Vocational Knifemaking: is it possible to make a living of knives?

[JCaswell]

I guess my take is a little different than others.

I'd say the number-one thing is to find something you WANT to do ... Something you LIKE doing and pursue that all-out.

I know lots of folks that 'do the right thing', study something that they really don't love because it's a valuable skill to someone else. They hate waking up on Monday mornings.

I you find a field that really sparks you up --- you loose sleep thinking about it--- you dream about it--you can't stand the idea of not doing it --- that's what you should go after even if it doesn't seem there's all that much money in it.

That sort of passion is what makes people great--especially in fields that involve creativity like knifemaking. A true enthusiast will be the best, and being the best usually pays eventually. Until it does, at least you'll enjoy your life and that's more important than a few extra bucks.

Don't let people tell you something is too hard or hasn't been done so you should do something boring the rest of your life.

I firmly believe that being a true enthusiast in your field is the most important 'skill' you can bring to any career.

Besides, who says you have to swing a hammer, selling one-off custom knives forever? What stops you from learning and developing a presence in customs and then adding some limited production products. How many 'big', successful knife companies started something like that?
Even if there weren't any big successes in this field, what stops you from being the first?

If knives are just of mild interest to you---something that might be more fun than sitting in the office all day--- by all means keep looking until you find something you can't imagine not doing.:thumbup:

 

[Plain ol Bill]

I won't get into the money aspect of being a full time maker. One thing I will touch bases about however is that knifemakers as a general rule are pretty lonely people. You don't have the interaction with people you work with etc. and full time makers are chained to their shop a lot. You work by yourself in generally a small area and after awhile it can really get depressing, especially if you are having a hard time making a living with knives.

It is really nice to be able to live your dreams. But it turns into a nightmare for many, many makers.

 

[Ed Schempp]

I'd probably make knives even if I had to give them away. Knifemaking is my passion not my primary means of income. Being part time allows me to spend a large portion of my time in R&D, an expense that many full time makers can't justify at least to the degree that I can. The secondary income position allows me to stay fully entertained, interested and challenged in the cutlery projects at hand; this keeps my motivation high. As a self-employed farmer I work many 12-14 hour days but the seasonal nature of my profession gives me time to focus off season. There are many technical and skilled positions going with a 4 ten hour day work week, and many of these positions are in government service with good benefits. An education is something that serves you a life time and is an asset that can't be removed...Take Care...Ed

 

[JCaswell]

I won't get into the money aspect of being a full time maker. One thing I will touch bases about however is that knifemakers as a general rule are pretty lonely people. You don't have the interaction with people you work with etc. and full time makers are chained to their shop a lot. You work by yourself in generally a small area and after awhile it can really get depressing, especially if you are having a hard time making a living with knives.

Depressing?
For me nothing was more depressing than working in 'the office'. You have to deal with people's craziness--especially if they're 'over you.' Trapped there all day---like being in grammar school ... It's all sort of dehumanizing, I think.

But Plain-'ol is right, something like knifemaking (or running any small business wherein you make what you sell) is not for everyone (of course neither is just about any other work scenario you care to name). That's why you really need to be driven by love for the field.

I know several engineers that work at Boeing that were 'seduced' into it by the love of all the neat technologies they work on over there. But there isn't a whole lot of money in it, and the life-sucking bureaucratic baggage really drags them down. Smart guys, advanced degrees ... being out-earned 2- or 3-to-one by the guy that owns the corner car wash ...

 

[Phillip Patton]

I certainly agree that taking care of one's self and leading a healthy life are important. Everyone should do the best they can in that respect.

Neither of my friends who suffer (suffered) from heart disease were ill due to anything associated with their behavior or failure to take care of themselves. Both are highly educated, intelligent guys who's led normal lives.

It's also impossible to say whether an operation would have ultimatley saved the friend who died. He might have died anyway. That question will never be answered. It is clear that the other friend who is still alive would almost certainly have died had he NOT received a quad bypass – and without health insurance he would not have been able to pay for it.

It's everyone's right to decide which risks to take in life and which risks not to take. At the least everyone should have some sort of catastrophic health coverage.

Health coverage is an area where I'd suggest buying the best you can afford and saving money by not eating any fastfood!

I think I agree with most of what you said here. It's up to each of us make our own choices (while we still CAN) and do our best to not be a burden on everybody else.
Back to your regularly scheduled programming.

When your still living at home is the best time to test the waters of full time knifemaking. If you can't make it then, at least you won't be out on the street. Just do your homework, read as much as you can about the craft, and be super critical of your own work. Nothing makes you improve faster than knowing what's wrong with your knives, and trying to fix it. :thumbup:

 

[GibsonFan]

Really good food for thought here from all these guys. Thanks for starting the thread, knifemaker87.

Whatever you do, don't paint yourself into a corner where making knives is drudgery! Keep it in your life even if it's only for your own enjoyment and satisfaction. It's downright good for a person's soul and brain to learn, create, build, figure out challenges, etc.I know lots of people with no interests or hobbies at all (other than staring at the tube, blech), and I frankly don't know how they can stand it.

 

[blgoode]

just get started making...it will take its natural course. You may get sick of it, you may not....
Sometimes we let our heads get in the way so dont try and make a life plan before its time. Just make knives and get a job that pays the bills
Keep it simple.
I always say if I aint making dust I aint making progress

 

[22h2]

Just remember keep God involved in all your decisions, he is the glue that holds it all together.

 

[Knifemaker87]

wow...
brain overload!
i am gonna like print this off and hang it on the wall or something.
a couple things...
first off... 22h2... i second your opinion...
the other things are
i am homeschooled so i am not used to the whole "i must be in a group of other people my age" mentality... i love working by myself... and hten coming in and showing off what i made to everybody. each has its place.
i worked as a full time lawn mantinence guy and i worked from sun p till sundown for 8.50 an hour... and while i made better money than making knives (prolly) i was rather miserable not being able to work on what i liked... and this may seem nieve but i did think abotu knives pretty mch all the time. so it is something i love very much. but i aso agree that making what you love what you HAVE to do ca ruin it... soooooo... i thught that i could pursue something LIKE it... but that will compliment withut infringing..
so... this thread has been EXTREEEEEEEEMLY enlightenting and it will help mold my future... really.
so thanks loads
(and somebody mentioned something about vocational videos...any more info?)
thanks
~Chris

 

[GibsonFan]

Something occured to me at work last night, while kicking the press and cursing my lot in life (boo-hoo poor me )... age 19 or 20 with no one else to support, if you do wanna dive in headfirst and see how it goes, now is probably the time! In any case, it's your life. As long as you're not hurting/robbing people or any nonsense like that, it's yours to do what you like with. You can change your mind and quit or get a job whenever you want; lots of people change careers at some point.

Hope that doesn't overload you even more, but it is something to think about.

 

[Phillip Patton]

i am homeschooled so i am not used to the whole "i must be in a group of other people my age" mentality... i love working by myself... and hten coming in and showing off what i made to everybody. each has its place.
i worked as a full time lawn mantinence guy and i worked from sun p till sundown for 8.50 an hour... and while i made better money than making knives (prolly) i was rather miserable not being able to work on what i liked... and this may seem nieve but i did think abotu knives pretty mch all the time. so it is something i love very much.
(and somebody mentioned something about vocational videos...any more info?)
thanks
~Chris

I wondered if you're homeschooled. I was too, from 2nd grade up to the present. :thumbup:
I'm the one who mentioned the tapes. I'll send you a pm about them.
You may want to do lawn maintenance part time. I'm pretty sure it pays better than knifemaking.

 

[joe9knives]

I knew when I posted that that it would draw flack. It does seem at first glance to be foolish not to have insurance, but I'll tell you what, I'm sure motivated to take care of myself.
I'm certainly not advising anyone else to give up health insurance; that's just what I'm doing.
I agree, personal responsibility is the key. Almost every health problem (except accidents, obviously) can be traced to bad diet, or addictions.
You mentioned heart disease. That's something that doesn't just "strike" all at once. It takes years of not taking care of yourself to cause it.
Anyway, this is getting a little off topic. I was just explaining some of the ways you can save money, and keep overhead low. Even if you have insurance, taking care of your health will still save you money. (and a lot of grief)

As a heart cath lab cardiovascular tech, I can tell you about plenty of health patients in their 20's and 30's that have died with heart "attacks". Many young people who think they're healthy have heart rythmn problems that they never know about. also little things like a simple virus can go to your heart and next thing you know, you are on the transplant list.

 

[Phillip Patton]

As a heart cath lab cardiovascular tech, I can tell you about plenty of health patients in their 20's and 30's that have died with heart "attacks". Many young people who think they're healthy have heart rythmn problems that they never know about. also little things like a simple virus can go to your heart and next thing you know, you are on the transplant list.

Thanks for your concern. Let me restate that this is what I'm doing, and I'm not advising anyone else to take the same route.