Shop Etiquette

D

Dmac

Member
This has been going on for sometime. Guys come to the shop empty handed. I am not a cheap person, I do how much it cost to wash my hands(LOL) in the shop but they think nothing of using up a Norton 36 grit belt. They do not bring any 1018 for hollow grinding practice or they will fix a friends knife and leave. Anyway has anyone had to draw a line and not lose what few friends you have that like to work in a shop.
Kind of like the guy that never brings beer or gas money for the fishing trip. Peace
 
I've been down the same road. Those type of people are not friends..... they are "moochers". Its difficult, but you simply have to have a conversation and explain that the shop is yours, and everything in it costs money. Anybody who comes to my shop understands, or is told that they do NOTHING in my shop with my expressed permission. If they use supplies, they either replace or pay for those supplies. I've learned that if those type of rules are not established, you will quickly go broke paying for everybody else's "projects". That's not to say that I don't have "special" people, whom I trust, and allow to work in my shop, but those individuals are carefully chosen, and they always pull their own weight.

Probably the biggest "mooching" that I've ever experienced was when I was still in the military..... people would show up out of the blue wanting me to "do a minor welding job" for them. Often times this would turn into a whole day project...... when I started telling people that welding jobs are $60 per hour, with a $60 minimum, all those piddly jobs ceased. :)
 
Unfortunately as Ed said it just has to be. There is one fellow who I expect will call to come again for more help on building a liner lock. He makes Damascus and has invited me to his shop about 5 hours away however I do expect him to bring me a piece on his next visit or I may forget what he came for.
Frank
 
Frank Niro said:
Unfortunately as Ed said it just has to be. There is one fellow who I expect will call to come again for more help on building a liner lock. He makes Damascus and has invited me to his shop about 5 hours away however I do expect him to bring me a piece on his next visit or I may forget what he came for.
Frank
Click to expand...

Hey Frank, that's a good one.
Im sorry sir,what was it you came here for? Was it to bring me a piece of your Damascus?:biggrin:
 
Well, first I'll say this: Nobody comes to my shop unless I invite them first, and so far it's mainly been very close friends and family. Now I have invited a handful of new or budding knife makers as well, and a couple of them have accepted the invite once or twice. Occasionally I'll hand out some materials help a guy get started, or make some small parts for a close friend, but I don't do anything I don't want to do, and it's never with an expectation of a returned favor. I do it because they're my friends or family, or because I want to give another maker as much help and I would have liked to have had starting out.

I have found that your true friends with volunteer or try to return the favor without being asked, though I usually protest.

Now, if it got to a point where I was being asked to use my shop, tools, materials, etc... and it had any kind of a chance to become a semi-regular occurrence, I'd lay out the ground rules immediately.

Buy whatever blade steel, belts, and other consumables you think you'll need, and you can use my machines (under my guidance/supervision) to make it happen. Bring a case of beer and I'll order the pizza. ;)
I expect most people understand that nothing is free, and things cost money. If they can't understand that, then they likely don't have the capacity to run a power tool either, if you catch my drift.
 
A big part of it is people just don't know what the costs are. I don't at all mind covering small shop expenses for a noob on a first visit. If they come back, I have a conversation up front and ask what they want to do and then we'll work out something on covering any expenses. I've never had anyone not understand the expense after that conversation so it's never been issue. I usually get a few beers out of it which is nice....
 
Yeah guys, and it's not just knife making! Being a contractor I can't tell you how many times I've used my tools, materials, and whole days worth of time to go to a friends/family because they said " HELP ME I DONT KNOW HOW TO DO THIS!!! ARGGGG,!!!! At least years of my life so far! Anyway, lately I tell people that I'm to busy and that everything they need is on YouTube, lol, try it, it really does work for a lot of circumstances.


Wayne
 
Glad I,am not the only one with this type of problem. I have just got to the point where the knife sales are covering all of the shop cost so its stings a bit. I think I have read a list of dos and don'ts in Blade Mag. for the knife shop. Maybe find it and make a big poster out of it and hang it on the door. Peace
 
I've provided materials and equipment for several family and friends to make a knife. One took his on a guided hunt. The guide wanted to trade into the knife, so he called and asked about making another knife. I asked the value of the trade ($750). I told him the next knife would cost him 375. And buy your own belts and steel. He came home with the knife. If my tools make money, I make money.
 
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