My Blade Show Pics and Stories

[shappa]

I'm going to try to give you guys a bit of Blade show here.
I'm gonna forget a bit and there's some stuff I just didn't get to tho I was at the show for all but 2 hours of it. The show is that big! As I was walking towards the doors as the show shut down I was still finding treasures to drool over.

The wife and I woke up at three a.m. to start our journey to Blade. Flying from Ca to GA is a pain in the butt...literally. I just glad it wasn't from HI or AK. We finally checked into the Sheraton at 8 o'clock. The Sheraton was a real nice place to stay, quiet, and they had a free shuttle (3 mile distance). We tossed our bags in the room and took the shuttle to the Olde Mill Steak House. The food was good and it was fun seeing all the knife folk around.

The next morning found us at the Galleria waiting in line to get our VIP passes. Here's a pic of the lobby before it filled up with people...and a pic of a couple of guys in line that we had our own little passaround with. All great guys and great knives...

 

[shappa]

Once the show got up and running I found Murray Carters table and got a few of his knives...later that day I got another Japanese knife from Shosai Takeda. First pic is a group...Murray Carter (Muteki line) then the Takeda foloowed by a pair of Murry's custom cutlery. Next pic is of just the Takeda.

I spotted Dan Koster a few rows over and while Mr. Carter was sharpening up my purchases I went over and said hi and checked out what he'd brough to the show. He had some nice belt knives and had already sold his santukos.

 

[shappa]

Eventually I was able to make it over to Raymond Richards table.

What a sight that was! His 'hawks look better in person than they do on the net guys! They feel great...quick and deadly. They are forged perfectly too...the edge is right down the center and the sides are even to.

I don't know if I would be able to choose which of his knives I liked the best. They are well put together. His handle materials (mostly antler) had a great warm color and his blade finish is sharp looking too.
Not only that but he's a nice guy too! It was great to meet him.

 

[shappa]

After the close of the show on Friday a bunch of us from tha Himilayan Imports forum gathered together at Dan Kosters spot and figured out who was riding with whom on the way to Fogo's. We took a wrong turn or two but we got to our car after walking all the way around the galleria. That's right lost before even getting to the car.LOL Edit: I forgot to add we got lost again on the way back to the galleria...we had to stop at the holliday Inn to get directions.

Well after a bumpy start we got to Fogo's. It was great. A fantastic salad bar with all sorts of unusual treats. Then servers started comming around with all the different meats on thier skewers offering them to you. They'd keep cutting off what ever they had to offer as long as you wanted it then they would move on to the next person. We had about a dozen guys in our party. We had a blast passing around khuks. It was fun to see the reactions from the other patron's as we passed 28 inch shiny pieces of sharp steel around the table like toys. Here's a shot from outside fogo's

 

[shappa]

Here's a few shots of the show floor....just trying to give you guys an idea of just how big this show is...I really don't think you can get the true scale with photo's.

#1 general shot
#2 center of the show looking form front to the back
#3 from the very center of the show where thy have the knives being judged looking towards the right half...

 

[shappa]

Saturday I picked up a pair of Japanese blades by Shoji Kitamura.
One I plan on putting a wooden handle on and the other I plan on using rayskin and cord wrap.

Kathleen Tomey was the only one there that I could find that had cord wrap so I headed over there to get some. After showing her the knife I wanted to wrap she said I might have a problem...it wasn't really set up to be wrapped. She then set about showing me how to do it , giving me different options on how to finish it off. She figured out how to wrap it then took off the cord and handed it to me free of charge. That was great!!

 

[shappa]

I picked up a Stian Prinsloo on Sat also. Stian is the 30 year old son of Theuns and quite a maker in his own right.
This one has lacewood scales, stainless bolsters, tapered tang and filework along the top of the tang.

 

[shappa]

Sunday was the day to run around and get supplies. On Saturday I had mapped out who had what and the best selection.
I got some olive wood, some sneezewood, blackwood, stabilized spalted sycamore, several bits of rayskin, a pair of horn scales and the cordwrap Kathleen gave me.
As I was walking around I heard the air grinder that Blackie Collins was using to sign his knives tha he was giving away. I wandered over and got in line...I really expected him to be out of them by the time I reached the front but he had some and I got one. Cool little knife signed by a cool maker.
Almost forgot I picked up a Khuk blade from Atlanta Cutlery. I made the guy drag out the whole box so I could dig throgh them and find the one with the least amount of flaws. I got a bhojpure that has a nice even fuller that is really subtle, no major dings anywhere and a decent lenght on the tang. Some of the blades were really beat to hell.

 

[shappa]

Finally on Sunday just before they were going to start closing down the tables I decided to pick up a good folder. I chose Tom Anderson. Here's a pic of him with my knife. Tom looks a little worn out...I probably didn't look any better.

And a pic or two of it showing both sides a bit better.

 

[Bill Marsh]

Finally on Sunday just before they were going to start closing down the tables I decided to pick up a good folder. I chose Tom Anderson. Here's a pic of him with my knife. Tom looks a little worn out...I probably didn't look any better.

And a pic or two of it showing both sides a bit better.

Shappa,

It was good meeting you and the rest of the gang. Looks like you made some incredible buys!

From the pictures I would say that folder does a good job on cutting flowers

 

[MadDaddy]

Thanks for the pics and the stories to go with them, looked like a great time. Those Shoji Kitamura blades are really sweet, be sure to show us what you do with them

 

[Kismet]

great images and trip. Thanks for taking me along with you.

 

[RogerP]

Thanks for taking the time to put together such an exellent pictorial review. Even though I was at the show, it's great to see it through someone else's eyes.

Cheers,

Roger

 

[Danbo]

Good to see you again, Tom. Thanks for not showing any pics of MY knife!

 

[Gossman Knives]

It was nice meeting you Tom. Too bad we couldn't chat a little longer. Now that I look back, I missed alot more then I thought. Being behind a table takes away from being able to move around. Thanks for the tour through your eyes.
Scott

 

[Roefisher]

Great report.
There are some incredible knives there!

Rumour has it that the blade show is in Northern Ireland next year

Mark.

Edited to add....Yep, it's offical.

 

[Yvsa]

Well done Tom, well done indeed!

 

[munk]

That was a fun, well done, interesting presentation. Thank you.

For some odd reason, I thought it would be neat on one of the TeleTubby episodes on children's television. They break away to a video in mid-show, and instead of their usual, we could have a tour of the blade show! I'm sure that would go over very well in Great Britain. Not.


munk

 

[shappa]

Thanks guys, I'm glad you enjoyed it. It was tough to find the right pic to go with the narative but I think it came out o.k.
I had to leave some stuff out...I'm just not the guy to give a detailed description of 3 days of people and events. It's just to overwhelming.

 

[Evil Steel]

Great Job! I wanted to go to the show but as things go life got in the way. I have only been to the show once on my honeymoon 3 years ago and wife hasn't forgot it yet. Although I am planning on going to Orlando this year. Thanks Again for the insight!