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Tourist knife design??

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I've had great luck with it. Burnt somewhere near 40 bags of it in the last few years.

I accept it in lieu of payment when people come out to forge something, once in a while...

J
 
J
I use Kingsford Lump Charcoal. I used about 10 bags of it so far this year. I use as my cooking charcoal too. I keep a grill grate next to my forge. So when I HT I usually cook something on the grill when I am done.
 
I've been considering doing up a nice steak on my forge, when the beating's done some evening... Figured with a little blower action, I could get the ultimate rare steak.... Cool and bloody inside and beautifully seared on the surface, lots of "dipping sauce" for the fries....

Haven't tried it yet. Shamefully, I grill over propane still...

The Kingsford lump is less commonly available here. Both Canadian Tire and Superstores carry gobbs of the Royal Oak, at least in summer. Must remember to stock up before snow flies. Winter is the best time for forgeing. :)

J
 
my next thing is going to be making bp
Click to expand...

been there, done that. Dont tell the coppers:) i used sa pine saw dust, the stuff you put in a hamster cage. You need a soft wood charcoal that burns fast. Hell of a job if you dont have a ball mill. I dont and manage. You learn to shoot straight fairly quickly :). I cannot offer you advice on knife making but i can offer advice on this. Pm me if you have question. Ive used my black magic to hunt warthog, awesome feeling knowing that you have sucessfully hunted with a "true" primitive" weapon.

Back to knives, finished the blades (mine and the one for the shop) just need to do handle, sheeth and gift box. Ill try get a pic up tomorrow. The boss has stopped me from using the internet so i might not be on to often.
 
My favorite souvenirs from SA were those cork screw/bottle openers with the handle of a warthog tusk. My uncle made one for me and my father, and I bought one at a craft market for girl friend's father. Anything you could think of that could include tusk, or bone or horn into the handle would scream exotic/buy-me-now because you wont have a chance to get one like this in the USA/UK/Where ever later on. I liked your spears that you make too... would be interested to see some pics of your prototypes once you have your ideas narrowed down some.
 
Rmuzz, great point. (pun :) ) I too have my wart hog bottle opener. :D Mine has tooth marks from a dear departed doggie.

The Zulu spears were very interesting to me, wish I'd purchased several. :(
 
Black Toe: I hunt with a Lyman trade rifle .50 cal and have owned a ardesa trapper .50 and a remington 1858 new army.

Here is the knife that ill be carrying to show the guests, the other one that im busy with is similar and will go in the shop. This one has got hippo bone handle with brass pins. What do you think?

KUBU.jpg
 
How much do you plan on selling them for? Also will hippo bone be the standard handle or will you dabble in other stuff like micarta or a hardwood?
 
Thanks for the compliments.

Hippo dont die here that often, so i cannot get bone that often. Our lion kill wildebeest every day but the bone is smaller and i cannot get big enough slabs for handle and the hyena normally eat the bone before i get to it. As part of a momento from the lodge, im keen to use a piece of firewood and cut/shape it into slabs. Our firewood is good quality hardwood and should make a beatifull handle. Im not keen on micarta, i would like to stay more natural, for the guests and price facter. Natural will sell better.

In terms of price, i'll probably try for R1500.00 about $180. I know its expensive for my amature work but it does take me allot of time for one knife and the guests would pay for the memory of the lodge , the safari, their guide, the story etc. We sell these stupid brass statues of wild dog for R1200 and they sell like hot cakes, so i think/hope my knives will sell fairly quickly. Im hoping for 2 a month. The knives will be sold with a sheath and a certificate. What are your views ?
 
Mokwepa, If the steel is good, i think that you should charge more for the knife than US$180.

Go for US$250 at least and include a good leather sheath. If people rally go nuts for them, you may go up to US$400.

I've seen worse tourist junk charging what you want, and those were machine-made.
 
Cheese and rice, if i could get $250 for my knives, i would be smiling:). I dont know if my build quality is good enough to charge that much. I also dont want to scare people off with the price. Ill see how quickly this one goes then go from there.

mmmmmmmmm, $$!
 
You have to sell the "sizzle", not the steak.

On your guided tours, always let the people see the knife on your hip, then do a couple of "manly" things with the knife, not too showy, but enough to instill some awe into the blade -and in yourself.

Mention that you made the knife you carry and that you also sell a few of them on occasion...
 
Good design and good lines.

I would clean the surface up more. There are folks working with the same level of technology, and lower, you're using and they put the effort into cleaning up the bevels. Here's and example from the master of "neo-tribal metal smiths", Tai Goo. You can see the piece if forged and that there is an elegant primativism to it, but the scale is removed and the surface worked to leave it free of voids and pits that will accelerate rust. There's a reason you finish the surfaces other than to make them appealing to the eye.

Tai%20Goo%20Bush%20Buddy%2001-3.jpg


Be careful on your pricing, or at least be careful about what you actually think they're worth. Get what you can, but know the knife you've pictured wouldn't sell at a show here in the US for the price you've set. You're selling a souvenir that works so you can get the time/equipment to help you make better knives.
 
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Still only trying to make my second knife, but will use the analogy of my canes which I sell for cash to buy more tools. Unless they have eye appeal, forget it. They buy the finish Poly and paracord, not the the wood, or the behind the scenes effort.

Clean them up and sell pretty, but emphasise functional. Feel out the price. As pictured I would pass at 150, Cleaned up, I am a potential customer.

Just my .02
 
Im not a pro and i know that. Im selling a souvenier that represents the lodge and myself and their experiance in africa. I know it will sell, when the right guests come along. The american hunter type, the come fairly often.
 
I like it alot Mok! Nice lines.

I've watched a few smiths at historical villages, watched them making objects for sale at thier own souvinier shops. Mostly wrought iron works. When they aim for a smooth, unscaled surface, they keep a stiff small wire brush on the anvil. After each heat, before they hammer, they'd brush off what scale would come off. And brush off the anvil.

That might help smooth your surface finish a touch.

J
 
You can dip your hammer in water as you forge to reduce scale and you can soak in vinegar overnight and wire brush scrub it the next day. It doesn't take much technology to clean off most of the scale.
 
Ditto what HSO posted about soaking overnight. I also truthfully say that I have never broken even with my knives. If I charged just the minimum wage for the amount of hours I put into a knife I would never sell any. And that does not include materials, charcoal etc. etc. I do it because I can watch my kids while I work and because I love it.:)
 
Find a source for some junk Chinese knives and contact the company with a few design changes. Buy the knives for a few pennies on the dollar, stamp in your own design logo, and sell it as locally produced to tourists. Make sure you buy a few in the differant production changes as well as some raw steel pieces to pretend that thay are made there. Or you can learn to produce a real quality knife after several years of practice and still make a lot less money on this than buying the garbage Chinese knives. Your choice.
 
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