All About Pocket Knives

From time to time you hear people talk about wanting to learn knife repair or doing custom knives. Here's a good object lesson for anyone considering either.
Someone invested hours in this knife and the handles weren't cheap. They did a fairly nice job on it and it would make a good knife to carry and it that is your intention to carry a knife you've done the work on - great. However if you intend to sell them you'll have a hard time recovering the cost of the material involved. Quite a difference between a business and a hobby. If you cross over the line you should have deep pockets.
Only a handful of people are actually making money with custom knives. The supply far exceeds the demand.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/291340397317?_t ... EBIDX%3AIT

There's a reason I call what I do a "hobby" I know that I spend a lot more money than I get back. However, this hobby gives me tremendous enjoyment.

My son keeps telling me to make it into a business. I tell him no, if I did that, it would not be enjoyable anymore.

For every knife one of us mods or custom makes, someone else gets the idea that they are going to start doing the same thing. So you are right, the supply does outweigh the demand. Most of us do not solicit work, it just comes to us.

I would still mod knives as a hobby, even if the orders stopped coming in. It's just something I like to do.

BTW, that IS a nice knife for the price.

Glenn

I agree 100% Glen this is a great hobby and very enjoyable. My point was that for a newbie to consider investing thousands in buffers, sanders, material, and the headache of running a brick and mortar store then that becomes a whole different ballgame and very few could make a livable income from it.

just bob wrote:I agree 100% Glen this is a great hobby and very enjoyable. My point was that for a newbie to consider investing thousands in buffers, sanders, material, and the headache of running a brick and mortar store then that becomes a whole different ballgame and very few could make a livable income from it.

I would not do what I do now. What I mean is, I would not start from scratch today to try and build what I have. I don't think it would work. When I started very few people busted knives apart, now it has grown to be so popular it seems everyone has busted at least one knife apart and many will do it at cost or at a loss (if they sit down and actually do the math).

glennbad wrote:There's a reason I call what I do a "hobby" I know that I spend a lot more money than I get back. However, this hobby gives me tremendous enjoyment.

My son keeps telling me to make it into a business. I tell him no, if I did that, it would not be enjoyable anymore.

For every knife one of us mods or custom makes, someone else gets the idea that they are going to start doing the same thing. So you are right, the supply does outweigh the demand. Most of us do not solicit work, it just comes to us.

I would still mod knives as a hobby, even if the orders stopped coming in. It's just something I like to do.

BTW, that IS a nice knife for the price.

Glenn

I agree completely Glenn! When you make it a business then it becomes a drudgery because you have to try to make a profit which means you have to charge a lot more for it than we do.

Most people, even most knife collectors, have no idea the time involved in taking a knife apart and putting it back together again, especially if you are adding something or doing custom modifications to the knife. Even on knife repairs, I don't make much money. If I wanted to make money I would be far better off working for minimum wage at McDonald's, Walmart or some other such place. I would get a lot more money for my time than I do repairing & customizing knives, but I wouldn't enjoy it nearly as much!

Like you, if the order stopped coming in I would be fine with that. I have accumulated such a large pile of used parts knives, new knife parts, handle material, pins etc. that I could keep working on knives of my own for years to come and never have to buy another parts knife. I shudder to think of the amount of money I have invested in exotic hardwoods, bone handles, knife parts, pins and pin stock, without ever considering the equipment. Like you said, it's a hobby that I enjoy and that's the important thing. If what I do helps someone else or brings them happiness, so much the better, but I really do it because I enjoy it!

I spend a lot of time in my shop. Making, repairing and customizing knives. At times I have started out keeping track of how long it takes me to make a knife but I always stop keeping track before I finish. If I kept track of the time it takes me to do it I think it would take the enjoyment out of it. I don't care how much I am making per hour. If I did I would quit and get that job at Mickie D's because I'm sure it would pay better.

As Glenn and Dale have said, I do it because I enjoy it and have a passion for it.

Wayne