Secret of Your Success

Peter Atwood

Peter Atwood

Joined
Oct 26, 2000
Messages
2,468
What is the secret of your success as a knifemaker? Besides making terric knives and going the extra mile for customers which is what everyone always says. :rolleyes: Seriously, was it learning skills at your job, following trends in the industry, following your creative urges or maybe you knew the right folks to get some deals going. ;) Let's hear the tales of woe and triumph! :)
 
None of the above Peter....My knives are ugly and my disposition stinks. It's that I'm so damn good looking!:D
 
I'm in trouble - my dog won't even kiss me! But that's another post. :eek:

Success? I'd feel pretty obnoxious to claim any. But I can tell you what propels me as a maker: The Admirin' Stage.

That's when an object starts looking like itself, when it's all coming together. There are Admirin' Stages throughout most projects - when you shave that last 32nd of an inch off the profile and it all drops into place; when you put the final finish on the blade; when the guard fits cleanly; when you finally slip a sharpened knife into its sheath and buff it off... Every one of those feels like a success.

I'd consider myself successful, though, if one of my knives got on the cover of Blade or KI! :D Any day now... :D

Dave
 
well sucsess is a on going project, like life. i market my knives and lean some designs to the west side yuppie crowd that like nice things and have some to alot of money. thats what got me into the culinary stuff because these people buy land rovers and other 4x4's with brush guards so they can drive up and down wilshire bl and the freeway:D travel will eat up a lot of money so i do as much as i can close to home. following those creative urges is a big one too peter. also lisening to those urges. tune out the nay sayers and some times even other makers. because we can get jaded about what works and what doesnt. also dont tell about some of your ideas till you feel its right. i did a big @$#^& up on a s30v smiatar yesterday that gave me a wild idea for the next one. i judge my self a sucess i make about $15 to $20 a hour and get to hear about all the traffic jams on the radio while i am in my shop :)
 
My Pop used to tell me, "Find something you love doing and figure out a way to get paid for it". What Darrel said pretty much covers it.
 
Kit, there's a couple of other ones that go with that though. One is that you have to be careful what you get good at because you'll spend the rest of your life doing it. The other is that if you take something you love doing and then make a career out of it, you may end up hating that which you love. :) Be well!
 
Success as a knifemaker?:confused:
It could be
Happy with what you do now and settle for it
or happy with the last Knife you made.
ME!! I'm not done yet so success as a knifemaker for me
will be when I hang it up and look back.
I won't know till then, if I was successful or not..
:confused:
 
I feel that the first question is to have fun in what
I am doing, if I am not having fun then I am in
trouble and mistakes happen. I am doing what I was
taught as a child, from a earley age I played in my
Dads shop, probley from 9 or 10 years old i guess you
can say I am in my second child hood.
The one problem is sales it is a tough go to sell at
a decent price, but I am as bussey as I want to be
so I shoulden't complain. Gib
 
I know Im not at the success stage yet but my idea of success is pretty high. Bob Loveless, Bill Moran, Jerry Fisk, Wayne Goddard, Ed Fowler, Ed Caffrey, Shane Taylor, ect. ect. you know what I mean?

I do like to make the designs that fuel my imagination and are challenging enough to keep my interest through the whole project. I have developed patience that I didnt have a couple yesrs ago. Some projects last for 3 months. I think it is important to concentrate and not rush any step in the making.

Making each knife better than the one before is a huge thing to ask of ourselves but it is neccesary if we are to reach our personal goals in this. I f we are goint to continue making knives we should join clubs and organizations to promote the art and ourselves affiliated with the art. Go to shows and take part in them, rent a table even if you only have one knife to sell. We cant be known unless we go.

Make your own style and make it well. Dont sell it unless you are satisfied with it. I enjoy the old books. The old makers had class!

Sorry for sounding like an old fart but I am 51 now ya know?
 
I wouldn't say I was successful yet either...I just make what like or what someone orders and do it the best I can and try and make the next one better than the last one.
I will never know in this life time if I am a success as I feel that will show in a couple of generations from now,like if people still like my work.
Bruce
 
I grade myself as successful in life, I am doing what I love and have a passion for. As a knifemaker, the jury is still out. But no matter, the journey is what will be remembered, not the destination.
Ken (wwjd)
 
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