[Jewelry making - Article 00189] - Re: [Orchid] Keeping trade secrets

[Richard HART]

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Lisa,

    Interesting question. I will always share info on suppliers of tools,
    findings, gem dealers, ect. 

    Technical info is shared completely. Most techniques are shared.
    There are some areas where I have spent quite a long time to
    develop, and there was quite a learning curve to get the results I
    wanted. This info I do not share. This mostly related to design and
    surface textures I have developed. 

    I have taken many classes to learn techniques, I spent time and money
    to learn. I spent a lot of time working to use the techniques to not
    look like the work of the person I studied with. I do metalwork for
    a living, their are people who teach, and they make money for what
    they do. Some of what I learned I would have to demonstrate and I
    would not have the time to do that. 

    A long time ago, in a far away land, I did leather work for a living.
    I would travel 130 miles to sell and consign my work where there was
    a market for what I did. Where I lived there was little or no work.
    At one point in time I traded room and board to a friend that could
    not find work for labor helping me to do leather work, teaching them
    techniques I developed that no other leatherworker was using. 

    This technique made my work stand out and I directly benefited as my
    work sold in the midst of all the competition in the San
    Francisco-Sausalito area, in the early 70's, and I had a steady
    supply of income that would just cover food, rent, and a little bit
    of whatever. I shared whatever I had, as some of us did. 

    Things went well for a while, and then my friend wanted to get paid
    over and above what she was getting, and I explained that there was
    nothing to pay her with after I paid rent, utilities, food, and
    whatever. She moved out, and several weeks later, as I went to the
    city to sell my wares, oh what did I see, but a knock-off of what I
    did. It was in a store I did not do business with, but it was in the
    front window! 

    Having a retail store, doing custom and art jewelry presents
    different areas of problems. The person that shops us for designs and
    asks for sources so they can copy us, buy like us, to compete with us
    gets lots of generalities. Jewelry students asking about techniques
    get referred to a local college that will teach them that, and
    jewelry teacher asking how I did something got a weather report. 

    I do have similar feelings as Lisa, teach and it my be better, or
    worse, and selling it presents it's own learning curve and a person
    has to be persistent and determined to go through the pleasure/pain I
    went though to finally achieve lower middle class with no retirement. 

    In this day and age, and at my age, I believe in our current society
    knowledge is power, and I am not giving it away. 

    Some people have been generous with me and some have not been. And
    although my feelings have gotten hurt, I chose to admire those
    people for what they had accomplished and respected their position. 

    When someone asks me to share info, it is on a person by person or
    situation by situation basis. I think about how I feel about it,
    would I be more comfortable sharing and making a connection, or will
    I possibly regret being so open. I have to know I can have no
    expectation of the other person I share with. 

Richard Hart

 
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