What I dood at Saturday Market.....

[Raymond Richard]

This is what I normally do at these venues. I pay 20 bucks for a space to try and sell knives and spend the day forging. Could do the same thing at home but I guess I just do it for exposure.

Hey look, their's my big toe.....

[Crex]

Don't let Gouge see that thing or he'll try and put it on one of his sheaths (the toe)!
Good production for a saturday.
Do you find it hard to concentrate and keep an eye on your wares? I had a couple of things disappear while demoing at something like that and decided not to do it any more.
Are those in progression from mournig to afternoon (big to small)?
Gonna be a knice bowie.
Crex

[Raymond Richard]

Crex, I usually set up when I do the demo's so I can watch my stuff but you know as well as I if your forging where the consentration is going. I have never had anything walk away without me knowing yet at any type of venue. As for the order that I forged them the bottom two are out of sink.

I had my wife make me a little "Please, do not touch" sign that I put on the table. Its funny how something so obvious is never seen. Mainly have it there so the kids keep there hands off. There was one young teenage boy just going to town picking up and looking at my knives. He had asked me, did you make all these knives? I said yes, I even made the sign. He looks right at it and continues to fondle my knives. I kind of growled at him, well did you read it? He finally got the idea. I actually have alot of fun with the sign with husband/wife combo's that come to the table. Its always one or the other that touches something and then one is pointing out the sign.

[hammerdownnow]

ooooooo. Big toes are a "sore spot " with gouge. I wonder how his healed up?

Ray, that looks like a great place to spend a Sat. Open air, company, a place or two to grab a sandwich.
Doing it out where the public can see, is promotional to the craft and can inspire the youngins. You might even find you a forge buddy. Do you get a lot of on lookers and questions?

[Raymond Richard]

Roc, Ton's of questions and a number of lookers. I'm always getting asked, do you need an aprentice. After all the demo's I've done I'm still surprized at the number of people that are just amazed that someone does what I do. "You must be old school" is something I hear quite often.

I was talking with a man yesterday inbetween heats that was real interested in my forge set up. I was thinking he looked awful familure and he the same. He starts telling me about a man that had bought a wrought iron wagon wheel from him a few weeks ago. I said well that must have been me. We got a good laugh out of that.....

[Mike Routen]

Ray,

Which Saturday Market were you at yesterday? Kelly and I drove up to the Hood River SM and walked around. I was lookin' for you but didn't see you and I didn't hear any anvils singing out.

Those are going to be some nice pieces when they're all done!

- Mike

[Raymond Richard]

Mike, I've pretty much given up at the one in Hood River. I'll do these markets 3 times and if nothing sells I figure these no sense in doing it anymore in a season. I've been doing the one in Gresham, next weekend will be my third time for it so that could very well be my last Saturday there for awhile. It sure beats driving 60 miles to Hood River but I'm getting the same results.

[hammerdownnow]

Yup.....You MUST be old school..... What a nice compliment!

Sign ideas:

" IF IT LOOKS SHARP, DON'T TOUCH IT"

" YOU TOUCH IT, YOU BUY IT"

"BANDAIDS $2.00 EACH"

[cactusforge]

Ray, you are not far from a couple of truck stops 3 if I remember right
and with a bunch of truckers layed over the week end you could have quite a good time out there. I know thy will by knives as my Guy at the truck stop has a lot of sales.
Gib

[Raymond Richard]

Gib, Don't quite follow you. Are you saying that I should try and link up with a business at the truck stop area and do the demo's or just see if I can do some consignment with a business there? Pretty sure there's a Western store right there, maybe I'll go check with the owner and see what he has to say.....

[Chris Daigle]

Excellent output for a Saturday!!! Did you intend to make one of every size, or did it just work out that way?

Chris

[cactusforge]

What I am saying is that truckers like knives and to explore the area and see what you can do, there may even be a knife store in the truck stop, a lot do have knife shops. If you had a demo on the back row on Saturday you would be surprised at the interest.
Gib

[Fox Creek]

Great going Ray. I really appreciate seeing the raw forgings. We see finished work posted, but rarely see the intermediate stages. I think its very helpful to see the blades as forged, and you do a nice job. As a spare timer I dont get to forge as often as I feel I need to, to maintain and improve my forging skills.

[Raymond Richard]

Chris, This is my normal output for one of these venues. I did the large bowie in about an hour and a half first while it was still kind of cool. The others just came along. The market is 6 hours so I guess I forged for 5 hours of it. The forging is the part I really love to do, the rest is work cause it ain't magic. Never thought a hammer would be my magic wand but it is although I made my living pounding nails for many years.

Gib, Maybe I'll go check into that.

Richard, I appreciate what you had to say. I've been able to forge pretty much to shape for a couple years now but it just keeps getting better the more I do it. I'm usually pretty well spent after doing the market but I just came in from the shop after forging for an hour or so. Got the bowie in the picture in the oven right now. Guess I know what I'll be working on tomorrow.

[Gouge]

Gimme that bulbous toe...he he. Nice work for a few hours. The forging part is my favorite. I have a bunch made up to that stage. Got to get busy.

Mark