freeman Posted December 16, 2012 Posted December 16, 2012 One of my wife's coworkers cornered me at a Christmas party and asked if I would make them some bottle openers. So I made bottle openers. Quote
Daniel.85 Posted December 16, 2012 Posted December 16, 2012 Very cool! Looks like they would sell faster than you could make them. Quote
freeman Posted December 16, 2012 Author Posted December 16, 2012 Probably, or they'd be priced too high to sell. Getting that figure eight knot took longer than I'd care to admit. :wacko: Quote
freeman Posted December 17, 2012 Author Posted December 17, 2012 Love them! Thanks! I noticed from one of your posts you make a similar style. These designs are a natural progression from a simpler design I was making this time last year. I say natural progression because naturally every time I go a couple months without making bottle openers I forget how I did it the last time and end up accidentally coming up with something entirely different. Quote
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted January 12, 2013 Posted January 12, 2013 Can you show how these are used? Can't quite figure it out from the pics. Quote
nuge Posted January 12, 2013 Posted January 12, 2013 Looks like a pry bar and fulcrum to me, bottom of the pic. You won me over when you took the time to flatten the bends, that move adds a lot. Nice. Quote
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted January 12, 2013 Posted January 12, 2013 Ahhh, I see it now. I was looking to use it flat, not on edge. Quote
Chancellor Posted January 30, 2013 Posted January 30, 2013 Looks like a pry bar and fulcrum to me, bottom of the pic. You won me over when you took the time to flatten the bends, that move adds a lot. Nice. Yeah, the flattened bends are great. What size stock is that, it looks like 1/4'' to me? Sorry it took so long to reply, I have been moving and haven't been on in quite a while. Quote
Frosty Posted February 5, 2013 Posted February 5, 2013 Nice pieces, I may have to give em a shot. If you put them up for sale and they don't move well, don't automatically lower the price, it's kind of counter intuitive but a lot of what we sell is bragging rights. Nobody shops for hand made looking for a killer deal they can brag about, they're wanting something expensive enough to brag about. Seriously. Many years ago I was demoing at the AK state fair using my favorite demo project, the leaf finial coat hook. I had a bunch on my little table with a $9.95 each and four for $35. price. Sold a couple a day but that's all. Then I got tired of the guy I was associated with telling me I'd riced everything too high, I should be selling them for $4 or less. He went to eat and I turned the card over and priced them at $19.95 ea. or four for $75.00 and couldn't keep one on my table for looky loos. At fairs, demos, etc. under $20 that'll fit in a pocket is as close to a magic "thing" as I've found. Frosty The Lucky. Quote
freeman Posted February 5, 2013 Author Posted February 5, 2013 I appreciate the advice Frosty. I'm still on the fence on doing trade shows and the like. I patently dislike "production" work and they seem like quite a hassle for the $$$, but if I do decide to go down that road I'll definitely keep this in mind. Quote
Frosty Posted February 15, 2013 Posted February 15, 2013 Unless your goal is hobbyist, production is your goal, heck even as a hobbyist. Production is what you do at the forge in NO way does production imply doing hundreds or thousands of identical thingies. If you produce something the process is production if you want to make a profit you have to be efficient. Being efficient is fun, seriously it's WAY more enjoyable to make every move count, doing it well and fast is it's own reward. I was turning out leaf finial coat hooks in about 6 minutes while maintaining a constant patter, answering questions, telling jokes and stories. Seriously, you haven't lived till you've entertained at a demo. Folk eat it up. My parents lived through the great depression and were able to own a house, car and other good things because of mass production. We used to play a travel game where we pointed out and counted all the houses, cars, etc. just like ours. My generation and younger grew up with things that had almost no distinguishing character so being able to get something that is unlike any other on earth is special and valuable. Spectators at demos would line up to buy the ONE I was making, savor the warmth from the fire and smell of the finish. I used wax, soot, neatsfoot oil and turpenting so it had atmosphere. Of course that's just my opinion, I "could" be full of it. <wink> Frosty The Lucky. Quote
poundhound Posted February 19, 2013 Posted February 19, 2013 Freeman: I tried to copy your knots today but made them too tight. any advice on getting the proportions correct? and how to know to make the bend when so it is on the flat part of the bar? (tutorial, hint, hint) Quote
freeman Posted February 19, 2013 Author Posted February 19, 2013 I'll see about getting some photos together for a tutorial next time I fire up the forge. It's a fairly straightforward process but I'm not real sure how to describe it. Quote
freeman Posted February 19, 2013 Author Posted February 19, 2013 Frosty You make a good point. I guess when it comes down to it I don't know what my goal is at the moment beyond improving my skills as a blacksmith. I guess I don't have one yet. Quote
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