One day Custom knife shows...Good or Bad?

Dale Baxter

Dale Baxter

Joined
Sep 16, 2003
Messages
171
One day knife shows...Good or Bad?

What do you think about the one day Custom Knife shows?
Is there enough time to see everything, and/or meet and get to know people?

I will be setting up a table at the Chesapeake Custom Knife (Baltimore) show again this year in December (12th). last year was my first time at this show and besides the fact that there was a huge snow storm I did unusually well on paper. But one thing I did not get a lot of was interaction with collectors. Not that I can spin a long yarn, but I do like to talk knives with people. My knives were sold to people that had only visited my table once, usually people visit a few times and talk with me for a while before deciding to purchase. I am not sure if the people attending the show felt that If a knife was passed up, it would be lost? Or perhaps the storm caused collectors to rush through the show?

I would like to hear your opinion (good or bad) on one day Custom Knife Shows. Do you think it's a long enough time for a proper show, or is it too little time and feel you're rushing through and missing things?


Dale Baxter
www.baxterknives.com
 
I also agree with nifrand. But I feel if you're going to go to the trouble of putting on and promoting a show, it needs to be two days. Also I think pepole will traval farther for a two day show where as they may pass on a one day show. Three days is too long though, except maybe the Blade Show, IMHO. If there was a one day show close by, I would go but if I had to fly or drive all day I would pass. I do 5 or 6 shows a year and highly recomend going to shows for makers and collectors and I have heard good things about the Baltimore Show...... Knife shows are a whole lot of fun :D

Don Hanson lll
 
personally, I think most knife shows are set up for entirely too long.


Two days is good, but they ought to be from 10 til 3 or 4 at the latest.

I have been going to them since the early eighties, and most of the sales are at the opening of the show. just my opinon.....of course!! :) :rolleyes: :)
 
I agree with Tom. I think that shows would be better for both the customer and the maker if they were shorter. Show dates are usually known a year or more in advance, so planning should not be an issue. The one exception would be the really big shows such as Blade and a few others around that have 300+ tables. I personally think that a show should be no larger than the ABS Reno show (about 60 tables). Why? Along with a show getting larger, the quality of the vendors drops dramatically (in order to fill all those tables the show promoters/chairmen take anyone they can get.) Also I feel the quality of show patrons drops accordingly, and some of the very large shows take on the atmosphere of a flea market or gun/antique show. As an example, I was at a very large show this year. An individual came up to my table, ingnored my greeting, and literally snatched a damascus hunter off my table, looked at the price and literally tossed it back onto the table, banging it off a couple of other knives in the process. Without ever saying a word to me, he walked away saying (referring to the price) "That's Bull****!" Things of this nature have occurred several times over the years as this particular show has grown. I, as well as many other Bladesmiths/Knifemakers, have attempted to speak with the show chairman about our concerns of the show being "Too large", and always get some rude comment for our efforts. Several major makers did not attend that show this year, and I suspect others will not be there in 2005. I remain undecided as to whether I will put it on my 2005 schedule, but after having written this, and remembering the unpleasent instances, I suspect I'll be absent too.
As Tom said, the majority of buying takes place at the beginning of a show. The folks who are serious about knives are there, and know what they are looking at, and what they want. I have noticed that there are some customers who go around shows with their pad and pen, taking notes of what is on young/promising makers' tables, and then wait and prey on the ones who have not had a good show, waiting until the last day and trying to talk the maker(s) into giving huge discounts just to sell a knife. Now I don't have anything against someone getting a bargin, but there are those who have made a career out of doing this. A shorter show might cure some of that too.
 
I totally agree with Ed! :) (hope you made it home safe and sound buddy).

Customer interaction is great, but it happens the most (for me anyway) the hours after the show...like in the pit at Blade.

And Ed wouldn't say it, but I know the show he's talking about rhymes with the Eugene show. Er...uh...wait, that didn't come out right ;)

Nick
 
I prefer a 2 or 3 day show simply for the interaction and the good times. Thats more time to spend with my freinds that I dont get to see that often.
 
From a logistics standpoint the two day show is easier to manage than a longer show because showtime is time lost from the shop.

The one day show causes almost the same lost time from the shop considering that the show will inevitably be held on a weekend so why not do a two day show if you are at it. Most venues would prefer to rent out for the entire weekend in any case.

The other thinking is that on the first day of the show we get the serious knife people and on the second day we get the rest and if the show is a three day show the last day is just people out for a day to look around.

Show attendees are usually vocal about the Friday openings when they cannot get off work to be at the show opening, they would prefer that the show open on Saturday morning.
 
I think two days is the right number for the vast majority of shows, for the reasons that others have given.

Cheers,

Roger
 
Being that I am a great distance from any knife show, it costs me a lot to go to any show. One day would be of no interest whatsoever. If there were a small local show that was one day, I would be there with bells on (that saying always leaves a rather disturbing picture in my head), but for it to be worth a full day travel in each direction a show would have to offer me stuff that couldn't be completed in one day. Stuff like cutting competitions, seminars and demonstrations are a big part of what interests me about shows. One day would give no time to out these events, see all the knives (and make purchases if a knife or two call my name) and to socialize.

For people close or for those that want to go just to pick up a knife from a maker they know is going to be there, one day shows are fine. For others, two days is probably the best. That is unless the show is really large. Then a full three days is required just to be able to take in as much as possible.
 
:) I like 2 day shows and I especially like the gun/knife shows. Ed Caffrey's complaint is a valid one and is more of a commentary on the decline of social courtesy. I take my 6 year old stepson with me on day one. His rules are simple: if you want to "see" something, ask me first, then wait until the man sitting at the table is finished with his current transaction, then politely ask him if he can handle the object. He has never been denied permission (usually some toy or trinket) and frequently has the purchase made for him. If he doesn't want to follow those rules, we will leave immediately and he will not be coming to any more shows. I have never had to enforce the rule, perhaps because he sees me following the same rules I set for him.
Day two is for me to play and make a few purchases for myself. I go by myself with the notes made the previous day to have time to look closer and chat with the maker. That sort of thing is hard for a six year old to tolerate for very long. For what it's worth, I don't inventory the tables to drive the man's price down on day two, just the location and a brief description of the knife I liked. Very seldom do I make large purchases on day one.
I do believe being able to take the boy on day one is helping build the future for knife makers now and yet to come. I met Mr. De Leon at a Houston Gun Show in the mid '70s. His knives haunted me for a long, long time. Eariler this year while cleaning through old papers and files, I found the card he gave me at that show. I now have 2 of his sub-hilt fighters.
Sorry for the length, but thats why I like the 2 day shows.
 
Like I said, Baltimore is the only single day show I set up at.
Baltimore/DC area holds a rather large part of my customer base and I plan a week (3 days on both sides) away from the shop for the show. I guess It would not matter much if I sold enough knives to profit from the show because it's a chance to spend time with long-time customers.
I faced the fact a long time ago that I am not going to get rich forging knives, so the thrills and the people is all I have.

Thanks,
Dale
 
Most of the shows I go to are one-day shows for me ;-).

Blade is probably an exception, but I don't think there are many shows that cannot be seen in one day, with plenty of time for socializing. Still, a Sat-Sun set-up seems like a good idea to accomodate different people's schedules.
 
Keith Montgomery said:
Being that I am a great distance from any knife show, it costs me a lot to go to any show. One day would be of no interest whatsoever. If there were a small local show that was one day, I would be there with bells on (that saying always leaves a rather disturbing picture in my head), but for it to be worth a full day travel in each direction a show would have to offer me stuff that couldn't be completed in one day. Stuff like cutting competitions, seminars and demonstrations are a big part of what interests me about shows. One day would give no time to out these events, see all the knives (and make purchases if a knife or two call my name) and to socialize.

For people close or for those that want to go just to pick up a knife from a maker they know is going to be there, one day shows are fine. For others, two days is probably the best. That is unless the show is really large. Then a full three days is required just to be able to take in as much as possible.
Click to expand...



Keith............do NOT tell me you have a long way to go to a knife show!!!! :rolleyes:
 
I've never been to a one day knife show, and don't even know where one is. 2 days is about perfect.
 
Most of the shows I do are the gun and knife shows in Maryland. I do well there because I have a customer base from being a factory knife dealer for 8 years. The two day show is plenty for those because there are quite a few throughout the year. The Chesapeake show is the only "custom knife" show we have in MD. I think it would be better as a two day show. The crowd being large makes being able to see and talk to makers a problem. The Sat. nite hospitality that's offered to the public allows perspective buyers a chance to talk to the makers one on one. It does cost extra and allows you entrance to the show an hour early. See you at the show Dale. :D
Scott
 
Putting it all into perspective (from the "other" side of the big pond) you guys are so lucky to have so much choice!! :)

Cheers
Rod
 
tom mayo said:
Keith............do NOT tell me you have a long way to go to a knife show!!!! :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

I realize that you have have a lot farther to go. Still, I am far enough away from any decent sized knife show that I either have to fly or it takes a day or more to drive. I am really not interested in driving for one or two days to take in a one day show and then drive for a day or two to get home.

As I have stated, the only one day shows that I would be intersted in would have to be fairly close by.

Tom, do you travel to one day knife shows?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top