So, I have got the pendants listed finally and their pictures up on the website. I, ahem, ordered some more even though I promised myself to wait on that. I am hoping they will be as cool as their pictures showed when I purchased them. If so, I think you folks will really like them.
I am now full steam into the stainless steel part of this project. Some insight into the production aspects of making chains. Not all stainless steel is the same. Each variety is designed for different tasks. So you the first thing you learn is to know your types so you can get some that is hypoallergenic and will shine up nicely and be rust and tarnish resistant.
Chainmailers will talk patterns till they are blue in the face but the one aspect they never speak of is suppliers of the wire they use or where they buy their links. Usually if you find a supplier of the type you are looking for you can place an order if you are getting a ton of the metal. The sales person may cut you a break if you are willing to order a half ton of metal and that is going to be a definite no for a small business type.
So, after many trials and errors of buying supplies I could afford and then finding out it rusts or darkens, I have located a good supply of high quality stainless steel. I am really excited and am working on setting patterns and ratios to get the proper look for the chain I want to offer you. If all goes well I should be cutting this weekend and into production next week with product up and available that weekend.
Definitely check back with us and see what we offer. I am going to be coloring outside of the lines with this one. There is usually a cost effectiveness that goes into making products. The more rings it takes to make a pattern the more labor and product it takes to produce the chain. This is why it is common to see certain familiar patterns offered among chainmail artists that use less rings and are easier to make but is still beautiful and attractive.
There is a choice you have to make between passing the cost to the customer which brings your price point higher than you want or accepting making less per hour to feed your family to produce a good product and still have a good price point. I am going to try to squeeze between those two lines and see if I can find a happy medium where we both win and you get to choose among some really unique and beautiful patterns and I still can get food on the table.
I am revealing a bit of my cards here with a purpose. I believe in educating the customer to understand what they are paying for and the art and labor that goes into that process. Most customers won't even read this but if intellectually behind the scenes stuff like this interests you then, this is for you.