Going to ABS Expo, Reno.....thoughts

I got to Reno about noon yesterday and spent the afternoon visiting with makers. I'm really looking forward to the new format. Seems everyone is excited about it. Met up with STeven last night as is becoming our tradition and one of the highlights of the show for me. I'm looking forward to Joss coming in today as I have never met him in person. I'm nervous about my seminar this afternoon but I am prepared and will just try to do my best.

I'm all for the show moving to San Antonio as it's just so "fitting" for a forged Bowie show. San Antonio is a great city and the hosting hotel is located between the Alamo and the River Walk. It will be about 19 months before the next ABS Expo so plenty time for everyone to make plans.

As I ran a retail/wholesale business many years, I agree with Don in that it's a tough month for a show, but I truly believe people will go and it will be a great success.
Well the knives come out this afternoon and I can't wait.......
 
Hi Don,

August used to be a slow month, but over the last 5 years I find it to be steadily picking up.

I don't think the month will affect a specialty show like the ABS show. The hard core buyers will show up.

However, the casual buyers will be busy with other things like paying off vacations, getting kids ready for school, etc.

They just let someone like me travel to the show, get the knives they want and then pay for them with a credit card. :D

Les Robertson
Custom Knife Entrepreneur
www.robertsoncustomcutlery.com
 
Kevin: Seminar? When did I miss this news?

What's it about?

Coop
 
SharpByCoop said:
Kevin: Seminar? When did I miss this news?

What's it about?

Coop
Click to expand...

A year or so ago the ABS asked me to do a seminar on Custom Knife Collecting here at Reno. Primarily concentrating on the newer collector. So it's today at 1:00.
Now's a good time for me to thank ALL of you for the education I have received here on this forum.
I think at times we take for granted all that we learn here being subjected to the many different opinions and views.
 
Hey Kevin, if you see this, could you please let the show powers that be know I'm not making it? I can't seem to find anybody's cell # that would need to know.

We had some family issues come up yesterday and I didn't even make it to the airport. THIS SUCKS!!! I have been bust'n my.... uh... working really hard to get that knife ready to go! (not to mention $1k in expenses out the window).

But in my book family will always come first.

I've been at Reno every year since it started... I'm sad I'm not there for the show its last year at Silver Legacy (even though I also hate Reno like many others have said! lol).

Hopefully the ABS will understand and I will still have my table spot in San Antonio!!! :)

Kevin, good luck with your seminar!!!! :thumbup: :cool: :thumbup:
 
NickWheeler said:
Hey Kevin, if you see this, could you please let the show powers that be know I'm not making it? I can't seem to find anybody's cell # that would need to know.

We had some family issues come up yesterday and I didn't even make it to the airport. THIS SUCKS!!! I have been bust'n my.... uh... working really hard to get that knife ready to go! (not to mention $1k in expenses out the window).

But in my book family will always come first.

I've been at Reno every year since it started... I'm sad I'm not there for the show its last year at Silver Legacy (even though I also hate Reno like many others have said! lol).

Hopefully the ABS will understand and I will still have my table spot in San Antonio!!! :)

Kevin, good luck with your seminar!!!! :thumbup: :cool: :thumbup:
Click to expand...

Will do Nick.
 
Nick - you were sorely missed, it wasn't the same show without you.

Did you finish that integral? :D

JD
 
Well I live in Reno so I am very mad they are moving it to San Antonio.
 
Here are my quick notes from the show...

I arrived around 12:40pm on Fri, and left today around 3:05pm (well, the plane left 20mn late). That was perfect for me as I didn't have one minute wasted. Reno can be a pretty boring place if you don't have a car.

The show was in a bigger room than last time I went 3 years ago, and that was good. Unfortunately, I arrived to late to hear much of Kevin's talk, but it was well attended.

I got to put a face on quite a few BF friends, incl. Kevin, Thor, Jeremy Muir, Buddy Thomasson, etc. It was good too to spend some time with the unique Garsson.

Some of the highlights for me, in no particular order:

- The work of Tommy Gann is impeccable - maybe a tad more expensive than I expected? I regret that he use so much NiSilver. Had he used bronze, silver, copper, steel / iron, or stainless, I would have purchased something for sure. In any case, the quality is top notch and I placed an order with him.

- Bill Burke makes really cool mokume, in particular some superb shakudo / fine silver one.

- Al Pendray is amazingly nice and easy to communicate with. I had a great time talking with him. Others that are very approachable and generous with their time include, but are not limited to, Larry Fuegen, Ron Newton, Tim Hancock, Dan Winkler, and Harvey Dean. Jerry Fisk is of course legendary in his friendlyness & approachability.

- Dan Farr makes superb, impeccable work, but mostly hunters.

- I'm somewhat reconciled with the lottery system as it was implemented. I think it works much better if you have a large amount that you can spend, but all and all I think it works fine. I wonder what the makers think, and whether customers end up spending more money (due to the emotional commitment associated with writing down your name.) I dropped my name on 4 pieces and was pulled on two, and I am very happy with the outcome.

- Some of the pieces I lusted for but didn't get were a large hunter / small camp from Tim Hancock, a Diablo fighter from Harvey Dean, and an integral laminated from Burt.

- Saw Daniel O'Malley from BladeGalery.com and left with him a few items for consignment.

- The banquet was fun, and I enjoyed chatting with Thor, Burt Foster, Kevin, Hank Knickmeyer, Bailey, et al. Hank is a hoot and Burt and Bailey are two fun storytellers. I picked up a nice big slab of Gibeon Meteorite from the auction, which I am very happy about.

That's it for now...
 
Sounds like a good show for you, Joss. Nothing better than getting your name pulled in a lottery! Thanks for the write up.

Win
 
Joss / anyone - how did the drawing work, exactly?

Did all makers submit all their knives for the draw?

In what order were the knives drawn - all the knives for a given maker, then move on to the next?

How did they determine the order of makers?

Roger
 
Roger,

Makers made the decision. They each had a box and chose whether to use it and how many knives to dedicate to that. Some makers put all their knives (Fuegen, Hancock, Dean, Dunn,...), others put just a couple (Fisk, Foster,...), others did everything first come first served (e.g., Gann).

The tickets had 2 portion, one you kept and one that went into the box with your name and which of the knives you were interested in. Then around 11am the makers started pulling the tickets and placing them by the knives, and waited 15mn before pulling the next one.
 
Thanks Joss - I guess the 15 min. was enough for you to tour the room, see if you name had been drawn and make the purchase / pass decision?

Roger
 
The system seemed to work for collectors and makers. I put in on an outstanding Hancock gentleman's Bowie. Fully take-down, damascus blade and fittings, fluted ivory, Mexican loop sheath with a carved silver councho.
I was second draw, however the first draw did not pass.

Good attendence, not sure as to sales. Really enjoyed the show and meeting Joss,Thor, Jeremy Muir, Buddy Thomasson.
 
RogerP said:
Thanks Joss - I guess the 15 min. was enough for you to tour the room, see if you name had been drawn and make the purchase / pass decision?
Click to expand...

Yes, plus some makers only started pulling at 11:30, etc. It worked better than I expected.
 
One thing that didn't work was the "collector's corner". Basically, a back room was dedicated for collectors wanting to sell / trade their stuff. It was open for any to go, but there was no may to advertise it to the public in the main room. Basically, the only way it could have worked would have been for you to agree with another collector in advance.

For this to work I think maybe a window of 1hr or so (not much more) should be dedicated to the collector's corner, say around Noon on Sunday (i.e., 1hr after the makers can start their sales).
 
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