Selling knives at GunShows?

G

GaryPogueCustomKnife

Joined
Oct 8, 2013
Messages
188
Every few months there is a very large gunshow near my house. I go to it occasionally and buy a gun or a knife. I am just wondering if any makers here go and sell their handmades and actually have luck selling them at gun shows. I just want some input before i spend time making a box full of knives and renting a table for the day :)
 
I used to sell knives at gun shows. A gun show is a good way to show what you have to potential customers. Even if you don't sell anything, you have done a lot of advertising. The first two shows I went to, I didn't sell anything, but I felt like I had a good product, and at the third show I sold two knives. That was a start, and as my skill increased, and as my face and knives became more familiar I sold a lot more.
I have now sold knives for over 30 years and have sold around 1400 knives. I guess I could say I got my start at gun shows.
I found in order to be successful you need to continue to go back to the same show over and over again. Once customers see you as a familiar face they are more likely to buy from you.
Be prepared to overlook a lot of ignorant comments, like " I can buy that same knife for $10.00 at Walmart". Also be prepared to answer the same questions over and over again.
If you want to be successful, keep a polite friendly attitude, and have a lot of patience. I have seen knifemakers sit behind their table and almost snarl at potential customers.
I now sell all the knives I make and don't need to go to shows anymore, but it is a good way to get started.
 
The typical gun show customer wants: knives made from files, railroad spikes, big flat pieces of steel with a 1/4" bevel ground on the edge, and knives made from saw blades- because they already KNOW those are the best knives. As Tom says, if you can keep from strangling people and can be nice while you don't strangle them, gun shows can produce sales and customers.
 
^^lol, I've never sold at a gun show, but attend a few and know exactly what you are talking about!


-X
 
1. Have I ever sold a knife? No
2. Have I ever made one for a friend? Yes
3. Do I appreciate your concern? Yes
Just to put that out there, I'm just asking a question :thumbup:
 
GaryPogueCustomKnife said:
1. Have I ever sold a knife? No
2. Have I ever made one for a friend? Yes
3. Do I appreciate your concern? Yes
Just to put that out there, I'm just asking a question :thumbup:
Click to expand...

You're asking about selling your knives, you list your occupation as "knifemaker," your user name advertizes your name as a custom knife maker. All of which are explicitly spelled out as against the rules, for your current membership level.


Kindly,

-Xander
 
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Guys, Gary is 15 and as a youth he is a little ambitious about his occupation status. He isn't the type of people we are having problems with.
That said, calling himself a custom knifemaker is stepping a bit over the line. Maybe one day he will be a gunsmith and/or a custom knifemaker. He is just learning both skills right now.

To answer his question,
I have done it in the past. I consider it a waste of time. The people I have seen at gun shows are not interested in handmade knives and are generally a bit on the weird side. I had to watch the table like a hawk, too. Theft is a big problem at gun shows from what I have been told.
 
I find this surprising. I've been meaning to attend a gun show for years but just haven't. I expected that it was a great venue for custom knives. That said, a friend of mine showed me a knife he picked up at a recent show and frankly it was garbage. Really cheesy horn handle (very rough f&f), and a polished blade that had terrible bevels. My guess is that it was non-ht'd scrap steel. I guess it makes sense, but I thought it was an anomaly.
 
We sell knives at Gun and Knife shows , sometimes you do really well sometimes not so well. One of our best shows is an Automotive Swap meet it lasts three days but is worth the time. We have alot of people here in the South want Carbon Steel knives. Not those big Bowies but something to skin a Deer or Hog, maybe something like the Schrade Sharpfinger. You have to watch your table pretty good if you dont want to get ripped off I suggest making or buying cases to display them in.
 
If your knives are only worth $20-$30 to you then you can probally sell some. I've been to well over 100 gun shows in the past 15 years and can tell you that 99.9% of gun show patrons are just looking for a deal on basicly junk. They won't pay $200 for a custom knife when the guy down the isle has a batman knife for $10. I don't think I've ever seen someone stop and buy a custom knife. I always feel bad for the custom knife table because it's usually empty and the guy looks lonely. The beanie baby lady and beef jerkly guy usually sell more stuff.

I would at least have some low, mid, and higher priced knives. Use the low price knives to get people to stop at the table then try to convince them why the mid or high price knife is worth buying instead. You have about 5 seconds to grab someones attention while they walk past your table.
 
Interesting responses.

My friend and knife making mentor routinely goes to all the gun shows in his area. He often does $500+ worth of business. However, he doesn't necessarily sell $500 in large customs. Most of his sales are small neckers and the like in the $60-$100 range. He also keeps a collection of opinels and diamond sharpeners which he sells quite a few of. Finally, he gets quite a few contracts for customs at the shows, which often add up to more than he sells at the shows themselves. That being said, he has been making and selling in this area for around 30 years, so his name is fairly well known in the local gun/blade community.
 
Shows are the same here.


fleamarket junk making money selling stuff at $10 or less

or

Old Hickory knives cut down, reworked and in a case beside an antiques pistol to attract the cowboy shooter crowd - with a $200 price tag on a $20 knife


Maybe you will find somebody selling NOS and get a deal on factory produstion


They don't want quality and you don't have time to educate them
They can see finished knives from India for $10 and have no concept that your raw steel was $20 and the nice wood block was $60






There is one guy that will sharpen your pocket knife on his 1x30 or paper wheels - (but I don't give him my knife.)

He uses that to give you time to look over his stuff.
Maybe he makes $ on sharpening


It's all overpriced blocky handle syndrome stuff with lots of heavy brass bolsters.
Everything is buffed to high hell with the scratches peaking through like he jumped straight from 120 grit to a buffer - and leaned into the buffing wheel like an ox against a yoke.


However maybe you could shine in the environment and show them what good stuff is.


Maybe in the fall to Christmas season you could sell good quality plain hunters
 
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bladsmth said:
Guys, Gary is 15 and as a youth he is a little ambitious about his occupation status. He isn't the type of people we are having problems with.
That said, calling himself a custom knifemaker is stepping a bit over the line. Maybe one day he will be a gunsmith and/or a custom knifemaker. He is just learning both skills right now.
......snip
Click to expand...

So, he's old enough to agree to the rules of this site, but too young to worry about having to follow them? Remember, even 15 year olds are still capable knife makers, go ask Kyle Royer MS...

:thumbdown:


-X
 
went to a gun and knife show yesterday. seen a few awesome knifes. one was a 1937 something I cant remember the name. 10k price tag tho. the guy had some awesome looking Damascus knifes as well. I would say from the looks of his collection he didn't sell much but if he did he made good.
 
At the moment I make my own knives, hence the name custom knife. Maybe someday I will sell knives on the forum and buy the membership. As of today I'm busy buying materials to make my knives and Christmas presents. As far as I know people misinterpret my username. I will not take custom orders from other members of the forum yet. Maybe someday but not today
 
You might want to look in to the Wolverine Knife Collectors Show that is held in Novi. I think they also hold a smaller show in Clawson. Might find a more receptive audience.
 
Hi Gary, I would really consider doing it.

Here are just a few benefits (IMHO)

1: you get to practice your craft.... as mentioned earlier, use some inexpensive materials like mentioned earlier (files, RR spikes, saw blades etc etc)

2: you get to try out some different designs.

3: you can get feedback on your product (pretty important)

4: if you can sell them at a price to cover your supplies (and make a little for yourself as well) You are looking good. As mentioned above, the gun show crowd doesn't like to spend a lot of money on custom stuff. Think of selling at a gun show as a bit of an education.

5: you get to talk 1 on 1 to folks who are (or can be) interested in your product...
(dealing with customers lets you know what they are ACTUALLY interested in)

Lots of times we think we know what the customer wants and we can be way off. Selling your product and getting feedback this early in your career will make you a true knife making veteran in a very short time.

Best of luck and please post some pix of your blades at the Show (if you decide to go)

-Martin
 
dcmartin said:
Hi Gary, I would really consider doing it.

Here are just a few benefits (IMHO)

1: you get to practice your craft.... as mentioned earlier, use some inexpensive materials like mentioned earlier (files, RR spikes, saw blades etc etc)

2: you get to try out some different designs.

3: you can get feedback on your product (pretty important)

4: if you can sell them at a price to cover your supplies (and make a little for yourself as well) You are looking good. As mentioned above, the gun show crowd doesn't like to spend a lot of money on custom stuff. Think of selling at a gun show as a bit of an education.

5: you get to talk 1 on 1 to folks who are (or can be) interested in your product...
(dealing with customers lets you know what they are ACTUALLY interested in)

Lots of times we think we know what the customer wants and we can be way off. Selling your product and getting feedback this early in your career will make you a true knife making veteran in a very short time.

Best of luck and please post some pix of your blades at the Show (if you decide to go)

-Martin
Click to expand...

And it's practice standing at a show table and dealing with people, not everyone comes by this naturally.
 
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