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The Business of Knife Making A forum dedicated to all aspects of running, managing and legal operational issues relating to the custom knife making and custom knife selling industry.

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  #46  
Old 05-02-2004, 09:54 PM
R. D. Finch R. D. Finch is offline
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Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: West Liberty, Ky
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I know that I sell my knives at a price that I think the average person can afford and what I would be willing to pay for a knife. Yes I sell most of my knives at a craft festival. I have done a couple of knife shows. My festival knives don't have as much time in then as my show knives. So I price my knives accordingly, but once I determined a price it dosen't get lower just to make a sell. I do raise prices once a year to help offset the cost of materials.

Rick

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  #47  
Old 05-03-2004, 08:31 AM
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Les Robertson Les Robertson is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Georgia
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Hi Rick,

What defines the "Average Person" for you?

What paramaters do you use to obtain this information.

Or is this just your gut feeling on what the knives should sell for.


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  #48  
Old 05-03-2004, 10:08 AM
R. D. Finch R. D. Finch is offline
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Les

It's someone between the poor and upper class. When someone picks up a knife and as soon as they see the price they put it down like it's on fire, i know it's out of their price range and undersatanding of a handmade knife. In my area knives under $95.00 sell good, even to first time buyers once they understand the process of making a knife. I do have knives that run up to $150.00 for that customer that already knows something about handmade knives and looking for better quality materials. I've been selling at our local festival for 8 years and this seems to be what the market wants.

Rick
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  #49  
Old 05-03-2004, 06:58 PM
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aiiifish aiiifish is offline
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Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: south mississippi
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Ouch.. 95.00 to 150.00.

I remember those days. sold alot of knives. I had the walmart mentality, sell alot for a little and make the same as everyone else. But I never seemed to get ahead. Decided that I would like to make this thing pay all the bills one day and sat down and did a cost analysis on making my knives. When I added up knife materials I looked like I was making 50.00 or so on a knife. Then I added in belts, sand paper, wd40, lights, tape, cokes, power, popcycle sticks, vacume cleaner bags, business cards, telephone calls ect. and I figured out I was paying the shop for every knife I made. Not to mention donating my time.

I've since set a materials cost and a shop hour price and add the 2 to come up with a price for my knife. If they don't sell right away it sucks but as a knife maker friend once said, "hell boy they don't eat so it don't cost nothin' to keep them around"
I may keep some around for several months but I don't have any that are 6 months old.

I've also changed my market. Other than selling to a couple to local collectors of my knives I haven't sold a knife localy in 18 months. I adverage between 10 and 15 bowies a month and most go to europe or canada.

I did have a good dry spell when I first started with the new pricing, but I can promise you my bank is alot happier with me now. Am I ready to quit being a paramedic full time and rely totaly on knife making? not yet but I'm a hell of alot closer to that goal than I was 18 months ago.

and just to be totally honest I thought Les was nuts when I first started reading this forum.......go figure.


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  #50  
Old 06-28-2004, 05:30 AM
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Dave Larsen Dave Larsen is offline
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Location: Des Moines, Iowa
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Good discussion on a topic that's a real problem for many. I'm about the least prolific maker around, having made 65 knives in four years. I price them by comparing them to the prices and quality of other's sold work, with little or no consideration for the amount of time I have in them. I'm more concerned with the quality of my knives than I am getting a "fair" price for my time. The more work I do the better I become, with less time. That means my net "hourly rate" has gone from zero to somewhere around minimum wage. Fortunately I don't depend on knife income to support us, but eventually it will become a larger part of our life. Selling to dealers I establish my expected "retail" price and deduct 25%. I've found their "retail" price is greater than my own, and most of the knives sell fairly quickly. I'm more frustrated with the slow development of my skills than I am with the price range I sell my knives in. I sell most of the stuff I make between $170 and $350. Most have 20 - 40 hours in them, using basic materials. Cost is usually $30 plus $10-$15 for abrasives and other supplies.


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