sheaths for four HB hunters, completed, finally!

Fred.Rowe

Fred.Rowe

Joined
May 2, 2004
Messages
6,848
It seems like it takes forever to make a nice sheath. You can make a crappy one in an hour. but putting all the finishing touches on one takes time.
Leather work is not something I would choose to do as a hobby. It is a necessity that comes from being a knife maker. If sole authorship wasn't important to me, I would have Sandy make all my sheaths; he makes them best!

When I first started making knives, I asked a maker at a knife show; "how long does it take you to make a knife?" he pointed to a hunter lying on the table and replied; "I can make that knife in 4 and a 1/4 hours. I noticed the price on the knife was 175.00 dollars. A little quick math and I came to the conclusion that, knife making was a good business to get into. he he he:D

:eek::D:D:cool:he he he he!! It's funny now, thinking about it. Its not that I was gullible, or overly optimistic, I just did not understand what it took, or how much time you had to invest to make a quality knife and sheath.
Recalling, the conversation, I'm wondering; if it took him 4 1/4 hours to make the knife and sheath, or just the knife.
I just spent 4 and 1/4 hours making, each one of these sheaths.

Hope you like them, Fred

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Nice looking sheaths. Is that a custom stamp you use that have the tree in the circle?

Funny thing is that I started out making leather goods, holsters, sheaths, and cowboy gear, then got into making knives. Now the only leather work I do is for sheaths. Just enjoy working with the steal more I guess.

Charlie
 
Looking good there Fred.

I recently did a little math, and the time and materials involved in making a sole authorship knife and sheath, based on the selling price, netted me a total of $.12 cents per hour.

Man, I'm gaining on it. I hope that by this time next year, I will be up to around $.15 cents per hour. I may have to raise my prices in order to get there, but it is something to shoot for.:eek:

Robert
 
CShepherd said:
Nice looking sheaths. Is that a custom stamp you use that have the tree in the circle?

Funny thing is that I started out making leather goods, holsters, sheaths, and cowboy gear, then got into making knives. Now the only leather work I do is for sheaths. Just enjoy working with the steal more I guess.

Charlie
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Charlie,

The stamp is of a pine tree and rising sun. The pine tree represents long life and the ability to bend without breaking. The sun is indicative of the ,possibility, for rebirth each day. It is something I wish for all those who carry one of my knives. I stamp it somewhere on all my knife sheaths.
The logo is not original to me. It is an old and excepted symbol in the east.

Steel is more fun to me also, Fred
 
Good looking sheaths and good looking knifes. I talked to you for some time at the show last weekend and appreciated all the advice. I was wondering if you would be willing to let me come down sometime and check out your shop and maybe pick your brain some more?
 
Burton said:
Good looking sheaths and good looking knifes. I talked to you for some time at the show last weekend and appreciated all the advice. I was wondering if you would be willing to let me come down sometime and check out your shop and maybe pick your brain some more?
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Give me a little lead time on the visit and I would be happy to have you stop by the forge.
Fred
 
Robert Dark said:
Looking good there Fred.

I recently did a little math, and the time and materials involved in making a sole authorship knife and sheath, based on the selling price, netted me a total of $.12 cents per hour.

Man, I'm gaining on it. I hope that by this time next year, I will be up to around $.15 cents per hour. I may have to raise my prices in order to get there, but it is something to shoot for.:eek:

Robert
Click to expand...

Are you making that much? I'm envious. :D Fred
 
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