Suggestions Please

Michael J. Spangler

Michael J. Spangler

Joined
Oct 8, 2003
Messages
2,181
this is kind of OT but ok so my boss is having me grind some chef knives for him, he wanted a certain bone for handle material. the problem is this bone is really nasty, i told him once me and IG cut it up we figured out its not really worth using. so right away being the boss he asumes i did something wrong, and starts saying how he woud have cut it up to better make use of more of it. i told him "you're just a cook, you don't know anything about cutting up handle material" then i explain and he thinks he can still do it and i'm quitting. i told him it can be done but it'll look something like the southside of a northbound llama, so he insists on filling it with fiberglass and saying it can be done. here comes the problem. though i know it can be used....

i refuse to use it as handle material due to the fact that it's so porous that it will literally look like a fiberglass handle with about 10% of it being little flecks of bone, i know some of you know what nasty bone and stag looks like when its all porous and inconsistent, without even enough good stuff on the outside to hide whats inside, and that is not the type of stuff you put on a custom knife. but he can't understand that. how can i explain it to him without being a jerk?

thanks a lot guys
 
no he said "it can be done you're just giving up" and i said "yes i know it can be done but it's going to look like $h!T, and thats not the type of stuff you put on a custom knife" then he acted like i had never said that and kept going on with his point of "it can be done!" i even tried a food analogy, you don't use old soft tomatoes on a beautiful $9 salad, na you throw them in soup or if they're really bad in the trash, like that damn bone
 
if he is set on using it he wont understand untill he USES it. Can you shape it before you glue it up to show him?
 
Find some other bone that looks similar but is better quality, he'll think your a magician :)
 
I'd say give it back to him and let him try what he wants, when he fails he'll finally make another choice of material.
Steve
 
yeah i was thinking of getting some other bone but the problem is this bone is from him.
brian i'm going to shape it up and show him how there isn't enough consistency on the outside to keep it from looking bad
i'll show him then he can pick another handle material i can, but that junk isn't going on my knives.
he's only paying for the materials too, and not for my work, so he really has no say in what the handle is going to be, and if all else fails i'll keep the damn knives give him his cash back and i'll sell them for what they're worth

he doesn't realize than a nice 12" overall 1/8" thick full flat ground ATS-34 chefs knife with a nice handle can go for a lot more money thank he thinks, so if there is enough fuss about the handle i can just tell him where to go, and actualy make some money off these things
 
Let him know you cant show that and take credit for using that material so why bother with it at all. You need to make things that you will be happy with. Now if he was paying you to make what he wanted thats a different story.
 
GrassHoppa, I have some really nice rosewood enough for all of them. You should do one up with it and show him.
 
Tell him it's a health issue since the porus material will hold germs and can't be properly cleaned. If this is for a restuarant, I'd be real concerned. I know it won't pass inspection - even if it is 'sealed'. I have to deal with those people 3 to 6 times a month. There is a reason commercial knives have the handles they do. If its not for commercial use, good luck...
 
ask for 50% upfront.

if that doesn't shut him up....take the money and make one just like he wants it.


At this point...it's time to start counting your losses, rather than banking on profits....



An old boss/mentor used to say "If I'm going to lose money, I'm going to do it at the beach".

Point?

You're going to end up getting the shaft on this one...I've had these types before...my "bones" are achin' just thinking about it...so, minimize your losses (before you're in too deep) and have a little fun with it.

It can always count as "tuition" in the school of hard knocks...:D
 
Mike
doing it for your Boss is a bad Idea anyway..he may feel you owe him
for some numb reason. :rolleyes:

and you're doing it ( if I'm not mistaking) to show him what you can do right?.).
grind his bone and show him the problem and as said
tell him the problems of germs.. do a knife to show him what it should be like and even let him use it for a time then ask him if he wants more? if not take yours back a sell it if he doesn't want to pay for it. his way he can see for himself.. he is the boss and you can't argue the point with him you need to show him. but make some money on the deal :(
OR
if he wants to use his bone put it on one blade so he can see doing it his way but tell him you'll need more money for doing his way and you won't put your name on it. and no warrentys on the handles.. :D
 
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