Thinking about custom orders again

Bill Siegle

Bill Siegle

Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Oct 3, 2000
Messages
6,841
I haven’t made a decision yet on accepting custom orders again but I am considering it. In the past I closed the books due to a few issues. One problem was I don’t want to stagnate in my designs. The other BIG reason was magical disappearing customers when ordered knives were finished. I can’t be the Bill that doesn’t get paid for my work. What I’m thinking about is one, limiting the amount of orders I’d accept and two, requiring a $50 non refundable deposit per knife ordered. Of course the $50 would apply towards the agreed price of the order. Anyhoo, please give me some feedback on my ideas 😁
 
Do all knife Myers face this issue? My decision for 25 years, no special orders. I make war I want how I want when I want. if you like it, buy it. If you do not like one of the dozen or so postured knives My guess is you are a hard to please customer. I manage to sell all the knives. Possibly I pay more in advertising and time posting? I can leave them on consignment in shops. As you say a lot of issues when doing special orders. I think some people deal with it all better than I do. I'm pretty easy going tend n to to require proof or down payments. I live on handshakes. So what happens when you finish a knife and the customer says, "Thats not whatI mean, change it." ' You maybe put their name on it or followed some design you feel will not sell . Like I did a special order long ago.... guy requested a knife jsut for digging his arrowheads out of trees. He wanted a jade handle. I told him you cannot hammer on a jade handle to dig into a tree around an arrowhead. he broke it, demanded a refund. I made him a really simple knife to beat on he liked..... so I had to learn to say "No" a lot. How do you tell folks you think ther idea will not work. (?) I am curious as well if a majority of us focusses on special orders. I ask because I customer is a knife maker who orders my fossil mammoth ivory from me and buys for one knife at a time telling me what his customer needs or wants. He waits a lot on replies. However one of his customs now is president Trumps son. But it does not sound like it's fun. Hmmm
 
I believe the trick is to keep things interesting by producing variety. If you can keep that up internally then do that, if not then try a few custom items to see what works. I have yet to see you make an unmarketable knife; if the original buyer walks someone else will want it.

Taking a deposit means making a firm commitment. It works both ways, some makers like it while others have been unraveled by it.

N2s
 
I’m new to the custom order aspect of knives, would it be from a portfolio you build from? I.e. 20 designs and X steel materials with X handle material? I’d call that almost semi custom Or would be it a truly one off custom based on client design details?

I come from the residential builder perspective where you have one off custom plans and customized portfolio plans. Personally I have a hard time envisioning my own design and I can always appreciate what a subcontractor (knife maker) in this case believes what that can and cannot due successfully.

I always want to do something the craftsman is comfortable doing without being disruptive to their processes for a fine product. At the end of the day you want to advise your client as one of the makers above mentioned and not put the wrong product together for the client’s proposed application.

I’d love to place an order when the time comes.

Thanks!
 
Bill Siegle said:
I haven’t made a decision yet on accepting custom orders again but I am considering it. In the past I closed the books due to a few issues. One problem was I don’t want to stagnate in my designs. The other BIG reason was magical disappearing customers when ordered knives were finished. I can’t be the Bill that doesn’t get paid for my work. What I’m thinking about is one, limiting the amount of orders I’d accept and two, requiring a $50 non refundable deposit per knife ordered. Of course the $50 would apply towards the agreed price of the order. Anyhoo, please give me some feedback on my ideas 😁
Click to expand...

I’m not after a custom order from ya, but would still like a Shere Khan Kukri that I’ve asked about a few times over the last couple years.

I know you’ve told me previously that you build what comes to you and what you feel like. I’ve been holding out, hoping one comes to you, but haven’t seen one yet (other than a smaller looking Kuk recently with bolt on handles).

If you’re in for std. requests, I would like to request an order for one once again (should you choose to go that route), with your regular non-removeable scales, not the BK&T handles. I’d be happy to put a deposit on one down.

As far as customs go, it seems most builders build their rep & like to get away from custom orders. I don’t have feedback on that portion, but you build enough awesome designs that I wouldn’t think you’d need too many customs. Just your std. offerings you’ve already designed and built.
 
I'd think that if you restricted custom orders to remaining recognizably in your style and what you felt to be practical in a working knife, and if the idea was something you found interesting, then if they backed out later you could sell it easily, and it would still be work you felt good about - which is the most important thing.
 
yes, a non-refundable deposit to cover the cost of materials and consumables is very reasonable.
Also either limit the number of custom orders on your books, or wait until a week or so before you're ready to start before you request the deposit.
if you don't get the deposit, go to the next name on the list and send a second request.
if they don't respond a second time, put them on a different list...
if someone has a real life event and communicates they're having issues and want a pause that's one thing - but if they drop off the radar and ghost you, then they can go back on the bottom of the list when they get around to contacting you to see what the hold-up is.
 
I have had an idea in mind for a custom order for the past couple months--since right after I bought my first one of your blades.. So, suffice to say I am all in favor of you starting up orders! And a $50 deposit is more than fair.

Hope it comes together!
 
Bill, I've always respected how you do things. It is a non-nonsense approach that works and allows you to sell your knives without stifling your creativity.

If you do open up your books, I think both of the ideas that you mentioned are good. Keeps your books manageable and makes it to where the buyers have some skin in the game and are less likely to ghost you. You might also consider keeping it relatively simple too. For example: Have a lineup of models that buyers can select from to establish a basis that falls in line with your signature work, then work with them further on handle materials, size tweaks, and other additional features. This could prevent someone from coming out of left field and wanting you to make them something crazy that doesn't necessarily suit your style.

Regardless, you know I am going to be all in.
 
Great feedback so far! Thank you all! One thing for sure is if I do start orders again, whatever the project, it will be in my style of design and construction. Anyone considering placing an order should be at least reasonably familiar with my work if considering me as a maker.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top