Knife Shows in this Economy?

Kevien This Thread has made some good points. I like what Stephan said it is a matter of perspective. Blacksmithing jobs are getting hard to find in seattle leaving more time for knives. If I can sell the knives I will make more. I might be forced to go full time do to the economy. In witch case I would need to do more shows. If a man finds a job he loves he will never work a day in his life.
 
I absolutely agree with the importance of makers doing shows. It is more advertising than direct sales but that is still important. With the big shows sales are often a wash when you figure in time and expenses to do the show but the face-to-face and exposure does have value.

We have several gun and knife shows in my town. The crowds are 90% gun people who have little interest in custom knives but I do the shows anyway since they are local and relatively cheap. I don't sell a lot of knives there but I have made a lot of contacts and and received several orders after the show. It's good to let people know there is a local knifemaker.

I think the same holds true for the smaller local and regional knife shows. It's just a great opportunity to meet people and show off what you can do. Hopefully the sales will come afterward.

One of the big problems with the smaller shows is getting attendance. Advertising is expensive and many of the small shows and clubs do not have the money to spend to get people through the doors. It is frustrating to spend a whole weekend sitting at a table when nobody comes to the show.
 
It's great to read this thread which is full of truth and wisdom spoken by those who ought to know.

Les' advice below is exactly what I was told in 1983 when I finally finished all my medical training. It was the single most important piece of 'grow your business' advice I ever received! Why? Because people talk to other people. It works like compound interest does and these days it's called "viral marketing." Smart :thumbup:

Les Robertson said:
For new makers a big mistake they make is over charging for their knives. One objective for a new maker should be to get as many of your knives into the hands of as many collectors as possible.
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Hi Bill,

I agree with you about the importance of shows and Don as well.

If you are full time, shows are just that...shows. Between travel time and actually being at shows equates to 23 days a year.

What about the other 11 months?

It is not the economy that affects shows...it is the Internet.

As Don pointed out dealers can do a show and not sell a knife and have a great show.

They may (and usually do) trade knives to get new inventory. As well buying knives is another way to get new inventory. As a full time dealer with a web site (that I affectionately call the "Pig"...as it always has to be fed) people check the site every day looking for "whats new".

As Bill said one of the best reasons to set up at a show is to allow people to handle the knives. While they may not buy then, they have already seen and handled the knife. So when they are ready to buy they know what the knife looks and feels like.

Generally I have found that it is the "Personal Economy" of the collector more so than the Economy of the Country that affects sales at shows.
 
Very pleased to see this thread veering towards the positive.
Even more pleased seeing both new and established makers with very positive and productive attitudes. :thumbup::thumbup: :)

Would like to hear from more collectors as to their views.
 
Les Robertson said:
Generally I have found that it is the "Personal Economy" of the collector more so than the Economy of the Country that affects sales at shows.
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Hi Les. Bingo! I think you hit the nail on the head there, but I also believe that the collector's perception of his personal economy is affected to a great degree by what's going on around him. He may not have taken the hit yet, but he's braced for the blow IF and WHEN or either, or both. I have personally not yet felt the slump in business, but I'm pretty damned sure it's coming so I'm in a much more defensive posture regarding expenditures, both business and personal. That's my gut feeling I referred to earlier in this thread.

Paul
 
Hoping you're still purchasing materials for sash-style sheaths (or live next door to a bunch of depressed alligators). :)
 
sheathmaker said:
Hi Les. Bingo! I think you hit the nail on the head there, but I also believe that the collector's perception of his personal economy is affected to a great degree by what's going on around him. He may not have taken the hit yet, but he's braced for the blow IF and WHEN or either, or both. I have personally not yet felt the slump in business, but I'm pretty damned sure it's coming so I'm in a much more defensive posture regarding expenditures, both business and personal.

Paul
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Paul, I had been pondering on Les's statement. Glad I waited to respond as you nailed it with yours. :thumbup:
 
Have already spent over $5000 this year, on steel, fossil ivory and other knifemaking
supplies. I'm expecting a very good year! :D

See y'all at the Blade Show!
 
Les Robertson said:
Hi Kevin,

I had heard about Paul Shindler trying to put a show on in Boston, but didn't know it was a go. So that will be this year then.

Pomona in CA, should be interesting as it will be competing with Dan Delevans show this year in October and AKI next year.

Hadn't heard about another show in MA. Is this Paul's show mentioned above? Is it a custom show or like most of the shows in NE mostly factory with some custom.
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Hello Les,

I think that you got the years mixed up, probably because time is
flying too fast to follow....

The AKI is this year.
Paul Sindler's "AKI" is next year and it is an invitational too...

Hope I got my years right.... :)

All the best,
David Darom (ddd)
 
ddd said:
The AKI is this year.
Paul Sindler's "AKI" is next year and it is an invitational too...
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Please don't ever call it that, David....there is ONLY ONE AKI....Phil Lobred created it...it is more than a bit disingenuous to call Shindler's anything akin to it....Paul is a dealer first, Phil is a collector first...the AKI was created to promote the ART of the Custom Knife, Paul's thing is a money making venture...not the same.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
thombrogan said:
Hoping you're still purchasing materials for sash-style sheaths (or live next door to a bunch of depressed alligators). :)
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Actually I bought quite a bit ahead and still doing so at the more attractive prices. My hope is I don't have to find a cook book for tanned leather recipes.;)

Paul
 
For clarification: There will be an invitational show in Boston in October of 2010. It has been named the Boston Art Knife Classic last April. Paul Shindler, dealer AND collector is the show promotor.

Who can deny how influential the AKI is and will be? I have nothing but accolades for Phil and his vision-turned-reality. 25 years and counting.

At the same time, there is really no need to bash a start-up show because others have seen similarities in the format.

They will both do just fine.

Coop
 
Paul Shindler asked me to post this on his behalf:

At the Milan Custom Knife Show in 2007 I was approached by knife maker Owen Wood to help him produce an Invitational Art Knife Show inspired by the San Diego AKI on the East Coast.

Owen felt, and I agreed, there were certainly another 25 world-class makers not already in Phil Lobred’s AKI who could support such a show. Because I thought it was a good idea, and because the knife business has been good to me, I agreed to produce the show in October of 2010 with not one dime of profit for myself as long as it was in Boston.

Before moving ahead we consulted with Phil Lobred for his blessing, and to ask for as much help and guidance as he was willing to give. Since then we have asked for Phil’s advice on numerous occasions and have benefited immensely from his experience and generosity.

Besides being a full-time Knife Dealer I have been a passionate collector of custom knives since the summer of 1976. As a result the biggest challenge in operating KnifeLegends has been keeping my hands out of the cookie jar as I want to keep every wonderful knife I buy!

Respectfully, Paul Shindler - KnifeLegends
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Of course I am in full suport of this. Paul and I have worked together for years, and I can say with 100% accuracy he will run this show with concern for the collectors and makers in attendance. In the end it's win/win/win for all. :thumbup:

Coop
 
sheathmaker said:
Actually I bought quite a bit ahead and still doing so at the more attractive prices. My hope is I don't have to find a cook book for tanned leather recipes.;)
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I have a knife on order featuring one of your sheaths and that may prompt me to order more. Now should that not be enough, I have a cookbook with two recipes for kydex goulash and can check for tanned leather recipes should it come down to that.
 
I wonder if anyone from one of the knife magazines is studying the effects of the economy on knife shows with the intention of doing an article at some point.
 
Kohai999 said:
Please don't ever call it that, David....there is ONLY ONE AKI....Phil Lobred created it...it is more than a bit disingenuous to call Shindler's anything akin to it....Paul is a dealer first, Phil is a collector first...the AKI was created to promote the ART of the Custom Knife, Paul's thing is a money making venture...not the same.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
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I stand corrected, my friend, and somehow survive the
shame of my slip of the tongue by at least getting the
years correct... :)

All the best,
David Darom (ddd)
 
SharpByCoop said:
Paul Shindler asked me to post this on his behalf:



Of course I am in full suport of this. Paul and I have worked together for years, and I can say with 100% accuracy he will run this show with concern for the collectors and makers in attendance. In the end it's win/win/win for all. :thumbup:

Coop
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Sure, Coop, whatever you say.:cool: AFAIK, the original name of Paul's show was going to be quite a bit closer to the AKI. Paul doesn't NEED to make money on a show like this, it is the cherry on top of his business. With his margins, he can afford to be altruistic.

I'm not hatin'...just clarifying...big difference...and those clarifications and distinctions need to be made NOW rather than later.

David, absolutely sorry for being so twitchy about this....it's a slightly raw issue with me....I tend to be overprotective of my close friends.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
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Hi Keith,

Most knife shows with the exception of "Event" shows. Have had decreasing sales for the last 5 years.

Again, the Internet has had much more of a "negative" affect on sales at shows (while at the same time increasing sales away from shows....which is where most of us spend our time).

I, along with others were interviewed by Blade for an article they did on the affect that the Internet was having on show. Everyone agreed that the Internet was responsible for decreased show sales.
 
SharpByCoop said:
Paul Shindler asked me to post this on his behalf:



Of course I am in full suport of this. Paul and I have worked together for years, and I can say with 100% accuracy he will run this show with concern for the collectors and makers in attendance. In the end it's win/win/win for all. :thumbup:

Coop
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As all shows should be. For when or if shows stop being beneficial for promoters, makers and perhaps most important "collectors", it will be their downfall.

Keith Montgomery said:
I wonder if anyone from one of the knife magazines is studying the effects of the economy on knife shows with the intention of doing an article at some point.
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The larger shows and magazines may be tracking/studying the effects of the economy on shows, however perhaps more for business reasons rather than for an article.

I would like to see shows start sharing information such as yearly collector/maker/dealer attendance, gross sales, etc..

It's evident from the surveys BLADE conducts via show passes and their website that they are very interested in capturing information that effects their businesses.
 
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