Chris Pook Posted July 26, 2006 Share Posted July 26, 2006 Kinda thinking outloud and looking for some input... I currently run my business under the name Nocturnal Designz Inc. Heres a link to my very old never updated website(sure wish I knew how to do it myself) with not to much in the way of forge workhttp://nocturnaldesignz.com/index.asp My business is doing mostly custom fabrication work whatever people want, but I have been trying to swing it to mostly forge work, and its been hard thing to do seeing how people already know me as a fabrication shop and I never seem to have time to work on forged product, after a day of fabrication its hard to ignore the family and head out for more metalwork. I know forging Iron is were i need to be I never intended to be a welder doing production type work and enjoy the time i get forging items for customers more than any other aspect of my business. I've been thinking I should keep the old name going for my fabrication business as kinda a backburner thing when i need cash just picking and choosing the work I do for current customers and "forging ahead" under a new name (as a subsiderary of Nocturnal Designz Inc for liabilty and tax issues etc) the current name came about from when I first started i worked out of my dad's shop at night after the workers left (which I had been doing for years working on friends and my own projects) I then got my own warehouse and still kinda worked at night as it was easier to do the running around during the day, dealing with customers etc... These days I do still work at night on ideas but with a family in the process of setting shop up at home to be a good neighbour I have to shift my work hours to the daytime. I was thinking of going just with my name "Chris Pook Blacksmith" such as my great great grandpa did heres a photo of his shop that was in Ontario Canada in the late 1800's Nocturnal Designz - Company Information or going the with "something forge route" or blacksmith shop I guess part of the wanting to change the name is just in my head...giving me a fresh start in a new shop, doing the work I want to do, with a name that describes what I do when people first read or hear it and hopefully keeping me away from the usual fab work expectations. Having the shop at home now is helping make this all possible, Its a good move i hope as blacksmithing is were my heart is. does any of this make any sense :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blacksmith Jim Posted July 26, 2006 Share Posted July 26, 2006 I liked "Forging Ahead"! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rthibeau Posted July 26, 2006 Share Posted July 26, 2006 If you've been doing business for some time under the Nocturnal name, you probably have stationery, etc, already printed up and the name is known - somewhere - as a metal shop. Switching from fab work to forging will bring new customers not familiar with any shop name, so the name won't matter. The old customers know the name and now will learn of new products or processes used. I'd advise keeping the name as is, but get new business cards that have a secondary line under the name proclaiming "blacksmith and hand forged metal designs" or some such thing. Advertising should help matters. If you're making a living from fab work, you don't want to shut that off until the forge work is established. Only needs Patience, which is a virtue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Pook Posted July 26, 2006 Author Share Posted July 26, 2006 Stationary is part of thinking about changing the name, I need all new business cards and stationary because of address changes and phone number changes due to moving the shop home, as far as fabworks goes the customers that keep me eating all know me and know what I am trying to do, so I'm not too worried about starting fresh with a new name/direction they now how to get a hold of me. And on the other side there some customers I wouldn't mind getting away from Valid points to think about though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Pook Posted July 26, 2006 Author Share Posted July 26, 2006 The more I think about it, the more I feel its just to change things in my own head, a fresh start. Theres things about how my current business went from the beginning I didn't like, and things I would of done differently if given the chance. Sort of restarting out but with a full shop of tools, more experience and a small line of products I haven't had a chance to take to market yet...I could hit the ground running :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted July 27, 2006 Share Posted July 27, 2006 At some point your business will change hands. Chris Pook Blacksmith (or Blacksmithing) is good for your ego but very poor for the new owners ego, unless his name is Pook. The name should be short and memorable, and give the viewer some idea of what is being done. If you select the business name as a marketable commodity it will add value to the business at the time of sale. Most like the new owner will not have to change stationary, advertising campaigns, or phone numbers, which is a plus, and more money at the time of the sale. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rthibeau Posted July 27, 2006 Share Posted July 27, 2006 good reasoning, Chris. Pick a good name like Glenn suggested and go for it. Good luck to you, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frogvalley Posted July 27, 2006 Share Posted July 27, 2006 Nocturnal Forge would be my vote. Spin it off but keep it connected and then "morph" the designz part slowly into the background while bringing the forge part forward. The company I own is Frog Valley Artisans. It consists of 6 artists here and some part time apprentices and helpers. 3 principal artists in residence (everyone else lives off site) with three main fields or divisions- metal sculpture and blacksmithing ( AKA Frog Valley Forge), stained and fused glass( Frog Valley Glass), pottery (Frog Valley Pottery). All four are separate and yet equal. The three are part of the one for legal matters, but the customer contact and image relates to the separate parts. Glass people connect with the glass, pottery with pottery, metal with metal. We each have business cards for our respective specialties ( I have three cards-forge, photography, metal sculpture ), plus a combo card for FV Artisans to promote the groups talents rather than an individual. I am in an upcoming show as a featured metal sculptor/blacksmith. I'll be handing out Frog Valley Forge cards for most of the opening, except when discussing the combination/collaborative works that will be there. Then I'll hand out the Frog Valley Artisans card. So I guess what I am saying is that a multi disciplined metal shop with a current focus on fabrication with an increasing focus on forge work is not too hard to do and can be done well with a little thought. blah blah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
primtechsmith Posted July 27, 2006 Share Posted July 27, 2006 Nocturnal Iron Works. This name may cover all aspects of your shop. From Fab work to forged work. Logo could be a cresent moon hanging over an anvil with a single star beside it. In a semi circle arch over the logo have it say "Nocturnal Iron Works" Under the anvil have your name as resident blacksmith. That way your name is there and could come off if you ever sell the place...my .02. Peyton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Pook Posted July 27, 2006 Author Share Posted July 27, 2006 primtech... thats a good one. Thanks guys, gave me lots to think about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryce Masuk Posted March 1, 2008 Share Posted March 1, 2008 I always liked the name it has right now I must have walked past your shop a couple 100 times i would probley add chris pook blacksmith to the name Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habu68 Posted March 1, 2008 Share Posted March 1, 2008 With a grin like a 'possom eating beer caps I would suggest the Bluegrass solution to the "Name the Band " problem.The Random Bad Bluegrass Band Namer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John B Posted March 1, 2008 Share Posted March 1, 2008 Hows about using the Nocturnal Iron Works and using an owl as a logo? Easy to forge and you can personalise your forged commissions with one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mills Posted March 2, 2008 Share Posted March 2, 2008 rthibeau advice is sound, the question to be answered is where are you going to go find new customers? I am mainly doing fence repair on a big fence at the moment, no forge work and many are getting to know me that way BUT I am doing a wholesale gift show where all I will display are forged iron products to people who don't know me from Chris Pook ALL orders I get from there will be new business new people in a direction I want to go in. It is not easy switching gears, you have to carve out the time somewhere. Good Luck to you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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