2008 American Bladesmith Exposition

moblues said:
Wish something like that would come to the Lynnwood or Bellevue convention centers. That would be excellent.
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Let me say that with the exception of Gabe Newell, Daniel O'Malley, and possibly Joss as buyers.....it would be the biggest waste of time that the attending makers have ever experienced.....

Something like this WAS tried in Bellevue, I believe, the Spirit of Steel or some such, a few years ago...it was an undisputed dog.

BUYERS have to attend a show in order to make it a success, which they do at Reno, and probably will at El Paso...they simply don't come out, anywhere in Washington, unless they are , ahem, smaller fish, tire kickers who want to get fingerprints all over the knives come out with fair regularity.

Sad but true.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
I was planning on flying Alaska but eventually decided for Southwest to get a later fly back on Sat afternoon. Total cost was $139.
 
Joss said:
I was planning on flying Alaska but eventually decided for Southwest to get a later fly back on Sat afternoon. Total cost was $139.
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You'll be on the same flight as my business partner for the return home!:thumbup:

You DO understand that you don't have a specific assigned seat, right, just a reserved "space" on the flight?

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
I didn't know, ut it doesn't really matter. For a flight that length, I'd be fine standing...
 
Kohai999 said:
Let me say that with the exception of Gabe Newell, Daniel O'Malley, and possibly Joss as buyers.....it would be the biggest waste of time that the attending makers have ever experienced.....

Something like this WAS tried in Bellevue, I believe, the Spirit of Steel or some such, a few years ago...it was an undisputed dog.
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The first year the Bellevue show was a good start. Sales were OK and attendance was good. The knifemakers asked for the show to be marketed differently and the promoter agreed. The second year the show was marketed the same as the first. Knife sales and attendance went down. The show was marketed TOTALLY WRONG. It was advertised in The Stranger, Seattle's free weekly alternative arts and culture newspaper. The name of the show was "The Contemporary Metalworks Expo". People came to the show looking for milling machines! I talked to knife collectors in the area who did not know it was a custom knife show. BTW Steven, there are other collectors with extensive collections in the area.

There have been discussions of a new show in the Puget Sound area. It would be a high end show. Some prominent knifemakers who were at Bellevue have been approached and they all said they would return to a show in the Seattle area. Collectors have also been approached an they said they would attend. The show would be held in conjunction with another event which will bring in more people.

The questions remaining are:
1) When
2) Is putting on a show worth the effort?
 
Chuck Bybee said:
The first year the Bellevue show was a good start. Sales were OK and attendance was good. The knifemakers asked for the show to be marketed differently and the promoter agreed.
.......I talked to knife collectors in the area who did not know it was a custom knife show. BTW Steven, there are other collectors with extensive collections in the area.
....... It would be a high end show. Some prominent knifemakers who were at Bellevue have been approached and they all said they would return to a show in the Seattle area. Collectors have also been approached an they said they would attend. The show would be held in conjunction with another event which will bring in more people.
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Chuck, mi amigo,

1. Sales have to be better than OK, and attendance had better be rockin'! Dan Delavan, though he had years of experience putting on the precursor to Blade West, took hiatus, and then about 8 years ago or so, put on the Evening of the Cutlery Arts on a Friday, and the Plaza Knife show on Saturday...it was a resounding success, and will continue to be this year. Was it luck? No.....it was planning. The makers attending were great, and the collectors were fired up to be there....

2.How many "high end" collectors in the Puget sound area do you think there are? I don't know, but on Gabe Newell's level...maybe 10....and I think I am being real generous here. The show promoter better be able to attract the best...and I mean on a Ron Lake, Michael Walker level...with collectors to match...otherwise you'll have a fancy Washington Knife Collector's Association show filled with tire-kickers. Sorry amigo, but I am not buying it....and I tried, remember?

3. There are extensive collections, and there are extensive GOOD collections...name me 3 collectors off the top of your head with GOOD, desireable stuff in the Puget Sound Region, Chuck....I can name 5 off the top of my head in SOUTHERN California with great stuff right now, and some of them don't even go to many shows....Buddy S, Phil Lobred, Commodore Wheeler, Dave Ellis and Walt Hoffman...how's that for a range?

4. Until the PNW collectors start treating a good show like an opportunity to purchase, instead of a trip to the museum....it is not worth the effort.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
The name of the show was "The Contemporary Metalworks Expo".
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I never understood this type of marketing. Promoters think they will get non-knife, artsy collectors to come and buy knives. HAH.

I have seen this also attempted with antique sporting collectibles+knives (failed)

Promoters think only about ticket sales. Rarely about maker sales.
 
Bladeandbarrel said:
Promoters think only about ticket sales. Rarely about maker sales.
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You forgot table fees....

Good promoters (Dave Harvey, Dan Delavan, Phil Lobred, Steve D'Lack, Ed Wormser.....) make sure that great makers are there, and that collectors HAVE a reason to attend and buy.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Kohai999 said:
How many "high end" collectors in the Puget sound area do you think there are?
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My definition of "High End" is a collector who buys $10,000 or more a year. Off the top of my head I can think of five collectors in the Puget Sound area who meet this criteria. Three of the collectors do not participate in forums. I'm not quite to High End yet. I should be there in 2009.

As far as extensive collections verses good collections, I do not tell other collectors what is good.

Some of your other information is not correct. I'll call you with details.

I'm looking forward to Reno. It will be interesting to watch how collectors react to the new show format. I personally think it will go well. :thumbup:
 
Chuck, i would say a Highend Collector is someone who is willing to spend more than $1000 per knife on a regular basis. by your definintion i was a highend collector in 2007, but it was spent buying lots of "regular"older knives. a real highend person upon seeing my knives is more likely to think "ah, a fool and his money are soon parted", to which i would add :"sure, but i'm having fun". that said, i would one day like to own at least 1 really "highend" knife. roland
 
I'll flat out admit that with kids, wife, money pit house and a .gov type jib, no way I'll be high end for 20 years. But a nice show is a nice show.

$139 is a good RT airfare!
 
moblues said:
I'll flat out admit that with kids, wife, money pit house and a .gov type jib, no way I'll be high end for 20 years. But a nice show is a nice show.

$139 is a good RT airfare!
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I appreciate what you are saying...I really do....and you don't HAVE to be "high end"....but in order for a show to be worthwhile for everyone involved...there has to be a pool of active, buying collectors to draw from...otherwise, it doesn't make sense....maybe there will be another show in the Seattle area, someday...and hopefully you can go, and maybe buy something for yourself, or at least see what some great stuff looks like.

$139.00 is AWESOME RT airfare...I have a buddy coming to the Reno show from VA, and his airfare is close to $800.00.:eek:

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
I will give credit to the NWKC show that is co-located with the WAC gun show in Puyallup in the fall. For local makers with some nice items and reasonable prices, it's a good stop.

Still, just to walk through and express my support and appreciation to the makers would be fun.
 
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