Thread: Making a living..

Originally Posted by Danocon

I did not like it as much when it became a job.

You beat me to this statement. I have experimented with many hobby's and have enjoyed them. When I think about charging for something it becomes "work". It takes a lot of the fun out of it.

Also from my experience with jewelry, the low end of the market is not feasible for an individual. You can't even compete charging for just the material let alone any sort of wage.

Tim

Originally Posted by 32t

You beat me to this statement. I have experimented with many hobby's and have enjoyed them. When I think about charging for something it becomes "work". It takes a lot of the fun out of it.

This is the number one reason I do not provide restoration services anymore. I did not have time to work on my own projects anymore, and I felt under obligation to spend time on things, even if it was inconvenient to do so.

Now I am making blades and do some restoration work, but not to order. I just do whatever I want, and when I finish something I use it for a while and then I sell it whenever I feel like it. Much more satisfying, and no pressure.

You guys are right. It can become a job. My engraving started as a hobby many years ago. Then it was a hobby that made a little money. Then I quit my teaching job and found myself a full time engraver. And yes it became a job. And yes it takes an amount of discipline to make myself sit down and engrave on those day when I just don't feel like doing it. Yes all those negatives are there. The biggest one for me is just what Bruno said. I have a whole list of projects planned out in my head that I would like to do for myself and I probably won't live long enough to finish half of them.

Here is my reality check. A man has to do something for a living. Out of all the jobs I have had this one is a blessing. I was a baby photographer for Sears at one time. Boy let me tell you was that a miserable job but it paid the bills. I worked in a factory that reconditioned drill bits and milling cutters for large manufacturers like Boeing and Lockheed Martin. 8 hours a day feeding drill bits into a collet on a machine that resharpened them as fast as you could go. I ran 10,000 bits a day on average. That job down right sucked! I was a public school teacher for about 6 years. Much nicer than the other two jobs but still no picnic.

Yes, it definitely has become a job. But I wake up every morning glad that I am able to work and pay my bills doing something I actually like. It is never as sweet and fancy free as it is when its a hobby, but being able to make a living doing something you like is worlds beyond being stuck in a job you hate.

Ray

Originally Posted by RayCover

Yes, it definitely has become a job. But I wake up every morning glad that I am able to work and pay my bills doing something I actually like. It is never as sweet and fancy free as it is when its a hobby, but being able to make a living doing something you like is worlds beyond being stuck in a job you hate.

Ray

Ray I'm printing that out and sticking it on my wall so I see it every day. I don't care if I get rich or anything like that. That feeling of being able to so something you like/love for a living has got to be great. That's going to be my mantra as I go through the "it's time to switch careers" phase of my life.

I just fount this thread. Pretty much all the comments and suggestions above are correct. Ray and Mike have a lot of good input.

Several years ago, a few of the knife makers were sitting around in the hotel lobby after the Knifemaker's Guild Show closed for the day. We were pondering this very same question. We decided to go through the membership list and see how many members were actually making knives as their sole source of income. The requirements were: No other source of income from a second job, spouse, retirement, trust fund, etc. They also has to be either married, or supporting a family. So, single guys living like bums didn't count. Out of over 400 Knifemaker's Guild members, we could come up with only seven.

That was twelve, or so, years ago. I'm sure things have changed some since then. Yet, it shows that it is possible, but it isn't easy. I got so burned out with the rat race of the whole thing, I made knife making my second job and went in to aviation, full time, just after we did our little survey. Five years ago, I decided I liked being with my wife and family more than flying. I'm now back to the knives and razors full time. Yes, I was one of the seven.

My only real advice is pretty simple. 1. Remember it is a business and treat it as such. A glorified hobby will not survive. 2. Don't quit your day job until the knife/razor making is so profitable that your day job is keeping you from making money. I have a pile of other little ideas, but the first two pretty much cover it.

I hope this helps.