Kevin Scott
Elite Cafe Member
Here is a email I recently got:
Hi Kevin:
I am en route to Florida for our annual Lowell Thomas Awards Ceremony and when I went through security, they told me it looked like I had a knife in my suitcase. Naturally, I said that was impossible however when they open my suitcase, they found the two knives you engraved for me in my jacket pocket. I forgot that I put them in my jacket to show my employees at work and quickly packed my suitcase, and there they were. What a nightmare, but fear not - I refused to relinquish to knives.
Eventually, I took a later flight because I had to leave the terminal and go to a Fed Ex and mail them to my home.
Talk to you soon!
Regards,
Will
Here is my reply:
Extra funny because I got the larger lockblade knife in a lot on Ebay from a seller that specialized in airport confiscated knives. The airport security auctions them off in huge lots. The seller and many others buys the huge lots, and sells the knives on Ebay in smaller lots. So if you turned the knives in, they would have ended up on Ebay.
I thought the smaller knife would have passed security because of its size and it is not a lockblade.
These knives were no works of art. Nor expensive before engraving. The larger one was a Buck 525 with the guys name engraved, and on the other side his Town and state. Cost me about $4.00 or less. (bought a large lot of them).
The smaller one was a stainless steel Chinese knife, very well made, but the steel covers did need to be cleaned up. Bought over 50 of them, new, on Ebay. They cost less than $1.50 each I think. On it I engraved his name and a American flag. Other side his town and state, and also in a different font and at a angle, the word "Mayor", since he was mayor of the town. It came out better than the Buck 525 because the steel was not to hard to cut.
I have probably engraved about 60 knives and other trinkets and gave them away. Reactions vary, but most people are thrilled, touched, and very impressed. Even though I am not a very good engraver despite the time, study etc I have put into engraving. The good news is I don't have any money at all tied up in engraving tools, books, supplies etc due to my buying and selling of engraving tools. In fact I have made more money than I have spent on tools etc including pieces to engrave like knives etc. Even though I am very well equipped for a hand push engraver. And never sold any engraving work.
So, if you are getting tired of doing practice plates that get thrown into a bucket, but not ready to charge for your work, giving away engraved gifts is very rewarding. But still keep doing the practice plates.
Hi Kevin:
I am en route to Florida for our annual Lowell Thomas Awards Ceremony and when I went through security, they told me it looked like I had a knife in my suitcase. Naturally, I said that was impossible however when they open my suitcase, they found the two knives you engraved for me in my jacket pocket. I forgot that I put them in my jacket to show my employees at work and quickly packed my suitcase, and there they were. What a nightmare, but fear not - I refused to relinquish to knives.
Eventually, I took a later flight because I had to leave the terminal and go to a Fed Ex and mail them to my home.
Talk to you soon!
Regards,
Will
Here is my reply:
Extra funny because I got the larger lockblade knife in a lot on Ebay from a seller that specialized in airport confiscated knives. The airport security auctions them off in huge lots. The seller and many others buys the huge lots, and sells the knives on Ebay in smaller lots. So if you turned the knives in, they would have ended up on Ebay.
I thought the smaller knife would have passed security because of its size and it is not a lockblade.
These knives were no works of art. Nor expensive before engraving. The larger one was a Buck 525 with the guys name engraved, and on the other side his Town and state. Cost me about $4.00 or less. (bought a large lot of them).
The smaller one was a stainless steel Chinese knife, very well made, but the steel covers did need to be cleaned up. Bought over 50 of them, new, on Ebay. They cost less than $1.50 each I think. On it I engraved his name and a American flag. Other side his town and state, and also in a different font and at a angle, the word "Mayor", since he was mayor of the town. It came out better than the Buck 525 because the steel was not to hard to cut.
I have probably engraved about 60 knives and other trinkets and gave them away. Reactions vary, but most people are thrilled, touched, and very impressed. Even though I am not a very good engraver despite the time, study etc I have put into engraving. The good news is I don't have any money at all tied up in engraving tools, books, supplies etc due to my buying and selling of engraving tools. In fact I have made more money than I have spent on tools etc including pieces to engrave like knives etc. Even though I am very well equipped for a hand push engraver. And never sold any engraving work.
So, if you are getting tired of doing practice plates that get thrown into a bucket, but not ready to charge for your work, giving away engraved gifts is very rewarding. But still keep doing the practice plates.
