Denver Custom Knife Show - award winners plus

HTMD

HTMD

Joined
Feb 15, 2002
Messages
1,705
It was hard to tell much about the economy and knife shows from this year's "PKA Show" - put on every year by the Professional Knifemakers Association. Makers were mixed in terms of sales. Here are a few images to help you get a feel for this year's show.

Starting with the winners. They may not be a pretty bunch but there's a lot of talent and energy in them.

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Bruce Bump brought some great stuff. This one is going to Roger Pinnock and it's really a terrific blade/sheath combo by Bruce.

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Bruce also had this fine little slipjoint folder that jumped right in my pocket for a perfect fit!

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Here is Todd Kopp's winner - the Opal Assasin. Very cool dagger, very creative and well done.

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Todd also took best fish fillet with this one.

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Back in a flash with more!
 
Ty Montel's minis are always a treat.
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Speaking of miniatures, check out this award winning collection by Tom & Gwen Guinn. This was the highlight of the show for me. Fantastic collection and display.
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The main display case:
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Side display A:
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Side display B:
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There was some controversy about the judging this year. A few folks objected to these PROTECH collaborations as not truly custom. This first one features a hand ground blade by Walter Brend.
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I'm not sure how Ernest Emerson touched this one but he did and I have to say, both of these PROTECH autos are cool knives.
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To be continued. :)
 
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Jerry McClure makes nice stuff. Here's his award winner plus another of his:
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I'll conclude with one of the more interesting efforts I've seen in a while. As a parrot lover myself, I immediately liked this creation by George Garner.
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The PKA Denver Custom Knife Show is a great one to combine with a vacation in the cool Colorado mountains during the summer. Kenny Rowe of Rowe's Leathers in Arkansas trailered his display for the show AND his beautifu Harley with custom Rowe leather work. He and his wife took the bike up through Flaming Gorge and some other beautiful places to make a fine time of their trip out here.
 
Superb photos of some terrific knives Buddy - thanks for the great pictorial review. That Bump fighter is on it's way to me as we speak and your photo has me really pumped up. Congrats on that sweet slipjoint!

Roger
 
FANTASTIC pictures and review Buddy. Many thanks! The PKA was obviously a great show.

Hope you're healed up soon,
Peter
 
Hey, Buddy, I was able to get that cute little Winding Feather pattern mini fighter Bruce had on his table, after the fact. The blade/guard is just a mini version exactly of Roger's knife and it has a stag taper handle. I don't know why someone didn't snag it there, but it's MINE now.

By the way that sheath for Roger's knife by Robin Severe is really nice!

Thanks for the report and the Pictures!!

Paul
 
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Roger, congrats on that Bump pickup -- that's one beautiful knife/sheath combo! That half-checkered grip really helps to balance out that incredible damascus.

I like that mammoth McClure folder, too.
 
Buddy, Thanks for the great shots and review. Sorry to hear of the dog attack. Seriously scary story and a bloody bandage to back it up.
I spent at least a half hour drooling on that Guinn collection. Good thing its covered in glass. Did you see the cut n shoots? Beyond belief!
 
BowieBooster said:
Roger, congrats on that Bump pickup -- that's one beautiful knife/sheath combo! That half-checkered grip really helps to balance out that incredible damascus.
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Buddy's post must have brought me good luck - as the ill-tempered mule that UPS strapped my package to finally found its way to my door. :p

It's a gorgeous piece. That checkering actually covers all of the spine side (top) of the handle and most of the underside as well. It is almost unbelievable well executed and adds a suprising amout of grippiness to the handle. Bruce's damascus really pops and those nickel plated fittings practically glow. Robin's sheath - with Bruce's nickel-plated tip - is a work of art unto itself.

Great start to the long weekend here. :thumbup:

Roger
 
sheathmaker said:
Hey, Buddy, I was able to get that cute little Winding Feather pattern mini fighter Bruce had on his table, after the fact. The blade/guard is just a mini version exactly of Roger's knife and it has a stag taper handle. I don't know why someone didn't snag it there, but it's MINE now.

By the way that sheath for Roger's knife by Robin Severe is really nice!

Thanks for the report and the Pictures!!

Paul
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Paul - Thanks for correcting my oversight re the sheath for the Bump fighter. My apologies to Robin Severe. It is a very nice sheath.

You got that beautiful little Bowie! Excellent. I thought that one would've sold immediately. I know you'll make a wonderful sheath for it then I hope you'll share the results. I'm sure a lot of folks would get a kick out of it.
 
Hi Buddy,

Have to concur with the compliments on the photos.

This is directly from the Protech Website:

We manufacture small batches of our knives so that we can take the time to individually hand fit and finish each knife to a level rarely seen in a factory knife.
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While Protech builds some nice looking factory knives. Matter of fact they won the factory award for Investor/Collector Knife of the Year at the Blade Show this year.

Sounds like an addendum to the judging guidelines needs to be added for next years show.

Something along the lines of: No Factory Knife can be entered for any Custom Knife Award.

Or words to that affect. :D
 
Here is a peek at Bruce's assembly for the show - that's Paul's sweet little stag number in the group.

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Roger
 
Some beautiful knives in this thread!:thumbup:

Kind regards,

Jos
 
Glad folks are enjoying these. Here are a few more in no particular order.

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Congratulations to all the winners. Many tableholders immediately committed for a table next year. I'll be there too. Hope to see some of you all as well. It's the same weekend in August every year, the third weekend.
 
is there a rule about knife makers having to wear blue jeans?
Seriously though, great thread.
The miniature collection is truly mind blowing, I would love to see it close up. Actually, I think close up is the only way you really could see it!

It's cool to see Mr. Kopp in the winner's circle:thumbup:
 
Lorien said:
is there a rule about knife makers having to wear blue jeans?
Seriously though, great thread.
The miniature collection is truly mind blowing, I would love to see it close up. Actually, I think close up is the only way you really could see it!

It's cool to see Mr. Kopp in the winner's circle:thumbup:
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That is a Motley Crew of makers isnt it?:eek: I wore green pants the next day so we do change it up a little.

I know it! That miniture collection is so interesting. Just to make something so small yet functional. The sword in the middle is a cutNshoot. Did you notice that? The Unwin and Rodgers folder and the Elgin cutless pistol on both sides are works of art. Mr Guinn told me that Yvon Vachon committed suicide because nobody recognized him as an artist. I'd like to know his whole story. Hey he's from Canada, maybe you can find out more about him this winter when/if bicycling slows down. That would be a good article to read in Blade Mag. You have writing skills Bro.
 
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