Fort Worth Knife Show

brownshoe said:
Bastards at Blade f-ed it up again...Times have changed, shows used to proudly advertise, Knives Only.

Cowboy artisans is not the Knife Guild or ABS...some souls are now owned by the devil, aka Blade.

Isn't Cowboy Artisan an oxymoron unless it's a rope trick or bull rider with unusual technique? :)
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Oh, Brownshoe your apparent ignorance of cowboy artisans is on full display. You can tell by my screen name I'm fairly well known and connected to the kinfe community and my work with LEATHER is well accepted.............but in a previous life I was a cowboy, yeah a real one. I can further tell you the artisans who craft those beautiful spurs and bits, highly engraved and embellished are every bit as talented as most of the ABS or Guild makers, and their bits and spurs command some very hefty prices just as the custom knives do. If I attend a knife show and have the ADDED BONUS of exposure to some of the best Cowboy Artisans I'm the winner. Read, research and learn more and until then maybe opine less.
 
I had a guy bring in a knife that he had bought for me last year and asked me if I knew anybody that could do a leather lanyard for him. It was nice to have Calvin Waters in the other room, and they made a good deal. I would say the cowboy stuff was only 10% of the table holders.
 
sheathmaker said:
Oh, Brownshoe your apparent ignorance of cowboy artisans is on full display. You can tell by my screen name I'm fairly well known and connected to the kinfe community and my work with LEATHER is well accepted.............but in a previous life I was a cowboy, yeah a real one. I can further tell you the artisans who craft those beautiful spurs and bits, highly engraved and embellished are every bit as talented as most of the ABS or Guild makers, and their bits and spurs command some very hefty prices just as the custom knives do. If I attend a knife show and have the ADDED BONUS of exposure to some of the best Cowboy Artisans I'm the winner. Read, research and learn more and until then maybe opine less.
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Thanks for schooling me.

My experience is beautiful spurs and highly engraved and embellished accoutrements are not worn by the working cowboys I know or the working cowboys at the rodeos and state fairs I have been to. Where I live "cowboy art" is sold in cities not at rodeos or livestock shows. In my limited experience, the horse show set and "urban cowboys" have those things, but they are not cowboys.
 
Having attended the show, I can say that knifemakers and vendors that cater to knifemakers made up 95% of the tables. Yes there was western art there, and some beautiful western art, but the show was in the stockyards. You have to look at it as Blades way to get more people in the door. But knives were the main focus.
Brion
 
brownshoe said:
My experience is beautiful spurs and highly engraved and embellished accoutrements are not worn by the working cowboys I know or the working cowboys at the rodeos and state fairs I have been to.
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Your “limited experience” should also have shown you that many of the beautiful and embellished knives at these shows are not being used by the working cowboys, or construction workers, carpet installers, etc, many of them are for collecting and showcasing. You’re failing to see any crossover of relevant products.
 
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I'm just one of those people that remember the old guild show when they had fits about Spyderco setting up there looking for more custom collaborations. That was followed by them running off Emerson, Chris Reeve, Bob Dozier, and Bob Terzuola for not being handmade enough for their show. It doesn't sound like Blade intends to play by those rules?
 
brownshoe said:
Thanks for schooling me.

My experience is beautiful spurs and highly engraved and embellished accoutrements are not worn by the working cowboys I know or the working cowboys at the rodeos and state fairs I have been to. Where I live "cowboy art" is sold in cities not at rodeos or livestock shows. In my limited experience, the horse show set and "urban cowboys" have those things, but they are not cowboys.
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You are very welcome (for the schooling)

By your own words "in my limited experience".......the horse show set is populated by many of the same folks who have pockets deep enough to afford
fine custom knives along with Horses and tack and the salaries and fees charged by their trainers who happen to be real working cowboys albeit the top tier of those working cowboys by virtue of their experience and expertise. The bits and spurs like those mentioned above are in actual use on these riders and their horses unlike the cutlery safe queens we all admire at the knife shows. So it's not too much of a stretch to believe there is a cross over between the horse owners, and trainers to be knife enthusiasts as well, and as stated they have deep pockets so having knives and cowboy art offerings at the same show seems to me to be a win/win in terms of more people and more expendable $$$. If by chance a person has zero interest in one or the other he/she is absolutely free to NOT visit the table of either category. (This statement is backed by many years of actual experience, not limited..... and, yes I do own several pairs of fancy spurs and a couple of really fine bits, and fine leather tack although my high mileage no longer allows me to ride. Peace.

Best regards,
 
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