TheoRockNazz Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 Hello gents,So I've been working at this new lasercutting shop for about three months now, and have been taking advantage of their scrap material. Designed and cut some boxes for shipping finished knives. They use toothed dovetails that have to be soft-hammered together, but then never come apart. The big box needs serious work, I've got to make the spacing of the dovetails wider, it's too hard to hammer together without risking splintering.The folders are these guys http://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/42242-patternwelded-bronze-beast-liner-lock-san-mai-razor/ and the other knife is just an old forging.Got me thinking, what other methods (besides the standard padded zipper-pouch) do you guys use? I've seen some beautiful boxes that are art themselves. I roll them with canvas, but there's probably a better option...?Comments and critique always appreciated,Theo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stormcrow Posted May 23, 2015 Share Posted May 23, 2015 I have no suggestion, just want to say that the packaging looks very classy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSW Posted May 23, 2015 Share Posted May 23, 2015 When I worked for the dive shop and had to ship knives with no sheaths, I'd fold heavy cardboard in half and staple it together with the big box stapler to form my own "sheath", then wrap in duct tape and box it up. If I had any old hose, I might split it and and use that to cover the edge/point and box. Your box looks very nice, but I bet it adds quite a bit of weight for shipping. That was one thing we always had to watch, as we billed shipping in advance. If the guy who wrote up the order misguessed the weight of the items, we'd get hammered on shipping. Tough thing was trying to always pack things as well as possible to prevent damage, and keep the weight of the packing to a minimum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheoRockNazz Posted May 23, 2015 Author Share Posted May 23, 2015 Very good point that I had not even considered Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted May 23, 2015 Share Posted May 23, 2015 (edited) Weight isn't a problem if it will fit in a USPS Flat Rate box.The box is a nice touch, it shows some class. It also adds to the buyer's perception as to the value of the knife. The only thing I would do differently is either scorch all of the edges alike, or sand them all. Some are dark, some are light which for me is a little distracting to the overall appearance.Here is a case my friend made for a knife he just sold. Edited May 23, 2015 by BIGGUNDOCTOR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted May 23, 2015 Share Posted May 23, 2015 Packaging is the first thing the client sees. If it has a WOW factor or shows (perceives) that you are proud of your product, then the product is of equal or greater value than the cost. For instance the perception difference if the product was wrapped in week old crumbled newspaper or it comes in its own leather sheath. Add points (pun intended) if the knife and sheath are wrapped in a plastic bag (sealed is better than folded closed), and then placed in a well thought out support packaging such as you use. Did you add a short Thank You note for purchasing the knife ? Did you give any details on the manufacture of the knife or how to care for the knife and sheath? It does make a difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrMaelstrom Posted May 26, 2015 Share Posted May 26, 2015 Honestly, that might be some of the classiest, and safest, packaging I have seen. I might want to invest in wooden boxes. When I was in college, I shipped a rather large camping knife to a friend in what I had deemed "Acceptable packaging". I had wrapped the tip in cardboard and packed it in a box that I had under my bed.I got a call a few weeks later. Essentially, it had wiggled loose from the cardboard "sheath" and stabbed its way through the box. Add to that, apparently my laundry detergent had spilled into the box while it was under my bed. Imagine getting a package for a college student at the local post office that has blue soapy fluid leaking from a massive hole: A hole that is currently filled with 6" of sharp steel. It was a stupid call on my part and every bit unprofessional (and unethical). I was younger, and dumber, by comparison. Needless to say, it was one of the incidents that cause me to throw out the "Good enough" mentality. The other one involved tongs that weren't suited to the work... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 Ah, I think what you really did was reevaluate your standards for "good enough." It's something we should do every now and then anyway. I've always been irked when I bought a sharp/pointed tool and opened the package to discover a piece of sticky tape wrapped around the blade. Better than loose and bare but still to have to clean a brand new blade isn't going to make me remember the company in good ways.Oh, I kind of liked the dovetails burned on one part. I'd like them better if they were smaller and a little more acute. Then again I've always been attracted to checks, skip dash and similar patterns. Then again it's hard to not like such nicely carved wood work. All in all high quality packaging enhances the perception of value. Seriously, why would a bladesmith waste time on the package unless he felt the blade was worth the effort?Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheoRockNazz Posted May 27, 2015 Author Share Posted May 27, 2015 Thank you all for your words of wisdom.I am now mulling over the idea of having some business cards printed with the backside containing information on how to care for the knife.I really like that leatherclad box, but that's far beyond my skill level at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 Cards are a good idea. If you put few in the box with the knife folk who admire it might take one and give you a call. <wink>Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kayakersteve Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 i go rustic with reporposed wood Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j.w.s. Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 (edited) Your box looks very nice, but I bet it adds quite a bit of weight for shipping. That was one thing we always had to watch, as we billed shipping in advance. If the guy who wrote up the order misguessed the weight of the items, we'd get hammered on shipping. Tough thing was trying to always pack things as well as possible to prevent damage, and keep the weight of the packing to a minimum.Under 35lbs the USPS doesn't really care about box weight anymore. They advertise a few flat rate boxes of their own, but there's also flat rate for your own boxes as long as you stay within their overall dimensions, but it helps to have a friendly postal clerk who can explain it all to you because it doesn't always make sense. I shipped a large war hammer out to a customer for the same as their large flat right price even though it was clearly longer than their box, but because it wasn't as tall or as wide, it still came to about the same overall area that they bill from.J Edited May 28, 2015 by j.w.s. typo :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Furrer Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 (edited) I pack expecting a forklift to run over it.....because they have. Nothing you can do against a forklift, but PVC pipe works as good as any.I suggest a storage box with your laser Theo, not a shipping box.Ric Edited May 28, 2015 by Richard Furrer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSW Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 Under 35lbs the USPS doesn't really care about box weight anymore. They advertise a few flat rate boxes of their own, but there's also flat rate for your own boxes as long as you stay within their overall dimensions, but it helps to have a friendly postal clerk who can explain it all to you because it doesn't always make sense.1st question: Where do you find a friendly postal clerk? LOL Thanks for that info. It's been a few years since I had to ship stuff regularly. I'll have to look up the info on flat rate self packed shipping as occasionally I have guys from AK who want stuff. It's WAY cheaper to ship stuff to them flat rate USPS than it is any other way. Last time it was quite a squeeze trying to get a bunch of stick rods to fit in the medium USPS flat rate box to send them with some other welding stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j.w.s. Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 1st question: Where do you find a friendly postal clerk? LOLI live out here in Amish country.. my closest post office opens at 7:30, closes for an hour at noon for lunch and locks the front door at 4. As far as I know there's only 2 employees and the lady that works the counter is super friendly and more than helpful - i hope she never retires. J Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 I don't think I've ever met an unfriendly postal clerk though I have caught a few on bad days. If you cheer them up a little without wasting their time they're friendly. Heck usually all it takes is a smile and a "hi, how are you?"Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neg Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 (edited) Here's the cheap way I found to do mine. I made a pattern with my logo, tongs and hammers, and my anvil in photoshop, then printed it up on some card stock. Then I got some cheap twine from the dollar store and tied it up. Finished it off with a signed card to the customer. It only costs me a few cents for each one and I think it looks a whole lot better than shipping them in a toilet paper roll. Edited May 29, 2015 by neg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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