Elemental Metal Creations Posted December 4, 2011 Share Posted December 4, 2011 This is my first leaf. My wife posted a pic on facebook about 1 hr ago and already had 2 people ask if they were for sale. I said yes but don't know what to charge. I started with 3/8 round. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naz Posted December 4, 2011 Share Posted December 4, 2011 Nice job on your first leaf ! My suggestion is you keep that one since it's your first one and offer to make other ones for those people that are interested. Sorry, can't help you with the price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
backshopknives Posted December 4, 2011 Share Posted December 4, 2011 i would say at least double the cost of matterials. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtforge Posted December 4, 2011 Share Posted December 4, 2011 How much material did it take? How long did it take? I sell mine for $5. Uses about a 1 1/2" of 3/8" square and about 8 minutes when demonstrating. Mine has the stem rolled into a loop for hanging. You have on yours a little fancier being wrapped around so maybe $7 - $10. But get as much as the market will bear. And enough to make more with a little profit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John B Posted December 4, 2011 Share Posted December 4, 2011 i would say at least double the cost of matterials. Sorry but get real, As a generalisation IME Hand forged items work in at an 10 to 20 percent material cost unless using more expensive materials, But on any small items like a key ring, the material cost is only pennies, and sale price is multiple pounds/dollars, depends on the added value you have forged into your workpiece, (eg pattern welded blade or ornate items) See what others charge that are selling items and settle on a price you and your client will be happy with, and don't denigrate the 'smiths who have to make a living from their work by more or less giving away your items on the open market. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beth Posted December 4, 2011 Share Posted December 4, 2011 wise words john... good luck with sales pheonix :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kendall P Posted December 4, 2011 Share Posted December 4, 2011 A good idea would be to check etsy.com for simmilar items and do a price comparrison. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marksnagel Posted December 4, 2011 Share Posted December 4, 2011 They will sell for what the market will bear. $5-10 should be about right. For your first 10 that you make, the time to make them will be longer than your next 10 and so on and so on. Your price on the first few may seem like you did a lot of work for not much profit but the better you get, the faster you will make them and the labor factor changes. If it takes you 1 hour to make the first one and the material cost was .10 cents and you charge $5, then you are making about $4.90 an hour. But when you can make one in 30 minutes, your labor rate jumped to $9.80 an hour because you can now make two in the same time as you used to make one. One every 15 minutes = $19.60 an hour. One every 5 minu...... well you get my drift. Somebody check my math please, 9th grade was the hardest 4 years of my life. There are so many factors and costs to consider if you want to enter into the business side of blacksmithing. It looks great. Have fun while you do it and you can charge what you want. Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elemental Metal Creations Posted December 4, 2011 Author Share Posted December 4, 2011 Thanks for the comments and thoughts. John, don't worry, I would rather give something away for free than give it away. Mark, the math looks correct to me, had to use the calculator! Don't really know how long it took as I was working on a couple of things at the same time. Told the wife $6 and after she posted that got 2 more orders. humm, facebook may have a use after all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pault17 Posted December 4, 2011 Share Posted December 4, 2011 phoenix-guy are you sending them through some kind of mail, orhand delivering? may affect pricing nice first leaf. I still carry mine as a humility reminder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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