The "Blade" show blues

K

Kevin R. Cashen

Joined
Sep 9, 2003
Messages
2,361
I know I am not the only one to get the “Blade” show blues. Every year there is the 3 to 4 week crunch when smiths live in their shop. My wife has actually brought my food out to me and sat it on my work bench. I don’t bother changing my clothes, because they will just get dirty again and I don’t even have time for a shower:barf:. I have almost gone to bed with my optivisor on because it is just an integral part of my body now; heck I am now walking with semi-permanent hunched crouch corresponding to the focal length of that thing. Your wife doesn’t mind that you are coming to bed at 3:00 a.m., nothing exciting was going to happen anyhow, due to your serious case of “Blade show hands.” The phone rings more than usual during this time, and your wife eventually stops bringing the phone out to you when it does.

Now is the time that you start looking at the knives planned and begin weeding them out in order to devote the remaining precious man hours only on what you can get done. Wonderful knives, set aside once again because to rush them would diminish them. The lilacs and lily of the valley are all in bloom and I get occasional whiffs of them when there is a breeze and my shop door is left open, all while my lawn grows into a jungle, the mower blades need tending and I have but time for the blades before me. I have good paying customers who I had to call three weeks ago to inform them that they need to wait a month for their pieces, and thus wait to send me the money for them:rolleyes:. Yep, take a month off from making money all while going into debt on supplies to make knives that will provide just enough income to cover the cost of travel, lodging, food, table fee etc… of doing the Blade show.

It is good that I get to bring Karen with me and spend a weekend with old friends, because I have said many time before- no single thing in my experience has be ability to suck all the joy out of my life quite like the Blade show!:grumpy:

Common fellow makers commiserate with me. ;)

edited to add- P.S. the only reason I have time to type this is because after getting an early start I decided to have a quick, late breakfast of tea and a yogart, while working out some design features on the computer. The sen cha is still too hot to drink so...
 
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I've never been to the Blade Show, and thus don't know why people would bother if it creates such consternation and disruption of a life well lived.

While I don't understand your pain, I certainly appreciate the feeling of having some aspect of your work suck the joy from your life. And I do empathize with you in that regard.

Tell you what, if you have some billets of damascus laying around that you want to sell shoot me an e-mail. That'll get some money coming in that doesn't require much from you. Maybe some other forum members will do the same and you'll come to understand you have a strong enough customer base and don't need the Blade Show. ;)
 
while not blade i have 4 more weeks of deadlines (a show ish every weekend and no product to take )
this week it will be some kitchen stuff
next are wedding gifts and groomsmen knives
week after (blade for you ) i have a razor get together
 
Well Kevin, I've never been to the Blade show, and possibly never will, so I'm not stressed out, and therefore can't commiserate with you. :D

In fact, except for a sore throat (the beginnings of a cold which I hope will not last long) I'm feeling pretty good. I'm close to having enough money saved up to buy a Bradley power hammer much like your own. :thumbup: I'm way more excited about that than I ever could be about going to Blade. I'm tired of my underpowered, high maintenance air hammer.
 
Well I for sure feel the same. I have been to Blade 3 times in the last 6 years, but as a spectator. This year I have a table. Things are more than just differant. Every thought is consumed with making something that folks will stop and look at, and maybe even purchase. I think i have spent more time talking to myself than my family. I think if it were not for my day job I would be a complete wreck. It is definatly a time where there does not seem to be enough light to show scratches that should not be there to get out. I knew I wasnt the only one, just glad someone else brought up the pain.
 
I know what you mean, Kevin. I've been doin it for 15 years and look forward to Blade each year. No income the month or two before the show is hard, but I just work 9 to 5, or 6 every day (can't work at night), and think of all the great fishing I'm missing :)

If I could only do one show, it would be Blade...Some of you guys don't know what you're missin ;)
 
The only blues I'm feeling right now is I likely won't make the trip. I want to go but it would be more of a spectator anyway. Although I'd love to get down there and meet some of you guys and be able to fondle some of the beautiful knives you guys make. Maybe one day I may actually make it there with a booth.... Guess I can still dream.
 
Don Hanson III said:
Why? :)
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I was half-joking...

I intend to test for JS next year. I am setting aside my best for the judging. My rough style doesn't lend itself well to ABS testing so I'm trying to incorporate components that show the high level of F&F required. I'm pushing out of my comfort zone and although it may seem silly 8 months from now, I'm scrambling to "make the grade" and putting in long hours at the bench.:D

Rick
 
Well, let me put it this way. I discovered under whatever harsh light they use in the hall at Blade that, much to my horror, I had the wrong type of light in my shop because it did not show that last little scratch or two...or five. Combine that with the fact that it was my first Blade AND it may have been the worse year possible for a new guy to show up there (economy...I didn't sell a single knife, but fortunately sold a number of them to online customers within a week or so) I was pummeled before I ever pulled into Atlanta. Between the anxiety leading up to the show, the anxiety of being there, and having to stand around being anxious all day long for 3 days, I was so beat at the end of each day that I managed to eat dinner somewhere and then go back to my hotel and either pass out or watch a movie and then pass out. Unlike the previous years when I was a spectator, I never made it to the Pit once. Notice that I am back again this year.;) Oh, and by the way, Mr. Cashen. You should count yourself lucky that you can sell barely enough at the show to cover the cost of your trip. My hotel cost is covered so far, but that is because of an existing order that I am delivering at the show, so not really. For me, this is a vacation where my feet hurt like hell the entire time.:p
 
jdm61 said:
Well, let me put it this way...
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I don't think Kevin has even touched upon the emotional roller coaster that the Blade Show, itself can put a maker through. (especially one who is testing). He was refering to the build up prior. The toll that comes with the preparation for Blade. Neglecting otherwise important things (like bathing) to have something to show for. Realizing that you may have to abort projects for lack of time. Watching life pass you by as you stand behind your bench, shoulders burning, eyes watering, thumbs raw... sanding out those last few scratches. The light at the end of this tunnel only points to the next unfinished blade. When does life really kick you in the kiwis?.... when you remember that your wife brought you out a coffee... but it was an hour ago and now it's cold.:grumpy:


Rick
 
I'm not getting ready for BLADE, my SCA summer selling season starts in 2 weeks, and because of 3 months of constant "issues" at work that I'm the "boots on the ground" doing the hands on part of the crisis management for the engineers and management, I am 3 months behind on product, my truck is in need of a transmission rebuild, and I have started to triage my product line for what I can do in the intervening time.

-Page
 
I start my blade show knives in November and Finish 1 batch of knives in Feb. THen its only BladeShow knives untill there done. Hang in there and enjoy
 
Well last year was my first year too, so I can really relate to what you wrote Joe. Exciting, overwhelming and tiring. My wife has settled into "knife widow" mode and I just go to work and then come home and go down to the shop. I'm almost ready (in my dreams) but come on, it's BLADE. Food, sleep, shelter, day job, family must be selectively ignored and carefully balanced in preparing for the pilgrimage to the steely edge of Cobb known as BLADE. To try to make sense of the work, the stress, whether or not it makes good business sense to go..., the hotel, the driving, supplies to buy, friends to see, etc. Who says it has to be logical? It's all part of the knife addiction. Just like the swallows don't know why they have to go back to Capistrano, they still fly thousands of miles to get there. Going to Blade is a lot of work but once you are hooked
its a hard habit to break.
 
kdcknives said:
Well last year was my first year too, so I can really relate to what you wrote Joe. Exciting, overwhelming and tiring. My wife has settled into "knife widow" mode and I just go to work and then come home and go down to the shop. I'm almost ready (in my dreams) but come on, it's BLADE. Food, sleep, shelter, day job, family must be selectively ignored and carefully balanced in preparing for the pilgrimage to the steely edge of Cobb known as BLADE. To try to make sense of the work, the stress, whether or not it makes good business sense to go..., the hotel, the driving, supplies to buy, friends to see, etc. Who says it has to be logical? It's all part of the knife addiction. Just like the swallows don't know why they have to go back to Capistrano, they still fly thousands of miles to get there. Going to Blade is a lot of work but once you are hooked
its a hard habit to break.
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The knife that was supposed to be one of my "halo" pieces, a 9 inch 360 layer damscus fighter but the big one due to an occlusion and a crack during heat treat. The good news is that the consolation prize, a 10 1/2 inch W2 bowie with what appears to be a good hamon, turned out quite well. Thats how it goes getting ready for shows. This will be my 5th show overall and I have NEVER take the number of knives that I originally planned or started.:D
 
and while the time is short and the want to to try to speed things up happens

remember
the only thing you make in the shop fast are mistakes

pick what can be done do it right and if at the end you have time go for a bit more
 
Magnussen said:
I don't think Kevin has even touched upon the emotional roller coaster that the Blade Show, itself can put a maker through. (especially one who is testing). He was refering to the build up prior.
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Oh yes the show itself can be even harder on your mental well being. I have done farming, construction, masonry, welding an a few other labors, but the most exhausting darned thing I have ever done is sit behind a show table for hours on end. But the hardest of all is for those doing the testing for sure. But for all of you who may be testing for J.S. I can give you this bit of consolation- it is not the most nerve racking and stressful day you will ever spend in Atlanta, the M.S. is ten times worse;). I have plenty of horror stories about my year to be judged (like having my wife drive while I was still finishing a handle in the seat beside her:o).

But then on the other hand, if you make it you have one of the best darned times at the "Blade" show ever, you are a new ranked smith with that bent blade and certificate on your table:thumbup:. My excitement at being a stamp holder in the ABS kept the show interesting for me for the first five years (I started going when the whole show was squeezed in the large conference room at the Waverly), but after that the politics and carnival atmosphere began to wear on me. For the next five years I would come back from the show just angry, depressed and feeling like I needed a shower from three whole days of struggling not to be either a pimp or a prostitute. The wheeling and dealing, and phony baloney pretentious atmosphere just wore me out. And then one year I realized that my problem was that I was taking that show far too seriously, and I decided then and there not to do that anymore.

For the next five years I relaxed, laughed more and got out from behind the table. As soon as the show was over each day I grabbed some friends and headed for my favorite restaurants, or Just Karen and I have a nice evening out. I stopped attending the insincere pomp and circumstance banquets and political spectacles. I participated less and observed more and learned quite a bit about the show by doing so, and then laughed at the thought that I ever let it get to me.

A wise friend told me years ago to never look at a show as a money making venture, it is expensive advertising and nothing more, and that is the truth. But a maker needs that advertising, the internet cannot replace that face to face personal interaction with the public. I only do 2 shows a year now and the reason the "Blade" show is still one of them is because it is big enough to make it so I only need 2 shows a year, but for profit vs. expense and stress vs. benefit it is second after the other show I still do, but both shows have a waiting list that makes me not want to lose my table at either.


Magnussen said:
...When does life really kick you in the kiwis?.... when you remember that your wife brought you out a coffee... but it was an hour ago and now it's cold.:grumpy:...
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Cold coffee is annoying, but the other night I realized I had one of my favorite I.P.A's still sitting the on the bench, open and getting warm!:eek: I didn't remember it until I was shutting down for the night. That is a serious quality of life issue there!
 
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