- Joined
- Feb 2, 2005
- Messages
- 31
This is a long post......sorry!
The LEEDS UK 2006 Show was held in the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds, West Yorkshire.
Link: http://www.royalarmouries.org/leeds/
We had talked Sal Glesser to come over to the UK on his way over to the Amsterdam show and bring some of his team with him. There were 57 people in all in attendance! Not bad for the first UK meet.
Though the Armouries didn't open until 10.00 when I arrived at 9.30 (with a new knife friend who had travelled up from Wales the day before) there were already about 20 knifeknuts waiting to get in. Sal, Eric, Ed, Jack and Jur arrived and once everyone was issued with badges the tour began.
We were show around the Armouries where the Oriental Section was of particular interest to most attending. Some great Japanese swords and armour were on display. After a short break, we gathered in the Tower Gallery where some people showed knives that they had made and pre-arranged trades and sales were completed.
Then to business!
:thumbup:
Sal and the team laid out over fifty concept and prototype knives! After a short history of Spyderco by Sal, he started telling us about the new knives. As he did this the knives were passed around from one delegate to the next. I can't go into too much detail but trust me when I say it is going to be a very expensive year for me. When everyone had had a good play with the knives Eric gave a great demonstration of the Balisong "dance" using all three knives that were there. Licences had to be obtained to show these in the UK :grumpy:
Ed Schempp then took the floor and delivered a speech on Damascus steel making. Though very technical, I learned a huge amount and some of the makers present were in awe!
We had a break and were able to have another look at the knives and have Sal tell us more about certain models.
When the meeting was over we were given some great gifts. T-shirts, caps, badges and a specially made bug engraved Leeds Meet 2006 LEEDS UNITED KINGDOM. A great gesture. We then went on to an Indian Restaurant where we ate good food, drank good beer....... all in good company.
I will always remember......meeting Sal and the team, the incredible knives, the smiling faces, constant clicking of blades engaging, the generosity of the Spyderco team and a feeling of camaraderie I haven't experienced for some time.
Cheers, Ken
The LEEDS UK 2006 Show was held in the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds, West Yorkshire.
Link: http://www.royalarmouries.org/leeds/
We had talked Sal Glesser to come over to the UK on his way over to the Amsterdam show and bring some of his team with him. There were 57 people in all in attendance! Not bad for the first UK meet.
Though the Armouries didn't open until 10.00 when I arrived at 9.30 (with a new knife friend who had travelled up from Wales the day before) there were already about 20 knifeknuts waiting to get in. Sal, Eric, Ed, Jack and Jur arrived and once everyone was issued with badges the tour began.
We were show around the Armouries where the Oriental Section was of particular interest to most attending. Some great Japanese swords and armour were on display. After a short break, we gathered in the Tower Gallery where some people showed knives that they had made and pre-arranged trades and sales were completed.
Then to business!
:thumbup: Sal and the team laid out over fifty concept and prototype knives! After a short history of Spyderco by Sal, he started telling us about the new knives. As he did this the knives were passed around from one delegate to the next. I can't go into too much detail but trust me when I say it is going to be a very expensive year for me. When everyone had had a good play with the knives Eric gave a great demonstration of the Balisong "dance" using all three knives that were there. Licences had to be obtained to show these in the UK :grumpy:
Ed Schempp then took the floor and delivered a speech on Damascus steel making. Though very technical, I learned a huge amount and some of the makers present were in awe!
We had a break and were able to have another look at the knives and have Sal tell us more about certain models.
When the meeting was over we were given some great gifts. T-shirts, caps, badges and a specially made bug engraved Leeds Meet 2006 LEEDS UNITED KINGDOM. A great gesture. We then went on to an Indian Restaurant where we ate good food, drank good beer....... all in good company.
I will always remember......meeting Sal and the team, the incredible knives, the smiling faces, constant clicking of blades engaging, the generosity of the Spyderco team and a feeling of camaraderie I haven't experienced for some time.
Cheers, Ken
