Knives at the gunshow

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bew556

Joined
Dec 28, 2005
Messages
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Almost every familiar knife I saw at the gunshow today in Richmond, VA was selling for retail price or higher! I was going there hoping I could get some good deals but ended up just handling some of the knives I plan on getting, like the sebenza and the bm707 which is currently on its way to my house. The sere 2k, which was my first knife, was priced at $230 and I got mine for $125! An the like for almost every other knife from spyderco to benchmade to sebenza's. Anyone have this same problem at gunshows you go to?
 
It seems like the Gun shows up here in Maine (for the most part) display/sell bright, shiny, cheap JUNK. Once in a while you find an older knife, but not very often.
 
The Problem I have these days is that I have better knives, and more customs in my bag and pockets than anyone in the entire show.

That's only because of the people I have met, and the lessons I have learned from everyone on the forums.:cool:

Now I mainly go to See what I See, and hopefully learn something new, and if I am lucky, Pick something up and meet a fellow Blade Enthusiast.
 
I have found some good knive deals at gun shows from dealers that are not knife dealers, but just have a few lying around. The guys that mostly just sell knives at gun shows don't have prices any better than brick and mortar places.
 
With the fees involved in setting up at guns shows, a knife dealer rarely makes his money back. I for one enjoy talking with other knife folks and sometimes I am able to buy some knifes from someone liquidating there colection. And once in a while, I will let a guy talk me down a couple of bucks if he seems to know what he's talking about. Its still a good place to meet other knife enthusiests and talk knives!
 
I got to shows because of the custom makers. Most of the gun shops just sell crappy junk and the ones that have some good stuff just can't compete with online prices. I'm more than willing to pay a bit more at a brick and mortar store to support my local retailer, but not almost twice as much!

There aren't many shows in Argentina, in the last one I bought only customs and some SAKs.
 
In years gone by I used to get some great deals on knives here at Kansas City area gun shows. But here in the last 2 to 3 years it has changed. Like the one brother said it seems like more and more exhibitors are even charging more than brick & mortar stores are.

But probably like the one thread said: The fees for being an exhibitor are probably so high to where it is getting difficult to even make so much as $5 a knife. I think we are finally seeing the results of Ebay and the internet changing the way we all do business. Now I will say that when I was at the ATlanta BLADE show last summer it was still a great show to score knives but then again it was a knife show only. Things have changed; no argument there.
 
It can be hit or miss with gun shows. Generally speaking, I've found the ones run by C&E to have the best selection of knives. Last Salem show I picked up a rainbow Leek for my wife and the show before that a Pacific Salt for myself -- both within a few bucks of Internet prices.

Check out the Dixie Classic Gun and Knife Trader's Show and Sale which will be held at The Showplace on Mechanicsville Turnpike next weekend.
 
I have never seen a good deal on a quality knife at any of the Crossroads Gun Shows here in So. Ca. The prices are close to full retail and some dealers charge sales tax they probably never pay!
Although, I have bought some junk knives there to give to the kids in the family. The ccc with the wolf on the handle went over big :D
 
The gun show I go to always has this 1 dealer with a huge selection of every brand of knife and great prices (usually about 5 dollars more than online prices). I usually buy some from him just because its convinient and I dont have to pay for shipping.
 
bew556,

Which dealers were selling at retail? If it was the C&E Gunshow, Confederate Cutlery usually had good prices on all their knives. They were competitive with the prices you find online. Maybe that's changed though.
 
The only Sebenza I own is a large classic which I bought new from a knife dealer at a gun show for $275. I was fairly pleased with that.
 
bew556, the dealer that I get knives from at that show always has prices right at what Newgraham has it plus shipping, at least for the knives that I get. From what I can remember, he had a Sere2000 for either $129 or $139, small Sebenza for $275, Griptillian for $64. It's the guy on the far left as you come into the show with a lot of knives on yellow boards. He is usually at the Richmond Show at the Fairgrounds.
 
I've gotten a few--very few--deals on knives at gunshows. Mostly, I go to see things my local stores don't carry. I talk with the custom guys. Never seen anything I wanted but it's always good talking.

Phil
 
Chris Mapp said:
Which dealers were selling at retail? If it was the C&E Gunshow, Confederate Cutlery usually had good prices on all their knives. They were competitive with the prices you find online. Maybe that's changed though.
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I'm forget which dealers I went to, didn't really pay attention, but I definitely will next time. This was the Richmond Gun Show not the C&E Gunshow, but that's good to know because the C&E Gunshow is this weekend coming up.

dsvirsky said:
Check out the Dixie Classic Gun and Knife Trader's Show and Sale which will be held at The Showplace on Mechanicsville Turnpike next weekend.
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I'm definitely wanting to go to that. I want to purchase a glock 22 and didn't have someone 21 with me at the Richmond Gun Show. Which do you like better, Richmond or Dixie Classic? From what I here it has more of a selection of guns/knives, is this true?
 
Here in NY i don't even go to the gunshows anymore. Knives are so overpriced its not funny. The Guns shows here get smaller and smaller and the guns are overpriced and the selection sucks. Just not worth it so I don't bother going any more.

Ther used to be a time that Gun shows here in NY was a great place to get a good deal.
 
Yep..........In Tennessee I see the same thing.....some deals are there- but, you have WORK hard especially on the last day to squeez it out of 'em.
 
WTF said:
Here in NY i don't even go to the gunshows anymore. Knives are so overpriced its not funny. The Guns shows here get smaller and smaller and the guns are overpriced and the selection sucks. Just not worth it so I don't bother going any more.

Ther used to be a time that Gun shows here in NY was a great place to get a good deal.
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Yep,pretty much went down the tubes after around 1994.I would say the assault weapons ban that was put in place pretty well killed the quality gunshows.I do still go now and again,but they suck compared to the 80's and early 90's.I did pick up a great deal a few years ago though.I paid about $300.00 for a real nice custom Erickson Balsiong,but that was a rare deal.
 
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