Please, serious knife purchase inquiries only. Please read what I do and don't do here.

Why?

You're on this page because you've clicked one of the email links on this website. Before you email me, I ask your indulgence that you take a quick moment to read this page, as the content is perhaps the most important on the web site. Why? Because ultimately, if you decide to contact me, email is the medium we will use. The reason I've directed you to this page is because I handle a lot of email. Email contacts through this web site are how my business is accomplished, and email through this site has been the mainstay of my business for the last ten years. How important is that? To compare, in your job, it would be like losing your voice completely, and also losing your ability to write. How will you make a living without communicating? You can't, and I can't either.

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Why do you want me to read the "What I do and don't do" page first?

I get lots and lots of inquiries. I get over 57,000 hits a day, that's over 1.7 million hits a month! Many of these are people looking for answers and services. I get inquiries about everything related to knives: people want sheaths, people want information, people are doing research, factories are looking for contract services, contractors are looking for work, people want to know what their old knife is worth, people want sources of materials, information, and want me to train them to make knives. They want to know how to get into the business, they want to know how to stabilize a caribou horn. They want everything from gun grips to a list of every known gemstone!

I get so many inquiries that I created a single page with a simple, clear, plain list of what I do and don't do. And if a person inquiring doesn't read the page, they might think that I'll make a sheath for their factory knife, or write their term paper for them, or tell them how to make a plunge in a hollow grind or what a distal taper is. If they ignore the page and still send their question, I won't reply at all.  I'm sorry I have to be so blunt; I'm not a mean guy but my time is very limited. Any time I take away from my paying clients is not fair to them.

Look, there are plenty of places to answer those questions, plenty of people who will make sheaths, stands, boxes, blades, or movie knives for you. The page is very clear in what I do. I just make good knives, swords, daggers with their accessories. That's it! Luckily there are links to answer those questions and queries on the page, and I'll add more as time permits. Want to know what I do and don't do? Click here.

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What if I don't hear from you?

Did you read the "What I do and don't do?" page first? Are you emailing me about something on that list? If you are, I can't answer. However, if you've sent a query about my knives or a knife project, and you haven't heard from me in 48 hours, try again.

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Phone calls?

"Why not just call Jay," you ask, "and hammer out the details of my inquiry over the phone?"

 Due to the intense volume of interest and inquiries, I must insist on initial email contact, so I've removed my telephone numbers from the public part of the web site. Also, there are some disadvantages to the telephone conversation. You can not reach me (most of the time) because I work in a shop with loud machinery, and cannot hear the phone, and am also concentrating on every specific detail, sometimes with my fingers and eyes very close to a high speed, rotating, metal-cutting machine, and can not afford to be startled by loud phone ringers. When I'm working, I do not carry my cell phone for the same reason. It's not that I don't want to talk to you, it's often just not safe for me. If you choose to call at a late or early hour, you won't get my full attention. That is because I work at least 11 hours a day, and my attention is not at its best when I'm tired. This leads to perhaps the most important reason for email, accountability (next).

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Accountability and record

I handle many clients at once, and more each year. This is not a complaint; I'm very grateful to be doing so well. But without a record, without a framework to detail every component of your knife, sword, project, or inquiry, it's too easy to miss the details. Email establishes a running conversation, where every component can be referenced, every answer verified, each cost detailed. I want you to get the knife you want, and as a custom maker, must be meticulous about detail. I need your help in that, and that is all accomplished through email.

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Is email reliable?

Unfortunately, email is NOT as reliable as you might think. Having dealt with business email for the last twenty years, I can assure you that some of your email will be lost. It happens because email usually goes through several servers across the country (or world) before it arrives at its destination. And if one of these servers goes down, even for a microsecond, the mail is simply deleted. It's sometimes hard to imagine that it isn't stored somewhere, that it isn't verified on delivery, that it isn't like an electronic envelope containing a slip of electronic paper, and thus has to go somewhere. Whether you include a read receipt or not (many email programs to not support this function), the only way to be sure your email has reached its destination is a response from the person you're sending it to.

Here's an easy way to understand it: Imagine you have a laser beam, and you can direct that laser beam on any coordinate in the world. A coordinate is each individual email address. First you must have the exactly, perfectly correct coordinate to direct your laser beam to. That's my email address. Then, you must provide me with the exact, perfect coordinate for you, so I can respond. Then, there can be no storm, no dust or interference, no obstacle between us for the laser beam to reach its target. Then, my target (server) and your target (server) must never malfunction, not even for an instant for the messages (and conversation) to be complete. Add to that firewalls, anti-spam programs, junk mail filters, and virus protection on every computer and server, and it's a wonder it works at all!

So what's my point? There is a lot of email I get that I cannot respond to, because the sender gave me his wrong email address (coordinates). There is email that I send that is never received. There are certain internet service providers and software that simply is unreliable for email delivery. AOL (America Online) is very bad about this. I've had more problems emailing clients who use an AOL address than any other service! If you have AOL, you need to be aware of this!

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Jay,

Thank you so much.  That was a fast response.  Once again, the site is great.  Keep it up!

--D.B.

What about alternate or included email addresses?

Most of the time, if you just click the email button on this page, your correct email address is automatically indicated on the email you send. But for those of you who request a different response email address, have alternate addresses on your email signature, are emailing from an office computer, network computer, or friend's computer and include your email address, or are filling out the order form on this site, please double check your included email address. Without the absolute, correct email address, I cannot email you back.

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How long will it take for you to respond to my email, Jay?

Another, more important point is that I answer ALL the email I receive, usually within 48 hours. This is my business and I'm meticulous about that. So if you haven't received a response from me, somewhere along the line, the system has broken down. I'm not ignoring you, and my computer does not hate you. Email me again. If you still don't hear from me, please call. Like email, I will answer with a phone call, usually within 48 hours. I'm very good with email. Clients have told me again and again how grateful they are for my prompt, thorough replies. I respect your inquires, and am honored that you have taken the time and effort to email me.

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What about pictures included in my email and your email?

If you choose to include pictures in your email, please be sure they are in a standard format, either a .jpg file or a .gif file. That's because most modern email programs block certain attachments that are not in these standard formats because they could contain viruses or malicious code. They simply cannot be opened. But if you edit and save the picture as a .gif or .jpg type file, I can open them. Incidentally, that is how I send photos, too.

Another thing to watch for is the size of the photos you send. They should be about 100 Kilobytes in size maximum, or about the same size as your computer screen when edited at 100% size, or they will take forever to download, and offer no additional information. That is how I send pictures, too. There is no reason to send a huge, data-heavy picture 6 to 10 megabyte picture when the internet only displays at 72 dots per inch. One huge picture is not so bad, but please remember, I get lots of email.

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Will you use my email, Jay?

Be careful what you write to me, I've been known to use your email in my letters and emails page, and in the testimonials, and in my new book. I might use it for illustration, education, humor, or blatant and necessary self-promotion (hey, if I don't do it, who will?). I won't use your name (unless you've given specific permission) and I absolutely will not list your email address. Since my work is about you, it's only fair that I involve your input and comments. By the way, all the comments and letters are the real thing; I never make up email, because the real thing is so precious! The testimonials are all over the site, but the funny stuff is here.

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Bad email addresses

NOTICE!

These are recent email addresses that clients have given me that are undeliverable. The addresses are either typed incorrectly or the actual email accounts have been closed. If you're on this list, please try to contact me again from a valid mailbox!

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Your comments are welcome!

Any comments or ideas are greatly appreciated!

Thank you,

Jay Fisher