TOT- Killin' Time...

[GANJIRO]

Since moving back to the island of Oahu, and especially since my termination, and now the wait for the insurance company to officially refuse my needed surgery I have been trying to keep busy to keep my mind off unpleasant thoughts. I have been involved with a newly formed local kayak/canoe fishing club for several months now even though my ocean fishing has been limited due to rough seas. One of the tools used by us local small craft fishermen is known locally as a KAGE (kah-geh) and it is used to kill larger fish caught on a line before bringing on board. No one makes any commercially with each fisherman fabricating their own. I recently made a new one (gave my old one away on Maui) and posted pictures of my work, and now there is a demand for my KAGE. I gave one as a gift to the club president, another I made for a friend who has been allot of help, and another I made for charity auction so 4 total so far including my own. A demand is developing but not sure how to price them with all the time I put into each one.
Tell me what you think of my KAGE.

3 sided chisel point on 3/8" diameter stainless steel threaded shaft- the threads keep the fish from sliding off


Turk's Head cap on end of handle


Wrapped hardwood handle with Turk's Heads on each end of wrap


These Kanji characters are my trade mark, copper reinforcing band above


My Kanji signature


The finished product


I will be adding a 2 fathom long lanyard of 1/4" polypropylene rope. The Kage is used like a harpoon to make one fast penetration of a large fish's brain to instantly kill the fish before bringing on board. This takes skill, and knowledge of a fish's anatomy. For beginners I always recommend a gaff hook.

As soon as a locate more handle material I shall make a "Inoshishi Yari" a Wild Boar Spear, will post pictures when complete.

[bunklocoempire]

Nice work! I haven't heard of a KAGE before, sadly the few times I've been invited out fishing I could never make the time, my Pop (Maui) gets out more these days and it's always interesting hearing him describe the equipment used, I was always amazed at the use of the kites (on shore).

Looking forward to the spear!

Thanks for sharing!

Bunkloco

[homefront]

I'm so sorry to hear of the challenges you still face. My prayers and support still go out to you and your family.

It seems you've stumbled onto something - The rope work is cool, and I'll bet you have it well balanced. You could sell a lot of those - perhaps Kage.com?

[bigbore442001]

You might have a niche market item there. Make a few more and try to sell them at a place where kayak fishermen congregate.

Just had a brain fanny burp. What if you placed a small classified in the Sea Kayaker Magazine? I am sure there are many fishermen across the world who read that periodical.

[Tycer]

Very beautiful. Looks like a million bucks to me. But $489 shipped sounds fair. Handmade by a true Hawaiian Lawai'a Kaha ki'i !!!

[2ndovc]

You might have a niche market item there. Make a few more and try to sell them at a place where kayak fishermen congregate.

Just had a brain fanny burp. What if you placed a small classified in the Sea Kayaker Magazine? I am sure there are many fishermen across the world who read that periodical.

Definitely,

Sailors too. I'd love to get one for my Dad. He's traveling the Caribbean on his sailboat and does a lot of fishing when sailing between islands. He does have a gaff hook but this would make a neat piece and extend his reach.


OK Ji,

Add up your material costs and double them.
How long does it take you to make one? Put a price on your labor.
Total it up and add another 25% ( or more) and you have your price.
Since there aren't any commercially available you could almost name your price.

Let us know and put me down for at least one.

That's very cool!!

jason

[Ysabel Kid]

Ji -

That looks really sharp! (no pun intended). Looking forward to the wild boar spear as well. Is this something that would pay to do on the side - enough to make it worth your while - and help out?

[kimwcook]

Looking good Ji. You've got some talent in those hands. Do you epoxy your knots? It didn't look like it from the photo's, something to think about if you haven't and if you do, disregard. You should try to get a hold of Ken Onion as he lives around there somewhere and see if a brother will help a brother out and teach you some knifemaking. You'd have a traveling skill that would serve you no matter where you were. Prayers.

[rjohns94]

Ji,

My prayers continue for you and your situation. I would be interested in a wild boar spear! figure out your market price and put me down for one.

Mike

[homefront]

Pretty soon you'll have at least a weeks worth of work (and income) from this thread alone.

For the buyers here (myself included) you'll have to make a Levergunner's Special Edition, signature and all!

[papabear]

Ji it looks nice looking forwared to your spear
Little Bill

[Blackhawk]

Very nice!

+1 on the new job interest.

Oh, as a side note. You may want to add a trident on front and sell'em to us frog giggers.

Johnny

[samsi]

Very nice Ji, I didn't know that you were a craftsman.

Looking forward to the boar spear.

[Old Ironsights]

If I was in the market for interesting stuff (i.e. actually had disposable income) I know I would want one... Spears are cool.

I like sharp pointy things.

[Hobie]

Ji,

I already tried to get you to make a bowl for Mrs. Hobie and now you've got me wanting a Yari. I think Jason has accurately described the best way to price your items. I also agree that you could/will make quite a few sales off this thread.

If you please, we've started some fine folks to business success (or given them a shove), Leverman Leather, Simply Rugged, etc.

[Old Ironsights]

Add up your material costs and double them.
How long does it take you to make one? Put a price on your labor.

Pricing Labor: Look up the mean labor cost for non-union labor Oahu on the Internet. As an "artisan" Go 75% to 100% higher.

Total it up and add another 25% ( or more) and you have your price.

Sounds totally reasonable to me.

[Griff]

As a grandson, great-grandson & great-great-grandson of NZ whalers I have a deep interest in most things nautical. I like the ingenuity and style you've done your kage in. 2ndovc has an excellent formula for pricing.

[GANJIRO]

Thank you all for the positive comments. I wish the local hardware store had a better supply of materials needed. Here's a previous one made with less Turk's heads (less fancy, more practical) and a lanyard.

[Hobie]

I like the combination of western knot-work and the kanji. Neat as the dickens.

[2ndovc]

This coud branch out into a ton of different things.

Hiking stick/ walking staff.
Shooting stick/ monopod
Canes, etc.

And the Boar Speer, Wow!!! That's cool. I can just see Mike impalling a big old porker with one of those. That'll make that primitive soul sing won't it Mike!!

This world is one giant oppertunity. Seize it and RUN!


The name of my Dad's boat is " Imagine". Most people think he's a John Lennon fan ( he's more of a McCartney guy ) but the meaning
behind it is " Imagine what you can do". He's taught me that from the start and I've done well in this world because of it.

Imagine what you can do!

We're all behind you man!

We've seen it. Now Run wth it!!!!


jb

[Rusty]

Nice looking work Ji.

You might also want to check out the forums at: www.paddle-fishing.com

and the best fishing web site I've ever seen is at www.capmel.com


Both sites have their own forums and both have lots of well informed people on them.



Now what was this about the bowl? I think I might have missed something.

[GANJIRO]

Nice looking work Ji.

Now what was this about the bowl? I think I might have missed something.

Just some woodturning I do as a hobby and therapy though haven't set up my lathe since my move here. Here's some samples of my work:

Spalted Banyan Calabash


Natural Edge Peach Bowl


Translucent Spalted Norfolk Pine Bowl


Spalted Mango Hollow Form

[homefront]

My friend, you are wasting time looking for a job.

Talent and skill like that isn't on every street corner!

Ganjiro + tools + materials = $$$

[Old Ironsights]

My friend, you are wasting time looking for a job.

Talent and skill like that isn't on every street corner!

Ganjiro + tools + materials = $$$

Hear that.

And it doesn't affect Disability pay...

[Marlin .35]

Gi, I agree with Homefront. Stop looking for a job, and just do the work you have pictured here. They are teriffic!!!!! A boar spear interests me!!! God bless you and your family, AND your new occupation!!!!!!! Art

[Griff]

Those bowls are BEAUTIFUL! Yep, they should be in an art shop... priced way above my pay grade. I believe that Homefront is right. Doin' what you love, brings you peace and has results that are as gorgeous as those, is way better than punchin' any time clock!

[piller]

Ji, that is some beautiful handiwork. Another idea would be to get with a knifemaker and do the handles. Great handles on a knife make it all the more desireable. Your fish spear would be a good idea for some of the fishing guides along the texas coast. Anyone have ideas on how to get the word out to them? Letters to the editor of fishing magazines maybe?

[Rusty]

Ji,
My wife went to college at Berea College in Berea, Ky. While there she took industrial arts as electives because she grew up at the lumber yard with her dad. she has always liked that kind of stuff. One of the Profs there at Berea was a guy named Rude Olsonik, or Rude"O" as he was known at the college. He has work in the Smithsonian and is very famous. IMHO your work is every bit as good as his even though his is of a different style.

I'd know your work would have a market.

[GANJIRO]

Aloha Rusty, Berea, Ky. is the "Mecca" of US woodturners, and I have always wanted to visit there ever since I started woodturning back in 1996, and Rude Olsonik is one of the woodturning "zen" masters I would be honored to meet one day. I did have Soren Berger of New Zealand another master over to my house on Maui over 10 years ago, it was quite an experience to even get one lesson from him. There was a time before my injury when all I thought about was woodturning, it was a better time then.

Thank you again friends and brothers for your encouraging comments.

[GANJIRO]

PS. I have 2 hardwood dowels waiting for me at the local lumberyard so hopefully can get started on my "Inoshishi Yari" this week end, and have it complete by end of week. Will post when completed.

[El Chivo]

I think you should more than double materials cost - maybe a factor of five. Double markup is for retail selling, not manufacturing. Figure in the labor and you're done.

Don't go too cheap as it's the niche market appeal that will help you. Otherwise people will just go to Kage-Mart.

I can forward you to a service that is made for entry-level web merchants. They take a percentage of the sale but charge no other fees. And they are reliable. If you try to set up your own merchant account you'll be looking at $600 startup plus about $50 per month before you sell anything. Plus $300-500 for a shopping cart, it goes on and on.

Or you can do Paypal. But Paypal puts some people off as seeming unprofessional.

[rjohns94]

Jason,

There is a calling in me that stirs at my core to roam the hills and mountains with spear and obsidian blade. When the "iceman" was discovered, and I saw his simple bow, arrows and axe, His self sufficient clothes and pouch, I knew that at one time, he and I walked together. When I got off the plane in Addis Abba, Ethiopia last Jan, I felt the ancient in that place flow through my veins, rekindling the passion of the earth, aligning the DNA into a stronger life force, or CHI. Throughout my life, I have slipped into the woods with just a possibles pouch, a belt axe, blade and weapon, and stayed for a weekend, or a week, or more. I do this throughout the year and in different climes and places. At night, as I gaze upon the heavens, and feel the earth breathe beneath my back, I marvel at the creator God, who knew me before time began, and I get a sense of the ancient of ancients, the essence of his creation. This stirring drives me and defines me as much as the call back to water that we all share. (have you ever stood at the shore of a great body of water and felt it call to you, a peace come about you? this is as close to the feeling as I can give an example)

I think JI's boar spear would fit very well into this and I would certainly put it to use on a boar or two!!

[Rusty]

Ji,
I showed your work to my wife when she came in last night about 02:00. She loved the Spalted Norfolk Island Pine. I hope if you do get started in this that it never becomes work for you.

[Tristan]

Ganjiro,

That is a sweet looking bit of kit; outstanding workmanship.

I have no idea what a tool of that nature should run as far as price, but for the quality of workmanship, it should be considerably more than something made in a factory.

Maybe you've come upon a new source of income...

- Tristan