Scott, I'm saddened to read this post, and more so because this is the reality many artists and artisans are facing right now, and even more so because it is you, my friend who is dealing with it. I'd like to bring up some points strictly as devil''s advocate. Simply because you are asking, and perhaps because you are "in it" it may be harder to step back. I think you need to look at this from several separate perspectives.
As a craftsman, you are dead on, you build a quality product and you know your geometry, your HT, your ergos, and your lines show it.
As an artist it's important to reconcile the need to satisfy your creative drive while continuing to attract and retain a sometimes fickle clientele. It's sad to say this and I may be wrong but I believe that many buyers are looking for the next hot design more than a tool to fit their needs, or are somewhere on the spectrum between the two. I know I'm there somewhere. We all are otherwise we'd stop at the one knife. I love design and I love your simple lines that seem to speak directly to the hand. I think artistically you've established yourself firmly with your own style. One area I'd like to see you explore more is in the contours of your handles. Palm swell. Not necessarily on all your knives but I'd definitely like to see a chunky, rounded handle on a 4-4.5" bladed knife (more on this below).
As a businessman, have you examined your operating model in comparison with other makers? Are you as streamlined as you could be? I don't know how you or any maker calculates the selling price; Materials & supplies, time, effort, etc., all have a certain value, but if you cut the time or cost involved in a certain aspect of your process, could that translate to a lower price or faster turnaround? From your website:
All my work is freehand, one knife at a time. I do all work in-house and outsource nothing. I do all my own heat treating and tempering.
I can understand your method here as it will produce the best knife you can make. But slowly. If you could, introduce a sister line that is waterjet cut and the HT is outsourced, you could theoretically put more of your knives out there and then they could be a stepping stone to a wider audience that could then want to graduate to your handmade knives. Generating interest online
everywhere, and perhaps taking pre orders with deposits to cover your initial layout. This may go against your knifemaking philosophy and it could be risky if you get in over your head, but how would not making knives at all sit? The key is doing what you love and eating.
I'm no expert nor am I a businessman but I don't want to see the day you stop making knives.
Now, specifically what would I want to see from you? A 1/8" thick, single edged willow leaf blade 1 1/4" wide max, with a guard-less symmetrical elongated ovoid handle that has a nice palm swell. Proportions of the handle and blade would be equal and the cutting edge would be as close to the handle as possible. This is a very primitive and by no means an original design, commonly seen on flint knapped blades.. So are we agreed on your first new mid-tech knife? I'll take number 1.
Scott, I hope all this is taken in the spirit in which I'm writing it.
In case you can't tell, that's Osage Orange on the handles.
