Rocky Mountain Knife show

D

deloid

Joined
Dec 19, 2007
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458
Awesome!!

Great people, great knives and supplies and my first demo with the TW-90 grinder. That grinder is just about perfect...no show discount though :(

Going back today after I spend some time at the gun show next door.

Dean
 
Wish I could go today, but I have a midterm a bit later along with some prior engagements. I will definitely be there tomorrow!
 
What a fine day I had today. Spent the morning looking at old shotguns, almost bought a Parker wall hanger but it needed too much work.

Later, I went back to the knife area and it felt like home.I met Fowler, Burke, Reeves, R Richard, Caffrey, Colter, Bump, Fritz and so many more great folks with incredible talent.
Great people!!
Later I went for the fifth time to Travis Wuertz's table and after drooling too much over his grinder I was obligated to pay for one that I should get in 3-5 weeks. That grinder is awesome and Travis is a really nice guy. Somehow it hurts less when I spend money and I like the person on the receiving end.
Not only did I walk out with good conversations but with offers of help getting me going with my new grinder. I am also grateful for the advice I was given about a sample of my work. The critiques were diplomatic and based on things that became shockingly obvious to me after I was shown the flaws in my work or approach.

Wow! I can't believe I've missed so many opportunities to meet these folks. At least I'm on track now.
Dean from Boise
 
Dean, I felt much the same way. As a new maker feedback is valuable. I showed my first knife to anyone who stood still, and received pointers on how to make the next one better. Congrat on the tw grinder it looks like a Cadillac. Jess
 
I too enjoyed my day at the show. Met most of the above mentioned makers and suppliers.
Mark the Burl Dude is a hoot and had some really wonderful goodies from his stash.
The Wuertz grinder is very precise build if a bit expensive, very well thought out for a one grinder does all shop.

As a wanna be knife maker who's getting my shop and tooling built, I must say the advise, encouragement and offers of future help was very much appreciated.
And the opportunity to handle some to the top makers knives as well as fairly new makers efforts, was priceless.

Leadfoot aka Doug
 
Hi Dean, Jesse and Doug,
It was good to meet you guys at the show. Thanks for stopping by my table to shake hands. These forums are good but theres nothing like actually talking to other makers in person. Its been a good show with good attendance too. Sales seem just a little slower than usual but I saw allot of sales made me included. I think next year is going to be even better. Boise really came out and supported the new show. The gun show next door seemed to spill over onto the knife show although I did overhear somebody say they spent all their cash at the gun show. I was too busy talking knives to even go next door.
 
I can't wait to go.. Sometime Sunday I will be there! Have met Reeve from a prior job experience, but can't wait to meet all the others!
btw- The midterm was passed with a 106% :D
 
Back from the show. I wish I could have met more of the makers from here, but that is how it goes sometimes. Tried to catch Bruce at his table....man does he get around! The same goes for Bill Burke! Although, to be fair, I did stop by when Bill was there, but he was busy talking with other attendees. He was nice enough to offer some of the knives on the table next to his own for $100.00 when the table was unattended momentarily..Of course no one actually got one, but shows the sense of humor :) (No Bruce, you did not lose a sale :) The wife was with me so I was lucky to spend $100.00 at the show)
Met Mike Quesenberry- Very nice gentleman! Great knives Mike! Hard not to pick up alot of the makers knives without them sticking to my hands! I will check on the micarta (phenolic) Monday and get back with you.

Talked to John Doyle (countryboycansurvive)- Another absolute gentleman! Congrats on your award for best new maker John! (thanks for the buckeye burl too! I will make good use of it. Perhaps on a kitchen knife I have in the works ;)

Leadfoot2 is right about Mark being a hoot! Great guy! Man, he has some beautiful wood which I managed to get a few pieces of thanks to the wife :D Mark still has some good stuff left for the rest of youse guys :)

Thanks to the makers I have met and admire, and to the others, I will one day meet you at another show! Hopefully, the next time we meet, the wife isn't about to quit her job and I can afford to buy some of your offerings.

Bill
 
We locals really should have planned a get together.
I do think the gun show hurt a lot of knife sales. I spent enough time there to see many vintage knives being sold and negative comments made about the knife show (from vendors). Since there is a very large group of vendors in the gun show that sell vintage AND occasional custom knives I hope that the shows are done on different days next year. Pretty good coverage by the media but an interview with a well known maker discussing the value of a custom knife would help next year.

I did my share of spending but next year I hope to be a seller with a table.

I'm willing to volunteer my time to helping make next years show even better.
 
Bill, Sorry I didn't get to visit wiht you more. Dean, I think you are going to love that grinder. Bruce, Sorry I didn't get to chat with you more. I have always enjoyed your company and visiting with you.

The show, in my opinion was great. The sales where good for a first year show and the attendance was outstanding. I agree that it most likley better would have been better if it had been on a different weekend than the gun show but who knows.

Mike Quisenbury, (sorry if I misspelled his name) Won three awards. Best hunter, Best Hand Forged and best Damascus. Scott Sawby won best art knife and best of show. Grant and Gavin Hawk won Best Folder and yours truely picked up best Bowie and Best Fighter. A Young Man from Montana won best New maker and I am Truely sorry for not remembering his name. He was great to visit with and I am sure that we will see more of him.
 
I echo Bill's assessment of the show. Sales were not brisk but some had some success. I was very happy with Dave's preparation of all the intricacies involved. The show was very well publicized. Even the waitress at the sports pub near my motel knew about the show. There were signs along the roadway and radio spots frequently. Adds were placed in local news papers and in the Knife Magazines. There were TV reporters videoing at the show. Dave did his job in getting a steady flow of people through the doors. Even on Sunday, normally a dead day for most shows, people were coming in until the doors closed at 3pm. Though not the elbow to elbow like at some very large (Blade) shows it was a very respectable showing. There was also a great representation from the knife making community. Many very talented makers were in attendance. I feel that this show will only get better and even though I did not make a sale (my problem not the show's) I am planning on attending again next year.

I have only one negative comment regarding the show. It has to do with the wonderful posters Dave designed and had printed up. He had 5 hung up around the venue. There were over 60 requests for copies of the poster and Dave is willing to have more printed and sell them for his cost. Unfortunately by the end of the show 3 of the 5 posters had disappeared. I don't know were they went but it is coming Dave's pocket. One thing I really appreciate about this community is most people are honest and honorable. I hope this was an honest mistake and it is made right.


Over-all it was a great experience and I am looking forward to many more Rocky Mountain Knife Shows.
 
I was surprised , in a good way by the crowds, but heard ideas both pro and con on the gun show next door. I got to meet A C Richards Thursday and talk for a couple of hours, and thanks for the VIP passes also Chuck. I didn’t get to spend as much time as I would have liked, my 2 big events of the year were both on the same weekend, but got so see some locals I haven’t seen in a while, Gordon St. Clair and Chris Reeve. Locals I hadn’t meet, Bill Burke, Scott Swaby, Dwight Towell . Gene Martin showed some mokume and laminated metals that he’s working on. Thanks to Michael Rader and his lovely fiancé for letting my girlfriend know and see that damascus makes a very nice ring, as well as Ed Caffery’s damascus hammer and pens. Bruce Bump and Ed Caffery both went above and beyond answering my questions. I thought the radio ads were well done and did at least mention the family heirloom aspect of custom knives.

Todd
 
I didn't realize that there were so many makers and collectors in the Boise area.
Any of you that are interested in getting together please contact me through my web page. Maybe we can get a hammer-in going.
http://lapinelarts.com
 
The Boise show was the best first time show I have attended for many years. I found the visitors to the show to be exceptionally friendly, almost like being on another planet. All of the Willow Bow Ranch bunch showed up filling 4 tables and we did very well.

I got to visit with fellow makers I have not seen at shows for years and felt at home out of the gate to the final bell.

I feel the gun show and flea market being held on the same days contributed to the success of the show, each drew its special patrons and many of them visited all three venues. Visitors kept coming through the door all the way to Sunday afternoon. I seriously doubt that the knife show alone could have drawn that kind of attendeance.
The folks putting on the show were selling tickets to the knife show at 1/2 price from a table at the gun show. This shows the kind of innovation that just may keep the show going and being one of the nations best.

They fell into some of the ossified traps common to many shows, but seemed very receptive to suggestions for next years show.

If we as makers and promoters are to insure the success of future knife shown it is up to us to make them work, if folks don't come is it our fault or theirs?

I hope to be able to attend next years Boise show.
 
I plan on doing the show again next year. This show was the best advertised show I had ever attended and having the other two venues going on at the same time also contributed to its attendance. Dave did an excellent job promoting it!

It was an easy 8 hour drive and I just loved the 75mph speed limit after I crossed into Idaho. Saw lots of spectacular scenery and the Blue Mountains really looked blue. Only down side is I did not get to use my new snow chains but I can live with that. :D
 
All in all it was a very very enjoyable show.
I was able to meet in person quite a few of the guys from the forum. The knives the different makers brought were amazing.

Dave put on one of the best organized shows I have ever been to. I was even able to drive my van inside the building next to my tables to unload everything.

They had made arrangements for a discount on room cost with the Marriott. What a nice room. $65 a night for a suite of rooms with a full kitchen, living room, seperate bedroom and bath, plus 2 tvs.

Bruce Bump had me beat though. His suite had a tv and phone in the bathroom as well. I can't wait for next year in Boise.
 
Burl Source said:
All in all it was a very very enjoyable show.
I was able to meet in person quite a few of the guys from the forum. The knives the different makers brought were amazing.

Dave put on one of the best organized shows I have ever been to. I was even able to drive my van inside the building next to my tables to unload everything.

They had made arrangements for a discount on room cost with the Marriott. What a nice room. $65 a night for a suite of rooms with a full kitchen, living room, seperate bedroom and bath, plus 2 tvs.

Bruce Bump had me beat though. His suite had a tv and phone in the bathroom as well. I can't wait for next year in Boise.
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Sounds like a great show. I saw Mark's pictures in the other thread and it looked like lots of good stuff and great people were on hand. Would love to be there next year.
 
Having come all the way from Australia, i was more than happy with the show. I thourght for a 1st time show it did very well, especially on the Sunday. It was also great to do a return trip to Bill & Patti Burkes for a week of serious forging and blokes stuff:D, and to catch up with Bruce Bump, Ed Caffery, Wade Colter, Shane Taylor, Bing etc and to finally meet Raymond Richard. The one thing that really stood out for me, as also mentioned by Ed Caffery, was the people of Boise thanking us "out of towners" for coming to the show. I certainly intend making it an annual pilgrimage.
Cheers Bruce
 
bbarnettAUS said:
Having come all the way from Australia, i was more than happy with the show. I thought for a 1st time show it did very well, especially on the Sunday. It was also great to do a return trip to Bill & Patti Burkes for a week of serious forging and blokes stuff:D, and to catch up with Bruce Bump, Ed Caffery, Wade Colter, Shane Taylor, Bing etc and to finally meet Raymond Richard. The one thing that really stood out for me, as also mentioned by Ed Caffery, was the people of Boise thanking us "out of towners" for coming to the show. I certainly intend making it an annual pilgrimage.
Cheers Bruce
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I really enjoyed meeting you Bruce. You're work is outstanding.
I almost made it to Australia for a photography gig but I had to pass due to time and family needs. Your business card doesn't list a web page...I was hoping to see a bit of what Mundaring was all about.

There are some fine violin makers in Australia that I know. I bet they would love some custom small knives from someone like you. There is quite a bit of important knife work in violin making. I'm making some knives, planes and odd cutting tools for folks here (USA) and a friend in the UK. Contact me if you want introductions.

Dean
 
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