Targeting a group of customers

C

Chris'knives

Joined
Jan 6, 2009
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Do any of you think it is wrong to make knives for group of customers at a lower price to satisfy their needs. What I am trying to say is I have a group of people that really uses knives on a daily bases. The catch is they are typically very tight buyers. So instead of making knives that have exotic handle material, more expensive steels and the other bells and whistle (mosaic pins file work ect.) I can make them a great knife with dymondwood scales and simple pins for a lower price but provide the same quality grind and HT. Is this wrong? I asked a few people and got mixed results a couple told me that I would be better off charging more for a fancier knife and if the customers paid great and if they don't screw them. Others said that as long as the steel quality is there it makes no diffrence on a use knife.

Another question I have is I was approached by a guy that wants me to make blanks for him to finish for resale. Should I put my makers mark on or not. I kinda feel it is the blade is the important part because it takes the real skill and knowledge to get right.

I hope I haven't confused you with my first question maybe I am over thinking it? Thanks for your opinions
 
Ok first off i see nothing wrong with making a low priced knife. As long as you and the buyer are happy, thats all that matters. now will you make more money this way, who knows. But its not all about how much you make but the fun you have making somthing for some one else. Now on to the other question. you know it just could go ether way. you could put your name on them and then the other guy does a crapy job on the rest, then you look bad. or he could sell thousands and he gets all the credit.
 
JTknives said:
As long as you and the buyer are happy, thats all that matters.
Click to expand...

That's what I was going to say.

That being said, I sold a few users for $40.00 and on the last one I told him not to tell anybody what he paid for it because the price is going up to $75.00.

I guess you could look at it like a courtesy discount. As long as the quality is good and somebody can look at the knives in 10 years and still see the quality that was put into it, then you are getting your name out there in a good manner.

I would not put my name on a blank, if for no other reason than the fact that the buyer could, for whatever reason, temper the blade to a useless temper and it would have your name on it. The probability of that is unlikely but possible. A blank is a blank, you make and sell knives, put your name on those.
 
It's called price-discrimination, and it's a good thing.

Having a range of prices for what is basically the same product allows you to maximize sales and profit. Those who can afford all of the bells and whistles will pay more while those who can't can still benefit from your product.

An example is at the movies. Why does an evening show cost twice that of a matinee? It's exactly the same movie (product). Those patrons who can afford it, can go to the more desirable evening times. Those, (like myself), who want to save money, can go the matinee for half the price.

In knives, you can do that by offering the same, (or similar), model in less expensive materials and less time-consuming finish. On the other side, offer something really high-end, for those who can afford it. Bump up the profit-margin for these high-end items. You're only moving a few, and those who can pay for it, will.
 
Perhaps on the blade blanks you could label them "Chris'Knives Design". That way you would get credit for the design but not critique for finish flaws. It's either that or no mark.
 
Cream always rises to the top. Good work will catch up to you as will bad even though it seems to take longer. Frank
 
while I see nothing wrong with making a knife to pursue a specific buyer base, I do think it's a cart before the horse problem

I would suggest that you find a style and type of knife that YOU want to make and make the absolute BEST you can of that knife. certainly have lower cost options by using simpler materials (micarta, plain ss pins, etc)
but NEVER build a knife you don't like, it will just come back to haunt you.
 
I would agree with other guys. Compare it to selling a car or building a house. Create your own price list for the various options you offer. It's up to you rather or not you actually present the price list to your customers, but you'll know what they are.

I've met makers over the years who charge certain prices for certain blade designs depending on the level of work involved in that particular design and the type of blade steel it is made of. Facts are facts, various materials have thier own varying prices (ie. 1084 is less expensive of a raw material than O1). Have your prices list for each option you offer rather it be steel type, handle material, blade finish, etc.

I have several blades made by various makers to include several of my favorite M.S. My user blades are less expensive models due to the "accents" I have chosen. In the end, the quality of construction of each piece may not have the same visual appeal as the maker's higher end version, but the quality of construction and dependability are equal. I just chose the plain micarta without a guard as opposed to exibit grade ivory with NS guard.

As for the idea of marking your blanks. I'm a newbie to the knife making world (damn near a virgin), but I would strongly discourage marking them with the same mark you place on your completed pieces. If it were me and I chose to mark a blank I had designed, I'd develop a plain mark with the included "kit blank" ot "designed by" as others have recommended. If you mark it and someone else screws it up.....your mark is the only thing that will be visible. Guess who will be critiqued on the craftsmanship.

Just my opinion as a newbie and knife fanatic.

Murph
 
I see nothing wrong with a "working class grade" knife. Maybe mark it accordingly. Just like Buck marks there factory blems with an "fb", you could have a certain mark that indicates working class grade. It still needs to be number one quality for the options included but no sense in putting a "don't use me, I might scratch finish" on a working man's tool. If someone wants a display piece put the extra time and materials into it and charge accordingly.

I would mark any blank as if it were a model number or something. Then if someone ever asked if a blank were made by you you could say "if you take off the handle scales and see "___" then yes, I made it." May not be entirely practical but it is an option.
 
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