How do you make "part-time knife maker" work?

[sjaqua]

I have to assume, I 'm not the only one in this boat. I mean surely only the the best can make a full time living at knife making. What about the rest of us. How can someone that isn't retired make-it as a part time knife maker? How do you build your name past that of hobbiest knife maker, when you can only turn out a couple of pieces a month?

Here's the set-up. I have what is otherwise a good full time job. But the crappy buisness environment has us all on short pay. And lord knows my expenses haven't gone down. So I'm having to look to what started out as a hobby as a way to make up the budget short fall. But it's hard. When the work day is done, sometimes it's hard to head out to the shop. And on the weekends, I can either be out selleing knives, or in the shop making them.

This last two months have been especialy hard. I had an event every weekend except for two Sundays. And last weekend was the Cal Knives show. So here I am with a custom order in house and also trying to build stock for the show (all the while selling every weekend at other events, including two of my "big" pieces).

I know it's the knife makers lament to complaine he "has no stock!". And then complaine again when he has stock and no one is buying it. And you are also faced with the rule that a couple of pieces on an otherwise empty table won't sell (no one ever want's the last one of anything).

About the only thing I have figured out is that I can only take one custom order at a time. Otherwise I get burried.

But how do you break thru past being part time? Or even how do you get your name out there so when you have to go full time you are ready? How do you stay sane?