Taking Custom Orders vs Making What You Want

Cliff Carter Knives

Cliff Carter Knives

Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
May 30, 2011
Messages
720
PEU’s thread got me thinking. I’ve only been making knives for about 10 months now, but I can count on one hand how many I got to make just because I wanted to.

The dozens of other knives have all been custom orders (whether my design or theirs) which is great, but as a part time hobbyist, I can’t help but feel that this is turning into a second job.

I’m curious for both the hobbyists and the full timers: how do you balance customs vs making what you want and putting it up for sale (or just taking orders in general vs not)? I know the economics of being full time vs hobbyist sometimes dictate what you take on, but how do you find balance?

What got me into this hobby is taking my ideas and working with my hands to create my own visions. I feel like that’s gotten away from me lately, but I’m still new so figured I’d solicit ideas on how to balance a book. I also want to add that I feel incredibly grateful that people want to use their hard earned money to buy my knives. I in no way take that for granted!

Any thoughts would be awesome, thanks!
 
If you want to do more of what you want, you can always refuse orders. IMO, only you can answer the question on what's the right balance because you're the only one who know how much money you want/need to make doing this.
 
Both great pieces of advice, thank you!

I guess nothing is final, so even if I wanted to stop taking orders and just produce what I want, I can always change it up at a later date.

Just trying to avoid burning out too soon. I’m completely obsessed with making knives, and id like it to stay that way for a long while!
 
I don't take orders, but I take suggestions. A customer can suggest a model and handle material they may want. I contact them when I have something available that fits their bill. They are never obligated to take it. I don't take suggestions for knives I couldn't sell to someone else. I usually double the lead time, so the knife is ready before they expect it.
 
I’m also a hobbyist of 2 or 3 years now and had the same thought of it was seeming more like work if all I did was custom orders so now I try to stay away from them and get to make a lot of new designs which I think helps me get better. That being said I do still take some custom orders but usually it’s someone asking me to make another of a knife that just sold so I tell them I’ll put one in the next batch and reach out then so it isn’t all that committing, no money exchanged until it’s finished.
 
I appreciate the sage advice from you all. Sounds like I need to take more control over what I’m making/offering. I think in the beginning I was so flattered that people actually wanted to pay me to make a knife that I just started saying yes to everything.

This thread has inspired me to get back to more of what I like to do, which is design and create. At the end of the day the sale is a bonus, so it’s a win win for me.
 
For me, there's too much stress involved with taking orders. There's constant pressure to maintain progress and meet the schedule, along with satisfying special requests for materials or other details. I work much better and am more fulfilled when making what I want, and then offering that for sell when finished.
 
too much pressure for me. if i could make every knife exactly the same, i wouldent mind. some come out fantastic, some come out good, and some have a little error. i have to price the knife for the customer before i start making it, so what if i give a price for a fantastic one and it has a slight error ? the mental stress for me is no fun. errors other people would not even notice or are very minute look huge and embarrasing to me. just making knives and having fun in the workshop and getting to change the handle scales if this other set seems more exciting and pricing the knife when its done is fun and relaxing. i admire those guys who have a list of customers and have to make every knife at a certain level of craftsmanship. i am not there yet :p
 
I'm doing things a bit different in the coming year. I have my normal waitlist, which I diligently work on. I worked out a new deal with a local store that sells my knives for an area of my own in the knife case. It's up to me what goes in the case so when I get an idea or just want to do something different, or something doesn't go as planned it goes in the case and I can see how it does.
I'm hoping this will give me a chance to try new things and keep moving forward while still having the normal waitlisted orders keeping things going.
 
I have honestly been backed up on orders for the past 2 1/2 years really...this is a hobby for me that's turned into a 3rd job!ha I started taking orders so that i could get my name out there a little bit (i know ya'll have never heard of me, no worries!!haha), and the orders just kept rolling in...i stay about 3 months behind on my orders right now and always feel a little stressed about getting them out in a timely manner. (I'm a basketball coach and right now is my busy sports season, so it's a little rough getting my Christmas orders filled, and i only promised a few that i'd get them done by then). But i also don't like turning down customers either...i've gotta try and find a happy medium between the 2
 
Hobbyist of about 8 years, making a knife to sell takes all the fun out of it for me. I try to make something different and better but if I make it to sell or at a request, I just try to not screw it up.
Hats off to all that can sell and enjoy the process.
James
 
I have some patterns I think are good designs. I don't get much satisfaction out of making them, but I don't hate it, because I enjoy picking different handle materials for them, trying different surface finishes or treatments, and playing with different variations of that nature. I make them and put them for sale on my website. They sell when they sell. I have an email list of people who want a knife from me, and I notify them when I post new knives for sale. If they didn't see what they really wanted, I'll try to work it into the next batch for them.

Then once or twice a year I want to do something more creative. To push the limits of what I've done before, try something new. So far these projects sometimes strike a chord with someone and they want to buy it before it's even complete. Sometimes they don't. But that's ok, because I did them to learn more than to sell. Selling is a bonus.

At this point, unless I know the customer personally, or they're a repeat customer I have a rapport with and understand their taste, I don't take any custom commissions. Too many people out there want stuff I frankly don't want to put my name on, or require entirely too much hand holding throughout the process for it to be worthwhile.
 
Cliff Carter Knives said:
PEU’s thread got me thinking.
Click to expand...

Glad I provoked that :D

Now I'll give my story. I started as a hobby, but since 5 years ago, knifemaking is my job, yes I go back to the hobby when I make a knife that's not on my work list, I enjoy these hobby moments.

I like to tell to whoever asks me that I'm a one man factory, I work like that, I work in batches, HT in batches, cut materials the most efficient way, marketing, sales, etc etc.

I understand many don't think this way, that knifemaking is freedom, I think too its freedom, but I enjoy freedom in the way that if I want to talk with a friend a whole afternoon, nobody can tell me not to do it. But also, I like to think that a job comes with responsibilities and obligations and why not, a bit of stress.

Having a work order, partially paid orders with due dates, is normal everywhere and was normal when I had my company with 10+ employees. Cash flow is not to be dismissed, that would be a lot of stress if lacking, to me at least.

Pablo
 
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