Knives at gun shows?

I also have a show coming this weekend and every time I go to one there are a couple people who have a nice group. One booth has pretty much the whole Spyderco lineup and another guy has Sebenzas and more expencive knives.
 
I sell knives here in Ohio at the gun shows and only sell quality stuff. I find that most guys don't come ready to spend big bucks on knives, they love to look and handle but rarely buy.
 
I hit up the local gun shows here cause it's alway like a little adventure to see what I can find. This last one, I found an old pieced together queen trapper, another of my favorite little medium toothpicks, and a Buck 124. The one before that got me an old Case Swing guard. They are hit or miss but I always have fun, even if it comes down to just people watching if nothing else.
 
I'm going to the one in valley forge, PA this sunday and I usually go every three months. There's are few guys with some decent production blades. I usually get a spyderco or two from one seller. He's the only guy who has good knives/reasonable prices.

One guy tried to sell me a caly 3 for $255 with a giant chip in the edge.

Also, the "Customs" are always absolute crap; I'm actually embarrassed for them.
 
it really just depends on who's putting on the show, location, and of course phishing threw junk.. 'Some' gun people have some knives laying around in a box they want to get rid of and don't know what they have..

either way, pay the inflated fee and have a good time.. that's what its all about, beside you may get lucky
 
freedoom said:
There's a gun show this upcoming weekend and i'm not really a gun person but i'm wondering what i might expect to find in terms of knives for sale at a gun show. I don't really want to pay the entry fee if i'm not going to find anything there.
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In my neck of the woods (Palm Beach County, Florida), the local gun show has a lot of knives of all sorts - the good, the bad, and the ugly... The last show was 4 days ago... I saw a few swamp rats, a busse or 2, every ESEE knife in production, some cold steels and kabars - to name just a few... not to mention any of the folders (I am totally uninterested in folders so I walked past show case after show case without more than an occasional glance)... The thing I found most nteresting is that burried amongst all the tables I was able to find about a half dozen different custom knife makers with some very impressive and beautiful products. All the custom makers are essentially artists who bring to the art of knife making their own unique styles... This show was the first time that I really payed attention to the knife stuff more than the gun stuff... I was truely impressed...

Go and have a look - it's cheaper than a movie, lasts longer, and is probably more entertaining... :D

YMMV...
 
I've been to plenty of gun shows here in Texas and it's cool, plenty of knives collecters and dealers, so i spend hours looking and Reorx is right it's cheaper than a movie and fun too.....
 
The gun shows that I attend in the Central Illinois area usually have a good selection of knives.

Tom
 
Reorx said:
In my neck of the woods (Palm Beach County, Florida), the local gun show has a lot of knives of all sorts - the good, the bad, and the ugly... The last show was 4 days ago... I saw a few swamp rats, a busse or 2, every ESEE knife in production, some cold steels and kabars - to name just a few... not to mention any of the folders (I am totally uninterested in folders so I walked past show case after show case without more than an occasional glance)... The thing I found most nteresting is that burried amongst all the tables I was able to find about a half dozen different custom knife makers with some very impressive and beautiful products. All the custom makers are essentially artists who bring to the art of knife making their own unique styles... This show was the first time that I really payed attention to the knife stuff more than the gun stuff... I was truely impressed...

Go and have a look - it's cheaper than a movie, lasts longer, and is probably more entertaining... :D

YMMV...
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same here (West Central FL). in fact, they're not referred to as "gun shows" they're pitched as "Gun and Knife Shows" i'm not really into guns, that much, anymore and i still make it a point to go to gun shows so i can look at (and sometimes buy) knives :D
 
i've gotten some great deals at gunshows, try to go on the last day, that way you can get some better deals
 
The shows I've been to have been small, and you really have to seek the knives out. There were some cool, rarer discontinued ones I stumbled across, but they cost a pretty penny.
 
Just attended a Gun show in Medina Ohio. At least 10 guys had large selection of old folders from the 60's and 70's. Domestic and junk all mixed together. Saw a gorgeous Ka-Bar hunter for $90.00. (should have bought it) In automatics, some nice Pro-tecs for $160. and up, Kershaws for around $100.00. One booth had a nice selection of SOG and of course, all kinds of Remingtons and Smith & Wesson blades of all type. Only $8 to get in, and I needed a 30 round clip for my 9mm, got out of the house for the afternoon, and got to spend quality time with my son.. Win - Win situation.
 
Might want to try and find the show promoter and call them to see if they would clue you in to how many knife vendors registered. Maybe they would maybe they would rather you spend the entrance fee to find out. The show that tours around here is the same promoter and it rotates through multiple cities so it's the same vendors most of the time. If they don't have knives the time you do go they probably won't the next time either.

I'll add my +1 to GO, spend the bucks and enjoy
 
In oct, 2,3 I will be set up at the orlando fl gun and knife show. I sell good, junk and cheap knifes and daggers. there is people that sell hand made knifes, randle knifes there too. you just have to walk around to see what every one has for sell. I dont know how many knife dealers there are at the show but there is a bunch of us there selling knifes. I do it to make some money and I have a wonderful time doing it.I get to meet a bunch of people that just loves knifes and we all have fun.
 
I am lucky, or unlucky if you count my wallet getting lighter, in my selection at gun shows. I am in MD, and the knife selection is not that bad. Most of the dealers are going to be selling close to MSRP or above. They have to pay for their table, their lunch for the two days, sometimes three, even five. They have to pay for gas. Some will sleep in their vehicles, others will rent a hotel room. Some will stay with family or friends, and have paid for dinner for them, in exchange for room and board.

At the shows I go to, we have

two dealers that sell semi custom and custom knives;
two dealers that sell brand new tactical knives;
one dealer that sells used traditional knives;
one dealer that sells semi custom, custom and new knives;
one dealer that sells fantasy and offshore junk.

Several dealers have been coming in, with tactical, remnants of their collection etc. Some dealers will have discontinued stuff. Some of the gun dealers will have great knives that they have no idea what they have. Some dealers are into trading, some dealers are not.

I usually go around with a bag of stuff to trade, and know which dealers want to trade and which don't. You will almost certainly see something for sale somewhere else cheaper, but not always! I have gotten some great deals from dealers at local shows. Take care of them, they'll take care of you.

Several of the dealers at the local shows only go to shows put on by a local promoter. Some have left because of said promoter. Others have been kicked out by said promoter. Check out all of the local shows.

Location and time of year is key. At the gun shows in Timonium MD, there is usually a good selection of knives. Tactical and modern, antique and traditional. Everything from customs and Chris Reeve, to Moras and Douk Douks. Junk too. Same for gun shows in York, PA, about an hour from Timonium. I have noticed more selection in the winter and fall.

On the flip side, most of the smaller gun shows out there, held at the local fire hall/moose lodge/VFW hall don't have a good selection. Everyone and their brother selling their junk guns off are selling their junk knives. Some of the dealers from the MD and PA shows will be there, but a lot of dealers and vendors will have good knives interspersed among their junk. I have found many good knives at flea markets, especially in Lancaster and York PA, this way.
 
J_Curd said:
I see just about the whole spectrum around DFW. It's awesome.
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And almost every other weekend there is a show somewhere around the area. As a run of thumb, if the show has around 500 tables (mixed merchandise) the knife selection is going to be pretty thin. At around 1,000 tables, you can usually find and get to handle just about anything you want.

God Bless Texas :thumbup:
 
It depends where you go to, some knife dealers target specific areas, whether its more priductive or its just closer to where they are stationed
 
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