I joined the ABS today. I'm a probationary member in the Guild already and want to finish that process in fall of '15. If I can sneak in a trip to Texarkana this fall, I can do my JS judging at the Expo in '16. Got it all planned out 

The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details:
https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is $300 $250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
Good for you.
In my 17 years of knife making, my membership in, and affiliation with the good people of the ABS has been the most rewarding facet of my knife making adventure.
The ABS is about the PEOPLE. The knives, and your advancement with those, are secondary.
The close friendships I have acquired since the beginning will still be with me at the end of this life.
Of that, I have no doubts. :thumbup: