That monster was quite an under taking. I understood you were making it for an important customer. Only you know your relationship (business and personal) to your customer, thus you're really the only one who can price your work. I do know if you're regularly in the business of giving away 25 hours of shop and labor time you are either billing a great deal else where to make up for it or are going to end up going broke...or have independent means to subsidize your blacksmithing activities.
Regarding giving customers or friends a price break, there's one rule I made for myself many years ago. I let them know the full price and told them I was making a special customer discount (call it whatever) for them. Even if a gift for family or friend, I invoiced it at the full amount and did a discount line item (even if it was for the whole amount) and showed the balance due (hundred bucks or zero, whatever). This way everyone could know the full value of the item and everyone could know the extent of the discount or gift.
I found this important for clarity across the board: mine, recipient's and lookers on (whether associates of the recipient's or of mine.) Sometimes my associates were coworkers. It was especially important to be clear for them. If we all gave the shop away we'd go broke for sure.
It also helped me to be able to look back over a period of time and show right on the books what was produced, its cost of production and corresponding revenue stream. When it came time to reduce expenses and/or increase income knowing stuff like how much shop-time, etc, was given away was important. Correspondingly, knowing what our charitable contributions to the larger community (often to schools and the like) were helped instill another kind of pride or work ethic for us too.
Anyway, there's a few more thoughts on the matter. That behemoth of a sword was quite an achievement. I especially like how you handled the guard. Thanks for sharing all this with us. I can't believe I'm corresponding with you in Romania. What little bit I know of your country, it's a very very little bit, I have admired. How special to be sharing across the miles.
THANKS! --Phil
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