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Ordering
a Custom Knife
I
am open to your ideas and will gladly
take orders. Please understand that orders
are filled on a first come, first served
basis and are worked on in-between my regular knife projects.
In order to keep balance in my knifemaking career, I have split up my tasks into three categories:
1 - Custom Orders: these are projects that are one-of-a-kind and sometimes require special processes, tools and/or supplies that might even be new to me. I love filling custom orders, because they are each a unique challenge. However, because of the challenges, more time is needed. This is the slowest moving pile on my bench. Wait time averages 6 months to a year.
2 - Pre Orders: these are orders based on existing patterns I already make, past or present. I'm familiar with the process and can save time and energy usually by working in batches. I fill these orders more quickly - usually with 2-4 months. Any extras are put up for grabs - offered first to those on the Mailing List (join here: Koster Knives Mailing List)
3 - New Designs: in order to stay fresh and keep out of the rut, I sometimes venture into the unknown...in pursuit of a dream...a sketch....perhaps even a whim or fancy. Some never see fruition, but without time spent on them, I grow stale and lose enthusiasm for the craft. I am not a machine for making knives. Rather, the artist/artisan behind the machine. There is usually no time constraint on these projects. I just post them for viewing and sometime selling when they are finished. As you can see, my already shortened time is easily sub-divided into smaller pieces. I struggled with how to handle orders for a while, and this is the best I've come up with so far.
That said, I would love to help
you design and bring-to-life your dream
knife, whatever it may be. Feel free to
ask questions and get involved in the
process. I welcome input from customers.
Even after the order is complete, I am
still interested in what you think of
the knife. I put my knives through task-specific
tests before letting them out the door,
but I am also very interested in your testing results. Constructive criticism
is encouraged. Knifemaking is a journey,
for me, and an adventure. Every opportunity
a learning experience. With your help,
I will only improve.
I
respond promptly to email, and will be
happy to give you my phone number so that
we can chat further about your project.
When you are ready to order or just want to check prices and play around a little...
Enter the Order Tracker
Click Here to Enter
After you have placed you order, you can make payment here:
$$$ Click here for Payment Info $$$
Please read these NOTES about making an order:
(the guidelines have recently changed)
- Adding your order to the Order Tracker "reserves your place in line". Check back often to see any changes in your order's status.
- A 30% Deposit is required before I order materials. The remainder is paid upon completion.
- ETA = I am constantly preparing for Knife Shows I will be attending, and I finish (on average) one custom order per week right now. So, look at the orders in the Order Tracker to see how far out I am at this time.
- Important
= I do not start work until the first
payment is received and will not
ship the knife until the order is paid
in full. I wish it weren't so, but
it's best this way - to protect both
of us. My reputation is at stake, so
you really have nothing to lose - I
have everything to gain.
- Be
patient. I am not a fulltime knifemaker.
My time is usually hit-n-miss. Sometimes
I will just sit and look at a project
until I can visualize it fully in my
mind. Sometimes that takes days. I do
not charge an hourly rate,
so it is to your benefit to allow me
time to fully understand and prepare
for the project. The thoughtfulness
pays off in the end when your piece
is completed in a beautiful and functional
way.
- Typically, I will have 3-5 projects
"in progess" at the same time.
I will work on one knife at a time until
I come to a "stopping point"
- knife being glued up, blade sitting
in the heat treat oven, overnight normalizing,
etc. - then I'll pick up the next project
in line until I can get back to the first
one.
- I have found that doing sharpenings and sheaths in-between knife projects helps me be more efficient with my time.
Plus, I don't like making customers wait
who only need a convex edge. So, if you
place a sharpening or sheath-only order, you can expect
it to be filled sooner than it's listed.
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