Blade Show West. Any thoughts on the anoucment there will be a new Blade Show West

Joe, I’m not sure how being the ‘largest knife show already’ is pertinent if vendors who want to display there can’t get tables because the show is overbooked already.

I’ve not done any further research on what other venues Atlanta has to offer, but if it doesn’t address the observations I’ve made previously, what’s the difference? If it does, perhaps the show organizers should be considering it. I’m still not sure how it’s going to contend with the heat, but that’s a personal gripe of mine, and although many of the folks I speak to share the same feelings about it, I entirely understand how it doesn’t bother some.
 
well, I think that we can all agree that Blade Show West could be a real success
 
I am all for Blade West and I will get a table.

As for Blade East I am with my buddy Paul. I am there for one reason, to go to Blade Show East, not to eat, not to go to a museum and not have a vacation. It's to meet all my friends and customers. I happen to love the show (and I don't like change), though I don't rake in the dough like many others do. Just a couple of years ago there were empty tables at the Cobb and declining, if it weren't for that silly new show, what's it called, oh yeah, Forged in Fire (Where I had some of the most fun I've ever had in my life) there would still be empty tables and it would probably still be declining. The novelty of the TV show will wane and soon enough attendance and full tables at the Cobb will again begin to decline. Iv'e had a table there maybe a dozen years and I am just learning how to do it. The Blade show has been there forever it has done well there and I (not that anyone is even listening to what any of us are saying) would not change a thing.

FWIW, JMPO

See you all at the shows, East and West, I hope.
 
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Blade is what? 1/4 to 1/3 larger today than when I first went there in 2005? They took over half of the third bay at some point and then the whole thing, right? IIRC, there is still some more meeting space on the south side by the pedestrian bridge. Some locals would argue that the biggest problem with that South Cobb/Northwest Fulton area, including the new baseball stadium complex, is that there is no MARTA train service. Same gripe about much of Gwinnett county. The big advantage of Atlanta is that it is one of the easiest cities in the US and arguably the world to get to for you and 105 million of your closest friends every year. :D You are arguably no more than one stop away from many airport hub on the planet much of the time. That is not the case with places like Kansas City, Louisville (unless you disguise yourself as a very large UPS package) or PDX. I remember when the ABS all forged show was held early on in Reno to coincide with the SCI show. People complained a LOT about the lack of flights and the high ticket prices. San Antonio wasn't much better from what I remember. The knife shows that I recall as being "close to everything" were SICAC in Paris and the former NYC show. Now if Blade had in-the-venue food and BEER service like the Belgian Knife Society show in Gembloux, there would be no complaining about that. Hell, non-knifey local people show up to that show on Sunday for the hot lunch and brews. :p Some folks have mentioned Las Vegas. I have only been there once around 2007. Have any of you ever tried to walk the Strip? Suffice to say that it is good motivation to remain in whatever mega-hotel/casino you are staying in :p I know that a lot of people who were not staying in the on-site hotel at Blade or the Sheraton accord the street used the hotel courtesy shuttles from hotels like the Doubletree to get to the venue. From what I have read, there is now a pedestrian bridge going from the big Galleria parking garage over to the stadium site that crosses I-285.
Mark Knapp said:
I am all for Blade West and I will get a table.

As for Blade East I am with my buddy Paul. I am there for one reason, to go to Blade Show East, not to eat, not to go to a museum and not have a vacation. It's to meet all my friends and customers. I happen to love the show (and I don't like change), though I don't rake in the dough like many others do. Just a couple of years ago there were empty tables at the Cobb and declining, if it weren't for that silly new show, what's it called, oh yeah, Forged in Fire (Where I had some of the most fun I've ever had in my life) there would still be empty tables and it would probably still be declining. The novelty of the TV show will wane and soon enough attendance and full tables at the Cobb will again begin to decline. Iv'e had a table there maybe a dozen years and I am just learning how to do it. The Blade show has been there forever it has done well there and I (not that anyone is even listening to what any of us are saying) would not change a thing.

FWIW, JMPO

See you all at the shows, East and West, I hope.
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Blade show in Atlanta had a SERIOUS coffee problem when I was there last year. That one little coffee cart thing wasn't even close to ample for serving the mass of irate coffee drinkers. Next time I'm selling coffee at my knife table for a dollar and paying for the whole trip that way.

BE WARNED: have a good, solid contingency plan for coffee at Blade show, don't expect to be able to just go buy a good cup without wasting a lot of time. This would likely not be a problem at a Blade West.
 
Sidehill Gouger said:
Eugene is still the second largest knife show
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Wait, really? I hadn't heard of this show before. I'm looking up info on their site and it doesn't seem that big - am I missing something? Is there a list of attendees from past shows?

Regardless, thanks for posting about Blade West. I'd love to go to Blade this year but timing doesn't work out. Blade West is easier for me to get to AND better timed AND tax free shopping in Portland after the show!
 
tyyreaun said:
Wait, really? I hadn't heard of this show before. I'm looking up info on their site and it doesn't seem that big - am I missing something? Is there a list of attendees from past shows?

Regardless, thanks for posting about Blade West. I'd love to go to Blade this year but timing doesn't work out. Blade West is easier for me to get to AND better timed AND tax free shopping in Portland after the show!
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It has been bigger in the past, but it looks like it will be 360 tables this year.
http://www.oregonknifeclub.org/okcashow.html
 
sheathmaker said:
Well, boys and girls I've read the very last few posts with great interest, and find them very illuminating.

Lo, these many years I've been attending Blade in Atlanta, I always thought I had the time of my life. I tend to brush aside, or ignore completely those deficiencies mentioned above although I do find the heretofore unknown new baseball stadium and a game that same weekend a little off-putting with regard to traffic and crowds. ( But surely they won't play the game inside the Galleria show room, Huh?)........So once I'm inside, among hundreds of friends I only get to see once a year, (and although its sucks, at my age there may not be a "next year")....so all in all it's pretty good don't ya think?

Now I admit , leaving the free covered parking after the show each day is a bit of a challenge for the nervous system, but it does give me a chance to meditate and practice my Yoga while I wait, and wait and wait, but then I'm retired so I have all the time in the world. (acknowledging the time limit set by GOD)

So I'm willing.............NO! I'm anxious to load up the truck and pick up John Horrigan (my primary chauffeur) and let him drive me to and from Atlanta, and get to spend a few days with the best friends in the world. And ....in the process see a few nice knives.

That's my story and I'm stickn' to it.

Paul
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I'll be at Solvang and Anaheim. I like Portland and would attend the BSW....but not until next year. Solvang is a budget killer.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
I love the Blade show in Atlanta and haven't missed it in 20+ years.

Is it perfect? Hell no. No show is perfect. Well, the Fisk Micro show is damn near perfect! :)

I'm doin less shows now and will not go west. But I sure hope it's a success!
 
Yeah. Buying a bucket full of coffee from the Starbucks under the I-285 bridge before you come in seems to be the best option in that neighborhood. :D The food and beverage offerings in the hall are pretty sorry and the ones in the food court aren't much better. From what I hear about Portland, you are right in that we would probably be drowning in coffee. LOL
Mecha said:
Blade show in Atlanta had a SERIOUS coffee problem when I was there last year. That one little coffee cart thing wasn't even close to ample for serving the mass of irate coffee drinkers. Next time I'm selling coffee at my knife table for a dollar and paying for the whole trip that way.

BE WARNED: have a good, solid contingency plan for coffee at Blade show, don't expect to be able to just go buy a good cup without wasting a lot of time. This would likely not be a problem at a Blade West.
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For me I have 2 issues with Blade Show West that more or less will keep me from attending. My first issue is date/time my work gets busy for me gearing up in September and kicks off in October so taking off would not be good for the office. The second is I am no fan of flying and when I can drive to Atlanta in a couple hours I certainly have my preference for it.
 
tyyreaun said:
Wait, really? I hadn't heard of this show before. I'm looking up info on their site and it doesn't seem that big - am I missing something? Is there a list of attendees from past shows?

Regardless, thanks for posting about Blade West. I'd love to go to Blade this year but timing doesn't work out. Blade West is easier for me to get to AND better timed AND tax free shopping in Portland after the show!
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I'll surprised if the new Blade Show West hits much more than 100 tables. None of the past ones did. The Oregon Knife Collector Show has been around since the 70's. It has had its ups and downs but it is still the best all round knife show on the west coast.
 
Matthew Gregory said:
Paul, both the Indiana Convention Center in downtown Indianapolis and the Colorado Convention Center in downtown Denver would grossly overqualify for a show like Blade, offer hotels and restaurants from whatever price range you wish to experience, and also have all of the attractions of major cities, many within walking distance.

They are also vastly larger venues than Cobb, which would mean not turning people who wish to have tables away because there’s no space. Someone had to point out to me last year that the gentlemen in the foyer were display table holders that had been ‘squeezed out’ of their normal locations in the hall due to lack of room...
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Man it would be sweet if it hit Indiana, 1.5 hours from me:)
 
I am surprised that the Oregon show was that big. Some shows appear have been the victim of their own shenanigans. bickering, cheapness, etc.. The Guild Show of the early 90's and SICAC come to mind. Sure, there may still be a prestige element, but not the foot traffic and number of exhibitors they used to have. It sure looked like SICAC had a competitor this past year the same week. I was told some guys exhibited at both, but that is still a further dilution of SICAC in my mind.
 
I thought I was dreaming when I read about Blade West coming to town again. I did the last show when it was still down in Southern Cal before it came to the northwest. As far as sales went they were much better down south for me although I thought the show in Ontario was strange as far the amount of people on the floor went that were there as customers. Friday seemed to be hit or miss, Saturday was by far the busiest in the morning and then by 2pm it was a ghost town. Sunday it stayed a ghost town till the doors closed that afternoon.

I did the 3 or 4 Blade West shows here in Portland area. How I was hoping it would be a great show but it never did draw any interest. I have heard that "Forged in Fire" has increased an interest in knives but I feel that interest is more with those that are wanting to make knives than collect them. I just don't see Blade West making a comeback here but would love to have to eat these words.
 
Ray Richard- if nothing else good comes from this thread, the fact it drew you out of the woodwork makes it all worth it :)
 
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