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Full Time Knifemaker

Two of my employees called in sick today. They are good folks and it happens. I feel lucky to have them. Ken, my VP, and David and I had to do our job and theirs today. My day was 4:30 am to just now. I don't even have the energy to pack up the laptop.

Its not my intention to complain, but just to highlight that it is not an easy job. We put out 42 knives per week. It takes a lot of dedication to accomplish this from all 5 of us. If we are lucky and the knives get made, then its on me to sell them. That, once again is no feat, and the ebbs are frightening when others depend on you.

I never get asked to teach folks to make knives anymore. The question is always the same. "Can you teach me to be a full time knifemaker?" I don't automatically say no. Actually, I can. I've had two apprentices that are full time and succeeding. I have two now that work full time for me too and have the potential. Two critical things have to happen though. You have to make sexy knives, and you have to know how to manage a brand. Then you have to have the final critical component, a wife with a good career that provides insurance.

Without my wife, none of this would have happened.

Stay sharp.

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Permalink Reply by Andrew Roy on June 9, 2014 at 10:18

Well, the show has come and gone. One exhausted knife practioner, my own self, is taking a light day cleaning the shop and doing a tray of finish grinds. I gave the rest of the team two paid days off. I've got a few random and longwinded highlights for you.

I get a feeling of pride, as most teachers do, at the show when the knifemakers I have tought do well, and have pretty looking work on their table. All of the three current apprentices sold knives at the show. My current team of apprentices consists of Adam Andreasen, Judy Yoon, and Allen Surls! I am very proud of them for not only the quality of the work, but the hard show days standing behind it and talking about it all day. Allen had his own table and Adam and Judy shared my 2nd table. Each of them sold well for a first show.

My first show was Blade Show 09. Ironically I sold 9 pieces that weekend. Each of my apprentices has worked a blade show with me and learned my simple method for working a show. (Stay standing, shake hands, smile, STOP PASSERBY'S to talk about anything!) The business end of knifemaking is a big part of what I teach here. The truty is that my knives are simple workers, and not masterworks, so they only get basic knifemaking here. I'm not even at journeyman level yet IMO. But I do teach the business part pretty well and feel more confident about teaching that part.

Of the graduated apprentices (Dylan Fletcher, Dan Eastland, and Damon Lusky) each did well at the show. Dan sold a BUNCH, and I am proud as I can be of him. Dylan couldn't get a table of his own this year because his son was due the Thursday before the show, so he shared my 2nd table. Luckily, his wife had their baby boy the previous Tuesday, so he did get to do the show. His knives sell faster than mine do and always have. I almost stopped teaching it after his succcess, but it never turned out to hurt my bottom line, so I re-thoght that idea. And finally Damon Lusky, officially Dylan's apprentice, sold a bunch as well at his own table. I like to think that while Dylan wasn't looking I might have influenced Damon and tought him something and that makes me feel good. He is such an accomplished metal artist that I mostly learned from him. That happens a lot when you teach knifemaking.

The other thing that I am proud about from the show is that each of the folks above have been juried in to the GA Knifemakers Guild. And most of them, under my tenure on the board. Adam was the youngest voting member ever, at 17 years old. The whole guild voted to change the rules to allow it. Judy was the first lady to be juried in as a voting member. I'm going to get Ken making knives and get him into the guild as well. Then I will be a 100% employer of GA Guild members. Our guild here has nurtured me and I am proud to be a part of it.

The other big great part of the show is when I get to talk to people that I admire, and whose work I respect. I try not to bother them too much though. I talked to Billy Imel for a while, his work is out of this world and he's the friendliest guy to talk with. I'm still getting to know the many greats from the Knifemakers Guild but I bucked up and approached a few. Then I like to visit the mastersmiths tables also. I spoke with Michael Rader for a while, and was honored by that. I usually strike up a talk with J. Neilson, but he was busy selling and I waved and moved on. He gave me advice on knife #6 that drove me for years to grind better bevels. Isn't that cool? In a 6 minute conversation, he put goals in front of me that guided my work for years.

Lastly I got to hang with Jan and crew yet again and that was certainly a highlight. I was very glad when she showed up sunday for a hug.

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KnifeMakerPermalink Reply by Carl Rechsteiner on June 10, 2014 at 6:09

"............... I mostly learned from him. That happens a lot when you teach knifemaking."

No truer words Andy, I figure if I'm not learning from my students I'm not getting through to them. I really like the kids because they ask about and observe thhigs adults are too embarrassed to for fear of looking bad. Truly no stupid questions (and repetition is good for old poots like me).

Your aps really do fine work and it's good to see they are developing their own styles, but striving to maintain the level of QC that you work at and accomplish so well.

I had an enjoyable time talking with each of them. I really enjoyed harassing Allen into applying to the Knifemakers' Guild. It will be a good connection for him and strengthen the GA contingency.

And as always....enjoy talking shop with you even though it's tough at a show like that.

What's really a good plus in all of this is that if I have a customer looking for something specific I don't personally make or carry there is always one of my good friends/makers within pointing distance that can help them out (I could hit Andy's table with a bottle cap).

It was a very good show this year, bit thick with noise with the change in table arrangements, but a very good and constant crowd.

Some how I managed to miss seeing you Miss Jan, guess I snuck off at just the wrong time (my loss). Thank you to all that did stop by for a visit.

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Permalink Reply by Andrew Roy on June 16, 2014 at 9:26

Well, I spent the end of last week at my grandads place in northern Mississippi. Me and the girls (Hannah (11), Lily (7)) went to visit my parents. Leah had to work. My girls both like exploring on the old place and we had fun rooting around. I grew up spending my summers there with my grandad, and now my folks live there.

Back to work this week and the shop looks great, props to the crew. I just finished a tray of blade grinding, and I'm having trouble starting on handle shaping.

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Permalink Reply by Andrew Roy on July 11, 2014 at 7:00

Its good to have things running like they should again. We did 43 this week. July is usually very slow, sales wise, but so far, we're OK. Don't have much set aside for the Guild show unfortunately, but I have three friday's to get there. I'm only bringing 12 pieces to the show. But we have to have 20 on that short week for FF as well. Lots of knives to make!

New model comes out today in the FF posting. Cutie little thing.

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Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on July 11, 2014 at 13:40

Well I am just going to have to go take a look at that!!

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Permalink Reply by Andrew Roy on July 25, 2014 at 5:30

Hey Jan, what did you think of the little Patch Knife? Pic follows. Its a little guy with a 4" handle and 3.5" blade.

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Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on July 25, 2014 at 7:58

Andy,

Now you knew I would fall in love with that little guy!!! The symmetry, the clean lines, a beautiful wood and a classic grind??? Add to that, it is a Fiddleback Forge! Unable to resist......

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Permalink Reply by Andrew Roy on July 26, 2014 at 9:30

I like the smaller knives, so its right up my alley.

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Permalink Reply by Andrew Roy on August 5, 2014 at 4:56

Well, the Knifemakers Guild Show in Louisville Ky was last weekend. This show is always humbling for us, and this one was no different. When you are surrounded by the caliber of craftsmen in this room, you kinda want to cover your knives up and get into the farm business or something. Consider Mr.'s WD Pease and Billy Imel.. The knives on those tables were fit for a kings hoard. I mean to say beyond my ability to find a flaw, designed and crafted by true masters. THEN you add on the caliber of human being that has made such a piece of art and you have to be inspired. These men will talk to you like they are not in any hurry, leading and teaching and sharing. I know neither of them will remember me next year, but that isn't important. I'll just re-introduce myself, and be inspired yet again. I look forward to it.

My knives underwhelmed. I sold only three all weekend. I have one year to improve before I have to present knives to be judged for voting status, and I have a long way to go. I was blessed to have Tony Baker, another excellent knifemaker, spend some time with me giving me some things I need to fix. I am lucky to have the guys in the GA Knifemakers Guild to help me with this also. Tony is working on raising the standards of the Guild, so I wanted to make sure I was working on fixing the right issuses. Honest criticizm is priceless and I appreciated it.

So, this is my challenge this year. I'm going to add some early morning hours and start hand rubbing a few. I'm also going to do some other kinds of grinds. They're kinda turned off by my 'lazy slack belt grinding'. I knew convexes would be a hard sell for the guild, and I was right. They aren't impressed that I can control it. They want the crisper lines that hollow and flat give you. They even suggested I start grinding with a jig so that my grinds appear to have 'control'. Ouch.

Ouch basically sums up the show.

Sunday night I couldn't sleep, so I got up and went to work. I started at midnight. Man I got a lot done. From now on, I'm going to add those hours, and see what happens. This way when the insomnia hits, and its really bad lately, I benefit from it rather than just feeling crappy all the time.

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Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on August 5, 2014 at 20:51

Andy,

Your a bundle of energy on any given day! I admire your ability to stay humble, your knives are great and stepping it up a notch will really make them stand out. Cannot wait to see whats coming out of this!

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Permalink Reply by Andrew Roy on August 6, 2014 at 5:29

I'll have 5 knives finished next week to a level that I've never done before. Two hand rubbed, and three that I'm trying a new technique on that I'm excited about.

I really don't know what it'll take to pass the guild judging. They weren't impressed with my convex grinding. I'm going to have to learn to hollow grind, and master it before then. I've never done one because its my least favorite grind. But I'm willing to put something on the table tailored to their vision, and not mine. So its time to practice, which is something I get a lot of opportunity to do.