Atlanta Blade show disappointment

[myright]

A knife from Richard Rogers drawing that manged to come home with me.

Bastid - I've got to see more pics of this knife. Got anything posted elsewhere? That's a great score :thumbup:

 

[Gollnick]

"How is attendance?"

That's the very question the cab driver asked me last night.

"It seems rather down to me," I answered, "It's the economy."

"This is the ninth year I've driven during the knife show. Every other year, the hotel has been on the phone with our company pleading to send more cabs. The whole night we'll have half our fleet here taking guys to restaurants and bars and strip clubs and 'massage parlors' and all over the place. Tonight, it's just me and two other guys and it's slow."

And that's how Bladeshow seems to me this year: slow.

Those who are usually sold out by 11:30 on Friday still had knives on their tables afternoon; they sold out by 3:00PM, but slow.

The crowd is clearly smaller than I've ever seen it and it's slow.

Lower-end stuff, especially "tactical" folders seem to be moving. High-end stuff (above $5000) also seems to be going. But mid-range seems really slow.

 

[knifestuff]

The Show is just gonna vary as a function of likes/dislikes/available (or not available) cash. Me--had a great time; picked up two little Bokers that I had not even intended to look for. Guess its all about what are you interested in, but to be in that one location with so many different makes/buyers/sellers/industry reps, its just plain fun. AND they fixed the mess with the entrance area to get tickets--that was huge!

 

[David M]

All I have to say is you guys are lucky! I would love to have had the chance to attend the show. I will have to settle for the PKA 17th Annual Denver Custom Knife Show in August.

 

[pyrguy]

Friday's early VIP Buying Frenzy Stampede was over in about 5 minutes. Friday's crowd was very light. Saturday's was lots better.

Talked to several ABS makers that were happy with their sales.

Some of the manufacturer's booths were mobbed Friday afternoon and most of Saturday.

The plus side of the lighter crowd was being able to talk to the makers.

Had a good time this year even though I didn't get anything.

 

[grickie77]

Well last year I saw many sellouts and a frenzy at some tables, I had waited to buy some knives on Sunday and many were sold out. I still spent just over 1000....This year It seemed to draw the same amount of people but I did not see as many buyers. I talked to many tables and found 1 that did his best show ever. There was a smaller turn out from the vendors though. Last year Sunday was a real bargin hunt , lots of last minute deals to be had, this year I didn't see that. I spent around 150 but it was for items I planned to purchase....pretty good deals, lots to look at, seemed to be more custom makers....mammoth tooth everywhere, almost like giraffe bone in the past.
I found more meetings or side shows interesting in 08 than in 09 but the cutting comp seemed a lot more professional this year with a lot more attendance......dissapointed with the awards this year though....they had a display in the center of the show with all of the applicants but the awards were not posted until late sunday and all the vendors removed their knives so you couldn't see what was what. This was really poorly handled.

Outside of the awards problem, I thought it was a great show. I can't wait for the next one!

 

[townsend]

Blade 2009 was a blast for me. Attendence a little lower than usual, according to exhibitors and my own observations.

Someone mentioned CONDORS. Yes, great, inexpensive knives, and they were selling the new wood handled jobs at a discount. I bought a couple.

It was nice meeting the head honcho of MANTIS, Jared West.. What a passionate guy about what is doing... which is very over the top. He won an award for something.

But the most evidence that the show winners are sometimes bogus? That Strider Bayonet. I can not blieve that 'combat veterans' that design those things would ever dream of putting something that heavy, that ungainly, on the end of such a lightweight weapon as the M16-M4.

I watched a Japanese gentleman plop down 18,000 gr for a well made custom knife. In cash. Some people had a great show!

Mrs. Gil Hibben is a pleasure to talk to!
Phil Gibbs, late from Camillus, now with AG Russell is a really nice and knowledgable guy.
Some of the factory booths were staffed with Junior 'tactical tough guys' who had no idea what they were doing. Lots of bad body ink as well. The Representatives from PUMA were great.

Yes, lots of cheap, cheap tacticals were selling big, big big. To the kinda camo-clad buyers you would expect. Frost Cutlery must have sold a million swords.

The hand made knifemakers, it seemed like aways: The good ones sold out (or those who's knives are currently in demand). I did see bargains galore in handmade hunting knives.

The most pumped up guys at the show were those who passed their journeyman tests. Very proudly they displayed their bent knives. And each was very humble when congratulated.

"Go ahead and pick it up" a very respected knife maker told me when I admired his Ivory handled masterpiece. Wow... it is only when you hold them, that one understands why such a knife will sell for $10,000 plus.

The staff of the Cobb Galleria Center was classy, professional, organized. They know what they are doing. Hey, on Saturday, they hosted, shortly after the show started, a gathering of older folks (ages 70 to 104) who graduated from a long closed high school in the Atlanta area.

Chuck Buck was his usual; gracious and classy.

Blackie Collins signed free knives for some of us lucky ones. His wife was lovely, friendly, wonderful.

I have to toss compliments to the hotel I stayed at: Holiday Inn Express. Excellent shuttle service.

Well, that is my report. Have to get some sleep now.. it was a long, long three days.

 

[Gollnick]

He won an award for something. But the most evidence that the show winners are sometimes bogus?

If you haven't noticed, every major exhibitor wins an award for something. They seem to invent a category if necessary. It's a nice system, really.

I watched a Japanese gentleman plop down 18,000 gr for a well made custom knife. In cash. Some people had a great show!

That's another sign right there, of slowing. Each year, I try to find the most expensive new knife in the show (it's actually not that hard to track down; there's only a few makers you need to visit) and also try to figure out the most expensive piece actually sold. Last year, it was $105,000. The previous year, $88,000. This year, $32,000... way down. Maybe someone will chime in here and point out something I missed... hopefully.

Some of the factory booths were staffed with Junior 'tactical tough guys' who had no idea what they were doing.

This is not limited to factory booths. One custom maker explained his fighting knife to me with great enthusiasm; it was A) very clear that this man had been in and won many knife fights... in his dreams, and B) so hillarious that it was all I could do to keep from breaking out in laughter in front of the man's face. But there is a huge amount of that all over the show every year.

Yes, lots of cheap, cheap tacticals were selling big, big big. To the kinda camo-clad buyers you would expect.

More than ever, this was the year of cammo. It was also the year of lower-end tactical knives.

I did see bargains galore in handmade hunting knives.

Boy, oh boy were there table after table of repetitive, boring handmade hunters this year.

The staff of the Cobb Galleria Center was classy, professional, organized. They know what they are doing. Hey, on Saturday, they hosted, shortly after the show started, a gathering of older folks (ages 70 to 104) who graduated from a long closed high school in the Atlanta area.

At least they didn't have a wedding this year. That has always amazed me when it has happened (several times). That's gotta be a wedding nightmare to book your reception at this very classy -- and expensive -- hotel and get there to discover that there's also a knife and sword collector's show going on and the only thing which will separate your wedding party from a mob of guys clad in cammo and shirts with green skulls and mottos such as "the lethal edge", who are positively bristling with huge knives and swords while drinking heavily is a red velvet rope. And it makes such a colorful background for all your pictures.

Blackie Collins signed free knives for some of us lucky ones. His wife was lovely, friendly, wonderful.

They are both intelligent, interesting people, gracious and a pleasure to meet.

I have to toss compliments to the hotel I stayed at: Holiday Inn Express. Excellent shuttle service.

I have stayed at the Holiday Inn Express for ten years and I agree that it is nice. But not this year when they botched my reservation and I ended up at the Wingate. Closer, less expensive, and better. I'm switching to the Wingate.

it was a long, long three days.

It always is.

And thanks for a good report.

 

[Skunk Ape]

I had a good time. My 8 year old daughter came with me and had a great time too looking at all the sharp pointy things.
Talked to Jeff Randall a bit, really nice guy, and the RAT girls WOW! Got to talk to Ethan Becker as well, great guy, he even gifted my daughter with her very own BK-13!
Picked up a Tidioute Trapper in bone stag # 13, impressive fit and finish. Got a couple of old Remington fixed blades, one a Woodcraft pattern and a straight 4.5 inch with brown cracked ice.( The kid wanted that one;-). Met Dan Koster, that cleaver is a beast! I think knife people are some of the nicest people you could meet.

 

[tradja]

Great reports guys, thanks for posting the observations. I'm hoping to make it next yeat. I expected this year to be down, but it doesn't sound like the complete ghost town that it could have been -- nobody has mentioned tumbleweeds yet!

One question: a few posters above have mentioned the prevalence of "low-end tacticals" at the show. It occurs to me that this is a relative term. In this context, does this mean serrated black Frost tantos or $100 Benchmades?

 

[rayban]

I was disappointed too....disappointed that my wife wouldn't let me bring the checkbook......good move on her part...I had a great time.....:thumbup:

 

[moonwilson]

One question: a few posters above have mentioned the prevalence of "low-end tacticals" at the show. It occurs to me that this is a relative term. In this context, does this mean serrated black Frost tantos or $100 Benchmades?

There were plenty of both- and everything in between.

 

[Gollnick]

I'm my usage of the term, "low end tactical folder" runs from about $100 to about $400. Notice the words "about" used there. Somewhere not too far south of $100, low-end turns into garbage for tactical folders. There is just a certain minimum cost to make a non-garbage tactical folder and the result is that it retails for about $100.

I know, people are now gonna jump in with all sorts of "what about the Brand X model Y?" replies. There are certainly exceptions. I'm not saying that every tactical folder under $100 is garbage. I'm just defining some convenient categories for the purpose of commenting on the market.

Some may also balk at $400 being called "low end." But, keep in mind that I am talking about both factory and custom together. Even withing "tactical" folders, factory knives can go up to several thousand dollars. So, $400 is maybe just the lowest 15 or 20% by price.

 

[rayban]

"I have stayed at the Holiday Inn Express for ten years and I agree that it is nice. But not this year when they botched my reservation"

...maybe trying to tell you sumpin....

 

[bl4k0p2]

I went to that Blade Show and it was my first time going to anything like that. It was a great experience for me even tho i dont have a ton of money to spend on blades like that...

That being said i still managed to get a hold of a SOG Tac-auto so zallz good...

 

[Thomas W]

It was nice meeting the head honcho of MANTIS, Jared West.. What a passionate guy about what is doing... which is very over the top. He won an award for something.

I don't believe this is true.

But the most evidence that the show winners are sometimes bogus? That Strider Bayonet. I can not blieve that 'combat veterans' that design those things would ever dream of putting something that heavy, that ungainly, on the end of such a lightweight weapon as the M16-M4.

The ZT/Strider bayonet did not win an award either. Bogus?...strange comment on this piece IMO.

I think you're confused with a companies entries into a specific category vs. the one winner that comes out of the category.

If you haven't noticed, every major exhibitor wins an award for something. They seem to invent a category if necessary. It's a nice system, really.

Since when?

There are like 12 awards for the factories, and a handful for the custom side. Been the same amount of categories for quite a while now?

 

[townsend]

Mr. Gollnick, it was a pleasure to read your comments on mine. Thanks for your observations as well.

Thomas, you are correct on the point that the over engineered bayonet was an entry, not a winner. So that award was not bogus. Just the bayonet. And Jared West not passionate about his work? He is that and more. Like an excited kid and letting his imagination cut loose. Filled with enthusiasm. Not just my opinion, but that of a couple of knife publications. But no matter, any of us can see things thru different eyes.

 

[Thomas W]

townsend, my bad, was not commenting on Jared or his work, was commenting on the winning an award. I don't believe that happened, although I was sleep depraved throughout the show. Also didn't see him at the podium at the awards banquet.

Sorry for the confusion.

 

[tradja]

[...] I was sleep depraved throughout the show.[...]

I get accused of this all the time. :thumbup:

 

[townsend]

No problem. What the heck, glad we both enjoyed the show!
Best Regards,
Townsend.