View Full Version : first sale


joe41272
08-22-2001, 10:07 PM
Just wanted to let you guys know I sold my first knife day before yesterday. It was kind of an accident. I went in to show it to an acquaintance who I showed it to just after profiling the blade, to show him how it came out. There was a man in the store who said I was asking a fair price and paid cash for it right on the spot. I got $75 for it, and he paid me an extra $25 to make him a sheath for it, which I finished today. The knife is a little (around 8") drop-point skinner, full-tang, flat ground, with cocobolo dymondwood scales, red fiber spacer/liner, and three 1/8" brass pins in the handle. I made the knife out of 1095 and differentially heat-treated it myself. It passed Wayne Goddard's brass rod test, and I can honestly say I've never gotten a knife sharper in my life. I glued the slabs on with Acra-Glas gel. I took some pictures of it, but I don't have any way of posting them on this site (or any site). I was kind of proud of it, especially when it sold so quickly. I have to find a way to mark my blades, though. This was only the second knife I completed. I'm going to make another one just like it out of O-1 and hope lightning strikes twice. I posted this just to say thank you to everyone who has answered my sometimes silly questions in the past. The information I obtained from books and (mostly) this site allowed me to skip a lot of mistakes and turn out a good, professional-looking product that at least one person responded to with cash money. Thank You All!. I've already reinvested my profit into more material. I also want to thank God publicly, because without His assistance (a) I never would have finished anything and (b)He had to have touched my wife, because she ain't the most patient person in the world, and He had to have given her an extra amount, even it was temporary. That first sale mellowed her out some, though. Finally, this post is a word of warning to other new makers: I was thoroughly addicted to knifemaking before I ever sold my first knife-it only gets worse afterwards. Thanks again!

ERIC ELSON
08-22-2001, 11:42 PM
Let me be the First to Congratulate you!!
You will always remember your first sale....Its good that you have a picture of it too. I wish i had been smart enough to get a pic of the first blade I ever sold.....!

Keep up the good work and continue improving and I'm sure you will have many more sales!1
Again congrats!

Eric

TMarshman
08-22-2001, 11:47 PM
Congratulations! :) That was a fun post to read!

MIKE KOLLER
08-23-2001, 12:07 AM
Hey joe,
Drop me a line at kollerknives@earthlink.net .
We will get that piture posted for you if you can get it scanned or if you already have it in your computer.

CONGRADULATIONS!!!!!!!

MIKE KOLLER
08-23-2001, 12:07 AM

KandSKNIVES
08-23-2001, 04:17 AM
WHAT A GUNG HO POST. GLAD YOU GOT THAT PICTURE OF YOUR FIRST SALE. KNIFEMAKING IS SO COOL JOE, I STILL GET THE SAME GOOD FEELING, WHEN I FINISH ONE. I SAY A LITTLE PRAYER, THANK YOU LORD, THATS ONE MORE WE FINISHED.
KEN (WWJD)

Don Cowles
08-23-2001, 05:47 AM
Good going, Joe- it is a real pleasure to see others realizing their dreams, and enjoying the satisfaction of making useful tools that other folks appreciate enough to pay for them. Well done.

Jon Christensen
08-23-2001, 06:05 AM
Way to go Joe,
I remember my first sale also. That's a red letter day for sure.
Good Work.
Jon

joe41272
08-24-2001, 07:38 PM
Yeehaw! Lightning struck twice. I made another like the first one and sold it today, plus got orders for three sheaths. Thank you, Lord! This addiction's getting worse by the minute!

joe41272
08-24-2001, 07:40 PM
Sorry, guys. I'm really not intending my posts to sound like bragging. Just wanted to share the good news. As Julia Roberts said (sort of), I'm so excited I "could pee my pants".

combs6136
08-25-2001, 03:42 PM
congrats. Now lets see a picture of the knife and one of your sheaths.. I have been working on sheaths for 2 weeks... I am ready to start grinding again....carl