Knife show rant

T

TomW

Joined
Oct 7, 1998
Messages
1,128
It's time for my periodic knife show rant.
There are lots of Knife shows some good lots of bad.
1- I'm at the show 45 mintes early. There's a long line. Why aren't they selling the tickets NOW? Why aren't there MORE people selling the tickets? They have a raffle. Is there a table where people can SIT to fill out the tickets?
2- I'm inside it's hot. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to know it gets hot when you put 1000 people in a room. Comfortable customers stay longer. Wouldn't it be nice if they could check their coats? Wouldn't is be nice if the promoter didn't pick their pockets and they could check them for free?
3- I'm thirsty. Wouldn't it be nice if there was PLENTY of ice water?
Wouldn't it be nice if there was a good shack bar? Wouldn't it be nice if I could buy the kids a snack without dropping $25
4- Man it's crowded. Wouldn't it be nice if the greedy promoter left more room? Wouldn't it be nice if one guy in a wheelchair didn't have to clear 100 people from the aisle just to get down it? Doesn't the promoter know that when a maker loses a looker often the person doesn't get a chance to get back? does he care?
5- Lots of knives. Where are the demonstrations? Doesn't the promoter know there's more to knives than selling them? doesn't he see that if the day is fun and educational it's better for everybody concerned INCLUDING himself? Does he care?
6- There aren't many places to sit down. I'm tired I'm hot I'm hungry I don't want to leave. I'd like to look some more. So would a lot of people. Does the promoter realize it would be a far better show if these WEREN'T the circumstances? Does he care? More often than not I feel he doesn't. He's done a head count. He knows what he's going to make.

Listen Mr. Promoter. It's expensive to go to a knife show for both the maker and customer. It takes 4 days time from a maker or dealer to attend a 2 day show 5 days for a 3 day show.
Ya! no work gets done the day before or after a show. It's also part of the cost. I know, I've done them. For a show to benefit a maker or dealer he has to reach the most customers for the dollar.
Not just for sales but for the promotion. I Believe the promoter has the OBLIGATION to do everything possible to help the maker and dealer accomplish that. I also feel that a lot of show promoters are failing miserably at doing that.
Is there any reason that a customer can't have a fun comfortable day at a knife show that he and his whole family can enjoy?
Why isn't the promoter doing MORE to see to it that it can happen?
Is there any reason why a knifemaker can't have a table with enough ROOM to display his knives and his custmers can see them?
IS there any reason why there isn't even sufficient light for the customer to see the knives?
I've seen way too many dark, crowded, hot expensive knife shows.
I feel it's getting worse not better.
WHY????
 
But how many "Promoters" surf this forum ?

Like the old sayin'. . ."Speakin' to the choir." :(
 
Tom, you do make some very valid points.But down here in Florida I think the shows are customer friendly.I think they have more problems being maker friendly.I bring my own snacks,lunch, and drinks in a roll around cooler, but the lack of room behind the tables can be miserable.The FKA gives each maker a form to fill out to voice their opinions of the show. Maybe other groups or promoters could do the same for customers as well as makers.At least you might hear from both sides of the table.Dave:)
 
Come to the B.A.C.K.A show. The six things you listed were not an issue. I listen to the makers,collectors and patrons.
Randy
 
Looking forward to Friday, eh, Tom? ;)
Seriously, I couldn't agree more with each of your points. FWIW, the exhibit room was so hot, my Perrin NK had a ton of surface rust after last March's ECCKS -- and that was with its BC coating & a fresh wipe of Tuf-Cloth.
Hopefully, the new venue for this week's show will be an improvement; however, I'm not very hopeful.
 
Tom,

I think what you are indicating is the desire for knife shows to step up to a higher level. I do the Dallas Safari Club show, and it is soooooo nice. The club even assigns the booth holders a personal liason. Not just for the show, but for the entire three days of the show. If I had a flat in town at 2 am, he would make sure I was taken care of.

It boils down to budget. If knife shows are to be elevated to the status they should be since they are art shows as much as anything. Dan Delavan's show was all that and more. TONS of room on both days for a nice and relaxing time. I have not been to BAKCA yet, but if Randy says his show has all the amenities...it does.

The problem is that in order to have a show of this nature, it takes MONEY. The table holders and walk in customers finance a show. Extras cost extra. I don't mind paying an elevated table fee if the customers are willing to support the makers and go...and buy. There also needs to be cheaper shows that don't have all the bells and whistles. I couldn't afford $5000.00 plus a year in show table fees, and these costs ultimately get passed on to the consumer.


Bailey
 
That is the crux of the situation right there. As nice as it would be to have all these amenities it will cost the promoters more money. Those costs will be passed on to both the people attending and those exhibiting. I do think that things like good air circulation, water to drink and lots of bathrooms should be part of any show and should not have to cost extra.

I have come to expect that food and drink will cost a lot at a show and it won't usually be very good. For that reason I bring food and juice with me. It gets me through the day. I also scout out near by restaurants.

You are right about it being very expensive to attend a show. For me, being that I have to travel from Canada, it costs me a minimum of $500 just for travel and accommodation. For that reason, I always hope that the show I am attending will have at least basic creature comfort.
 
Originally posted by Bailey Bradshaw
Tom,



The problem is that in order to have a show of this nature, it takes MONEY. The table holders and walk in customers finance a show. Extras cost extra. I don't mind paying an elevated table fee if the customers are willing to support the makers and go...and buy. There also needs to be cheaper shows that don't have all the bells and whistles. I couldn't afford $5000.00 plus a year in show table fees, and these costs ultimately get passed on to the consumer.


Bailey
Click to expand...

Bailey, I agree with all that you said except the last comment. Makers that I know do not pass along any extra fee or cost to the customers to cover table fees. Their prices for the show knives are the exact same thing they ordinarily sell their knives. It is unfortunate, though, that table fees have risen to be such a high fee for the makers.
Broomhilda
 
The cost of doing business, whether knives or something else, all goes into the calculation of sale prices. If my table fees are $5000 per year then the price of my knives must reflect that cost or I'm soon out of business.
Expences like taxes are all paid by the consumer. :)
 
Pete and Bailey are definitely correct. The cost of shows will be distributed throughout all the knives sold by a maker. The maker is not going to charge extra just for the knives taken to a show.
 
Baliey I see where you're coming from but don't entirely agree.
If the people that run the shows work harder to insure the enjoyment and comfort of the customers at the show it does not necessarily all boil down to money.
A lot of it is just bad management.
I also think the little more money that might be spent would be paid back many times.
 
Hello TomW,

You have brought up same great points about having a comfortable show.I have helped promote a local Bay Area knife show. Here my take on this project.
Show weekend
Friday- I personally have but in over 550 hours before the show opens, getting advertising, awards, food, invitations, local information, demostrations, table layout and other misc. items worked out.
And I won't see one red cent of money for any of this work.
But it will be a large party for 800 to 1000 people who enjoy knives. That to me makes all this worth it.
The show has been open for twenty minutes and some guy I don't know from Adam, asks for a free pass to get into the show early. Sorry no free passes are available.
The first hour of the show I'm walking through the venue and rule #1 is broken. No operating firearms in the venue. Please put that away.
Later in the day a nice lady tells me, she wants to bring her dog into the show so they can both enjoy the show.
The knife show is a show in its self.

The promoter does need to control the scene.
#1- That includes having the early ticket sales that meet the customer needs and clubs desires.
#2- Its going to be a cold morning in the venue because the AC needs to be started four hours before the show to cool the room.
#3- Better have free coffee for the table holders to warm up. And pastery too, ooops no pastery. I can picture that sticky mess on some highly polished knives. No, No.
#4- Demonstrations, Yes that a great place to sit, listen, learn and rest.
#5- Hungry, Yes food is a must item. And our food is outside being served on the patio. Will the $3.00 hambergers and $2.00 hotdogs be enough.
#6- We have a large comforable room. Right Randy?

The whole time you need to remember that: the table holders are there for the business to sell knives and make money and your guests are there to have a fun time and hopefully purchase some knives. And when all this is over I can go back to my family and my fourty hour a week job as a electrican.

Jeff
 
Now if only the poorly run shows could take a lesson from the well run shows.
 
HI Jeff--hope you and the other knife knuts of BF etc and BAKCA enjoy the 8 part show report. Having been President of CKCC and a director for many years, I know the countless hours one spends to create a good show and you guys did a great job.
 
Hmmmm, I agree with some of the issues here, but not all. My limited experience with shows is they're for buyers and dealers. What irkes me the most is the ECCKS format where the dealers have first dibs the night before! Bottom line, the $15 at the door is your "cost" for being there. If you want to buy, you better show up early and have your checkbook ready! You want to look, you can do it for free on the net, but you gotta pay to touch the nice toys. And that's where the value is for the collector, gee it may LOOK good, but when you pick up some makers knives, well, things get a little different... and that's why I gladly spend the $15 daily admission and the $100 just to get there for a day. BTW I rarely spend more than 2 hours at a show. To me it's a mission oriented endeavor. Find a few makers I really like, hope they haven't sold out to dealers, and buy the pieces I want. Yeah, cruise around a bit, chat a little, but an all day event in to rooms with kids? That's what the zoo is for! Sorry for the reverse rant, but I think the smaller shows are really for sales. BLADE is in a different category!
 
I have not been to the ECCKS but it is not uncommon for both dealers and collectors to buy knives the night prior to a show. It is not a closed session generally unless the maker does not want to sell to a particular person I suppose.

No question that one can't tell "the book by its cover" nor can one tell about a knife by the photo only--at least in most cases. There are a couple of makers whose work needs no hands on once you have handled in person a couple of knives. Wolfe and Rob Brown come to mind.

I could never spend only 2 hours in a show and I do have considerable show experience. Not only do I want to see, handle and perhaps purchase some knives, but I want to talk with the makers and collectors and then do some nice photographs of the show and the knives and then post that information to forums such as BF.

When I attend a knife show, a hook, chain and elephant are needed to drag me out. If I have left early, it probably was not a great show and I have seen few of those.
 
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