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Sparhawk718 In reply to Thirsha [2011-02-11 15:31:02 +0000 UTC]

Thanks, I feel the same way only about cowgirls.

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ArmoredKoi In reply to cshake [2011-02-13 07:38:56 +0000 UTC]

@cshake: What you said.

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Sparhawk718 In reply to cshake [2011-02-11 03:03:12 +0000 UTC]

I have never had a problem with the zinc-scale. I use a high nickle galvy that polishes up nicely and keeps a good finish. I do offer these in aluminum and stainless if the customer wishes to pay the extra for them. The number one reason for me using galvy is keeping the cost down for my customers.

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Utopia-Armoury In reply to Sparhawk718 [2011-02-14 22:17:39 +0000 UTC]

Using anything with a "high nickel content" seems like an even worse idea - there are many, many people out there with nickel allergies, and personally I would hate to see an allergic reaction on a sensitive area like the nipples, inner thighs, etc. Also, if your customer sweats onto galvanized steel, odds are the salt content of the sweat will corrode the material very quickly, leading to smelly, powdery corrosion...

You might want to look into using one of the 5xxx series of "bright" aluminum - Although yes it is more expensive per pound, you get 3x the material and it's considerably easier to work with than galvanized steel.

Onto the piece itself - This is absolutely spectacular and amazing. Please don't think I'm knocking your work or designs at all, from what I've seen they're all really cool and you have a good eye for design - but I think you're short-changing yourself by working in such an inferior material... For the amount of time invested in a project like this, why do it in a material that won't last?

I see you list prices for some of your pieces, would you mind if I asked how much you're charging for these?

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Sparhawk718 In reply to Utopia-Armoury [2011-02-14 23:22:53 +0000 UTC]

Also thank you for the compliments of my work. The main reason for using galvy for me is the cost saving to my customers. The area that I live has been hit really hard by the economy and we currently have well over 10% unemployment. This way my local customers can still get pieces that they enjoy and can afford. I do offer all of the other options if they want to pay the extra money, but I like being able to offer them the reduced prices.

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Sparhawk718 In reply to Utopia-Armoury [2011-02-14 23:00:29 +0000 UTC]

It would depend on the material. For Galvinized steel I charge $ 65.00 Aluminum would be around $ 85.00 Stainless $ 115.00 and for the few that wanted powder coated copper it would be around $ 140.00. I would have to double check the wire prices before locking in an exact price though.

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Utopia-Armoury In reply to Sparhawk718 [2011-02-15 00:11:18 +0000 UTC]

Dude, you are WAY undercharging for your work. I understand making your pieces affordable due to the economy and such, but think of it this way: Would you rather make and sell three pairs of these for $65.00 each or one pair for $250? Sure, higher prices will attract fewer customers, but you don't really NEED to make your pieces super-affordable. After all, you're making and selling a luxury item and a handcrafted work of art. Price your work accordingly.

Another odd phenomenon is this - Raising your prices will most likely attract more sales (and the kind of customers who will spend more). It's all about perceived value - A person who will buy a $15 bracelet is likely the same person who will walk right by the same bracelet if it's priced at $5. Pricing an item high makes it *seem* valuable even if it is of indistinguishable quality from something you buy at Walmart. For instance, take the Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator - They are virtually identical except for the front grill and brand logos, yet the Navigator sells for roughly $12,000 more.

Do you mind if I ask a couple more questions - How many hours have you invested in this piece, total (including coiling and cutting the rings, design, weaving, and final assembly) and what is the cost of those materials (or, if you don't want to give that information out, what is the weight of the piece)?

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Sparhawk718 In reply to Utopia-Armoury [2011-02-15 00:37:07 +0000 UTC]

On this piece, now that I have made a few of them, it takes me a little over 4 hours from start to finish. The very first pair that I made took about 9 hours to get a look that I was happy with. Then another two hours to map out the piece on graphing paper with full demensions so that I could recreate it in either a larger or smaller size at will. This includes rolling and cutting the rings. I worked on the drawing out the design for about two hours before I built the very first pair. It takes about 1/4 of a roll of wire ( 2600 feet of wire per roll) to make these and I currently pay $ 39.95 a roll locally for the 17 gauge wire that I use.

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Sparhawk718 In reply to lunabellvarga [2011-02-06 19:56:03 +0000 UTC]

Thank you, I have had nothing but good feedback on them so far. Hopefully they will be a popular item in the new catalog.

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Sparhawk718 In reply to bear48 [2011-02-06 19:35:29 +0000 UTC]

Thank you, I hope they go over well.

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