Anyone else headed to Blade this week?
Headed to the Blade Show
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22-rimfire
Member
I'l be there either Friday or Saturday. Looking forward to the show. I still use my official 1991 Blade Show mug. Time for a 2006 version!
OP
OP
Busy show this time.
Got there Thursday afternoon by 1400. I spent the next 2 hours helping a buddy of mine set up his booth and load the display cases with lots of production knives and a hefty load of autos. Lots of folks were wandering around and I kept stopping and yakking with them. Walter Brend had 1 knife that was going to go up for a drawing to buy (this is where the maker's work is already sold out before the show, but they bring one piece so that anyone there on Saturday has an equal chance of being drawn to buy the knife at the normal going rate without a bidding war driving it out of reach of most folks). A buddy of mine got the draw!
Wandered around the hall after that until 1900 and looked at handle materials and knives. Went to dinner with a buddy and possible knife client and his horrible 15 year old. The kid's behavior killed any opportunity to sell knives to his dad so that was more than annoying. The dad was a nice enough guy, but he should have taken the boy into the bathroom and recalibrated him with his belt. Headed to the Waverly bar dove into the crowd there and spent most of the evening with Kim Breed, Gary Wheeler, Mudbone and Perry Elder. There was a very large crowd in the Waverly atrium for a Thursday night.
Friday I cruised around the show before they let the VIPs or public in looking at knives and meeting friends. After the doors opened I spent most of my time showing off a new knife by a buddy of mine and helping out at Jesse Davis's table. I also carried the Tachi blade I'd bought to resell and got plenty of admiration, but no buyers. There were some truely breathtaking knives, but the thing that impressed me the most was that there were lots of knives under $200 compared to last year. And these were customs that were of good quality! I picked up a couple just because they were too good to miss out on. I also picked up some forge tongs and stag crowns and a nifty stropping wheel that fits onto a drill that makes edge polishing a snap.
Friday night was dinner with Jesse and his wife Dorris, Mike Sastre and shooting friends that had come to the show. Randal King was taking Blackie and Jane Collins to dinner so we visited while waiting for tables. After that we were beat, but headed to the Waverly and hung out for a little while.
Saturday was more of the same with my wife looking for miniatures for Michaela and herself. Sunday was more interesting with a potential deal with a manufacturer for my buddy's knife I had been showing off all weekend.
Got there Thursday afternoon by 1400. I spent the next 2 hours helping a buddy of mine set up his booth and load the display cases with lots of production knives and a hefty load of autos. Lots of folks were wandering around and I kept stopping and yakking with them. Walter Brend had 1 knife that was going to go up for a drawing to buy (this is where the maker's work is already sold out before the show, but they bring one piece so that anyone there on Saturday has an equal chance of being drawn to buy the knife at the normal going rate without a bidding war driving it out of reach of most folks). A buddy of mine got the draw!
Wandered around the hall after that until 1900 and looked at handle materials and knives. Went to dinner with a buddy and possible knife client and his horrible 15 year old. The kid's behavior killed any opportunity to sell knives to his dad so that was more than annoying. The dad was a nice enough guy, but he should have taken the boy into the bathroom and recalibrated him with his belt. Headed to the Waverly bar dove into the crowd there and spent most of the evening with Kim Breed, Gary Wheeler, Mudbone and Perry Elder. There was a very large crowd in the Waverly atrium for a Thursday night.Friday I cruised around the show before they let the VIPs or public in looking at knives and meeting friends. After the doors opened I spent most of my time showing off a new knife by a buddy of mine and helping out at Jesse Davis's table. I also carried the Tachi blade I'd bought to resell and got plenty of admiration, but no buyers. There were some truely breathtaking knives, but the thing that impressed me the most was that there were lots of knives under $200 compared to last year. And these were customs that were of good quality! I picked up a couple just because they were too good to miss out on. I also picked up some forge tongs and stag crowns and a nifty stropping wheel that fits onto a drill that makes edge polishing a snap.
Friday night was dinner with Jesse and his wife Dorris, Mike Sastre and shooting friends that had come to the show. Randal King was taking Blackie and Jane Collins to dinner so we visited while waiting for tables. After that we were beat, but headed to the Waverly and hung out for a little while.
Saturday was more of the same with my wife looking for miniatures for Michaela and herself. Sunday was more interesting with a potential deal with a manufacturer for my buddy's knife I had been showing off all weekend.
Valkman
Member
Didja notice all the USN badges in the Pit and at the show? Lot's of 'em there, wish I coulda gone!
OP
OP
Yep.
Not a fan of "cliques". Going and hanging out all the time with the same group that you hang online with is kinda intellectually incestuous and shuts you off from the bigger crowd. You just don't learn anything new that way. Unfortunately, I saw lots of USN folks in groups of USN folks and not too much mixing with others. Same for the Emerson groupies and Strider groupies. It's cool to get together for a group dinner one night, but for heaven's sake there are real knifemakers and designers to meet and only a couple of nights to do it in! Too many "kool aid" stained lips and not enough real curiosity.
Not a fan of "cliques". Going and hanging out all the time with the same group that you hang online with is kinda intellectually incestuous and shuts you off from the bigger crowd. You just don't learn anything new that way. Unfortunately, I saw lots of USN folks in groups of USN folks and not too much mixing with others. Same for the Emerson groupies and Strider groupies. It's cool to get together for a group dinner one night, but for heaven's sake there are real knifemakers and designers to meet and only a couple of nights to do it in! Too many "kool aid" stained lips and not enough real curiosity.
Schuey2002
Member
The Hogs were using the Waverly atrium for a gathering spot before they headed out to feed at Fogo's. So that could explain at least some of the "very large crowd"....
OP
OP
Ok, wazzat?
MadMercS55
Member
I was going to head there, but I couldn't get off work this time around. I'm not a big fan of the USN or Strider at all. But I wouldn't mind meeting Emerson and several others since I pretty much grew up buying and collection their work. Either way I plan on making the next one for certain!
Schuey2002
Member
Hogs? They are individuals who wear shirts like this....
Ok, wazzat?
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