I agree that it's not necessary to post a list of what's gonna be at the show or the prices, and I disagree that the shows cater to scalpers. There are a few people who buy knives only to flip them for a profit, and a larger number who buy a few extras to take the sting out of what they paid for their own knives.... it's pretty obvious who those folks are, and if you don't want to pay their prices, you don't have to - ESPECIALLY with the number of awesome blades that are available on the exchange right now. Even in the short time I've been around, I've seen the second hand market turn into a big time buyer's market, with tons of great deals to be had.
So there are a few folks looking to make a buck... and a whole lot of generous hogs who will proxy. I had THREE different people looking out for knives I was interested in at BLADE West, and I would hardly say I'm an established contributor to these boards. Not only did I score almost everything I wanted (grrrr bama clay PD grrrrr.....), but I managed to get a whole pile of knives for guys from the Scrap Yard forums who weren't able to snag proxys of their own.
I did all of this with no prior knowledge of what was available at the show. A few minutes on the phone, and a few pictures trickling out of the show early, and I had a very good idea of what the crew brought and what I wanted.
The business model is certainly strange around here, but the customer service and family atmosphere fostered by these folks is also unmatched. Everyone from the crew treated me like an old friend the first time I met them at this year's Blade Atlanta, and I had LONG conversations with a bunch of the gang. You just don't find that kind of attitude in many places. I will gladly take all the hog treachery, long waits, scalpers, flippers, secret handshakes and silly clubs.... because with all of that comes a company that treats you right, without fail. And an amazing group of HOGS who will interrupt their own enjoyment of a show to snag you some sweet, sweet INFI.
