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So... How long does it take to make a knife ?
- Thread starter KenOnion
- Start date
Rob Simonich
Big Bear
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- Oct 3, 1998
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AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Gee Ken, do you stay up all night to think up these questions?
That is one of the most asked questions I get asked at a show, and the most hated. I just say "depends on the knife" That seems to be about the easies way out for me, with out being rude, and usually the person asking is satisfied or gets the idea. This will be a fun thread...........
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www.simonichknives.com
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www.simonichknives.com
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I have heard a few parked behind a table with friends.
How about this one - a nice knife you have put a few weeks into and have priced fairly gets picked up. Other hand flutters against the chest when the price is read. Then the whistle ... why does it cost so much?
[This message has been edited by Gus Kalanzis (edited 25 October 1999).]
How about this one - a nice knife you have put a few weeks into and have priced fairly gets picked up. Other hand flutters against the chest when the price is read. Then the whistle ... why does it cost so much?
[This message has been edited by Gus Kalanzis (edited 25 October 1999).]
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Ken
When they are holding the knife and they ask that question, I just tell them, to make that particular knife took about 15 years.
I like the "Can I throw this knife?.
The "Why the cost" thing is a good one as well. Best one I heard on that was by Harvey Dean.
It was a yound feller looking at one of Harveys nice D-Guards. The young feller then asked Harvey how much did it cost? harvey said $5,000.00 dollars. The kid jumped back and said "My goodness I could buy a car for that!" Then Harvey said, "Son, that knife is for people who already has a car!"
I also like the things the makers, including myself, does in the shop that makes you turn around quick to see if anybody was there and saw it. Ha! Boy have I got some good ones!
When they are holding the knife and they ask that question, I just tell them, to make that particular knife took about 15 years.
I like the "Can I throw this knife?.
The "Why the cost" thing is a good one as well. Best one I heard on that was by Harvey Dean.
It was a yound feller looking at one of Harveys nice D-Guards. The young feller then asked Harvey how much did it cost? harvey said $5,000.00 dollars. The kid jumped back and said "My goodness I could buy a car for that!" Then Harvey said, "Son, that knife is for people who already has a car!"
I also like the things the makers, including myself, does in the shop that makes you turn around quick to see if anybody was there and saw it. Ha! Boy have I got some good ones!
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I am a new knife maker that has started to learn under Kit Carson. Kit is a great guy offering alot of knowledge and time to help continue the trade of knife makeing for those who want to learn. I have always been the type to work with my hands and take things apart to see how they work. Guess knife makeing is in the blood!
My hat is off to you guys that do this and can support a family under this trade. I do this for enjoyment only and maybe down the road might sell a few knives to help offset my machine and parts costs. I am curious to why you would consider Ken's original question an insult? I am curious by nature and wouldn't hesitate to ask how long it took you to make a paticular knife. I never thought of it as being rude or an insult.....Hope I didn't ask any of you this question. If I did it wasn't meant to be rude.
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CJ
I do not consider it rude nor an insult when people ask "How long did it take". I have just been asked that question a lot. And people are curious about it. After replying to them "about 15 years or so" I then tell them the number of knives/pieces that I average making in a year. That gives them a ball park figure of how long per piece. Personally I really do not keep up with the time of how long it takes. I do not have a clock in the shop. My daugher gave me one for the house last christmas. That is the first clock that I have owned in 10 years. Generally I have found when they ask that they are also curious about other parts of the knife making and it gives a good time to help them learn about other aspects of the craft.
I do not consider it rude nor an insult when people ask "How long did it take". I have just been asked that question a lot. And people are curious about it. After replying to them "about 15 years or so" I then tell them the number of knives/pieces that I average making in a year. That gives them a ball park figure of how long per piece. Personally I really do not keep up with the time of how long it takes. I do not have a clock in the shop. My daugher gave me one for the house last christmas. That is the first clock that I have owned in 10 years. Generally I have found when they ask that they are also curious about other parts of the knife making and it gives a good time to help them learn about other aspects of the craft.
I'm not a maker or attempting to be one yet, only a collector but I get this one all the time: 'Why is this knife so sharp? Isn't it dangerous?' At that point I normally go into the spiel about how a sharp knife is safer except with the ones who have already sliced their finger at which point I say: 'So you can drip blood all over my other knives!. They then realize they have cut themselves as I hand them a band-aid.
Bill
Bill
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Ken,
That is definitely the most asked question.
When I used to mirror polish them, I got asked "is that chrome plated" alot.
Another one often asked - "did you make that damascus". In the past, I would answer - Nope, but I didn't make that 440C either.
That is definitely the most asked question.
When I used to mirror polish them, I got asked "is that chrome plated" alot.
Another one often asked - "did you make that damascus". In the past, I would answer - Nope, but I didn't make that 440C either.
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Kit, I got that one alot. My first show,I was asked how I chrome plated them so nicely.
This is the question I can't stand, and will never know the answer to:
"Well, what would you use that for?", usually asked by a woman who has just picked up and fondled your best bowie with carving out the wazzoo and mop handles. I've been asked that one several times. I usually just sit there and stare. Take care! Michael
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"Always think of your fellow knife makers as partners in the search for the perfect blade, not as people trying to compete with you and your work!"
[This message has been edited by L6STEEL (edited 26 October 1999).]
This is the question I can't stand, and will never know the answer to:
"Well, what would you use that for?", usually asked by a woman who has just picked up and fondled your best bowie with carving out the wazzoo and mop handles. I've been asked that one several times. I usually just sit there and stare. Take care! Michael
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"Always think of your fellow knife makers as partners in the search for the perfect blade, not as people trying to compete with you and your work!"
[This message has been edited by L6STEEL (edited 26 October 1999).]
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I agree with Mr. Fisk on the "how long did it take to make that knife?" answer.
As for the question(s) that make me crazy..
1. "Where do you buy the parts?" (guard/bolster/handle or even the blade)
2.And the best ever, when an elderly gentleman said, after looking at a mosaic damascus blade...."Son where did you find that blade!""Nobody has made those in the over 100 years!"
Guess we still have a lot of educating to accomplish.
http://www.mtn-webtech.com/~caffrey
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Ed Caffrey
"The Montana Bladesmith"
As for the question(s) that make me crazy..
1. "Where do you buy the parts?" (guard/bolster/handle or even the blade)
2.And the best ever, when an elderly gentleman said, after looking at a mosaic damascus blade...."Son where did you find that blade!""Nobody has made those in the over 100 years!"
Guess we still have a lot of educating to accomplish.
http://www.mtn-webtech.com/~caffrey
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Ed Caffrey
"The Montana Bladesmith"
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I suppose that not being anywhere near an established, recognized, or full-time maker and having never done a show and being still in the R&D stage in setting up my shop and working out the models and details of production, and leaning more towards hand-made than custom-made anyway- that I really am an outsider here-but I would offer;
5,000 bucks is steep for any using knife, I would argue just plain steep for a knife, so you're pretty much paying for the privelege of owning a knife that was made by a particular person. I have never understood the idea of collecting stuff for the sake of collection, so it sounds like a bad deal to me. Maybe some dig it.
As for me, the most I'll pay is $200-300, likely I'll never pay $300 again, and I would price my wares accordingly.
As far as how long it takes to make a knife, well I can whip up a traditional navaja in about a day and a half, a day if I really work at it. Of course, that doesn't include the time spent in heat treating since I have to contract out `cause I don't have a furnace.
I supose guys doing art pieces or fancy finishes spend a lot more time at it. I could easily design a navaja that took a week to make, but it'd mostly be for aesthetic reasons.
This particular pattern is well adapted to being made quickly in quantity with minimal tools. I also make no attempt to make every one to the exact same specifications. If it fits and works well, and isn't distorted or deformed in any way, it passes. Modern machinery can produce pieces that are a more exact match for eachother than anything you could ever do by hand on a $60 bench grinder, so why try and make something like a machine would when you can make something like a person would so much faster and cheaper?
If I were to guess at what would be the most annoying question I could ever be asked if/when I ever decide to do a show, it would be;
"Does that come in a chisel ground or tanto-pointed model?"
In fact, that would almost be enough to motivate me to take time out to give the inquirer an object lesson as to why a navaja is built the way it is.
5,000 bucks is steep for any using knife, I would argue just plain steep for a knife, so you're pretty much paying for the privelege of owning a knife that was made by a particular person. I have never understood the idea of collecting stuff for the sake of collection, so it sounds like a bad deal to me. Maybe some dig it.
As for me, the most I'll pay is $200-300, likely I'll never pay $300 again, and I would price my wares accordingly.
As far as how long it takes to make a knife, well I can whip up a traditional navaja in about a day and a half, a day if I really work at it. Of course, that doesn't include the time spent in heat treating since I have to contract out `cause I don't have a furnace.
I supose guys doing art pieces or fancy finishes spend a lot more time at it. I could easily design a navaja that took a week to make, but it'd mostly be for aesthetic reasons.
This particular pattern is well adapted to being made quickly in quantity with minimal tools. I also make no attempt to make every one to the exact same specifications. If it fits and works well, and isn't distorted or deformed in any way, it passes. Modern machinery can produce pieces that are a more exact match for eachother than anything you could ever do by hand on a $60 bench grinder, so why try and make something like a machine would when you can make something like a person would so much faster and cheaper?
If I were to guess at what would be the most annoying question I could ever be asked if/when I ever decide to do a show, it would be;
"Does that come in a chisel ground or tanto-pointed model?"
In fact, that would almost be enough to motivate me to take time out to give the inquirer an object lesson as to why a navaja is built the way it is.
YOU MAKE THE BLADE TOO!!!!!????? or how about the guy who puts it back as fast as he can when you tell him the price....once i was at a show next to ray beers when a grown man asked ray how much a knife was and after he answered 395 the guy tried to give him a five dollar bill!!!!!
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http://www.mayoknives.com
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http://www.mayoknives.com
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I've had many a laugh about that "chrome plating" question L6STEEL.
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I do two shows a year at a large exhibition center locally that has the ceiling painted black. The knives pick up the black reflection and at least ten times per show I have to convince customers that there is no special coating on the blade which makes it look like "black chrome". Some of them never quite believe my explanation.
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george
www.tichbourneknives.com
sales@tichbourneknives.com
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george
www.tichbourneknives.com
sales@tichbourneknives.com
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I get essentially the same question as Tom. Why people at at knife show expect that the makers are buying blades is beyond me.
The most amazing one to me was the guy asking (seriously) if a pearl handled ATS34 neck knife would be good for throwing.
I always get older guys with german accents asking me how the steels I use compare with "Solingen steel" and giving the very real impression that 440C and ATS34 sure weren't going to measure up. I always just say something non-commital, nothing is going to pry that White Hunter out of their hand.
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Matt Harildstad
Knifemaker
www.planet.eon.net/~matth
matth@planet.eon.net
The most amazing one to me was the guy asking (seriously) if a pearl handled ATS34 neck knife would be good for throwing.
I always get older guys with german accents asking me how the steels I use compare with "Solingen steel" and giving the very real impression that 440C and ATS34 sure weren't going to measure up. I always just say something non-commital, nothing is going to pry that White Hunter out of their hand.
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Matt Harildstad
Knifemaker
www.planet.eon.net/~matth
matth@planet.eon.net
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I'm new to collecting, and I am just getting into the Custom category. I'm going to the NY Custom Knife Show. I really admire the talent and artistic ability that goes into what you do. I'm a native New Yorker, and would like to help disspell our reputation for having bad manners.
What questions may I ask of a maker whose work I admire, without annoying them? You know that sometimes it may just be an attempt to start a conversation. I'm here to learn from all of you. I go to shows to meet and see first hand what I've only been able to see in two dimension. Most of the time I'm pretty much in awe of the work. I would never pick up a Knife without permission, so I wouldn't want to upset you by asking something stupid.
Sometimes I guess it's better to say nothing and be thought of as a fool, than to open your mouth, and remove all doubt.
What questions may I ask of a maker whose work I admire, without annoying them? You know that sometimes it may just be an attempt to start a conversation. I'm here to learn from all of you. I go to shows to meet and see first hand what I've only been able to see in two dimension. Most of the time I'm pretty much in awe of the work. I would never pick up a Knife without permission, so I wouldn't want to upset you by asking something stupid.
Sometimes I guess it's better to say nothing and be thought of as a fool, than to open your mouth, and remove all doubt.
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Phil,
Don't take us too seriously in this thread.
I am a collector too and I am just getting chuckles from this. I am sure you will find that the vast majority of the people that you will meet will be open and helpful.
There is a lot of good advice in the how to handle a knife thread and even in the "haggle" thread on show etiqute (if you will). Wish I could think of some of the dumb stuff I asked when I got started - that would be good for a few more laughs. Reading an occasional knife publication or a book on handmade knives or makers will also help as will hanging around here and reading our more civil discussions
.
Don't take us too seriously in this thread.
I am a collector too and I am just getting chuckles from this. I am sure you will find that the vast majority of the people that you will meet will be open and helpful.
There is a lot of good advice in the how to handle a knife thread and even in the "haggle" thread on show etiqute (if you will). Wish I could think of some of the dumb stuff I asked when I got started - that would be good for a few more laughs. Reading an occasional knife publication or a book on handmade knives or makers will also help as will hanging around here and reading our more civil discussions