Blade Show Impressions

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godogs57

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Apr 16, 2004
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Got back from the Blade Show last night and had the following impressions (I have made each one since Sherman came through Atl.)

Boy, you can tell the economy has hit the knifemaking industry just like everyone else. The show was smaller by about 25%. Usually it is wall to wall exhibitors but this year the left side (as you walk in) was taken in considerably and the aisles were noticeably wider. One exhibitor who has one of the larger displays annually, told me that there was a 5-year wait for tables previously...then a 3-year wait and now "they couldn't sell it out this year". For the first time ever I saw some (just a couple of tables) of the gun show crap you sometimes see when they can't see out all their tables....army surplus crap that had nothing to do with this show....I was thinking "Oh NO...not at the Blade Show!" I really hope that was a one time deal if you know what I mean. Seems like the everyday knife makers were down in numbers a bit.

Several of the "Big Names" were not in attendance that had been there forever. To a person, each exhibitor was as nice as they could be, and ready to wheel and deal.....you could dicker with prices much easier than in any other year I can remember. They were really glad to see me and everybody else that attended. Attendance numbers seemed about normal, maybe off just a little. I also noticed that a lot of the Big Names were not just exhibiting their high dollar stuff, but had branched out into knives for sale in the $400 or so range...something you didn't see too much of before. And those knives were actually for sale! Not blade show examples that they would take your order for and deliver later.

Materials? Stag was there, just not as much as last year. I didn't see hardly any ivory. Not much steel for sale either. Very pretty desert ironwood was available in good quantities.

People? For the first time I noticed a heavy participation by the Japanese knife makers. Used to be one here and there....they were there in force this year. And their workmanship was top notch. As to be expected there was a significant Loveless influence in their work.

Overall a great time, great conversations with all the folks there....A+++

Just my opinion, other folks are free to disagree or add to it if they wish!

Everyone have a great weekend.
 
I remember hearing a lot of complaints about last years show because it was so unorganized. Did that seem to be corrected at this years show? Thanks for the report!
 
Thanks for the report, we appreciate it.
Did not make it this year but will be next year.
Chris
 
I never heard any complaints from my exhibitor buddies. Not one.

However, the placement of the tables was different from previous years.....everyday knife makers, suppliers of materials, etc were scattered about randomly. In years past, they were all on the left side, and still were, but they were not clumped together as before. Knife makers here, ivory dealers over there, stabilized wood folks over that way, etc.....nope, not this year....all scattered about.

Also, there was a noticeable lack of old, vintage knife dealers this time. Used to be, if I wanted a particular Case knife model, certain vintage, I had my pick of dozens of dealers...not as many as before. I was looking for a WWII trench knife this year for example and never saw but one.

Weird observation: Man were there some strange strange looking folks there this year too.....at times it looked like a Gothic tattoo convention...and I am talking about the women there!

Hope this economy picks up soon!
 
Raymond Richard said:
I remember hearing a lot of complaints about last years show because it was so unorganized. Did that seem to be corrected at this years show? Thanks for the report!
Click to expand...

Mary was up front handing out packets..no line what so ever. don't know how deep her involvement went, but it was all smooth. They finally got the carpet layers in early and didn't have to fight them and their rolls this year.

There was some empty tables, but the footage was the same as last year..it never went up to the wall and that section of double letter tables was just added last year.

A forum member has been helping me all weekend and will post some photos...
 
Larry D. Davis said:
Mary was up front handing out packets..no line what so ever. don't know how deep her involvement went, but it was all smooth. They finally got the carpet layers in early and didn't have to fight them and their rolls this year.

There was some empty tables, but the footage was the same as last year..it never went up to the wall and that section of double letter tables was just added last year.

A forum member has been helping me all weekend and will post some photos...
Click to expand...

Larry, I had heard Mary was back in the mix. Glad to hear things went smoothly.
 
godogs57 said:
Got back from the Blade Show last night and had the following impressions (I have made each one since Sherman came through Atl.) ...

People? For the first time I noticed a heavy participation by the Japanese knife makers. Used to be one here and there....they were there in force this year. And their workmanship was top notch. As to be expected there was a significant Loveless influence in their work.
Click to expand...

Just curious, why the Japanese have such a heavy Loveless influence?
 
I have seen it written more than once (Blade mag, etc) that Loveless has about become a deity in the knifemaking world over there. Take a look at any Japanese knifemaking article in a magazine and 9 out of 10 knives will be Loveless imitations. When they meet him it's like us rednecks getting to meet Elvis or something....they are simply fascinated with him and his style of knives. Every bit of work I have seen them do is as meticulous as anything I have seen....
 
Hello everyone, I will post some pictures tomorrow, i just randomly took pics-couldnt locate every one but i tried-kinda. thanks-marek
 
Were we at the same show? :)

Show was the same size as last year, but more tables and booths this year, was smaller the year before (08). They remove the walls between each bay, the last bay, to the left was opened last year but only using half of it. Dealers to the far right, ABS section, Guild section, Custom section far left. Suppliers pretty much all in the same places (they really need to be all together but never have been), some ivory dealers moved around though. The added booths in-between the sections really makes it seem different, makes it hard to find tables, even though they are in basically the same location.

The show was run Much better this year, Marry wasn't in charge but was helping (the crew in-charge last year were fired). They did get rid of a lot of the flea-market stuff that was there last year. The show was also busier this year, was kind of slow in 09.

I had my best show to date last year...did even better this year. I talked to a few others who sold out, and some that didn't sell anything. The show is too large, but it's the best and I look forward to it every year.

PS, was very good seeing some of you there!
 
My sales were the best ever in four years!!!! That's without an annual BLADE show 2 grand purchase from a large maker.. I think they finally got stocked up!!

Seems like the aisles were not as crammed as last year or maybe the air conditioning was set higher :)

I also became the very proud owner of the dagger submitted by Michael Rader in successfully passing his master smith board. Now that I have time to relax with my recliner pushed back, every mm of this beauty sparkles and I continue to find more intricacies worked into it..
 
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