Guild Show

[The Amazing Virginian]

I have been hearing that song at knife shows since the 1980's.....and will have been to at least 3 knife shows by the end of this year. Purchased less knives this year than just about any previous year...but it isn't due to lack of funding....just not seeing that much stuff that compels me right now...two of the knives that I picked up at Blade were gifts from the makers, truly appreciated gifts at that. FWIW, most of the collectors that I know are slowing down on purchasing for the same reason that I am....what we like is not that readily available right now.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson

You were hearing about a really bad economy, say from 1995-2000, or say from 2003-2006?

I didn't.

I'm an old fart and the past 3-4 years have seen the worst economy of my lifetime. By far. IMHO, of course. YMMV.

Now, if you are talking about knives costing, say, > $2K or more, well you are talking about very wealthy buyers. Yes, like Axl Rose. Wealthy folks are generally doing plenty fine in this economy. Maybe better than ever. So I am sure that those knives will continue to sell well - again, assuming that they have the atrributes that appeal to collectors.

However if you are talking about the bulk of knives in the, say, $300 - $1000 range that might (normally) sell to less affluent buyers . . . Well, as I said, YMMV.

And while I agree with those who note that the Interwebs affect knife show sales, the Interwebs have been around for more than 15 years now and have affected the "live" or "in person" sales of a lot of things. Old news to most of us.

 

[Kohai999]

You were hearing about a really bad economy, say from 1995-2000, or say from 2003-2006?

I didn't.

I'm an old fart and the past 3-4 years have seen the worst economy of my lifetime. By far. IMHO, of course. YMMV.

Now, if you are talking about knives costing, say, > $2K or more, well you are talking about very wealthy buyers. Yes, like Axl Rose. Wealthy folks are generally doing plenty fine in this economy. Maybe better than ever. So I am sure that those knives will continue to sell well - again, assuming that they have the atrributes that appeal to collectors.

However if you are talking about the bulk of knives in the, say, $300 - $1000 range that might (normally) sell to less affluent buyers . . . Well, as I said, YMMV.

EVERY show that I have been to has some makers complaining about the economy in some form. The vast majority of knives I collect tend to the sub $1,000 realm, and most of the makers I know in this range are doing quite well. Slipjoint makers sell everything they make at just about every show I attend, including the Japanese who have higher prices. Majority of tactical makers sell out, every show I attend. There are makers of production knives that are tightening up the belts, and just about EVERY knifemaker I know who makes a very nice drop point hunter is seeing the results of lack of innovation coupled with very high levels of competition for the dollar.

YMMV.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson

 

[Hmathews]

It was a slower show than we would have wished for this year, but I never heard anyone complain about the economy. I did hear from some of the locals that a major bridge was out of service and everyone was expecting major traffic snarls in the downtown area. I don't have a clue if it came to pass or not. I didn't get outside during the day. Another local said that the University of Kentucky was playing the University of Louisville last weekend and a bunch were tailgating or somewhere else. I don't know if that had any effect or not. It seemed that a lot of people found a way to get there.

I enjoyed the show and had a great time I know that Charlie did too. Charlie and I brought home some knife models that we have never brought home from a show before. We were disappointed in that but not worried that we will sell them. We ended up with more knives of a tactical nature (I hesitate to use that term) on the table than is usual for us because of a commitment we made to a friend the prior weekend that ended up falling through. We knew going in that we didn't have the knives we would have liked to take to the Guild Show, but there wasn't much we could do about it. The slowness of the show from our standpoint was our doing. Many of the collectors that stop by our table had bought from us at the Blade Show this past summer which made that particular show the best one ever for us. We couldn't expect many of them to hit us again just three months later.

Charlie had probably the best sale he has ever made at a show on Sunday. It wasn't the highest dollar sale or the most knives bought by one customer or anything like that, but it will be the one sale he will always remember I think. A young lady probably about 12 or 13, with her family in tow, was making the rounds of the tables on Saturday and Sunday. She wasn't in a hurry and was really taking her time talking with her family members, the makers and looking at knives. She was going to buy a knife and wanted to be sure that she got the right one. She would look some, ask to pick a few up and then would try the knife in several different positions and grips. She was a very serious young lady. We could tell she was torn between one of our knives and one or maybe several others somewhere else in the show. On Sunday she came back around still looking. Later in the day she came back by and picked the same knife up she had looked at several times before. She said that she would take it. She pulled out her money and bought the knife. Later a friend that had a table at the show came up and said that he had met one of our customers. The young lady had been looking at one of his knives and when she came by his table he asked if she had made up her mind what she was going to buy. She pulled out the knife that she bought from Charlie and showed it to him. He made a derogatory comment about the knife and us in general and then laughed. He reached in his pocket and pulled out one of our knives, showed it to her and said that she had made a good choice. He said that her grin was priceless. That is the kind of stuff that goes on at these shows that makes the dust, sweat, blisters and slow shows worth while.

We have no complaints with the Seelbach, Louisville, or the Guild Show. We both had a great time, sold knives, spent some good time with great friends and customers and really look forward to the next Guild Show.

 

[Don Hanson III]

No complaints, great food, freinds, and I don't know how I could attend a knife show and
not have a good time. Got to meet Don Hanson, and I sold knives. Whats not to like.
Ken.

Ken, it was very good meetin you also. If I hadn't bought so much handle material, I would have bought that swayback, very nice work, man!

Thought show went well. Sold everything I took saw alot of other knives sell got to spend time with good friends and ate way to much. Just can't ask for any more.
I will be back next year.

Cliff Parker

We did have a good time, old buddy!