Studying at Western University starts with a knife-forging competition

Chapter 94

Matt picked up his laptop from the coffee table and created a new blank document. "So how do we define 'high-end'? Doug's $50,000 was an exception; it included a premium from the show's judges. Nelson and Jason both got $20,000. That number can serve as a benchmark."

"The baseline is 20,000," Lin Yuan said. "It will fluctuate depending on the blade type and the complexity of the craftsmanship. Short swords start at 20,000, and longswords or those with complex fittings will cost more."

Matt typed a line in the document, then paused to think. "How should I respond to these three inquiries? Reject them all?"

Lin Yuan leaned back on the sofa and tapped his fingers twice on the armrest.

"Rejecting everyone is inappropriate. Our channel is just starting out and needs buzz. If we reject every email we receive for pricing, eventually no one will ask anymore. Besides, the fact that these three people are willing to reach out to us shows that they are genuinely interested and not just asking casually."

"You mean you want to take a small order?"

"Just one order, only one." Lin Yuan held up one finger. "A California hunting knife, the one that costs five thousand US dollars. The client wrote down detailed specifications: five-inch blade length, full tang, desert ironwood handle, simple fittings. The requirements aren't high, I can make it, but it doesn't need advanced craftsmanship."

Matt raised an eyebrow. "The implication is that it doesn't use high-end craftsmanship."

"Ordinary cloud-patterned steel. It's not a silver-iron alloy, but standard folded steel of 1084 and 15N20, folded twice with eight to ten layers, to about two hundred layers. The pattern isn't bad-looking, and the performance is sufficient. Low cost, short production time, and a profit can be made at five thousand US dollars."

"What about the Texas camping knife and the New York leather sewing needle?"

"The Texas camping knife firm rejected it, saying their schedule was full. The New York leather sewing shop said they don't accept replicas; that sword takes too long to make, and the $8,000 price tag wouldn't even cover the cost of the equipment printing." Lin Yuan paused for a moment. "But you could add—if the budget increases to over $20,000, we might consider it."

Matt chuckled and started typing. He first dealt with the email from Texas, replying with a standard template that the current schedule was full and thanking him for his inquiry. Then he addressed the email from New York, politely declining the replica request while mentioning that a budget of over $20,000 was negotiable. Finally, he carefully replied to the client in California, confirming that he could take the order, with a lead time of three to four weeks, and attached a quote and payment terms.

After sending out the three emails, Matt closed his laptop and stretched.

"Once you finish this one in California, what pattern do you plan to use?"

"Standard raindrop pattern or random pattern is fine, depending on the feel during forging. Material cost under $500, two days of labor, charging $5,000, profit margin of 60-70%."

Matt did the math and nodded. "Then Nelson and Jason's two knives will cost 20,000, and the profit margin will be about the same. The material cost of silver-iron alloy is much higher, but the price is also higher."

"Yes. That's why the high-end route and ordinary customization need to be separated," Lin Yuan said. "True collectible pieces use silver-iron alloy with cloud-patterned steel, starting at 20,000. Ordinary customers with limited budgets use standard Damascus steel, which lowers the price and makes it affordable for them. The two markets do not conflict."

"So, are you planning to film this client from California in the video?"

"No, we won't film it," Lin Yuan said. "The craftsmanship of this knife isn't anything special; filming it would just make us lose followers. Our channel only shows high-end works; we don't promote ordinary orders."

Matt noted this down in the document, then saved and closed it. The living room was quiet for a moment, then the microwave dinged from the end of the hallway—someone was heating up a late-night snack.

Matt got up from the sofa and went to the kitchen to pour himself a glass of water. When he came back with the glass, he paused in the hallway, as if he had remembered something.

"By the way, are you going to the workshop tomorrow?"

"Go. Nelson's Bowie hunting knife has one last sharpening. Once that's done, we'll start making the handle."

"Then I'll go with you. The video of Shenpi sewing is still going viral, and I want to film some more footage of you working so I can use it for editing later."

Lin Yuan nodded, stood up from the sofa, turned off the living room light, and went back to his room. The sound of Matt pouring water could still be heard in the hallway, followed by the sound of him closing the kitchen door.

The next afternoon, when Lin Yuan came out of the forge, Matt said he needed to return some books to the school library and told him to go home first. Lin Yuan checked the time; it was still early before dinner, so he decided to walk back to his dormitory.

The walk back to school from the blacksmith wasn't long, about twenty minutes. He walked along the sidewalk for ten minutes, passing the small coffee shop sandwiched between the laundromat and the pizzeria, where a sign read "Today's Special: Caramel Latte." He didn't usually drink anything sweet, but he'd been standing at the blacksmith for four hours that afternoon, and his throat was terribly dry; going in for an iced Americano would be good.

As he pushed open the door, the bell on the door rang once. The clerk behind the counter looked up at him, said "Please sit wherever you like," and then went back to operating the coffee machine.

He ordered an iced Americano and sat down by the window, holding the paper cup. The street outside was quiet, with the occasional car passing by. He took out his phone and checked the messages Zhang Yue had sent. The video on Bilibili had reached 180,000 views, and people in the comments section were discussing the weighting issue of the stitches used in the miracle.

He had just taken two sips when the doorbell rang again.

He didn't look up. Footsteps passed by his desk and then stopped.

"Lin Yuan?"

He looked up. Standing before him was a girl with long blonde hair tied in a low ponytail, wearing a dark blue wool coat and a light gray scarf around her neck. She held a latte in her hand, the logo on the sleeve matching that of the store.

Lin Yuan recognized her. Catherine. A graduate student at Clemson School of Business, and a leader of a campus women's rights organization. He'd bumped into her in her dorm before—when he pushed open the door, she was embracing Matt on the sofa. Matt later explained that she'd blackmailed him with false sexual harassment allegations, forcing him to stay with her. Lin Yuan didn't press for details, but he remembered her face.

"I'm Catherine. We've met before." She smiled, the corners of her mouth curving into a delicate arc. "Would it be convenient for you to sit?"

Lin Yuan glanced at her. He didn't say "convenient" or "inconvenient." He simply picked up his backpack from the chair opposite him and placed it beside his feet.

Catherine sat down. She placed the latte on the table, took off her scarf and draped it over the back of the chair, her movements relaxed and natural.

"I watched your video," she said, holding a coffee cup in both hands. "The sword with the needle and thread. Someone in the business school shared it, saying it's a case of turning a game into reality." I clicked on it and realized it was you.

7

Lin Yuan picked up his iced Americano and took a sip. "Thank you."