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Les
Thank you for the book title. I will look into getting that. I found there is a lot of information available free online about SWOT analysis.
It is not difficult for me to understand that the business aspect is overlooked by knifemakers. Most have other jobs and learning all there is to know about making knifes can consume a lot of time. There are many facets to the actual making including but not limited to material choices, machine shop procedures and techniques, design (mechanical and aesthetic), equipment and tool choices and function, metallurgy (which by itself could consume half a lifetime or more). Then there is the hands on part which can include building a shop, selecting and or building equipment and tooling, locating material suppliers, learning the physical skills of forging, grinding, sanding. polishing, machining, bonding, etc. For the majority of makers the passion lies in the creation of the knife and not in the business. Your passion on the other hand is the business. All of life is a balancing act and unfortunately for knifemakers the business end of the seesaw is loaded with a lot of other things.
The more that the importance of the business aspect of knifemaking is brought into the light the more that makers will grow to understand they need to learn this set of skills.
Hopefully your next installment will have some information for makers on what type of knives to take to each show. Maybe a continuing series of articles on the business of knifemaking would be beneficial to disseminate your business savvy to makers. And or a series of tips on this forum as things come up that you think the knifemaking community could benefit from. That may increase the traffic to and awareness of your forum.
I didn't intend to babble on.
Thank you.
Alden
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