ABS Expo Report 2013

Richard Epting (MS). This is a picture with my friend and Richard. John brought Richard's laminated Texas hunter prototype home with him.
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Dickie Robinson (MS). I think Dickie had a chuckle telling me that I was holding his horsemat handled castrating knife.
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Appreciate the review. Always nice to see a BF member take the time to do this for those of us not in attendence. Thanks!

- Joe
 
This was the best EXPO Ive been to. I sold knives and got to to visit with lots of friends and make some new ones. All the makers i talked with sold knives and several took really good orders. Nearly all the makers have re-upped for next year. Always great to see the Alamo and weather was great. I talked to Harvey, and the EXPO will be at a better location in San Antonio next year. We are going to add additional tables next year. I am planning to be there.
 
It WAS a good show. Thanks, Kim, for putting this together. I only attended on Friday, and during the seminars and from talking to folks I had probably a dozen "it would have been worth the drive from Houston just to learn THAT" moments. I hope folks don't mind (moderators included) if I post some personal reflections. If these are considered by some to be self-promotion by a non-paying member, my apologies in advance; that is not my intent.

I came away with new confidence to:
-Use pins for indexing everything, with thanks to Dave Lisch and Mike Quesenberry

-Pursue engraving further once I have the cash flow, thanks to the GRS guys who let me play with their equipment, which is very impressive.

-Cut lines on my bolsters. I'd always wondered about how to do it cleanly, Dave Lisch told me in 10 seconds.

-Dome pins. Mike Q talked about it in his lecture on frame handle construction, but Adam DesRosiers really helped to clarify and convinced me I can do it

-Tackle stag handles. Who knew the secret was kneadable epoxy? (Dave again)

-Do butt caps. I'd always wondered how they are attached and know half a dozen ways that I'm not crazy about. Now I have a better idea what the big guys do, and it wasn't as hard as I thought.

-Maybe tackle a wire wrapped handle. I got to handle Kevin Cashen's dagger mentioned and pictured above, and got him to tell me about how he did it. I'd always wondered, and now I know. Like so many things related to knife making, the answer is pretty obvious, but not one I would likely have thought of.

I also came away with the following:

-A realization that I have a lot to work on (see above). I need to get my edges thinner, my plunges more even, work on guard fit-up and spacers, doming pins, and a lot of other things before I can run with the big wolves in the pack.

-A realization that, for the most part, I actually know what I'm doing and am pretty good at this. Some of the best knife makers in the world were there (Fuegen, Cashen, Culver, even Quesenberry, etc.), and they're in a different league. However, the difference between my knives and those of a lot of the other guys is not as much as I thought it would be. I can't tell you what this trip did for my confidence!

-An observation that there is still a lot of misinformation about steel and heat treating. Most everything I know came from stuff Kevin Cashen has posted on forums, and hearing his lecture convinced me that there was a lot I don't understand still. While that will likely always be true, at the same time I've actually learned pretty well. Some folks we've all heard of asked questions that I knew the answer to! Also, I had one Master Smith try to convince me that the forged blade is inherently superior to a stock removal blade. While this can be true in some specific circumstances, it isn't, without qualification, a true statement. Rather than be disturbed by misinformation at the highest levels of our craft, I choose to be motivated to continue learning.

-A few potential new friends. I had some good conversations with Josh Fisher, a relatively new Journeyman Smith who doesn't live that far from me, and even more with Adam DesRosiers, whom you've all heard of. It turns out we have a few mutual friends. Many others, including James Rodebaugh, Mike Quesenberry, Dave Lisch, Steve Culver, Doug Noren, Rick Eaton, Kevin Cashen, and Daniel O'Malley freely shared their knowledge and experience, and I learned something from each of them that will make me a better maker. My thanks to all who give freely of their knowledge, and apologies to those I didn't mention.

-The confirmation that there is in fact an ABS uniform, and it requires boots and wide brimmed hats. The hats are optional but preferred. The boots seem to be required. I'm a 7th generation Texan, and am not disturbed by this.
 
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Thanks for the great report and pics . What A Great Show every one was selling Knives I do not know how they did it but they did it. Some folks had the best show they ever had like My friend Michael Tyre he sold over 10 grand his best ever I sold 5 in the first 3 hours and 7 knives in all. the vibe in the room was electric . I think I could have sold out but around 1;30 I sent my last two home with Paul Long, to get sport coats. Paul, if you read this go ahead and throw a jacket on the dagger as well, thank you. Now the reason I tell about the sales as I do know it is a bit tacky is that I had heard folks talk about the slow sales last year and I believe it may have hurt the show a bit in fact that some makers may not have come so as to not take a loss . so I will stick my neck out and say this was a great show for just about every maker there . but even better then that was the feeling of camaraderie among the makers and that is what this is all about friends getting together for a weekend of selling knives sharing story mending fences, making new friends and sharing a real love that we all have for the hand crafted knife. . it was good see all of you there I want to thank the ABS for all the efforts to put on this show. It is time for me to spend some time with my family now but I want to be on the record as saying Oh Hell Ya!
 
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Great review Kim!


Travis Fry said:
-An observation that there is still a lot of misinformation about steel and heat treating. Most everything I know came from stuff Kevin Cashen has posted on forums, and hearing his lecture convinced me that there was a lot I don't understand still. While that will likely always be true, at the same time I've actually learned pretty well. Some folks we've all heard of asked questions that I knew the answer to! Also, I had one Master Smith try to convince me that the forged blade is inherently superior to a stock removal blade. While this can be true in some specific circumstances, it isn't, without qualification, a true statement. Rather than be disturbed by misinformation at the highest levels of our craft, I choose to be motivated to continue learning.
Click to expand...

Travis, this debate has been absolutely beat to death for a lot of years. Do we really need to bring it up here? ;)
 
Authur Lynn
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Doug Noren
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I have a few more pictures to get up tonight. I will try to add some of my feedback for the show and what my favorites are. Please feel free to add any pictures to this thread from the show.
 
kimsalls,

Thanks for the great review. It's nice of you to take the time to do this.

I'm glad that the show was a success.

Jim Treacy
 
Don Hanson III said:
Travis, this debate has been absolutely beat to death for a lot of years. Do we really need to bring it up here? ;)
Click to expand...

I'm not trying to start a fight or pour salt on old wounds! I know this has been beaten to death as an issue (though I think the major battles were fought before my time as a maker), but my hope is that science, testing, and measured, empirical evidence would have, for the most part, won out over opinion and anecdotal evidence.

In other words, I had hoped this was dead already.

As I hope I expressed, I was surprised to hear what I did, and am working to ingrain a habit of learning so that I don't find myself 25 years from now with some kid in front of me rightly wondering about my credibility because I became content with my knowledge.

With much respect,

Travis Fry
 
I will chime in and say it was a great show for me as well. Great sales for me as well as alot of other makers. Selling knives is great but being able to meet Forum friends, collectors and other knife makers is the best part about going to a show for me. I always learn alot from other makers. Kim thanks for posting all the pics and great meeting you and John. Also nice meeting Travis and D Lisch as well.
 
That's all the pics from me folks. I would love to hear what others enjoyed at the show and see their photos.

Bruce- I love Gary House's kneck knife too. What a personal expression.

Travis- i think i saw your name tag. I should have said hello. I'm at Kirkwood and I-10, so we are practically neighbors. I'll have to try to fit in more clothing-wise next year. I was the guy in shorts and sandals.

Richard- it was a pleasure getting to know you also.

David- i really enjoyed your seminar and the time I spent visiting with you.

I plan to attend the show next year. If they have the same schedule I will take a vacation day again to be there on Friday. I really enjoyed the seminars, and as I said earlier there were many more knives to see on Friday than on Saturday because of sales. I also enjoyed the banquet. There is a silent and live auction. Here are some of the items from this year:
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I won a file guide a couple of years ago, and my buddy won a bowie book this year. (i accepted the book for him because he was out of the room when his ticket was called) However, the best thing about the banquet is the feel in the room. You can tell how happy these guys are about spending time with their friends, and you can also tell how much they support the ABS.
 
I've really enjoyed your thread. Thanks for your contribution, that so many of us are enjoying here.

Bob
 
Thank you for taking the time to cover this show. It means a lot to the table holders for everyone who did not make it to see what they missed.
My neck knife was made for me by my very good friend Wade Colter.
Thanks again, Gary
 
Kim thanks for doing this review and thanks for posting my knife. It was a pleasure to meet you and shake your hand. I think this was the best show since we moved to Texas.
 
Kim,

Thanks for the great review and images, much appreciated !
Good to hear the show was such a success.

Doug
 
Yup, this show was awesome. Again.
We actually got a table this year, instead of just being tourists. I was afraid that because we were working we wouldn't get to visit as much with all the great makers, collectors, and enthusiasts. Glad to say that I was wrong. Even though business was indeed brisk (almost frantic at times!),( Haley and I both were sold out within the first minute of the opening bell), there was a very casual and social feel to this show. We got to spend quality time with old friends, and make a bunch of new. The hospitality here in Texas is legendary for a good reason. I have to admit the place is growing on me! for such a small state, it has a really big heart:)
The seminars were fantastic! Even though I've been a maker for quite a while, I learned a ton from Dave Lisch, Kevin Cashen, and Mike Quesenburry. I wish I had been able to attend them all!
The knives I saw at this show were truly extroardinary. I think the word is out among the makers that this is the place to showcase (and sell) your very finest. There were some real show stoppers in the room this year. Here are some of the very few I managed to photo: this one from Josh fisher. It was an outstanding piece at an outstanding value.
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This was the folder that won Jim Rodebaugh the best folder award. ... For obvious reasons. It's AMAZING!
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There were dozens of other show-stoppers, but I was too lame to get any good pix of the rest.

Okay, now for the other great part of the show...
San Antonio...! The banquet was fun, funny and delicious!
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The river walk, as always was a great attraction...
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This city is full of good old American history. In a time when it seems unpopular to be an old Fasioned patriot, there are the real stone monuments to great men like Davy Crockett all over this town...
This is one of the famous missions of the area, mission of San Jose.
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Oh, and the food... Ooohhhh tthheee ffooooddddd! Yeah, it's all that...

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... And, yes the wildlife came out...

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The shopping is great, the eating is great, the people are great, and the show is great.
We are definitely coming back next year....and we're bringing more knives...
 
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