Anyone Been to Mastersmiths in NYC?

G3 said:
God help us when 2 LaBarbera's get together. :D
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I just noticed this, who is the other LaBarbera? :confused:

Well it was good seeing Ceya again and meeting Bob & G3 and his friend Richie. Mastersmiths is a very nice shop, Bill and his wife are great people and they sure made us feel welcome. I'm sorry the Jerzey Boys couldn't join us, but Bill said you're welcome.

Mastersmiths itself is a classy and comfortable mostly high-end shop. You have to understand that it's located on the trendy Upper East Side a couple of blocks from Bloomies. Although the shop has only been open a few months, Bill knows his clientel and they can drop a couple of grand for boy toys without blinking an eye. He does keep a nice selection of production knives, but they're not his bread and butter. Besides he's not really looking to compete with online prices on stuff you can get anywhere.
That makes a lot of sense to me.

I had a really nice afternoon. I will try to stop in whenever I get the chance. Bill will have a table at NY Nov. knife show, representing makers that don't make it to the NY shows. Bill and his wife are knifeknutz, and it's shops like these we need to support.
 
Phil is is good seeing you too after all of these years (2 yrs).

It was good meeting the rest of the guys too.

G3,

Have fun, don't worry about what happens to it. Give me real results.

Another meet and greet this Sunday for those who could not make it today at MastersmithS.

S/F,
CEYA!
 
Sorry I missed you all...

:sheepishgrin: I forgot :sheepishgrin:
:embarassed:
 
ceya one said:
Another meet and greet this Sunday for those who could not make it today at MastersmithS.

S/F,
CEYA!
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Which Sunday, the 17th or the 24th?

I would like to get a group of Jersey guys together for a trip out there. It's not really far for us, and it is my old home territory, well, the upper East Side is.

I am sorry we conflicted on this, but our BBQ was spectacular, great group, wives, kids, girl friends, FOOD, BEER, ahh, you get the idea.

Thanks for the recap, though. I am delighted to hear they've got a handle on the market there. It's good to have a legitimate knife store in the area, with people who know what they're selling.
 
That was an afternoon well spent. It was a pleasure meeting Phil, G3, and Rich there. Along with Bill, his wife, and Ceya, they made a real friendly atmosphere for one who isn't as well-versed in the world of knives and steel. And Mastersmith's doesn't feel like a store. It's more like walking into someone's living room to relax and admire the decorations, which happen to be some beautiful knives and swords.

Also, I couldnt leave empty-handed. Picked up a Skirmish for myself and a rainbow Chive for my wife, plus some discontinued Spydies from ceya (a Blackhawk and a Dodo). I'm glad payday's this week.....
 
Esav Benyamin said:
I am sorry we conflicted on this, but our BBQ was spectacular, great group, wives, kids, girl friends, FOOD, BEER, ahh, you get the idea.
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Well, you sure had a beautiful day for your BBQ.

Bob, it sounds like you had a really good day. I only left with one Spyderco Viele II.

Did you notice that Ceya was carrying more knives than Bill had in the shp?

Wally, you stink. :rolleyes:
 
Great meeting Ceya, Phil, and Fyunchclick, as well as Bill and his wife Janet.

I left with a Spyderco Stretch. Rich got a Benchmade Oppurtunist and a Kershaw Chive Glossy Boron coated version. His shop is beautifully decorated and a comfortable atmosphere to browse and talk. It almost felt to me like a wing of a museum. Bill and his wife are really nice people and were more than happy to assist. A few of us recommended some brands and makers for Bill to check out. Of the two he was pretty impressed with and may start carrying are Klotzli and T.A. Davison's.

Ceya,
I'll test the knife out to see how it fits my field uses and review it for you. So far the DC53 steel, hardened to 62 Rockwell held up great when I stabbed and bent, twist, pulled it out of a stump. No damage to the tip or edge after some chopping as well. Looking good so far.

Phil,
My cousin Rich as well as myself are of the LaBarbera strain. Out of Brooklyn, my great grandfather was born 1/1/1900, no lie. He was a barber in Brooklyn. Onofrio LaBarbera.

All in all it was a good time with some good deals and conversation. Future meetings here will be pretty cool.

G3
 
EB,

This Sunday.


Phil,

All that steel and the weight was 22 lbs in steel. That is alot.


Fyunchclick,

Remember I have alot more Spydies.

G3,

Take it all the way.



See ya next Sunday.

S/F,
CEYA!
 
G3 said:
Phil,
My cousin Rich as well as myself are of the LaBarbera strain. Out of Brooklyn, my great grandfather was born 1/1/1900, no lie. He was a barber in Brooklyn. Onofrio LaBarbera.
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Wow, that's very cool. How come you didn't mention this at Mastersmiths?
My father was born in 1909, so he and your great grandfather were around the same age. My uncle Sal was older and probably closer in age to your great grandfather. I don't remember hearing the name Onofrio, but you never know it's not that common a name, there may be some connection somewhere down the line.
 
He had a brother Salvatore. Onofrio has no direct translation to my knowledge so he was dubbed Alfred, Fredo, or Freddy as we called him later on.
 
Someone should take some pictures. Bills shop is nicely decorated with a Japanese influence.
 
He had the sign on the door to call him. He lives nearby. I got there at 1320 and called him. He was there and left to go home.

He said nobody called. I left at 1400.

S/F,
CEYA!
 
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