Was going to become a maker

[Tat2trev]

just had a quick look at the scrimshaw kits, surely you must be limited to what you can put it on because you use ink .
i would think wood is out of the question wouldn't the ink bleed into the wood .idont know never seen or used such a skill i know i can do it because its the same as tattooing.but would it be an option on here and would people want it

 

[mountainm]

You can scrimshaw bone, ivory/horn, plastics, and soft stone. I think a lot of people use acrylic paints or oil paints instead of ink. These won't bleed, so wood may be possible.

 

[Tat2trev]

Trev, forget that bloody mora and crack on buddy. There was nothing really wrong with it, just unfortunate the way it panned out. Your a talented fella so stop putting yourself down and go for it, come on mate lets see what you can do.

ha ha the mora is dead bud thanks for the kind words.
think i'm gonna go with the engraving and i'm intrigued with the scrimshaw too pending what materials it can be used on.

 

[Tat2trev]

You can scrimshaw bone, ivory, plastics, and soft stone. I think a lot of people use acrylic paints or oil paints instead of ink. These won't bleed, so wood may be possible.

so really only limited to people who use antler and horn on their knives cold be scrimshawed i think maybe wood could be risky .

 

[Mesquite]

i'm intrigued with the scrimshaw too pending what materials it can be used on.

Corian, antler, bone, and were you to get an ethical source, ivory

Corian is your best bet for practicing on as a lot of knife makers use it in handles. Quick google search throws up loads of examples

This forum might be of interest to you as well.

 

[mountainm]

so really only limited to people who use antler and horn on their knives cold be scrimshawed i think maybe wood could be risky .

I'd look at making simple pendants and jewelry with designs on too.

 

[Tat2trev]

i'm having visions of a nice full tang blade bone scales and srimshawed atworks. would that be appealing tosome on here??????
or would a nice engraved blade just under the spine be more to peoples liking

 

[Tat2trev]

Corian, antler, bone, and were you to get an ethical source, ivory

Corian is your best bet for practicing on as a lot of knife makers use it in handles. Quick google search throws up loads of examples

This forum might be of interest to you as well.

the hand engraving forum is defo a piece of me bud GREAT FIND the knives are awesome and i'm sure somebody on here would love that on their custom builds

 

[Bartooon]

Sounds like scrimshaw might be right up your alley! Can I suggest though that you do a bit of market research before you spend huge amounts of time on a final piece. Post up some samples of your early work - just to seek feedback, not offer them or sale necessarily. Establish what sort of scrimshaw people like and would be willing to pay / trade for. For instance, is Saami scrimshaw most popular or do people prefer old-time whaler style (probably dependent on the type of knife).

Once you have honed your art to a level where people are willing to part with their hard-earned cash to get a piece perhaps start taking commissions until you are sure that what you think will sell matches what the market actually wants.

Don't expect punters to be knocking down your door to buy the first thing you produce and don't lose heart if initial feedback is not 100% positive. You need the feedback to be honest, otherwise you will not truly get know whether your work is marketable.

Good luck with the venture and I look forward to seeing some samples soon!

 

[milius2]

Hi mate, I'll just share my maker experience. My maker life is no longer than 2 years. That meaning, I make my living from things I make. I used to make thing before for pleasure of course....
**** When I have an idea of a thing I want to do, any sort of element I want to forge I give it 5 attempts. Usually the first one is complete rubbish, the second I give more thought and it becomes better, third one takes the most time and effort, really too much to be worth the money, but when I get to fifth attempt I'm there and I know exactly what I'm doing step by step and the rest is plain sailing. So make sure, that whatever you want to do you will make them by bucket loads as it's no point to make a single masterpiece at once and then regret all the effort.... That's just what I think. As for money... here you can trade a few bits and bobs, but I don't think you can make a living out of it, just some fun and cash for your bushcrafty projects.

P.S. Just remembered. One very experienced knife maker said to me once. You have to make 10 really good knives and give them away for free before you can expect to sell a single one.. I think that sums it up.
Andy

 

[Dreadhead]

Can't add much to the great advice tht has already been given except just keep at it mate, I was in the same boat i never thought my work was good enough so i just made the odd thing here and there. then lo and behold people started asking for commissions so i got my maker plus status. takes time, and a lot of failed attempts but tis a journey worth the effort

 

[9InchNinja]

I really liked the handle on that mora - but I had nowt to swap that you wanted unfortunately.

 

[21st century pict]

Hi Tat2trev

I took 3 Sir Walter Scott books down to Edinburgh to sell, I thought I would sell them there no problem, home of SirWS and all that, Man I was wrong it was most defiantly not the right venue for selling books, in very book shop I went into the shelves were packed to the roof with WS books.
Perhaps a bushcraft site is the same everyone already has an old Mora lying around somewhere.
My pal sold one of my bows for me that I had been trying to shift for an age, the first thing he done was to get a great photo of the bow, he just hung it up on a tree on a sunny day and bingo sold, so just to be honest with you and hopefully constructively critical get a better picture of the knife as your one is a wee bit foggy which doesn’t do the knife any justice, just stick it in tree stump no a nice sunny day, get a better image and try again and see how it goes , and if it doesn’t sell, to hell with it, it’s just a knife, and as everyone here has already said don’t give up just stick at it and move on to your next project.

Good luck Bro.
I hope I didn’t come across to harsh or bombastic here Trev or it's going to be open season on me eek

 

[Big Stu 12]

fair point that stu . i think the engraving might work on here i'll try anyway

Dont give up mate think that is the thing, have a think about designs you see on here that others are comissioning makers to do, and try to make some samples along that line, some people will only realy stick with what they know they like, we as bushy folk tend to like the older crafty things for some reason , I have noticed, even thou we may see the art in all things,

I wish I was arty and as talented as some of the folk of this parish, but I do my best..

Give the engraving/scrimshaw a go, it might be that you do say a design on a mora just as as sample, as they are cheap, you never know you may get a comission, buyers like all of us are fickle,

Hope it works out for you.

 

[Biker]

Can't add anything new to what's been said already. BUT, I'm a bit rusty on the rules here so excuse my ignorance, but I set myself as maker because I felt like I was taking the pi$$ selling the axes, billhooks and drawknifes I'd restored and put up for sale having just regular "Nomad" member status. It was a choice I made and no one twisted my arm. But just because I upgraded to Maker didn't made me suddenly Mr Personality of the year with my much sought after product.

What I trying to say, and badly, is becoming a Maker won't ensure you any more success with sales than you were before as "Nomad" it just makes you feel good that you're contributing a bit to BCUK as a paying member. Some people here sell sell sell, all sorts of stuff and if they can then fine. I didn't feel comfortable doing that.

Good luck on the scrimshawing, or any endevour you go with for with your art skills. I look forward to seeing the results. Don't give up at the first hurdle mate, it'd be a shame, not to mention a waste of your fledgling talent. If it's any consolation, I've not made a knife because I'm too chicken s#it to try. Fear of failure stops me.

Note to Luckylee. Read your #6 posting and I'm impressed, very inspiring. :notworthy

 

[Tat2trev]

i thinki'm going to get back into engraving its more sought after i think than scrimshaw . so i've just got to find out which engraving bits i need to engrave the blade steel which is used by the knife makers on here so if anybody knows what is mostly used that would be a great help then i can get cracking on custom artworks on blades and handels also bolsters.lets see how i go??????

 

[Tat2trev]

thanks all for the kind words of encouragment means alot.

 

[bushwacker bob]

You can practice scrimshaw on dog bones.

 

[Biker]

You can practice scrimshaw on dog bones.

Like these?

If so, please do a tutorial video I'm keen to see the results!

 

[mountainm]

Like these?

If so, please do a tutorial video I'm keen to see the results!

It'll look like a dogs dinner if he takes your advice.