Strange request.

jdm61

jdm61

itinerant metal pounder
Joined
Aug 12, 2005
Messages
47,357
I had a pic of two of my knives published in KW this month and as a result of this, I received a strange request of the type that I had only heard about whispered of in hushed tones. In my mailbox was a small envelope with a handwritten address. Inside of the envelope was a 3 x 5 card with a request that I send my most recent catalogue to the listed P.O Box. I had heard of these strange, eccentric mountain folk who have no phone or computer, but I had never met one. ;) I guess the stories about the forums and web being a small part of the custom knife market are true. The problem is that, as I am a child of the computer age, albeit an incompetent one, I have no catalogue, current or otherwise!:eek::D
 
Welcome to the club Joe! I DEFINITELY remember my first one. It's a neat/crazy thing.

It often seems like folks that like to avoid the human interaction of a phone call, but don't have the internet.
 
Same guy sends same request each year, VT address?

A collector of knife catalogues!

John
 
It used to be a membership requirement of the Knifemakers Guild to have a brochure. Nowadays, the requirement has been changed to "promotional materials" to reflect the computer age, I assume.
I've got 200-300 brochures I collected in the 70's and 80's. Some of them are very cool, and a piece of a permanent history websites will never provide.
Your request may well be from an older collector who was used to the old print advertisements in the rags that frequently said..."Brochure, $1" or "Brochure, SASE".
 
Hey I got that too! A few months ago requesting my latest catalog from a PO box and I think it was VT but I'm not sure. I don't have a catalog and he didn't leave a phone number so I couldn't help him.
 
strahd71 said:
i wonder if a couple page color brochure (sp) would be wise?
jake
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In a word, YES.

I don't know anything about this mysterious person from Vermont.

But I do know that you all are perfectly capable of posting pics and descriptions of your work here... so there's certainly no reason you can't go to the local Kinko's (or whatever) and have them help you throw together a one-page pamphlet of your basic models and options. Many of you can lay it out at home and just bring them a disc.

I suggest a very short run (<100) of laser-color-copies. Have them trifold it for you. The cost will be comparable to a basic order of business cards. You do have business cards, right?
 
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Ha! Nick and I were just talking about this type of thing the other day. The first time I had my knives in a magazine it was like I got sent back in time. For the first time I can remember I got mail from people I didn't owe money to. I didn't know people still used the postal service to send things besides packages and utility bills.

It's easy to forget that there is a whole world out there that isn't online.
 
I cant remember ever getting a brochure request by mail. I did however hand out some at gun shows and people did pick them up. I saw a nice brochure on a makers table at the Montana Knife Show last year and was amazed to see one again. It could be a good idea to offer them again along with the business cards.

I still have the one an only brochure from Daniel Winkler back in the 80's. I sent him a letter and requested one. It took several weeks to arrive but it was worth the wait. Business cards get tossed but the brochure is saved I think.
 
Joe thats a big compliment , i wish some day my knives will be good enough to make any magazine . playboy for sure i can picture it now 2 girls fighting with big bowies cutting off each others clothes yup i can see it now.
 
fitzo said:
It used to be a membership requirement of the Knifemakers Guild to have a brochure.
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Mike - this is the first I've heard of the rule change, I had to go read it for my self. I think a catalog is a nice touch, if I ever feel that I'm "good enough" I'll put one together, even if it's only for that one slip of paper in the mail.
 
hellgap said:
Joe thats a big compliment , i wish some day my knives will be good enough to make any magazine . playboy for sure i can picture it now 2 girls fighting with big bowies cutting off each others clothes yup i can see it now.
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About 5 years ago they has a spread (ha ha, spread) on a golf course. Well, I used to design stuff for golf cars, and they had a Club Car with stuff on it I had designed, right there next to the boobies. I cut that out and saved it.
 
I think everyone who gets in a knife magazine gets a card from that person. I have never heard of anyone who sold him/her a knife. The cards are all identical.
Stacy
 
jdm61 said:
The problem is that, as I am a child of the computer age, albeit an incompetent one, I have no catalogue, current or otherwise!:eek::D
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a 8.5x11 two sided or a 11x17 4 page folding brochure and run it digitally to keep the costs down... low quantity you could even hand fold them if ya had too (sucks though), no bleeds so you dont have to trim...
sorry i went and talked shop
BTW you make some beautiful blades:)
ivan
 
Bruce Bump said:
I cant remember ever getting a brochure request by mail. I did however hand out some at gun shows and people did pick them up. I saw a nice brochure on a makers table at the Montana Knife Show last year and was amazed to see one again. It could be a good idea to offer them again along with the business cards.

I still have the one an only brochure from Daniel Winkler back in the 80's. I sent him a letter and requested one. It took several weeks to arrive but it was worth the wait. Business cards get tossed but the brochure is saved I think.
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Hmmmmmmmmmmm...maybe you're the guy that mailed the request to Joe! You're just using a VT return address to throw everyone off. You did it once with Mr. Winkler, so who's to say that you're not still doing it? :D
 
scottickes said:
Hmmmmmmmmmmm...maybe you're the guy that mailed the request to Joe! You're just using a VT return address to throw everyone off. You did it once with Mr. Winkler, so who's to say that you're not still doing it? :D
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Could be me or Fitzo. He admits to doing it 200-300 times in the past. :eek:
 
IVANKERLEY said:
...sorry i went and talked shop...
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I take it you work in the printing industry in some capacity. I slung ink for ten years... I still notice little things being out of register or go "hmmm the magenta is a little dull, I'd check the pH..." It drives me batty sometimes :o
 
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