What can I do better - Knifemaker's advice needed

Burl Source

Burl Source

Joined
Dec 7, 2008
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The purpose of this thread is to get some advice from the knife makers on how I can do things better. My goal is to become one of the first that custom knife makers think of when they need wood knife handle materials. If that happens, everything else should fall into place.

I do not want to be a supplier to big production companies or material suppliers. There are only 2 knife making supply companies I sell to and that is because I like the people. What I like most is dealing with individual makers and getting to see what they do with the wood they get.

What is important to you as a maker and purchaser if handle materials. Even outlandish advice is welcome as long as it makes some sort of sense. Is there anything I am doing now that you like? ....don't like?

Thank You in advance for your good advice. Mark from It's a Burl, AKA Burl Source
 
Well just some random imput from me:
I like shopping on Ebay.
I can get everything I like there and will find things I neven knew existed as well.
It's a bit like a small on-line adventure.
Most offerings show good photo's and specs.
Living in Germany, combined shipment is important to me. I hardly ever buy 1 item, I usualy buy a few to spread shipingcost.
I like to get stuff cheap, I like to bid low on stuff that I wouldn't mind having for that money. I get out bid 19/20 times, leaving me with something nice and cheap 1/20 times.
Ebay lets me do that.

I don't know where that leaves you, but it might give you some insight in a wood buyer.

In school they tought us that if you want to sell succesfully you should exeed your competition on one (or more) of the folowing:
-price
-quality
-service

All the best
 
Professional quality stabilization

WSSI does a good job

This would mean that i can save time, just buy and use.

This would save me shipping costs, getting the goods shipped to me once, rather than 3 times back and forth.



I don't ever use Ebay, but lots of people do and it would expand your client base.
 
^^^ Yes please

It would cut out a step for us. I would end up paying a bunch of shipping each time to get wood stabilized. From you to me, from me to the stabilizer, from the stabilizer back to me. I understand there would be an increase in pricing for me from you for that, but is something that I feel would be worth paying for. That and I know that you would only sell quality pieces, unlike the unknown guy one ebay.
 
I have been selling on ebay for a few years now under ItsaBurl and BurlSource. Combined scores over 1500 positive feedback, never a negative. Ebay had been a real good sales venue until a little over a year ago when they brought on the new guy. One of the things he did was get rid of a lot of the sub categories. How that affected me was it made my wood a lot harder to find in the big jumble. My sales went from 8 to $10,000 a month down to about $500 or less. I still maintain a presence there but nothing like before. I just deleted all my knife scale listings from ebay so I could list them here at lower sale prices.

International shipping can be expensive. I guess I should state costs more clearly with option for combined shipping to save on cost. Maybe an open box policy for a week or two.

It sounds like I should get back to stabilizing more wood as well.
 
What we (at least I) like is you don't skimp on your pieces. You usually offer generous sized pieces and nice looking wood. One of the biggest "complaints" if you want to call it that, would be variety. I assume a lot has to do with your location as there is likely more of an abundance of certain woods in your area (guessing redwood is a big one )than others naturally.

Now don't take this wrong because a lot of what you offer makes great looking handles. But some other materials (don't ask me specifically because I know jack about wood, if it looks cool I like it) would be nice to see a bit more of. Again don't take this the wrong way but a lot of what seems to make up the bulk is spalted maple, redwood, and walnut. I know WSSI won't stabilize much walnut, especially Claro. Now it likely doesn't need to be stabilized but some people love to stabilize everything. Now as it stands maybe the bulk of knife handle material IS Spalted maple, Buckeye, Redwood, Ironwood, and maybe one or 2 others. But I think there has to be more interesting looking wood available.

Having pre stabilized pieces would be great naturally, saves us a step. Maybe someone can run the numbers to see but, I'm thinking it might be a bit cheaper to buy pre-stabilized wood. Opposed to buying natural, paying for shipping, collecting enough to make a shipment to a stabilizer worthwhile and paying shipping there and back plus stabilization costs.

Again none of this is ment to be a slight against you, I've bought almost all my wood that I have through you so naturally I'm a fan. Just possibly some constructive criticism if you will.

Oh if you can also do some dyeing along with stabilizing that would be pretty damn sexy too :D.
 
So is that why Ebay changed, new management?
It used to be better, yes.

I got most of my handle material via flat rate boxes.
I liked it when the seller told me: a $12,- international flat rate box will hold X-amount of blocks / scales and let me patiently fill the box with biddings.

Buying stabilised wood sounds attractive
 
Hengelo_77 said:
So is that why Ebay changed, new management?
It used to be better, yes.
Click to expand...
The guy who was replaced a while back was the one who made ebay successful. When he was replaced the new guy took something that was working well and decided to change things. My understanding is that he was just recently replaced but his changes are still in effect.
 
Large blocks are what attracts me to handle material dealers. In recent years I have pretty much taken to purchasing wood myself, then cutting it into the size blocks I want (5"X 1 1/4" X at least 2"), then sending it out for stabilizing. Most folks who sell pre-stabilized woods simply do not offer blocks large enough for me.

Next in line for me is price/quality ratio. I personally think that a lot of handle material suppliers simply look at what others are selling their product for, and then think "Oh, they're getting XX per block for what they are selling...so I'll mark mine at that too." In most cases what I get from those folks is overprice, inferior stabilized wood.

Everyone needs a standard, and my opinion in the stabilized handle material world is that the top of the heap is WSSI. They simply do it better than anyone else. Their prices are relatively reasonable for the quality of product they provide, and they offer wonderful service.

There are a lot of suppliers competing for the knifemakers' dollars, those who offer the best product, for a reasonable price, and provide the kind of service that most knifemakers expect, are the ones who will get the business.
 
The guy I buy from locally sells only unstabilized wood, and I'm fine with that. So I have to add a +1 to variety. I just love looking at all the colors and patterns and getting inspired by the choices.

I'll also add a +1 to WSSI. I've sent two loads to them (totalling about 17 pounds), and they do it right and reasonably priced!
 
Ed Caffrey said:
Large blocks are what attracts me to handle material dealers. In recent years I have pretty much taken to purchasing wood myself, then cutting it into the size blocks I want (5"X 1 1/4" X at least 2"), then sending it out for stabilizing. Most folks who sell pre-stabilized woods simply do not offer blocks large enough for me.

Next in line for me is price/quality ratio. I personally think that a lot of handle material suppliers simply look at what others are selling their product for, and then think "Oh, they're getting XX per block for what they are selling...so I'll mark mine at that too." In most cases what I get from those folks is overprice, inferior stabilized wood.

Everyone needs a standard, and my opinion in the stabilized handle material world is that the top of the heap is WSSI. They simply do it better than anyone else. Their prices are relatively reasonable for the quality of product they provide, and they offer wonderful service.

There are a lot of suppliers competing for the knifemakers' dollars, those who offer the best product, for a reasonable price, and provide the kind of service that most knifemakers expect, are the ones who will get the business.
Click to expand...


The size part is not a problem for me. You and others got me trained right about that from the beginning. My question to you Ed and any others, what would be a fair price for a stabilized maple block of this quality with the dimensions of about 6" x 2" x 1&1/4". I ask this just to get a benchmark of what you think is reasonable.
test017.jpg


Should a block of the same material but lesser figure like this one sell for less? Or should there be a set price that encompasses all of a type and size stabilized block?
test018.jpg


I am asking these and other questions because what makes sense to me is not always the same as what everybody else is thinking. The answers you guys give me will help me to become the sort of supplier that you guys want. Instead of what I may have mistakenly thought.
 
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I've purchased from you multiple times, but I often pass on wood that is not stabilized. I would be a better customer if more of it were stabilized.
Richard
 
I like that you show both sides of a block. My preference would be to put a smaller number tag on the end. I like to see the end grain to get a feel where things are running. If you have good pics, then all that would matter would be pricing. Variety of woods and larger chunks that're not necessarily cleaned up real pretty would be fine for me also, if it would help with the price. As long as there was enough info in the pictures to see what you get.

You have some really good stock, Craig
 
Burl Source said:
The size part is not a problem for me. You and others got me trained right about that from the beginning. My question to you Ed and any others, what would be a fair price for a stabilized maple block of this quality with the dimensions of about 6" x 2" x 1&1/4". I ask this just to get a benchmark of what you think is reasonable.
test017.jpg


Should a block of the same material but lesser figure like this one sell for less? Or should there be a set price that encompasses all of a type and size stabilized block?
test018.jpg


I am asking these and other questions because what makes sense to me is not always the same as what everybody else is thinking. The answers you guys give me will help me to become the sort of supplier that you guys want. Instead of what I may have mistakenly thought.
Click to expand...


FWIW- I buy semi locally for stabilized and a block like the top one for $35 -$40 Canadian. Top quality stabilized exotics top out at $60.

And yes- I would charge less for the second piece.
 
Hey Mark -- I'll take a stab at this discussion. -- Phil

Let's see, would I change...

  • Block sizes? NO CHANGE! Your sizes seem great to me.
    .
  • Wood quality? NO CHANGE! You offer a nice range: from good, to excellent, to unbelievable!
    .
  • Variety? MAYBE INCREASE. As long as variety increases don't increase your overhead too much. In other words, try not to do anything that would increase our costs for your existing excellent product line of the woods of the northwest that you do so well.
    .
  • Prices? HMMMM...I'd be a poor consumer (come to think of it, I am) if I didn't encourage lower prices, while maintaining topnotch quality of course!
    .
  • Shipping? NO CHANGE! You're quicker then quick and don't mark up your shipping costs. That's as it should be. Thanks!
    .
  • Stabilize? MAYBE INCREASE. As long as it doesn't increase your overhead (tie up production costs in unsold stabilized inventory) thus your then having to recoup costs via increased purchase prices of your non-stabilized wood inventory.
    .
    Perhaps offer the service(s) of stabilizing Burl Source blocks/scales at the point of purchase for an additional fee. Maybe even have two stabilization fees, your in house option or sending it out, which you might do in batches on a monthly (or some such) basis.
    .
  • Giveaways & Contests? NO CHANGE! Keep them coming!
    .
  • WIPs and Tutorials? NO CHANGE (unless it's to do some more)! We deeply value your taking the time to inform us of your methods of collection, processing and production, as well as end-user how-to instructions. The more you keep educating us about woods and working them the better craftsmen (and customers) we'll be. Keep them coming. THANKS!
    .
  • Extras? NO CHANGE! Thank you for the many surprise blocks and drop off pieces you quite often include with shipments!
    .
  • Communications? NO CHANGE! Keep being candid, open, warmhearted and hilarious.
That's all the thoughts I have at the moment. Does it merit another entry in the Friday giveaway thread?! ;):p:D
 
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Mark,

I like the way you do business.
I do pass on a lot of stuff thats not stabilized.
I do appreciate the large size blocks. I have, on several blocks been able to get two knives out of one.
Your shipping is fast and very cheap.
I plan to buy from you as long as we are both around.
My only problem is I am way over stocked at the moment. My wife doesn't understand why you could possibly need more wood. I just do!:D
All in all I wouldn't change much.

Greg
 
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