I've gone to each Blade Show since before electricity and each year it has gotten a little worse than the last. This year was no exception.
I remember back in the day you'd see Ed Fowler greeting you at the main entrance. No longer. You'd see Bill Moran wondering around, Fisk, et al holding court. The big names were all there. Pretty much not any more.
Supplies would be there out the ying yang...anything we needed...it was there. Need a left handed widget shifter? Take your pick from a dozen suppliers dealing in widget shifters. Handle material everywhere, competitively priced.....no more. I used to go from table to table comparing desert ironwood prices, stag, etc...just a handful of each any more. I saw 1.5" x 5" sambar stag scales for exactly $148 yesterday. Ironwood so overpriced I just walked away. $85 for a set of scales that were "nice", NOT exhibition quality. Insane.
However, if I were a doomsday prepper or wanted stuff to pretend I was the baddest man on the planet with my "tactical" gear, oh my...I would be in heaven. It was everywhere.
Sad to see the Blade Show has just become a carnival for the tactical wanna be's and knifemaking supplies/displays of notable makers has become somewhat of an afterthought compared to years past. Used to be it was not a problem to find parking next to the show...not anymore....impossible with all the others showing up now.
Yesterday I heard more people, "knife people" say "This is my last time coming.....its just not the same".
I sincerely apologize for the rant. I did see some great friends there and enjoyed visiting, but it's absolutely nothing like it used to be...Nothing!
I remember back in the day you'd see Ed Fowler greeting you at the main entrance. No longer. You'd see Bill Moran wondering around, Fisk, et al holding court. The big names were all there. Pretty much not any more.
Supplies would be there out the ying yang...anything we needed...it was there. Need a left handed widget shifter? Take your pick from a dozen suppliers dealing in widget shifters. Handle material everywhere, competitively priced.....no more. I used to go from table to table comparing desert ironwood prices, stag, etc...just a handful of each any more. I saw 1.5" x 5" sambar stag scales for exactly $148 yesterday. Ironwood so overpriced I just walked away. $85 for a set of scales that were "nice", NOT exhibition quality. Insane.
However, if I were a doomsday prepper or wanted stuff to pretend I was the baddest man on the planet with my "tactical" gear, oh my...I would be in heaven. It was everywhere.
Sad to see the Blade Show has just become a carnival for the tactical wanna be's and knifemaking supplies/displays of notable makers has become somewhat of an afterthought compared to years past. Used to be it was not a problem to find parking next to the show...not anymore....impossible with all the others showing up now.
Yesterday I heard more people, "knife people" say "This is my last time coming.....its just not the same".
I sincerely apologize for the rant. I did see some great friends there and enjoyed visiting, but it's absolutely nothing like it used to be...Nothing!