Thoughts on my new production knife?

[Scottishsmith24]

So I'm starting a new and my first production line and I've decided on doing the puukko knife for a few reasons; simple efficient grinds, stacked leather handles make for quick assembly, and the size makes it legal to carry in most places and good for most activities. What do you guys think of the puukko as opposed to other styles? I'm planning on making up 25 or so this week. Would you all be interested in seeing the process? Thanks!

[kyratshooter]

What WE think is not relivant.

What the customers think is the dominant concern of a "production line".

Does the public want a pukko?

Or is this a subtle way of asking if WE want to buy your pukko production?

I do not want a pukko. But that is just my preferance. Someone else might want a puko.

When knives start rolling off a production line they are no longer custom knives. Did you start building to be a knife maker or an assembly line worker?

[BENESSE]

Some of the Mora are very similar to pukkos and quite affordable. What would be your angle on it?

[hunter63]

Whats the pricing?

[randallss7]

How are you producing 25 a week, are you starting up with a crew and manufacturing machinery, it takes me 4 months or longer to make 25. That's a lot of knives not to test the market first, make a couple and see if they will sell. Unless you are having the blanks cut out by someone else, or buying parts already made what is the benefit of doing 25 of one kind of knife? In my experience hidden tang knives are out right now, I sell 25 to one full tang knives to one hidden tang. Also you are going to produce a knife that is readily available for 65.00 do you plan on doing anything to set your knives apart from the ones already available? Just some things to think about from someone who has been doing this for a while. But I guess if you can mass produce them and keep the price down to under 75.00 - 100 you may have something. Do not forget about sheaths.

[canid]

I could do 25 in a week if I put full-time into it and had the bank-roll not to have to wait for payment on some before buying the materials to start the rest.

I can tell you for sure that I would not feel much like starting a second batch the second week

[crashdive123]

I like Puukko knives just fine. If I were to attempt to make 25 knives in a week it would no longer be an enjoyable task (for me). Not sure what the market is, or the price points out there for them.

[Winter]

I love puukos, but, Americans make consistently terrible knife choices. The bushcraft and wilderness community is a relatively small market for real using knives.

The sharpened flatbar market is huge though. Tactical, full tang, doomsday, etc etc.

[Scottishsmith24]

All excellent points guys thanks for the input. Well to help clear things up I am a full time smith and have a 1000 square foot shop and a school for blacksmithing and aboriginal skills that I am starting so space and equipment isn't a problem. I agree about not doing bulk on an untested market which is why I am doing the 25 they are my small batch. I have four stores and a wholesaler that I am working with so the orders could exceed 500 at any given time. My personal survival knife is puukko esque and that is always what I tell my students is an ideal survival knife for many situations. I will still be doing customs knives but the production line is a good source of stable income if it works well. Working at top speed I could put out 150-200 knives per week doing all the knives myself or with another knifemaker I could use who was trained to ABS JS standards. I guess that what would distinguish these knives is that I am having them be ABS JS quality of performance at a $50 price tag which I think most people would consider a pretty good deal. I wanted to see what you all thought since each person on here has such a wide variety of experience with a wide variety of knives and they are actually using them. Right now I'm in the process of expanding my business so exploring different markets and finding niches that make profit are always going to make me a little crazy busy

[Scottishsmith24]

Oh and Randall to answer your question...elbow grease, ambition, necessity, and working fast leads to 25 + knives a week. It's a make it or break it time for me and if this line goes over well it could me a lot of well needed income and that pushes me to work quickly.

[COWBOYSURVIVAL]

All excellent points guys thanks for the input. Well to help clear things up I am a full time smith and have a 1000 square foot shop and a school for blacksmithing and aboriginal skills that I am starting so space and equipment isn't a problem. I agree about not doing bulk on an untested market which is why I am doing the 25 they are my small batch. I have four stores and a wholesaler that I am working with so the orders could exceed 500 at any given time. My personal survival knife is puukko esque and that is always what I tell my students is an ideal survival knife for many situations. I will still be doing customs knives but the production line is a good source of stable income if it works well. Working at top speed I could put out 150-200 knives per week doing all the knives myself or with another knifemaker I could use who was trained to ABS JS standards. I guess that what would distinguish these knives is that I am having them be ABS JS quality of performance at a $50 price tag which I think most people would consider a pretty good deal. I wanted to see what you all thought since each person on here has such a wide variety of experience with a wide variety of knives and they are actually using them. Right now I'm in the process of expanding my business so exploring different markets and finding niches that make profit are always going to make me a little crazy busy

+1 sending you some rep! I hope you succeed! and think you will!

[randallss7]

Oh and Randall to answer your question...elbow grease, ambition, necessity, and working fast leads to 25 + knives a week. It's a make it or break it time for me and if this line goes over well it could me a lot of well needed income and that pushes me to work quickly.

lol, that's awesome, you didn't tell us that before, sounds like you have it all worked out, I have tinkered with the idea of going full time but my other job is just to stinking good you know. I hope you knock it out of the park and wish you the very best. I joined the ABS a year back, I also plan on doing a lot more forged knives and making some of my own Damascus but finding time is the issue. I want to take the ABS beginner class with them but I would have to take two weeks vacation together and that's hard to do. Good luck and let us know how it works. I have a few knife making friends who have large number of blanks water jetted, and then send them out for heat treat 100's at a time they make good money doing it. Its just a hobby for me pays for a few toys you know.

[Scottishsmith24]

Thanks guys for the well wishes...I really do appreciate it. Forging out on your own (pun intended) can be very scary when there is so much riding on it so your words of encouragement really help me out. It's always hard to find the time but it's always worth it, those long hours after dinners and on weekends for learning and pushing your skill? I always thought so at least. In all honesty the going full time was kind of a necessity for me, being 20 with my fiance suddenly moved across country for her job and me not having any real work in the area I had to push my business to full time just to have any real prospects and so far it's going well enough but it is challenging...so your guys encouragement really does help me out. Thanks again!

[your_comforting_company]

drop the point, no longer than your index finger, solid tang and finger guard/thumb rest. no less than 11 ga on the spine. no serrations. That's the knife I want on my hip.

[Survive-this.]

I would be interested in some kind of video demonstration. I've heard of people making some pretty cool and effect knives out of old railroad spikes. Practically free

[canid]

Pretty cool knives yes. Effective knives not so much.

[randallss7]

I would be interested in some kind of video demonstration. I've heard of people making some pretty cool and effect knives out of old railroad spikes. Practically free

I've hammered a few rail road spikes into knives, here is one a little different.

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and here is one I did way back in the day, I still have it just do not use it much. Don't laugh this one was made a long time ago and as you can see my skills have improved somewhat...lol.

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There are a lot of guys out there who make way cooler rr spike knives that these.

[Scottishsmith24]

Cool knives. Yes, while one can make a railroad spike knife and it will work it is going to be a lot more maintenance and not as high performance as other steels. For this new line I decided on 1095 for its edge retain ability also it's easy and cheap to find in 1/8 inch stock which is perfect for these knives. I will definitely post a video demonstration of these knives...maybe sometime later this week when I get a bit of time to finish some up.

[randallss7]

Cool knives. Yes, while one can make a railroad spike knife and it will work it is going to be a lot more maintenance and not as high performance as other steels. For this new line I decided on 1095 for its edge retain ability also it's easy and cheap to find in 1/8 inch stock which is perfect for these knives. I will definitely post a video demonstration of these knives...maybe sometime later this week when I get a bit of time to finish some up.

Yes they are not near as good as 1095 or even 1075 good choice on blade material.

[Winter]

With a $50 price tag, I'd say they will move quickly. Hell, for $50, I may need one.