Another knife show rant

dsvirsky

dsvirsky

Joined
Aug 2, 1999
Messages
1,910
We've seen some discussion about makers who leave early on the Sunday of a 3 day show. How about ones that don't bother to set up on the Friday of a 3 day show? I went to the Greater Shenandoah Valley Knife Show this last Friday and fully half the tables were unoccupied when I left at 4 pm.

Turns out, talking with one of the knife makers who was there (our own J and Tess Nielsen, Chuck Gedraitis/Striper 28, the Jones Brothers, and "Big John" Pawlowski were there and set up), this is the normal course of events for this show.

Seems to me, if half the tables are empty on Friday, it's a 2 day show, not a 3 day show. Last year I went on Saturday and had a good time, even though I didn't buy anything except a t-shirt for my wife. This year, I got nothing but pi$$ed off, even though I had money in my pocket. Next year, I'll save the 230 mile round trip drive, since I'm not going to waste my time and money, supporting a show that treats its customers like this.
 
Some makers have jobs and need to work on friday . Not all makers are full time makers. Nothing to take personally,they are not trying to dis you .
 
I'm sure taking a day off now and then for a few shows is well worth the effort,a necessity in my opinion.It certainly would help from having angry people coming on friday or Sunday and getting pissed about the turnout.The show promoters I have seen at a couple of gun shows have a rule.If you don't set-up for the whole show or cutout early,you no longer are welcome back.Sounds like it nips that behavior in the bud.The sellers have to remember that sometimes people come from significant distances and invest a bit of money on hotels,show entrance fees etc.I would be royally pissed to if I wasted my time and money.It is just plain rude! :(
 
Ken,
You mis-understand me. I have no beef with the makers; I know that most cannot do this without having a regular Monday through Friday job. My issue is with the promoter -- IMO, if half the table holders can't attend on Friday, it shouldn't be a 3 day show.
 
One thing I have learned from these types of threads is that if I am going to attend any but the biggest knife shows I am only going to go on a Saturday. It seems like some makers don't show up on Friday for whatever reason and others (and also maybe these same makers) will take off early on Sunday. It seems that Saturday is the only day that all the makers seem to be there. There is a problem with this plan though. The problem is that by Saturday the most popular makers will be long sold out of everything. Seems to be a bit of a catch 22.
 
You can, but if I am going to attend on Friday, pay for another nights stay at a hotel and take a day off work then I don't want a bunch of makers deciding not to show up. How do I guaranty that won't happen? With most of the smaller shows I can't. About the only way you can be sure of getting your money's worth out of every day of a show is to only attend the big ones, like Blade. Also, there are a few shows where there is a rule that if you sign up to exhibit then you have to be there from beginning to end. I have heard though that this rule is not very strictly enforced at most shows.
 
I don't understand the 3 day show thing. Even Blade, after 1 1/2 day, it gets quite repititive.
 
There are so many things going on at a show like Blade that i would not be able to come close to doing everything and seeing everything that would interest me in three days. There are so many demonstrations going on, dozens of makers that I would want to talk to and there is the whole ABS thing that goes on there. Then in the evening there is the pit. Nope, three days wouldn't come close to being long enough for me.
 
Dsvirsky you make an excellent point. If the promoter knows not many table holders are going to show up, then it needs to be used as a set up day. The problem is, this building costs the promoter money on Friday. So he opens it up to buyers to try and recoup some of his money. This will not change. So now you have two choices, don't go or go on Saturday. Not saying it's fair or just.

Keith, this thread started out with a complaint of a show that is predominately a gun show. This in no way, shape or form is to be confused with a custom knife show. Today, the Friday of a three day custom knife show is the day to be there. Especially, if you are looking for a popular maker or their knives. You show up on Saturday only and you will be disappointed at how many makers are sold out.

Most of the three day custom knife shows, shouldn't be. The exception...the Blade Show. This show could almost be 4 days.

Sunday used to be the day that a lot of collectors would show up looking for "bargains". Those days are fading fast. With the advent of the Internet and so many web sites. Makers and dealers alike don't discount a knfie, they just take it home and put it on the site.
 
Joss said:
I don't understand the 3 day show thing. Even Blade, after 1 1/2 day, it gets quite repititive.
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You must be missing a lot! Blade East could almost be a 4 day show :eek: It might even be one for some people already :eek:

By the time I talk to makers, talk to forum members, go to demonstrations, go to after hours dinners, etc. I am lucky to really look at all the tables in Atlanta.

Granted, that does not hold true for shows like the Las Vegas Classic, Blade West, or Little Rock to name a few.
 
WoodWorkGhost said:
Keith, this thread started out with a complaint of a show that is predominately a gun show. This in no way, shape or form is to be confused with a custom knife show. Today, the Friday of a three day custom knife show is the day to be there. Especially, if you are looking for a popular maker or their knives. You show up on Saturday only and you will be disappointed at how many makers are sold out.
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I realize that if I want to pick up some knives, especially those of popular makers, then I am going to have to be at a show on Friday. If I am going to a smaller show just to check things out, not to buy, then I will go only on Saturday. Taking in only one day saves me money, and one day is enough to see everything at most of the small shows anyway.
 
Dvirsky i totally agree with you. if it is advertised as a 3 day every table holder should be there every day or not be welcomed back. the big show's do make it a rule that if you leave early say Sunday afternoon they can give your table to someone else for the Next Show . i have a hard time spending friday at a show specially if no one show's up . if a show promoter advertises a 3 day it should be a 3 day show period . the show i refer to is OKCA , and Puyalup Wa both have the same rules , No Leaving Early ! as for the "Maker's" yes it can be hard to be there on Friday but we knew that when we signed up for the show . if a customer drove several hundred miles to see you and your knives and found you were too busy to be there how would you feel ? sometimes we need to put ourselves in someone elses shoes .

i am not trying to lecture anyone here just playing devil's advocate
 
All I can say is that is NEVER a problem at the ECCKS, or the other N.Y. shows I try to get to. IF you don't get to those on Friday, you might as well not show up on Saturday, because there will only be scraps leftover. I agree though, if half the makers aren't going to be there, then it should be a 2 day event and not a 3 day. After all, YOU probably took time off to go there, and that time was wasted. :grumpy: Making it a 3 day is a waste of everyone's time and money.
 
marcangel said:
IF you don't get to those on Friday, you might as well not show up on Saturday, because there will only be scraps leftover.
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Couldn't agree more.
 
As I mentioned, if I was interested inpicking up knives I would make sure to be there when the doors opened on Friday. I would also try to get a VIP pass so that I could get in an hour early.

Many shows have rules about exhitors having to be there for the full period that the show is open. The thing is, many of these shows don't enforce the rules. They realize that it is the makers that draw the attendees and that the attendees pay the bills. The show administrators quite often look the other way when makers and dealers leave early even though they have rules against doing so.
 
With the G&Ks I attend, Friday is almost always a waste. Sundays are OK, Saturdays are great, but most everyone only shows up on Saturday. In addition to that, the knife collectors show up on Saturday, so if you are unfortunate enough to show on Sunday, all the booths have been picked over. I've found things on Sundays, but Sat. is the prime time.
 
Wood work Ghost, the Harrisonburg Va., Shenandoah Knife Collectors Show which was just held is a all knife show only.....Hope this helps!!
 
From a makers viewpoint, the key to full attendance at a show falls to the promoter. If the show is heavily attended by the public and the table space is in demand, the promoter can insist that the makers set up on time and stay until quitting time or they will not get a table next time around.

This scenario is the ideal situation all around, however, if attendance is very poor there is little motivation for the makers to attend and the promoter loses the ability to police the makers. It follows then that at shows which have trouble attracting the public on a given day, be it Friday or Sunday then the show should be trimmed down to a one or two day show from the half hearted three day show.
 
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