View Full Version : How well do you find your knives are selling???


lottknifes
01-15-2002, 03:27 PM
im interested in everyones thoughts on
how people are buying..some, none, alot, pickey,
afraid to spend because of economy, dont care buying
anyway..whatever...lets get a picture of whats going
on out there...
personally..im seeing alot of request for upgrades and
mods..

Dana Acker
01-15-2002, 03:30 PM
My traffic is steady. I get requests for many different types of knives, but mostly within a certain price range. Most people I know right now do not want to go much over $200.00, so smaller, more basic pieces are what my fare is for the day.

The Flaming Blade
01-15-2002, 06:23 PM
It's totally unpredictable.

AchimW
01-16-2002, 01:55 AM
Same as Tai said. Sometimes nothing for weeks, sometimes more that you can handle. Sometimes only basic stuff for months, sometimes several hi euro pieces in just some days.

Achim

Cactusforge
01-16-2002, 10:11 AM
Tai has it right but I would say Slow Gib

Geno
01-16-2002, 10:50 AM
I make knives in a wide variety of styles and price ranges.
This sure helps the flow.
One style, or one price range will limit you greatly, esspecially during this time when people are more afraid of spending thier money.
I have seen a difference since the attacks on the US.
The practical knives are selling alot more than the artsy stuff.
The lower end priced stuff is selling out.
Small, thin, consealable stuff is jumping right now.
Big beautiful bowies, for example, are not.
Folders always sell well, if you can get them in the right price range.
As a nation, we seem to be returning to the practical side of life, rather than the extravigant side. my.02

The Flaming Blade
01-16-2002, 12:09 PM
It's a lot like fish'n isn't it?

Dana Acker
01-16-2002, 04:24 PM
Hey Gene, Welcome! Glad to have you drop by. Don't be a stranger.

foxcreek
01-16-2002, 04:47 PM
Slow, but then I dont work too hard at getting in the market. A.G. Russell just sold two for me though :) The nice thing about that is that I let A.G. set the prices. Very helpful feed back as few have his experience in the knife selling biz. I do find that to sell locally that the prices have to be way low. If you look around the internet and magazines at prices I think you get a lot of BS inflated prices. If I price my stuff similarly, and I mean thoughtfully, being honest with myself; I find that to have any chance of selling locally I have to cut that in HALF. You'd be lucky to get $75.00 for a "$150 " knife that took 12 hours to make. I am saving my money for a digital camera so I should be able to be more active in gettin my stuff out there.

Geno
01-17-2002, 11:56 AM
Hey Dana,
I pop in often as a "lurker", I just don't post that often.
I'm not very good with momma's computer and tend more than one forum on the net. It is all I can do sometimes to keep up with Tool Time and our Christian forum, too, at Tom Marshman's place.
I hop around randomly at CKD but this Neo tribal group you got here is really something.
I come here for the amusement, ya'll are an entertaining group.
Never thought of using dirt for flux, toilet seal wax for polishing, ect...
Even old dogs can learn new tricks.
You guys are something.
Be blessed, Buddy.

Dana Acker
01-17-2002, 03:42 PM
Thanks Gene. Scrounger's 'R Us. :)

ghostdog
01-17-2002, 06:37 PM
Interesting thread. I am seeing what Foxcreek says in the stuff we do. I have not tried to sell a knife yet but other stuff we make is selling at too low prices, not at the prices it should sell at. Our food products are o.k. though. At the market I sell at, there was a fellow selling folding t.v. trays/tables, hand crafted from cedar, very well done for 25 bucks. It was all he could get. I told him he was nuts.

ghostdog

lottforgenbladeworks
01-17-2002, 07:08 PM
im watching what i percieve as a trend
by alot of people to make high dollar purchases
thru the internet vs in person lately as broadband
becomes more commonplace... as for the
local sales being harder to get higher prices.. that seems to be the norm lately...
my associates in the gemstone and jewelery
retail business are saying that nationwide local shop sales are off but mall and internet sales are doing well..
seems to me that folks are feeling safer at
home than out shopping in less congested
areas and useing the internet or the mall to
do safer shopping...and reaping the savings that
the internet and hi volume stores can offer
on sale and discounted merchandise...
in other words... ITS BARGAN SEASON!!!
i dont expect to see big $ sales untill after tax
time this year...around first of may...
BUT IM BETTING ITS GOING TO BE A VERY
GOOD SUMMER AND FALL FOR BETTER KNIFE SALES!!!

Dana Acker
01-17-2002, 08:18 PM
I hope you are right, Bro. Hey, hows about sending me an e-mail--I'm interested in talking with you about your gem/jewelry work. ackerforge@advi.net or ackerforge@yahoo.com They both work.

The Flaming Blade
01-18-2002, 09:04 AM
I am not going to let the terrorists or the stinking economy effect my work. This war isn't going away any time soon. I plan to do my best stuff over the next few years ... regardless.

LOTTFORGENBLADEWORKS
01-18-2002, 12:18 PM
only thing you know how to do is good work
from what ive seen of your stuff...good quality, nice
looking..

sure dana! drop ya one this weekend!

The Flaming Blade
01-18-2002, 12:53 PM
Hey, I was broke before 9/11/01. It ain't effecting me at all. :)

The Flaming Blade
01-19-2002, 10:11 AM
I don't need any help to make great knives and be broke, I've been doing it a long long time. It's a tough job, but somebody has to do it. Ya gotta love it!

Geno
01-19-2002, 10:45 AM
Well said, Ditto!

Cactusforge
01-19-2002, 10:48 AM
Tai beeing broke and making knives, one and the same thing
goes with the territory Gib

The Flaming Blade
01-19-2002, 11:14 AM
I know ... maybe if I lavish Madame Goo with affection, morning, noon, and night, I can talk her into getting a second job to support all my bad habbits, beer, tobacco, knife making to name a few. She will think she died and went to heaven. The best pick up line I know is "I'm a Neo-Tribal Metalsmith". Other than that, the name ain't good for much. That's how I snagged Madame Goo in the first place. I might be broke, but I'm prettier than y'all!

larryharley
01-19-2002, 03:02 PM
for the past mos. if been stuck grinding s.s. and forgeing just one model
but mostly grinding that #### SS (ugh)
i never have had much traffic on my web sight and cant give the stuff away thats there
i sell those ss. battle bowies
i have some backlog of them left but not may orders for any thing on my forge but hawks and few sm knives
harley

ghostdog
01-19-2002, 08:21 PM
Tai you might be prettier but I bet I am broker. What the heck, ya can'ttake it with you when you die anyway.

ghostdog

The Flaming Blade
01-20-2002, 10:45 AM
I am pretty ain't I