Guild Show Thoughts & a Knife

[RogerP]

Didn't anyone attending this show bring a camera? :grumpy:

Roger

 

[enoreeriver]

http://www.batavia.co.za/


Beautiful folder, but by its description, I would have thought there would be more innovative knives at the show. Maybe there is something we can't see in the picture. In any event, I could start now and spend the rest of my life trying to make something that pretty and never get there!

 

[SharpByCoop]

Didn't anyone attending this show bring a camera? :grumpy:

Sure, Eric at P7. Unfortunately, you'll have to wait for Knives Illustrated's coverage.....

Coop

 

[Kukri4302]

I've been to every Guild Show held in Orlando! I loved it at the Merriot,families went to Disney & Dad's went to the Guild.Everything was GOOD,then the Guild,got THIS dingbat idea to move it around.BIG MISTAKE!!
When it returned,POLITICS started messing it up.I looked forward to going & seeing knives from the BEST! This yr.there was no SYNYARD,RUSSELL EMERSON,PATTON,TERZOLA,FISK ,WILD BILL CALDWELL,DOZIER etc.I can remember when Moran even showed up,just being able to SEE & TALK to these guys made the Guild great.Next yr.I'm thinking of just attending the BLADE SHOW,never been,I don't really have an answer on making the GUILD
as good as it was!
Jim

 

[Allen Elishewitz]

Just got finished processing all the photos and there was a lot of them. I will post about 10 of them tomorrow. I just need to put them on my server.

Bertie's knife is very unique because of some unusual elements he incorporates in them. He makes his own Damascus which is actually made of ball bearings hence the "look", I think he calls it Dragon's scales. He also has 3 different finishes on the blade. If you look into his pivot pin, you see his logo through a magnifying glass! If you have never picked up on of his knives, you got to check it out, it is really cool! The bolster actually unlocks the folder. Finally it is a typical, ultra clean and precision Bertie knife.

Jim: The decision to move the show came from the membership. A lot of people wanted the show to move around the country so the Board had to oblige. It has been back in Orlando for several years now and there is no plan on moving it anytime soon. In any organization, you will find politics and people that do not agree. But what you are refering to has been over for several years. An interesting event and good news took place this year: Blackie Collins accepted a plaque on behalf of AG Russell. The Board presented him the title of Founding Father of the Guild. Blackie mentioned in his speech how he has noticed that the Guild atmosphere and direction has taken a positive turn. He promised that next year he and his brother would each have a table at the show. That is great news and a lot of members are really excited about it.

 

[Keith Montgomery]

Not sure, but I think that moving the date of the Guild show so that it isn't so close to Blade would be a good thing. I would never be able to attend both shows with them being so close together and Blade is a show that I would take in every year if I could. I am sure there are many people that would take in both shows if they were held further apart date wise.

 

[Win Heger]

Thanks to everyone for adding to this discussion.

As far as Orlando goes, I think it's as good as anyplace for a show. Knife collectors have to travel to get to any of the better shows, Orlando has an airport. Reno in February for a show, that's better? We go where the knives are, IMHO.

There are just too many shows! This is good for everyone but is sure to dilute the talent at a given show. Knifemakers just can't make enough knives to keep up. Bad enough that waitiing lists routinely run to years.

I did a quick list and came up with 9 shows between Blade and Chesapeake.

Kukri4302, your list of makers is somewhat dated, new stars constantly rise. Dozier, Fisk and Emerson are no longer Guild members. Members are only required to attend the Guild Show every 4 years. Some go every year, some don't. Everyone should be an Honorary Member, this gets you a membership directory and contact info for all current members.

Allen, thanks for representing the Guild, really appreciate your input.

Roger, carried a camera in my pocket and didn't take a picture. I should be ..., you can fill in the blank!

Win

 

[Allen Elishewitz]

Win:
I could not have said it better.

The way the current by-laws of the Guild are written we have to have the show in June, July or August. Most of the time we have it on the last weekend of July or first weekend of August. Blade Show is the one that keeps going backward and forward on their show dates.

 

[Walking Man]

Mr. Elishewitz, thanks for returning to the forums. I understand that you were given something of a hard time by forumites in earlier days, and I think it's a shame. I like your work, and I'm glad to see you here. BTW, I like your new line of fixed blades.

 

[Allen Elishewitz]

Thanks Walking Man!

Here are a few photos of various events that took place at the Guild Show:

We started on Thursday night with the Gala:

This is a small part of the room only. We had a lot of guests this year and everyone had a great time.

3 generations of Crawford (all of them knifemakers!) were present

AT and Barbara Barr

Dexter Ewing cleans up well!

On Saturday, we also had a fun filled day.

5 speakers hosted various seminars throughout the day. Here is a talk about CPM steels given by Scott Devanna from Crucible.

Finally we had the cutting competition with a total of 10 participants: From right to left: Jerry Halfrich, Bud Nealy, Gayle Bradley, Scott Devanna, Warren Osborne, Bobby Branton, Edmund Davidson, Van Steck, Daniel Winkler and myself.

Bobby cutting the dowel

Edmund cutting a rawhide bone

Bud slicing the apple

Daniel cutting through 2 soda cans on top of each other (you can see the various pieces in the air)

 

[Walking Man]

ALLEN, I MUST SEE A CLOSE UP OF THAT KNIFE OR I WILL SURELY PARISH!!!!!
Thanks. I would really appreciate it. (the cutting comp. knife, that is)

 

[SharpByCoop]

Allen, thank you for these images. Hard shots, too, with the cutting comp.
Was there an overall winner of that?

Coop

 

[Allen Elishewitz]

I'll try to take a photo of the knife later but I have to warn you, it is ugly!

The cutting competition winners were:

Individuals event:
1st - Warren Osborne
2nd - Gayle Bradley
3rd - Jerry Halfrich

Team event:
1st - Osborne/Bradley
2nd - Halfrich/Elishewitz
3rd - Winkler/Devanna

 

[gk2410]

I wasn’t able to make it to the Guild show this year, but have done it in the past. To me it’s a little different, more a feeling of a get-together / trade show than a group of purveyors hawking their wares. Sure, everyone’s trying to sell so they can afford to get to the next show, but it seems less stressful and less competitive. It also seems that the makers take more time to talk to you, and that’s important to me as a buyer. I have to like a maker on top of liking his work. Just my thoughts…

On John Young – my friend Win told me two years ago to start buying his knives but I was lusting after Loveless at the time and didn’t have the extra money. Through his help and the good graces of Ida at Arizona Custom Knives I was able to obtain a very nice John Young Loveless style drop with mammoth ivory. His work is beyond description. You can’t even see the joint of the bolster to the blade – looks like some of the Kressler or Velarde integrals I have – and as good as my Steve Johnson classic hunter. He’s definitely a man to watch and add to your collection.

 

[Win Heger]

Allen, thanks for the pictures and the recap. I saw a little of the 2 x 4 competition and that was one tough piece of wood. I think Warren went first and he made it look simple until I saw a few that followed.

Here's a pic of the John Young that Greg got from AZCK. Thanks, Julie, for letting me use your picture.

Win