The Future of Knife Shows

R

Raccoon

Joined
Sep 4, 2005
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I had a table at the BAKCA show this last month. Drove about 1400 miles round trip, spent a couple of hundred dollars on motel and some more on eating. I also used up five days of potential production time.

I did OK at the show, some people were skunked. I sold about 1/3 as much as last year. Everything about the running of the show was as good as it possibly could be, it's just that people did not show up. Katrina had not struck shore yet so I don't think it was because of being distracted by that. Gas prices were (are) high and maybe that's the reason.

Knifemaking is not a way to get rich. Actually there's a fine line between making it and not making it at times. I don't have any complaint about not selling at the shows, it's probable that I don't have what most people want at a price they can afford. But if shows are going to survive as they are now, the people have to show up.

What I'm afraid of is that knifemakers (and the purveyors of supplies who depend on knifemakers) will not be able to travel as far or as often to shows. The shows will then become smaller and feature only local makers. This could lead to a further decline in attendance and a spiral downward.
 
There've been similar threads discussing this phenomenon in the past, and in one of them someone mentioned that there are more shows now than before, which dilutes customer base for each show. Also, the internet has allowed alot of people to just stay home and buy custom knives directly from makers' or dealers' sites. I go to 5 shows a year, and I have to admit that with 4 of those shows I go in more tight fisted with my money than I do when I attend Blade.
 
I agree with Grapevine. Also, I think more knifemakes exist today than at any time in the past (custom makers). If product goes up and the number of customers remains the same then you have but one choice - expand the customer base through marketing. I think the internet has widened the customer base in that medium, and maybe at the expense of the shows. If you want higher attendance at the shows then they need to be marketed better.

No, I don't have any ideas about how to do that.

Right now, I am a buyer, not a maker, so the increase in product has been good for my collecting. I must admit though that because I live in Alaska virtually all my buying is over the internet or at one local knife store.
 
Well, speaking as a customer, I would attend many more shows than I do if I had the time. I happen to think that the internet will not replace shows for people like me, simply because I like to meet makers. If I am going to pay high dollar for a knife (and I do know that the makers that I deal with are not exactly getting rich from this)--then I will find a maker whose work I like, and ask him to make something similar for me with my specifications. I might want a particular pattern with a particular steel type and/or pattern of engraving--whatever. I can't make a knife--but I get a little pleasure from "collaborating" with the maker on the knife that I will own and carry. For this to happen, it is important to me to speak to the maker--(at the very least on the phone, much better in person) and interact with him. There is no replacing a knife show for this kind of action.

As an anecdote, a maker is currently making a folding bowie for me. He offered to have a silver shield inlaid into the handle as a way of personalizing the knife. I told him that since the two of us had thrashed out the basic design and materials--in great detail---it doesn't get any more personal than that. If I had not met that maker at Blade, and purchased a fixed blade from him, I would not have been able to do that.
 
Ive been looking for information about shows and havent found any..thats why i wasnt there=)

For about a month me and the family have locked the cars up and walked everywhere. So gas is for sure an issue with us. If we can avoid driving we do. However we do use the fuel to take us to things that we deem important or part of our collecting or hobbies etc. We took the kids to there comic events for example.

Where does one go to keep up on the where and whens of knife shows?
is there a special place on this site that lists them? or do they combine them with other gears show, ie guns etc?

Any info appreciated)
 
I'm a firm believer that show success cannot be judged by the money in your wallet when you go home.

Ray, your knives are very upscale. The people who have the means to buy your knives will be at the show regardless of fuel prices, internet dealers, etc. People need to handle your knives to see the quality for themselves. After they see your quality they want to see you at show a few more times so they are assured you will not be leaving knifemaking. It is very discouraging to buy a knife from an up and coming knifemaker, have the knifemaker leave the business, and try to sell the knife. It has happened to me. I'm sure you are in knifemaking long term. Your potential customers need to know this. You do this by going to shows. After a few years demand will pick up and you will get a backlog of orders.

A friend of mine is at the Chicago Show this weekend. He has no knives to sell. No matter what the show will cost him money. However, he always gets orders throughout the year from people he met at the show.

Keep your quality up, let collectors meet you and inspect your knives. Time will take care of the rest.

One other thing Ray. You might want to change your name here at BladeForums so people associate your name with you. You also should post pictures so people can see the quality knives you are making.
 
The knives in the new maker catagory at the OKCA now would probably have taken all the awards 10-12 years ago. The quality of the custom knife has gotten better every year, competition is stiff.

I find the interaction between the maker and the customer to be very important. When somebody buys one of your knives and shows the piece to his friend; he doen't often say, "here's a knife". He says, "look at my Ray Coon Knife". Part of what you sell is your reputation and personality. The best way to demonstrate reputation and personality is to interact with customers. Go to shows to make friends and meet people, these are the folks that will buy your knives.

My table at shows is often in terrible condition. It happens when I draw pictures and answer questions and pull out examples of stuff, but it happens because I interact alot. The interaction and the clutter are both parts of my personality.

I usually donate to the show. ( usually get a fairly decent table)

I bring give aways, and some lower cost items. (there always exist some respectful kids that need that behavior reinforced, I like to give a customer a place to start.)

I hope and pray that I break even and create some good will and build community.

I like to know a little about where my knives go and who owns them. I will keep doing shows to see my friends and meet people. The benefit of show goes well beyond the few days of the event...Take Care...Ed
 
The only shows I attend are the annual Blade show. Between work, school, and my wife & 2 sons that is about all I can make it to. Living in Georgia the Blade show is easy for me to make. I have thought about the Show in Orlando but always end up skipping it.

Still that annual Blade show is a 3 day Holiday for me. There are people there I see only once a year like Laci Szabo who I 1st met at Riddle of Steel in 1995 or Barry Dawson whose sold me a knife he had in his own pocket because he had sold out of the others. Knife shows for a knife addict are like pure Heaven. For 3 days I get to look at and handle knives that I have only read about or seen in pictures. There are several knives I have ended up not buying after handling them at a knife show and finding out I don't like its ergonomics. And I agree there A Lot more shows and knifemakers now than there was just a few years ago.
 
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