If you have complaints about the latest Blade show.....

[Ed Caffrey]

I've been somewhat hesitant to post this, but came to the conclusion that unless a customer's issues are known, nothing will ever change. With that in mind...

Yesterday morning I composed a very respectful email to the President, F&W Media, voicing issues I had with the 2009 Blade Show. I did receive a polite response. I think it is imperative that when writing these folks, that you be very non-emotional, honest, and that you not just complain, but point out what you viewed as problems, and offer possible solutions. Otherwise if you communicate as an angry customer, full of malice, the email will just get deleted or ignored.

David(dot)Blansfield(at)fwmedia(dot)com (it was suggested to me that posting the actual email would likely trigger tons of spambots, so I changed it so the robots can't read it)

President, F&W Media

I took the time to find this information because without us (table holders and show patrons) voicing the issues, it is likely that nothing will change, and I for one really do not want to see The Blade Show degrade.
Again I ask, if you do write, please voice your inputs, but do so in a respectful and honest manner. Honest complaints are of value, those ruled by emotion or malice carry no weight.

 

[Mike Carter Custom Knives]

I agree that people should voice thier concerns in a respectful manor and I hope the powers to be take them to heart.

I posted a rather long open letter to the show management in the Blade Show section of Blade's forum that addressed several problems/issues that I saw with the show.

 

[James_Terrio]

What were these problems and how do you gentlemen think they could be solved? I wasn't at Blade (in fact, I never have been); I'm just curious. I know there were some organizational issues regarding timely table assignments and stuff like that.

 

[Mike Carter Custom Knives]

Unanswered phone calls and emails before the show to let people know where their table is or if they even HAVE a table.

Assigning better table locations to last minute callers and putting previous table holders or people who have been on the waiting list for years in the back or not giving them a table at all.

Putting non-ABS and non-Guild members in the ABS and Guild Sections and in better locations than real members.

Having tables selling purses and non-knife stuff in in the Guild, ABS or handmade knife sections and again in better locations than knife tables.

 

[James_Terrio]

Mike, thanks for your answer. I have no dog in this fight, since I'm a long way from signing up for a table.

Purses? Sheesh. I'm sure the promoters need to fill every table space, but from what folks around here were saying the last few weeks, they could have filled them with knifemakers.

As an outsider, I will say that what I've been hearing the last few months is a bit discouraging. I certainly hope the new management doesn't further cheapen the history/viability of the Blade show.

 

[Mike Carter Custom Knives]

The Blade Show is a great show, the best there is in many ways. We simply would like to see it continue to be just that.

What is troubling is that many of the problems could have, and should have been dealt with rather easily but they were not.

I had a good time at the show this year in terms of seeing the show, meeting with the people and shopping for knifemaking supplies.

I had a disappointing show in terms of sales but that was not necessarily the fault of the show management other than a better location may have helped.

I talked to several table holders who were very happy with the show. On the other hand, I talked to several who were pissed for a variety of reasons.

For me personally, I had been on the waiting list for at least two years and never received a call even though tables were available. I ended up sharing a table with a friend who did get the call after being on the waiting list for two years. We were located in the next to last row in the far back corner.

Fiddleback, who was not on the waiting list and only decided to even try for a table at the last minute called two days before the show and got a table in the 4th row of the handmade section. This was not a table available due to a cancellation, it had never been asssigned acccording to Blades exhibitor list.

I can't fault Fiddleback, I'm sure he was thrilled. I do fault the management. I know of other similar instances where newcomers were given preference over previous table holders or those on the waiting list. One can't help but feel slighted in a case like that.

I spoke to one maker of high end custom folders who had been a table holder for 9 years. When he went to his usual table, he found someone selling display cases and he had been moved farther back. He was understandably not very happy and vowed never to come back.

There were other problems that should not have happened. I think these problems need to be addressed and not repeated. I don't mean to slam the new management but someone needs to be held accountable and gripes need to aired if anything is going to be corrected.

 

[James_Terrio]

Mike, again I must say I appreciate your insight. I also respect the class you've shown by expressing your concerns in a gentlemanly manner. You and Ed and others who've shown concern in other threads have been more than cordial and patient, even though some of you are a bit angry, apparently with good reason. That shows character.

At the risk of talking out of turn (again, I'm just an observer, never even been to a Blade show), it seems that there's a bit of disarray on the promoters' part, and that's really unfortunate. As a fan of the custom knife business in general, I honestly hope the promoters learn from previous mistakes and next years' show is better for you all. I'm pretty sure NO ONE wants to see it turn into a flea market or God forbid, dry up and fade away. Hopefully, this year's difficulties are only a result of a new team running the show, and will be rectified before next year.

Fiddleback is one of my favorite makers around here; as far as I can tell he's a stand-up guy and his knives are top-notch; but I can understand that the way that particular table was assigned would ruffle some feathers. If it was me, I would hate to get a table that way. I'm glad to see him get some exposure, but... geez... Again, it sounds like a fumble by the promoters.

Hopefully y'all's feedback will resonate with the folks who run the show; that's about all I can say.

 

[AcridSaint]

For what it's worth, the purses have been around for a while, at least if they were from Adam Unlimited. That's just part of their deal.

I also had some problems with the show, Ed saw me express them elsewhere.

 

[Don Hanson III]

For what it's worth, the purses have been around for a while, at least if they were from Adam Unlimited. That's just part of their deal.

This is right, Adam (the stingray guy) has been set up in the ABS section for at least 4 or 5 years.

Sorry to hear of the problems some had there. I was unaware of this during the show.

I've been attending Blade since 96 and have never had any major issues. But I would like the see Blade continue to be the best show in the world. So hopefully the new management will listen to those who have issues.

 

[Longstrider]

It was my first time attending Blade, just to be there and to cut in the BladeSports event, not as a table holder. There were may folks that I missed getting to see that I had planned on seeing, and I'm sure I missed plenty of gorgeous steel because of that, but this wasn't the fault of the show or the organisers. It was my own dumb fault for not making a plan before the show and then sticking to it once I got in.
I didn't find the table layout to be awkward or inconvenient. All isles were accessable by everyone and to be honest I bought more stuff from guys in the middle of a block than from stands and tables at the edge or front of the hall, so what's the worry about positioning ? Does it really make all that much difference to sales ?

Having been busy with the cutting competition on Saturday afternoon, what I did find very disappointing was the number of tables abandoned early on Sunday by the holders. Stands and tables with a full range of stuff on display at noon were the exception rather than the rule it seemed. Many were bare and the table holders gone. For a show that officially closed at 4pm I thought this was bad.
I looked up a stand I wanted to get stuff from on Sunday at around noon and the holders had left early. I decided to spend my money with another of the 'big names' in production knives and arrived at their stand to find the guy packing away. He made it pretty obvious that his priorities lay with packing rather than talking to and dealing with a potential customer so I left him to it. No Sale.

Overall I had a great time though. Hell, maybe I'm jusy easily impressed, but I felt like I spent most of my time wandering around like a kid in a candy factory!

 

[AcridSaint]

The biggest problem I saw with position was that some makers were "out of place" and couldn't go to "their spot" when they walked in the show. I'm sure their regulars felt this way also. Many make it a point to be in the same spot at every show.

The show always clears out on Sundays, in my experience. There are just not a lot of new folks coming through the door by Sunday.

Most of us had been there at least once before and the show had problems over last year for sure. As a table holder I felt that the purveyor's interest was not really in line with our own. Organization was lacking - we were scheduled for one table when we paid for two, had double booked tables, no security before the show, vendor badge holders were told that other people had taken their badges, etc. It may not have been "that bad", but when you had a really great previous year's show to compare it to, it was a bit disappointing.