New systems for pricing and releasing work
For the last few years, I have held the intention of changing some core aspects of how I work, what I make, and how I sell those products. Its been a slow process. I am still not completely done with custom order obligations that I took on years ago. Meanwhile, other projects are waiting in the wings, some of which have complex and protracted roadmaps to fruition of their own. But, despite not having all the proverbial ducks in a row, I have decided that it is time to share some information about the coming changes and most of all, the method of releasing work that I am hoping to implement.
Out with the old
As many of you know, for almost a decade I maintained an inventory of two standard knife series while also filling custom orders and producing a range of other products such as steak knives and edge guards. It was a lot to juggle. And while the skills and discipline that I gained from those years of production work are an invaluable foundation that I believe adds immensely to my work going forward, it also became a hamster wheel that brought me to the verge of burnout. Even then, it’s been hard to change because I philosophically align with making tools for everyday use. I feel a deep reluctance to make objects that threaten to be too expensive or fussy to actually use. However, at this point my desire for change has exceeded that reluctance. I feel I need to explore new concepts, work slower and challenge myself to bring forth new expressions of the aesthetic that has been refining in my minds eye.
In with the new
So, I have some very ambitious new lines of exploration underway (I know I’ve been saying that for a while but really, its happening this year). Some, I believe are quite unique and all of them involve processes that (even more than usual for knifemaking) inherently produce a range of results. Think, for example of wrought iron clad blades or A2 carbide banded blades. The character of the material is not known until the piece is ground and etched. This adds something interesting but it also means that pricing the work becomes tricky. For one thing, there are a certain number of knives that just go in the scrap bin. More importantly, it means that not all blades of a given size are aesthetically equal. A 240mm blade with exquisite banding is more beautiful and should be worth more than one from the same batch that developed barely discernible banding.
The new system for pricing work
Because I will be giving more time and attention to each blade and a certain amount of the failure rate must be covered by the salable knives, my prices will be higher than in the past. I know that is a bummer, but I think the value of my work, relative to other works of similar skill/quality will remain very good. Also, in order to let the price reflect its own merits, I will not take orders nor set prices by length and instead release the new pieces at prices set by a pricing rubric that includes a range for “grading” the finished blades.
The new system for releasing work
These changes also mean that the number of blades I make each year will be lower than before and I was already falling far below demand. In order to give everyone an equal chance to buy the limited number of knives available, I am moving to a lottery system. I have rigged up a makeshift method of doing this for now, and we will see how it goes.
The Rules: I will announce that a new release is available by posting on instagram and via the newsletter. The knives will be listed in the store section of the website for a number of days and anyone who is interested in purchasing a knife can sign up for the drawing for that knife. At the end of the allotted time, I will select one of the submitted emails at random and that person will have the opportunity to buy it. If they should pass for any reason or not respond in a timely fashion (48 hours), another email will be selected randomly. I’m sure that there will be lessons to learn and adjustments to make along the way but I hope that this new approach will help streamline the process of buying my work. If you would like to receive updates about releases, please sign up for the newsletter below. Thanks for reading and good luck!