What type of knives are selling today?

T

tim37

Member
I am just starting out in knife making. In my younger years I was a backpacker and a sailor and I wanted a particular knife for each activity. I was never able to find either knife so I decided to make knives for specific activities. At this point I have prototypes of skinning knives, a sailing knife, a backpacking knife and a couple of general hunting/camp knives. All are fixed blade, with Teak or Stabilized Mahogany scales, M390 or S35VN stainless, with dropped point blades. My question is....is there any particular type or style of knives which are in favor with users or collectors in todays market? Although I enjoy making knives, I am doing it to supplement SS, so I don't want to make a bunch of knives which won't sell or which are not what the buyers are looking for. What do you long time makers think?
 
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I'll go out on a limb and say that fit and finish and materials selection are at least 40% of the issue regarding what sells. That said, if the designs are fairly traditional, they'll sell well. If they're a little different, they may sell well. If they're not good designs, or not well executed, you may get to hang on to them.

Look through the knives for sale forum on Bladeforums. See what people are making and selling, and maybe more importantly, what kinds of knife designs are selling well.
 
What I'm seeing..........

The last 4 years have been just plain tough on knifemakers......it's all about disposable income. If the general public does not have, or perceives they do not have disposable income, then knife sale suffer. I've been at this for a lot of years, but have never seen a "dry spell" that has lasted this long. Four years ago, when all this economic stuff hit, I was, and had carried an 18-24 month backlog for the previous 10 years. Now it's more like 5-8 months. IF, and as times get "better" just about any type of custom knife will sell.....but to answer the question about what type of knives right now? Some may not agree, but I am fully confident in saying that the "Tactical" market is by far the most prolific at this point in time.

Of course other types of knives will sell, a few here, and a few there, but unless you are well established, and have a well developed base of Collectors who are seeking your knives, most are just "getting by".

Custom knife buyers have become very savvy and well educated over the past decade. Not only is it necessary to know the market, but also to know/understand your place within that market.

All that being said, I have found the custom knife world/market to be unique in the fact that many clients do not simply purchase a "knife".....they want to know the Maker, they study his/her reputation, and base any buying decisions as much on an established reputation as on the knife itself. In short, if you make an outstanding product, at a fair price, and treat people as you'd want to be treated, your headed in the right direction.
 
Few, truer words have ever been spoken.


EdCaffreyMS said:
............I have found the custom knife world/market to be unique in the fact that many clients do not simply purchase a "knife".....they want to know the Maker, they study his/her reputation, and base any buying decisions as much on an established reputation as on the knife itself. In short, if you make an outstanding product, at a fair price, and treat people as you'd want to be treated, you're headed in the right direction.
Click to expand...
 
I concur with Ed's statement about buyers buying you the maker in these tight times.

Where I live, the younger guys that are into Tactical knives, Don't have any money compared to Pro & Home hobbyist Chefs & Cooks that do have some coin for the tools of their trade or passions.

That's why I make about 98% Culinary chef knives and have for the last 8 years of my 15+ stint in knife making.

I suggest you look at the market around you. I know we have the internet,Ebay Etc...
For nation wide & internationals sales etc. Really you will start and develop your name in your neck of the woods.

So check out what the people around you are doing?

The old adage is! To, Find a need & Fill it!

Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com/
 
Thanks Jason, Ed, Karl, and Laurence. I don't have a reputation yet so I guess I'll have to try offering innovative designs and using excellent materials. I agree that Tactical knives seem to be all the rage right now but I don't particularly want to get into that type of knife. I prefer to make knives that people will actually use.

How about you Oregon and SW Washington makers....any thoughts?
 
My two popular models are very much classics with a bit of a modern flair. They're basically a slim drop point and a more substantial drop point. Both have a gentle curve along the whole spine with a bit extra at the end for the drop point. Both have a decent belly without becoming dedicated skinning knives. Both offer substantial flat edge sections for camp chores. Buyers seem more interested in little extras like mosaic pins than higher cost upgrades like fancy wood, but that might be as much due to my newness in the market and the primary uses for my knives. A knife likely to get pretty messy is probably less likely to sell in exotic wood than a synthetic more easily cared for.

I've kept my general look fairly consistent since I developed it. I tried a few variations early on and this one seemed to resonate with folks so I've kept those elements and tried variations on a theme to see what worked and what didn't. Sometimes, no matter what you do and how many folks say good things about a knife it just won't sell for what you're willing to charge. I have a very nice little wharny edc I've been trying to sell for almost two months now and I know that if I cut the price it'll move, but I won't make any money. I'm willing to be patient, the right buyer will come along and be very happy with it. In the past I've slashed prices to cost or even below just to get knives out there and establish at least a little customer base, but at this point I'm not willing to take a loss or not get compensated at least slightly for my time. I'll give it away as a promotional piece or to some organization for fund raising instead. Both are valid ways to promote yourself at relatively low cost. This one in particular has one more try at selling before I start looking at organizations I can donate it to for fund raising. I'm thinking Wounded Warrior or a local vet group working with local WoT vets. If it sells I'll make something else specifically for that, just a question of timing in that case.
 
Kudo's to Remy for giving to a great cause!

Wounded WarriorVet Group or any other "Cause"/Raffle or auction that rings true in your heart is a great way to get your knives in people's view!
For another example, I gave/worked with a local chapter of Ducks Unlimited about 10 years and I just started working with a abused children group. The reason I mentioned this last one is to show there are many, many groups to work with.

I know I am drifting to when to/How to Market your knives here,but this is just as important because it's a great way to hear from people that are involved in your local community that also have some of that "Disposable income" that Ed mentioned, and see what their interests and response to your knives are?
Also this is way to benefit and give back locally as you build your brand and see where peoples interest's are as Remy mentioned.

Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com/
 
I don't know if it helps anyone at all but ray mears style bushcraft knives are all the rage here in the UK, it doesn't seem like anyone else likes them. I reckon that you should try making one and see how fast it sells, if it sells then make more, if not you have a good knife, it is a good design and has a reputation for being a ridiculously sturdy design. They don't cost much to make at all either. Just my two pence.
 
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