classes in MA ???

[OM1833]

Hi all , I'm a newbee to this site. I'm a full time carpenter,50 years young and have a great interest in the art of knife making. I've never made a knife and am interested if anyone knows of instruction....classes etc in the area of MA???
I do have good hands on skills working with tools , wood , and have also spent time silver and goldsmithing. Knife making is calling to me...just don't quite where to jump in. Would surely like to find indepth and solid instruction. If anyone can help please let me know.

thanks very much Cliff Rapisarda

[A T Barr]

Hello Cliff, below is a letter, I've sent out to several people that are considering to become a knife maker.

Good Luck,

A.T.

FIRST RULE, don't quit your day time job! EVER! At least not until you retire. There might be 10 to 15 makers, that don't have their wives making the real $$. And then of course is the insurance and retirement.

Second rule, Speed Kills! Either your fingers or the knife. Patience!

Third, treat your customers as you want to be treated.

Fourth rule, No Surprises, from you or to you. Let your customers know, that you won't give them a surprise and you expect them to return the favor.

Fifth rule, NEVER take a deposit. If the knife has some high $$ material, then take 50% WHEN YOU ARE ACTUALLY STARTING the knife. Deliver the knife in 30 days or less. No exceptions. Remember, the hardest knife to make, is the knife that is already paid for.

Always remember the five rules above, they will save you a lot heart ache.

You need to purchase "Knives 2009" by Joe Kertzman. In the back is a listing of the majority of knifemakers. The sooner you can visit a few, the better. Don't buy anything until you have visited several. This will save you much $$. Then after you have made a few, you can take your work and get some constructive criticism.

Go to as many knife shows as you can.

Be sure and get on the forums below. They share a wealth of information. There are several knife making schools. The best is put on by the ABS. The North Carolina Knifemakers' also give courses at a college. These schools will save you, not only $$, but years of trial and error. If you can afford them, you should do it.

Knife forums:
http://www.knifemakersguildforums.com/forums/index.php
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/
http://www.knifenetwork.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=1
http://www.knifeforums.com/forums/fusionbb.php
http://forum.blademag.com/Default.aspx

Check out http://www.knifemakersdatabase.com/C...sArticles.html
and here http://www.engnath.com/public/manframe.htm is information on how a "hand made" knife is made.

Even though it might be a year or more until you are really ready, go ahead and register a URL. You will want your own web site. Very important!

Don't give your knives away. Price them fairly. When you get written up by a knife magazine, DON'T raise your prices. You might sell a few for a while (your the maker of the month), but soon another maker will become the "maker of the month". So if you want to continue to sell knives, you will drop your prices. That means the people that bought your knives at the higher price, will lose their value. They will not forget that.

Pricing is "the" hardest part of knifemaking.

Good Luck,

A.T.