife blank. It is D2 and has a cost of $29.95...

Now, if I were to do up a brass bolster and some Burl grips and made it look like a masterwork, what would the value be???
Just a range is all I am looking for.

With regards,
Ron
Click to expand...


Ron,

First - Welcome to the forums, glad to have you here.

Second - The REAL answer to your question is going to be what ever someone is willing to pay for it?
So it could be $2,000.00? - $5,000.00 0r even maybe $10,000.00 dollars for it?
Or it may only fetch a $100.00 dollars?
My question to you is why start with a blank? if your going to do Master type work? Why not start from the start?

Another thing in knife making - is you will never make good money until you earned it? If that makes sense? And in that I'm saying you have to LEARN the skills to do the Master type work, and that is not usually on your first knife. You gotta pay your dues........... first......... :)


Good luck on what ever you do, Best Regards,

Todd




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Thanks Todd,

I have been a blacksmith for years and an armour maker for many years before that. I am not looking to make a living at making knives, but, like my blacksmith and armour making hobbies, I would like it to be self-funding.

Thanks,
Ron
 
It can be self funding in that you may get enough money to buy more supplies and maybe begin to pay for some tools and equipment. If you do nice work and use good materials people will want a knife. Just be honest about it and let them know you did not make the blade and you can have another enjoyable hobby. blade $30 plus burl wood, brass, supplies and a sheath. I think you can get maybe $100 or so for a nice one.
 
ronl said:
Thanks Todd,

I have been a blacksmith for years and an armour maker for many years before that. I am not looking to make a living at making knives, but, like my blacksmith and armour making hobbies, I would like it to be self-funding.

Thanks,
Ron
Click to expand...

Sounds like you got some skills than that you could do that.
And now days with the forums you have good place to sell them.

You get some made post some photos, would like to see your work.

Hope you stick around and enjoy the forums.

Todd


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I met a man once who was selling pencils on the street.
$40.000,- each
You'll never sell a $40.000, pencil I sayd!
Well, I only have to sell one a year this way, the man replied.

Personaly I think you should just make what you like. That way the piece gets 'soul'.
If you try to make what potential custumers might want to buy often you'll get mediocre work.
Not just with knives, it goes for anything creative.
 
Last edited:
ronl said:
Thanks Todd,

I have been a blacksmith for years and an armour maker for many years before that. I am not looking to make a living at making knives, but, like my blacksmith and armour making hobbies, I would like it to be self-funding.

Thanks,
Ron
Click to expand...

To start off I am a novice in making knives, but I have sold knives and worked custom knife shows. I have also been a custom pen maker. The knife world is not much different then the pen world. Selling a pen that uses kit parts will never sell for as much as one with parts from the maker. I have sold many $75 pens that used some kit parts but if I made all the parts I would be in the $100-$500 range that real collectors are willing to spend on.

If you have experience as a blacksmith and armour then you should have what you need to forge a knife. You will also find that your forged knife will sell easier and for more then a kit knife. Knife buyers seem care more about how the blade was made then how the scales or sheath was done. That said I have made a couple of knives with pre-ground blades and reshaped the tang and made nice knives. Now that I have experienced it I think I am ready to take the next step and grind the blade from a bar.

Good Luck with what ever you decide.
 
You have to be honest to yourself first. Is my quality where it should be? Am I making a product that is competative among my peers with regard to "fit and finish". Authorship has a lot to do with it too. Knife kits won't get as much as a fully handmade knife. If you make a knife using a purchased blank, you are (in reality) only a handle maker. Find other folks who are doing the same and compare yourself with them. Pricing is and will always be tricky.

When I was having trouble with pricing a large piece, a good friend and bladesmith gave me some sound advice...

"If someone turned around and ordered twenty of them, would you still want to do it for that price?"

You can read into that statement quite a bit, I think.
 
What about the idea of multiplying the number of hours put into a blade (whether it's a kit knife or not) by any hourly "wage", which would depend upon your level of experience and skill.

Then there is the capitalistic view that you get whatever the market will allow. If no one is willing to buy at your price, then it's too high.

LonePine
AKA Paul Meske
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by ronl
Thanks Todd,

I have been a blacksmith for years and an armour maker for many years before that. I am not looking to make a living at making knives, but, like my blacksmith and armour making hobbies, I would like it to be self-funding.


Being a blacksmith and making armor should make forging a knife and easy chore. Why buy a blade?
 
lonepine said:
What about the idea of multiplying the number of hours put into a blade (whether it's a kit knife or not) by any hourly "wage", which would depend upon your level of experience and skill.

Then there is the capitalistic view that you get whatever the market will allow. If no one is willing to buy at your price, then it's too high.

LonePine
AKA Paul Meske
Click to expand...

That is a classic way to come up with a price.

The Japanese conquered the world with there products a few decennia back with a different idea:

What are people willing to pay for a product and can we produce it for that price with a decet profit margin?

Just some food for thought
 
Welcome to the forums Ron,

I think the main trouble is that the "value" of the knife to you as the seller is immaterial What matters is what someone will pay for it. And there are a lot of very nice production knives out there in the $100-200 range, some with excellent factory warranties. So, how are you going to market your knife?

If you take a look at the for sale area, you can get an idea of what sells and for how much. It's interesting that some very nice knives, such as from Todd (the T. A. Davidson who gave advice in this thread), will sell in as little as 2 minutes while others may be listed for weeks and never sell. It's notable that Todd has a bit of practice; his knife numbering is currently approaching 700.

If you use the search function, there are some other threads on pricing. The advice I think I will use is "set a price. If it doesn't sell, slowly bring the price down. Use that price, or just a little higher, as an estimate of how to price the next one.
 
tait said:
The advice I think I will use is "set a price. If it doesn't sell, slowly bring the price down. Use that price, or just a little higher, as an estimate of how to price the next one.
Click to expand...

I.e. Whatever the market will bear.

LonePine
AKA Paul Meske
 
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