Hey guys thanks for asking. I've been busy since that weekend and haven't had time to get my thoughts together. This years Big Sky Conference was the best ever. I'll start with the show Friday night.
The day began with collectors and makers gathering at my shop for a great social event. We talked knives, fishing, guns, knives, tools, cannon, mortar, and more knives. We ate lunch here and had a few beers. Later that afternoon we shot the cannon. As always the bowling balls launched out of sight. The air was just right and you could actually hear them hit the mountain! After the cannon we shot the bowling ball mortar. This was new to the weekend and quite an experience. The first ball launched a bit to far off and landed off my property. The second ball though was unreal. It launched straight up about 1000 feet. At one point Rick Dunkerley was screaming that it was too straight up and going to hit the house. As it turns out it came down about 150 feet from the house missing the pond by 8 feet! It was hairy!
The show start Friday night at 6:00. The makers brought amazing work. I can't detail them all here but when the pictures come back from Eric Eggly I will share them. We filled the art gallery with a great group of collectors. We had dinner and more drinks as the collectors entered for the drawings and bid up. In the end 33 or 35 knives sold! I heard nothing but positive from the collectors and makers. The collectors were amazed at how the makers went all out for a small show in Montana.
That evening some came back to the shop where we sat around a campfire telling lies. The next morning classes started at 8 a.m. Bill Burke led off with a great blade forging demo. He was followed up by Rick Dunkerley teaching damascus. Tim Hancock taught a variety of classes including blade grinding, handle techniques, and tip and throat sheaths among other things. Jurgen Steinau was a huge hit with his design and construction technique classes. I really didn't know what to expect from Jurgen as this was his first time teaching. I was amazed. He put a power point together with hundreds of photos. Jurgen memorized the audience with his vast art background. Saturday finished with a hollow grinding and blade polishing class from John Young. When he was done his blade looked like a mirror on the space shuttle. Eric Eggly from Point Seven was set up shooting some of the knives on hand.
Saturday night we held a small show and dinner at the local golf coarse. It sounds like a few guys sold some knives and everyone enjoyed a great meal. We had 94 people at dinner that night! After dinner we went back to the shop and shot the cannon again. It never gets old!
Video of the cannon on Mark Strausses blog
http://knifeologycustomknives.blogspot.com/
Sunday Tim and Jurgen led off the teaching again. Bill Ruple finished the day out with two slip joint folder classes. Bill taught a great class in which he fielded a ton of questions.
It was a wonderful weekend with weather in the mid to upper 70's. It was awesome!
On Monday I took Harvey Dean and Jurgen Steinau fishing. We left at 5:00 am and were on the creek at 6:30. We had great day. Harvey was an experienced fly fisherman and Jurgen had never done it. Both guys caught fish. The best part of the day was around 1:00 p.m. As I was walking back to the car I came upon Jurgen and Harvey, both soaking wet. Jurgen tried walking across a log under the water and fell in. Harvey misjudged the depth of the water off of the bank and plunged in over his waters. The water running down Rock Creek is just above freezing as it pours out of glaciers in the high country. Harvey and Jurgen were given a big boost of energy from the frigid water!
In all it was an amazing weekend. It sounds like everyone is looking forward to next year so I hope to see you all here the weekend of July 15, 2011.
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But I would love to read a report or see some pics!!
