setting up home shop for small production run NEED ADVICE

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synthesist said:
This project deserves a blog of its own and frequent updates with lots of pictures along the way.

Writing the book will make you some real money..................

Syn
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That's a good idea. I actually have a videographer doing some graphic work for me now, I might have him begin to film my efforts for an upcoming video blog. I think a book or an eBook would dovetail nicely into this. I remember the days when people would film me for no reason, now I actually have a reason and a story to share.
 
Sounds like your goal is to market to different folks than the rest of us.
Or create a new market.
Most of us are not going to be able to help much on that end.
However there are a lot of accomplished makers here, who's only goal is to create a high quality knife.
There's plenty of help here on that end.
Real help, and realistic.
Realistic advice on what it actually takes to make quality cutlery.

I do suggest you head to a couple of knife shows though if you think the buyers are yacht owners...
There are those, and I am blessed to have a few as customers, but the bulk are just white collar, middle class folks, with an appreciation for functional art.
They don't have thousands upon thousands of dollars of extra cash.
That's why there is a secondary market.
The truly wealthy don't often sell their toys, or tools.

I am a full time maker.
There is nothing I make that anyone needs, nor have you proposed anything new that anyone needs.
Sure, everyone needs a knife, but there are millions of them out there that can be bought for a whole lot less than what we have to charge to feed the family.
I can buy a bucket of folding knives for $30.

http://warehouse.haddrellspoint.com....-buckets-clip-on-folding-knives-132494-1.htm
 
holiday said:
Thats pretty interesting stuff. What type of handle material were you considering?

I guess after looking into some other things I have come to the conclusion that this has to be all about brand-identity and cross marketing.

I have a contact in SE Asia who can do some pretty cheap hand forging. He runs about $4-10 for a full tang hunter forged from a car spring (or other metal per the buyer's specs). My broker said he will do pretty much anything. I have seen him at work and he is def. a skilled bladesmith and a master in the arts of tempering. I was thinking of shipping him some of my old shear steel kitchen knives for dramatic repurposeing.

You see, so many of the American knife guys are on the big fancy show circut, with ridiculos overhead making fairly expensive, yet fairly utilitarian knives for upper middle class users who do not plan to use the knives, but most likely just to collect them. The buying dynamics are totally skewed. Of course the established bladesmith here in the States has to have tens of thousands of dollars to make the shiny gems he or she churns out to the consumer in order to keep his name in the spotlight and cover all his over the top costs. Even R.W. Loveless said that he wouldn't pay what customer's pay for his knives.

Now, I am not trashing the community, but let's face it: American knife collectors don't "need" another knife to toss in their roll or their safe to strap on when they are having cocktails on their yatchs so that they feel like Indiana Jones or Flash Gordon...in fact, we "need" very little here in the States, but want so much. To stay afloat in this trade (if it's your full time livelihood) requires epic dedication and innovation because it truly is sink or swim. How many people do you know who make a living hand-forging custom kitchen faucets with mokume and pearl handles? There is no demand for that...or very little demand for that...NOW. Tomorrow? Well, let's just say I gave a freebie to the community tonight. Half of you will scoff at this, but one enterprising soul will be the next custom plumbing forger offering damascus toilet accessories and drain stoppers. Don't say I never did anything for you, you know?

Anyway, I am not trying to rant and rave pointlessly. It seems that my general idea and passion is getting shot through here with the precise logic of calculated businessmen who are essentially small business owners operating on a tight budget working for a finicky crowd of people who are always looking for the next trend, the new "hot" locking mechanism, or the next big Hollywood movie blade that some Asian factory will churn out for the shopping-mall crowd.

What I am trying to do is attach my cutlery interests to a larger, more epic, all-encompassing artisic movement with echos of the Roycrofters, with a little bit of singer-songwriting, mod clothing lines, eccentric home furnishings, and custom instrument making.

And you might be thinking, "who will bankroll this nut?" - well, let's just say I can show you the money any day of the week. It's all over the place trust me.

I am not directing this only to the poster to whom I am specifically replying but to the community participants in general
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I just read this entire thread because I originally thought it would be interesting........you say you are not trying to rant and rave pointlessly but that is exactly what you have done in the whole four pages of posts!:thumbdn:

I'm sorry, but your logic is back asswards, your goals are unattainable, and you have refused to acknowledge any of the sound advice that has been offered as well as refused to answer any direct questions about yourself. "I'm not going to answer to people I don't know"?.....then what the heck are you doing here and why are you asking for help from the unknown masses on Bladeforums??? Aside from some posts online and a few emails I don't know 95% percent of the people here, but we interact on the subject of knife making just the same.

I come here to learn and share, but I could have been more enriched spending thirty minutes watching the Captain Kangaroo show instead of reading this thread. I think people have been extremely kind to you throughout this thread, but this last post of yours proves, at least to me, that you are just posting to get a reaction, and I guess I'm guilty of giving it to you:rolleyes:
 
jonnymac44 said:
I just read this entire thread because I originally thought it would be interesting........you say you are not trying to rant and rave pointlessly but that is exactly what you have done in the whole four pages of posts!:thumbdn:

I'm sorry, but your logic is back asswards, your goals are unattainable, and you have refused to acknowledge any of the sound advice that has been offered as well as refused to answer any direct questions about yourself. "I'm not going to answer to people I don't know"?.....then what the heck are you doing here and why are you asking for help from the unknown masses on Bladeforums??? Aside from some posts online and a few emails I don't know 95% percent of the people here, but we interact on the subject of knife making just the same.

I come here to learn and share, but I could have been more enriched spending thirty minutes watching the Captain Kangaroo show instead of reading this thread. I think people have been extremely kind to you throughout this thread, but this last post of yours proves, at least to me, that you are just posting to get a reaction, and I guess I'm guilty of giving it to you:rolleyes:
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JM
For the most part, that's what I was thinking


Holiday
It's been coming on 3 days now, if you're to keep on schedule you should have one of your slip-joints done by now?

Let's see it.
 
I let this roll to see where it went, and now that it is there.

Holiday has had his say and been given sage advise in response. He wants to go in a different direction.

The others have expressed their opinions, and the general consensus is pretty much unanimous.

Time to close this thread.
 
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