One very tough aspect of knifemaking is Knife Pricing. If it's priced too high your knife may not sell. If priced too low, potential customers may not feel that it is a quality product.
As knifemakers, I am confident that we all feel our time and energy are priceless commodities. The time spent learning and perfecting our craft, dollars invested in materials, equipment and running a shop, attending shows and various marketing campaigns along with other assorted costs associated with running any business.

I have been told by customers that I price my knives too low. There have been occasions when I have had $200 knives on my table and been told that they were priced "about a hundred dollars too high"! My rule of thumb is simple. I look at how much I have in materials, time, then add in shop upkeep, marketing costs and the like.

In addition to creating hand forged knives I also am a collector/dealer and as such, have a pretty good grasp of knife values. As my level of expertise gained, my finished product improved and my prices increased. When I attained my Mastersmith rating with the American Bladesmith Society (ABS), a rating that currently fewer than 70 people worldwide have attained, my prices were raised substantially.

Since my good friend Zoe Mills, was kind enough to produce this website, the demand for my knives has increased. I am also using more expensive materials, ie: pearl, ivories, etc., which ultimately raises my prices.

I currently am a part-time Bladesmith producing maybe 12 knives annually. I do not expect my production to increase any time soon, so the number of Ellis Knives is strictly limited. Each knife that I make is a true "one of a kind".

There are easier and faster ways to create knives but smithing is the path that I have chosen.

My prices currently start at around $300 and go up past $4,000 for that special "art knife". I stand behind my work.