"2008" A VERY GOOD Year?

Kevin Jones

Kevin Jones

Joined
Oct 28, 2006
Messages
13,363
I probably haven't been into custom knives long enough to really know, however I feel 2008 has been a GREAT year for custom knives.

Blade Show was off the charts as compared to all others I have been to. A lot of absolutely outstanding knives have already been introduced this year and we are only just past 1/2 way.

The CKCA is going extremely well. Just kicked off our membership June first and are already very close to 100* members in six countries.

Both the ABS and Guild are making big commitments in moving their shows to new cities. There are a few new shows popping up including the new "small invitational shows". I see Edmund's and Tim's Darom books being very positive for the community.

So you "old timers", what do you think? Is "2008" on fire or am I just hopelessly euphoric? :confused:

Let us know which makers you think are having great years?

Post up some of this year's beautiful knives to prove my theory?


*By the way those of you who have been putting off joining, we will be giving our 100th member a copy of the David Darom book, "Edmund Davidson - The Art of the Integral Knife"

And as always, thanks in advance for your participation. :) :thumbup:
 
I can't speak for old timers but its been a great year for me. I am including the 2007 Blade show actually. I made many new purchases and couldn't be happier. Kevin, your collection has had some impressive additions and theres no doubt in my mind that the upcoming years will be great. Also, the CKCA speaks for itself.
 
For me, Kevin, it has really been a great year so far!

I have added to my collection more than 100 of
Tim Hancock's amazing knives........











I shall be keeping them forever on my bookshelf, between
the covers of his soon to be published book...................... :)

All the best,
David Darom (ddd)
 
As a new Journeyman Smith, I'd have to say it's been my best year, not only from the refinement of my desired design tastes, but from a business standpoint as well.
I sold out at Blade and am backlogged well into 2009 at a customer knife per week.
The interaction of all the knife forums has allowed me to meet a ton of makers and collectors and be exposed to all types of people and viewpoints. For that alone I am ever grateful.
I'm proud to be a member of the ABS and the CKCA.
I could post quite a list of people I am glad that I met this year and those that I got to know a lot better.
The frequent hammer-ins, seminars, symposiums, events, etc., etc., that are scattered throughout the continent make it almost impossible to not participate in the knife world in some fashion!!
I can only hope that next year is as fruitful as this one.
 
Karl, wasn't this your first year setting-up at Blade?
You did have an impressive show.
 
Like Jon, my timeline is Blade Show 07 - 08. Not an collecting oldtimer but my first year has been spectacular on 2 fronts.

THE KNIVES: Been fortunate to build my collection with 3 Don Hanson straight knives and 2 folders. I smile broadly because he used one of each on his business cards. His work is spectacular, the focus of my collecting.

Also scored a Dennis Friedly Elmer Keith super-badboy, several Wally Hayes damascus blades, a couple of Gary Wheeler and Kim Breed pieces and 2 of Jot Singh Khalsa's (both with Julie's engraving). We'll call it a high cash outlay year!

THE EXPERIENCE: Went to 07 Chicago and 08 Blade (first shows). Met Jon and Kevin at Blade, fine people, generous with knowledge sharing and rabid about collecting. Got to know Don Hanson, one of the finest gentlemen I've come in contact with in my half century of life!!! Hung out with Breed, Wheeler, and a host of others that have made me feel welcome and spent time educating me. A more trusting and generous group of people don't exist! I'm in and I'm hooked!!!
 
I can only speak for myself but 2008 was my best knife collecting year ever (so far).

I visited Blade for the first time, met some great guys, saw a lot of beautiful knives and learned a great deal more about knifemaking.:thumbup::cool:

Sold a couple of knives (at a profit;)) and added and will add some nice pieces to my collection.

The only downside was my trouble with Dutch Customs:grumpy::mad:

So all in all I'm very pleased how 2008 is turning out to be.

Marcel
 
2008 has been the best year knife collecting for me!! I have scored some knives that I never thought I could.
 
I'd agree, there is a lot of interesting knives being posted.

On the other hand, the variety of participation here is what i enjoy most, even some of the gritty stuff can be fun.

I have noted a decline in regular participation, maybe just my own perception, or the nature of time they have to join in the talk, or maybe it is the topics, or ? something else.

STeven G., Tai G., Buddy T., Jose R. , Wayne G., Ed F., Anthony L. , Pete B., Jim T.

..just to name a few.

But, those who are speaking up, have a lot to say,.. and knives to show, keep things moving forward too.

STill a lot of good stuff here. ;)

Anyone know,.. have these people ever signed onto these forums? (no particular order):

Mark Zaleski, Bill Moran, Bill Wright, Dr. Lucie, Dr. Batson, Ken Onion, Ken Durham, Geno Denning, Ron Stepp, Jay Hendrickson, Audra Draper, Michael Walker, Bob Loveless, Lora Sue Bethke, Ron Lake, Steven Segal, Angelina Jolie, Sylvester Stallone, Yoshindo Yoshihara, Don Fogg, Ken Warner, Joe Keeslar,...

..would be interesting to hear about. Knifemakers, dealers, historians, collector/enthusiasts/celebrities.

..ofcourse the lists would be longer if i knew what i was talking about.
David
 
I forgot to mention the positive experience of my past year in the knife world, as Rob Connally has. I agree that this has been a great year in terms of making new knife friends and contacts. The number one best decision I made was to join this forum. Now I have friends and fellow collectors who I can chat with about the stuff. I also met alot of people at Blade this year and my first three years at Blade were different because I did not go on this forum.
 
2knife.....ken onion has posted in the kershaw forum somehwat recently....i haven't read much of the news down there lately though....ryan
 
2knife said:
Mark Zaleski, Bill Moran, Bill Wright, Dr. Lucie, Dr. Batson, Ken Onion, Ken Durham, Geno Denning, Ron Stepp, Jay Hendrickson, Audra Draper, Michael Walker, Bob Loveless, Lora Sue Bethke, Ron Lake, Steven Segal, Angelina Jolie, Sylvester Stallone, Yoshindo Yoshihara, Don Fogg, Ken Warner, Joe Keeslar,...
Click to expand...


I know that Ken Onion, GenO Denning, Audra Draper and Ken Warner have posted here.
 
This year I was fortunate enough to get a few Bose Knives, Kerry Hampton (keep your eye on this guy), Jerry Halfrich, Mike Alsdorf, Ray Cover, Ken Erickson, and last but not least K R Johnson, Keith allowed me to get one of the four he presented to become a voting member of the guild. All four of his were rated excellent. The one I have coming is the Stag Wharnie pictured in the middle.
P1020060-1.jpg

2008 a GREAT year indeed.
James
 
2008 has been a good year for my collection as well in my acquiring four nice pieces so far. This was the first year I didn't not get a knife at the Blade Show though. Outstanding pieces there, I was just caught up in other things.

Will have to change that next year.
 
Last edited:
Kevin Jones said:
Blade Show was off the charts as compared to all others I have been to. A lot of absolutely outstanding knives have already been introduced this year and we are only just past 1/2 way.
Click to expand...

Blade Show 2008 was very good Kevin, not great....2005 was better from where I sit. Tom Mayo couldn't make it due to an injury, and both Mike Snody and Geno Denning were absent due to personal issues....makes it less great from where I sit.

Kevin Jones said:
CKCA is going extremely well. Just kicked off our membership June first and are already very close to 100* members in six countries.
Click to expand...

The CKCA has accomplished a great deal already, and we are just going to get better, you can count on that!

Kevin Jones said:
Both the ABS and Guild are making big commitments in moving their shows to new cities. There are a few new shows popping up including the new "small invitational shows". I see Edmund's and Tim's Darom books being very positive for the community.
Click to expand...

Until there are certain changes in leadership, the ABS will continue to chase its' tail. The move to Texas is good for some, but not for me...I'll see you at Josh Smith's show next year, yeah? The Guild move is probably very good. Some new shows will be good, others not so much. ANY of Dr. Darom's books are a good thing.

Kevin Jones said:
So you "old timers", what do you think? Is "2008" on fire or am I just hopelessly euphoric? :confused:.
Click to expand...

As you have limited historical perspective, I will simply say that the BIG picture is larger than what you might be seeing.....from where I sit, there is a SIGNIFICANT step back in the design fields, with specific attention to the tacticool arena...many new buyers and makers are concerned with new and different knives that are new and different, simply to be new and different...without any clear advantages....and it starts with chisel grinds....and runs for:barf: from there....yes this is my opinion, and certain people should just not give .02, they are entitled to like what they like, and buy what they like, but when I am still buying and selling knives in 20 years, and they are having a hard time finding a market to move their stuff....;)

Bottom line from where I sit is that the year in knives is ok....I'll see what the Plaza Show brings.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Last edited:
Kohai999 said:
Blade Show 2008 was very good Kevin, not great....2005 was better from where I sit. Tom Mayo couldn't make it due to an injury, and both Mike Snody and Geno Denning were absent due to personal issues....makes it less great from where I sit.



The CKCA has accomplished a great deal already, and we are just going to get better, you can count on that!



Until B.R. Hughes steps aside(ya hearing me, Carolyn?) the ABS will continue to chase its' tail. The move to Texas is good for some, but not for me...I'll see you at Josh Smith's show next year, yeah? The Guild move is probably very good. Some new shows will be good, others not so much. ANY of Dr. Darom's books are a good thing.



As you have limited historical perspective, I will simply say that the BIG picture is larger than what you might be seeing.....from where I sit, there is a SIGNIFICANT step back in the design fields, with specific attention to the tacticool arena...many new buyers and makers are concerned with new and different knives that are new and different, simply to be new and different...without any clear advantages....and it starts with chisel grinds....and runs for:barf: from there....yes this is my opinion, and certain people should just not give .02, they are entitled to like what they like, and buy what they like, but when I am still buying and selling knives in 20 years, and they are having a hard time finding a market to move their stuff....;)

Bottom line from where I sit is that the year in knives is ok....I'll see what the Plaza Show brings.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
Click to expand...

STeven, you speak of the BIG picture yet, you imply above that the Blade Show was less because of the absent of just three makers? Two of my favorite makers, Tim Hancock and Harvey Dean were also missing, however IMO the Blade Show is so BIG that a few maker's being present or not doesn't have a great affect on the grand scheme of things.

As with ALL organizations, there will be things we agree with and things we don't but I would have to strongly disagree that the ABS is chasing their tails, but rather making great strides forward for forged makers and the custom knife community in general.
 
Back to the original subject...................2008 A Very Good Year?? You bet it was/is. There are many many knives being bought and sold out there and a whole bunch of them stop by my shop either coming or going. My list of makers that I do business with has better than doubled in 2008 and my private customer list has grown way beyond that. It would follow that I would not be making these kinds of statements if things were not really popping out there. Another thing I've noticed across a broad spectrum of makers is that the overall quality of knives is improving in general. I can see improvements in specific makers literally from knife to knife and this has to be good for the whole community.

The changes in the mill for ABS, the Guild and a few of the major shows, I think will prove to have been the right moves and therefore I anticipate an even better 2009.

Ain't this fun??!!!

Paul
 
Kevin Jones said:
STeven, you speak of the BIG picture yet, you imply above that the Blade Show was less because of the absent of just three makers? Two of my favorite makers, Tim Hancock and Harvey Dean were also missing, however IMO the Blade Show is so BIG that a few maker's being present or not doesn't have a great affect on the grand scheme of things.

As with ALL organizations, there will be things we agree with and things we don't but I would have to strongly disagree that the ABS is chasing their tails, but rather making great strides forward for forged makers and the custom knife community in general.
Click to expand...

Kevin, depends upon what you define as a great show.....Mayo adds a lot of flavor to the Blade show.....but since you don't do much by way of folders, you might not see that.

As far as the ABS goes...you have the insight of unbridled enthusiasm, and I have the perspective of 20+ years of collecting knives...feel free to disagree....everyone does.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
2008 has been a good year for me. I've gotten some fine knives and took in Josh Smith's hammer-in. A couple more knives are yet to come, so by the end it will have been a very good year.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top