OKCA Show 2008, Review

Nice review Steve :) Pretty accurate. I borrowed a sharpener from Shane Sibert and fixed the edge. Thanks for the donation though. I swear Steve was gonna test his new tire iron on me if I tried to refuse his donation one more time. I have had much worst damage done by folks who simply walked away. My wife and I have been brainstorming to think of ways to change the mood at the Eugene show. I had a lot of fun(and always do) but it seems we need some new energy to the show. I don't believe we need to have a full on revolution, but some sort of boost is needed. I plan on talking to the powers that be to see what I can help out with. The show is, by my understanding, not supposed to be commercially motivated(but it doesn't hurt to at least be a little honest about the $$$) and that makes sense to me as it should be for the enjoyment of the club members. I enjoy aspects of the show beyond just knife sales/buys. However, it seems to me that this year in particular we had more of a swap meet than a show. I saw a lot of tables that quite frankly, did not seem to be manned by folks who loved knives. Cheap knock offs and piles of rusty bayonets. It looks poorly compare to those who take the time to display their wares and displays with a little more pride. I do wish there was some way the OKCA could/would limit or even expel the knock off knives from the show. It seems to me that they attract the wrong crowd and do not promote a very thoughtful education of what a knife is or should be. One of the things I try to do is educate newcomers to the knife world with what exactly is a quality blade and what it takes to get it made. $20 Begg knock offs do not do this :( Now don't get me wrong there is still a lot of good at the show. I got to handle Morans, Richtigs,Nichols, SARs,Busses,etc at the show and still came away from the show with some new energy to get into the shop :) I just know the show can get better :D
 
tntbegg said:
Why is it that the two shows here in the North West (OKCA and Blade West) are struggling so badly?
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Blade West has suffered in a really bad location and has actually grown and improved despite it. This year, I'll be in a much better venue. I hope it'll accelerate it's rise as a result.

With the economy slow and gas prices (read travel costs) high, all knife shows are gonna struggle a bit this year. But, I don't think much of OKCA's problem can be blamed on the economy since that show has been in decline for years and suffers much more structural problems.




Regardless of the shows dead atmosphere, we did not let that dampen our spirits did we Chuck??? We had a DELIGHTFUL time!!!!;)
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Absolutely not. We let the spirits dampen us ;) .
 
Thanks for the review Steven, good to see you back. Congratulations on acheiving nidan!
 
Blade Show West growing?? Maybe you haven't noticed how that movable back wall keeps getting closer to the front door. I would say they have lost 30% of the tables since the first show there. Maybe the new location will help but I doubt it. The tables are too high for the size of the show.
 
I don't know any actual numbers. I do know that they did move that back wall to create a seminar area behind it. But, it's also true that the first couple of times they held it, there were a lot of empty tables, maybe every third or fourth table. Last year, there were fewer tables, true, but not such a high rate of empties.

That Holiday Inn location just sucked. The new location will be much better.
 
Grinding while intoxicated.... LMAO! Thanks for the review STeven. I too would like to see a pic of the damascus crow-bar. Try and make it out to the Chicago Custom show this year too.
 
Good review STeven.
It was good to shake hands although brief it was a positive chat. You may have came by my table but I didnt see you, I was out gathering stag and looking for ivory. Ive never seen slimmer pickens for ivory at that show. John Davis scored a 3 or 4 knife sized piece of bright blue walrus. I didnt know it came in that color.

I feel like this show is heading back to the beginning of its origin with a handful of pocket knife collectors. Next year is the breaker for me, I have to go because they talked me into grinding one of the "Show Award" tanto blades. I have to finish it and donate it back to the club. It may come out to be a western tanto.

Blade West tables are $450 each so you guys please try to make it OK?
 
Blade west tables are only $325. Dropped the price at the show last year. Unless they raised the price again. I know I only paid $325 at the show. Blade is $450..

John Davis always scores blue ivory. He picked up a 24" mammoth tusk last year from AKS.
 
A C Richards said:
He picked up a 24" mammoth tusk last year from AKS.
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John is always nice to Brenda & Jessica so they save nice ivory for him. He knows better than to be nice to me. I don't have any authority! :(

Great review Steven. I wish we had been there.

I think the new venue for Blade West will be much better. My dad grew up in Portland. When I told him where the old show was located he said he avoided the area unless absolutely necessary. Reduced table fees are a bonus.
 
Steven, Glad you were able to attend the show and do a write up on it. Hope to see you at Blade West. The new location sure can't hurt.

Chuck, I was surprised not to see you. Looking forward to seeing you at Blade West.
 
If you haven't rechecked, STeven updated his first post with a lot of additional info, after he first posted.

Thanks, buddy. :D

Coop
 
Thanks for the update Coop, Steven said it very well indeed. Wait a minute 45??? when did I get that old?? Oh yea a few years ago man getting old bites.
 
Steven it was a pleasure to talk with you my thoughts on the show.

I will echo most of Bill Siegle statements, I feel that most of the outstanding work I saw is drowned out by the "anything that can cut" tables, and the cheap ass knockoffs. I feel that show could have the potential to be extremely great but as long as they continue to support the junk it will remain mediocre.

I met lots of folks got to hang out will Bill Harsey for a bit and have dinner the last night in town with him.

Anyways not sure if I am making sense, but one thing that is good about any show is the big ass serving of "Humble Pie" I always get when looking at knives of other maker's which in turn makes me raise the bar on myself.

Edit to add:Steven just send back the spear point and I will get things straight, also I mispalced the email with you phone # so send it to me again I will call you.My number is on my website..

Thanks
Spencer
 
i dont want to hijack your thread - but i was at the show as well and saw a knife that i liked. unfortunately I didn't think to pick up a card from the maker. the knife was a damascus clip point bowie with an elephant ivory handle and was sitting on a wood stand. if i remember right, the knife had cross cut filework down the spine of the blade and i think he said the name for the style of damascus was 'rocks in a river' or something similar. if anyone knows this maker and could pass that info along, i would appreciate it.

thanks,

adam
 
xgoldy said:
i dont want to hijack your thread - but i was at the show as well and saw a knife that i liked. unfortunately I didn't think to pick up a card from the maker. the knife was a damascus clip point bowie with an elephant ivory handle and was sitting on a wood stand. if i remember right, the knife had cross cut filework down the spine of the blade and i think he said the name for the style of damascus was 'rocks in a river' or something similar. if anyone knows this maker and could pass that info along, i would appreciate it.

thanks,

adam
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On the club website www.oregonknifeclub.com there is a list of table holders and a map of the show. If you can remember about where it was in the show, you can probably narrow it down. Assuming it was on a maker's table, that should narrow it down really fast.... there just weren't that many.

Also, if you call one you think was in the general area and say, "I saw this great knife at the OKCA Show last week," and describe it, and the guy you're talking to isn't the maker, he'll probably say, "Oh yeah. I saw that great piece too. That was so-and-so. I've got his number right here."

The knife world is small and quite cordial.
 
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