It finally happened to me!

Gary W. Graley

Gary W. Graley

“Imagination is more important than knowledge"
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Mar 2, 1999
Messages
27,490
You know how you always hear about people that keep looking at a knife on a table at a show and then when you go to place it back on the table....someone snatches it up and buys it?

:D

Well it finally happened to me! At the Chesapeake Knife show this past Sunday, I was almost laughed out loud as I was standing there holding this small fixed blade knife, looking it over well, the lines were nice, the grinds were clean and the edge came down to almost a zero bevel, nice cutter it would make! All the time this sweet elderly, (well older than I), was patiently standing beside me, unaware that she was a vulture in disguise ;) As soon as the knife hit the table, her quick, nimble hands, far quicker than her age should have allowed but then people can be underestimated! :) gripped the knife in a sure confident manner and said "I'll take this one please!" I think I actually took two steps backwards! lol...then she proceeded to tell the tale that her relative had been eyeing that knife a couple of times and wanted to get it for a present for him...that explained it, but still cheered my heart to see it happen to me by someone you'd least expect it...

Knife in question you ask? Made by Neilson's Mountain Hollow Blade & Hide Company in Wyalusing Pa, 570-746-4944, the knife was well made with a antler handle and nickelsilver guard, nice temper line on the blade as well! Smallish knife but well done, I live only a short trip away and need to get over and visit one day! J Neilson and his wife Tess are both very pleasant people, with Tess doing the sheath work that looked very well made and all the ones I saw had some nice accent work done to add just the right amount of look to the sheath, not over done, just tastefully added...J said he wished his knife work would catch up to her sheath work! But his knives looks great...

Mountain Hollow web page

Mountain Hollow Email

He does forge blades as well and the one I missed out on was a forged piece...check them out, one of the Good tables at the Timonium Show this December 8th...They also make a NEAT neck knife with an open face sheath! knife held by strong magnets, knives small and light enough to never fall out, strong! and yet handy size to do work...

Now back to tracking down that sweet little old lady again...
G2

ps
(don't worry, not really tracking her down, just kidding, but will have to think of a knife to have them make me later on...) ;)
 
Great story Gary, the way i look at it if i got everything i wanted it wouldn't be near the fun!

I like this one from that link, nice simple lines, good handle, IMO it would make a good user.
spearpointutilityknife.jpg

Cheers!
James
 
Good eye James, I saw that one on his site as well, very useful looking! The one that got away was called a RingTail Skinner, quite nice, I didn't see the one you linked at the show, otherwise! ;)

G2
 
Ah yes, the Monty Python skit, I did check her for appropriate rings but didn't see any telltale signs, but then my attention was on the table directly in front of me...just as she had planned...;)
G2
 
I actually did that once at a show. The maker was Russ Easler, it was a small stag handled skinner, I saw this guy handling it. I waited until he put it down and turn his back. Russ saw me watching the guy, and when I said, "I'll take that one." he just smiled. ;)
 
Originally posted by PhilL
I actually did that once at a show...
Click to expand...

Hmm you two may be related? ;)

Can't blame either of you, as if I was smarter I'd not have set it down! the old Snooze ya Loze story!

G2
 
Ya puts the money or the knife down. Happened to me a few times.I don't snooze much anymore at shows.
;)
 
The first knife show I ever attended was the Meadowlands Custom Knife Show in the Sheraton Hotel in E.Rutherford, NJ. I was eyeing a small neck knife on Pat Crawfords table and decided to buy it. I laid the knife down, got out my wallet, started handing my cash over and then some SOB standing behind me reaches around me, picks up the knife and says "I'll take it!" I was like, "Yo, buddy, I'm buying that knife." Do you know what that SOB said to me? "Ya' snooze, ya' lose" and started to dole out his cash. I was ready to bash his head in. Lucky for him Mr. Crawford stepped in and told him it was sold already....to ME! I could not believe the balls this guy had on him. I was still steaming after I made the purchase. Now that I come to think of it...I'm still steamed!!! ;)
 
You guys need to do a poorer job of promoting Neilson or he needs to get more bandwidth. His website is never available, even before this thread.
 
Originally posted by ravenQ8
You guys need to do a poorer job of promoting Neilson or he needs to get more bandwidth. His website is never available, even before this thread.
Click to expand...

Raven, don't know about his site, it shows up for me when I went there just now. Email or call would work as well, first time meeting him, very down to earth type guy, saw a small knife he was carrying that he didn't fully finish...said that way it wouldn't get sold and he'd have a chance to make sure some of the stuff he's working on, heat treat and such, really do work, a good idea to put your work to work before putting it into others hands.

G2
 
Gary, I was the snatcher at Blade in Atlanta this year :D. On Friday evening I was admiring a small fixed blade on the Ricky Fowler table. On Saturday morning I went back as soon as the show opened, intending to buy the knife if it was still there. A lady beat me to the table and was looking over "my" knife... and looking it over... and looking it over... and then she put it down. If she looked at that same spot again she probably thought the knife just disappeared! I was lucky that time. I am much better prepared for my next knife show and won't let opportunities pass me by due to indecision. (Maybe it was the same little old lady who learned from my example?).
 
Originally posted by Rev. Pete
...I am much better prepared for my next knife show and won't let opportunities pass me by due to indecision. (Maybe it was the same little old lady who learned from my example?).
Click to expand...

LOL, maybe she was! Thanks for being a good teacher!

You know, Indecision may or maynot be my problem...;)
G2
 
Here's all I get when I click on your (or his) hyperlink. Maybe someone can post the address?
The page cannot be displayed
The page you are looking for is currently unavailable. The Web site might be experiencing technical difficulties, or you may need to adjust your browser settings.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Please try the following:

Click the Refresh button, or try again later.

If you typed the page address in the Address bar, make sure that it is spelled correctly.

To check your connection settings, click the Tools menu, and then click Internet Options. On the Connections tab, click Settings. The settings should match those provided by your local area network (LAN) administrator or Internet service provider (ISP).
If your Network Administrator has enabled it, Microsoft Windows can examine your network and automatically discover network connection settings.
If you would like Windows to try and discover them,
click Detect Network Settings
Some sites require 128-bit connection security. Click the Help menu and then click About Internet Explorer to determine what strength security you have installed.
If you are trying to reach a secure site, make sure your Security settings can support it. Click the Tools menu, and then click Internet Options. On the Advanced tab, scroll to the Security section and check settings for SSL 2.0, SSL 3.0, TLS 1.0, PCT 1.0.
Click the Back button to try another link.



Cannot find server or DNS Error
Internet Explorer
 
Web page address

http://www.mountainhollow.net/

See if that shows up?
G2
 
At my first Blade show, I was in awe of all the goodies, and had limited funds. Choices had to be good ones. I stopped at Joe Flournoy's table and picked up a super nice ironwood handled fighter. While I was admiring the knife, I literally could see vultures on either side of me, just waiting for me to put the knife down. I did no such thing, and paid Joe for the knife and moved on. You gotta be quick at these shows!

Last year, at the Little Rock custom knife show, I noticed a gorgeous stag handled hunter on Ron Newton's table. I mean GORGEOUS! Forged 52100 blade, engraved nickel guard and buttcap and killer amber colored stag(I'm drooling just thinking about it). Ron was out walking around, and I was NOT going to set that knife down without talking to him about the knife. I stood there with that knife in my hands for about 15 minutes, not willing to set it down, out of fear that somebody else would take it. It turns out that the knife was one Ron made as an order, and was not for sale anyway, but I wasn't taking any chances. ;)
 
This reply is mainly for ravenQ8, though I would like to thank Gary for his kind comments. Although, I didn't mean to imply that if I finished the knife on my hip (at the show)it would fly right out of my hand. I do believe in testing (beating, battering, abusing) my knive to make sure they remain quality work. Hard use tool first, pretty second.

As far as ravenQ8's troubles, I apologize for your having trouble with our web site. I don't know anything about bandwiths (i'm not much of a computer guy) but, this is the first time I have heard of anyone having trouble locating and viewing our site. I was going to send you an e-mail or private message with our links but, since you have shut those off the only way I have to get these to you are on this thread. I hope this helps. If not, let me know. also, if there is anything else I can do, let me know. Gary, Tess and I both look forward to your visit. Thanks again.

http://www.mountainhollow.net/index.htm
http://www.mountainhollow.net/knives.htm
 
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