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- Oct 28, 2006
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Months ago Larry Bailey asked me if I would be interested in displaying my collection of Jerry Fisk knives at his Ohio Classic Knife Show. I told him I would so last weekend I headed to Cambridge Ohio. It’s a 7+ hour drive from my home however the trip through the Allegheny Mountains of western Maryland and West Virginia with the leaves having turned provided quite a pleasurable drive both to and from.
Though being relatively rural, Cambridge is a very good location for a regional knife show in that it has a very nice Convention Center ( the Pritchard-Laughlin Civic Center ) and is located at the junction of interstate 70 and 77 between Pittsburg PA and Columbus OH and has ample good food and lodging (reserve rooms early for best pricing). It actually has a population of around 8 million people within about a 150 mile area surrounding the show.
With Larry kind of downplaying his show to me over several months, I was pleasantly surprised and very impressed with the Ohio Classic. The show facility was much nicer, the show larger and the knives on display were of a higher quality than I expected. Larry has done a very good job of providing a high quality and versatile mix of factory knives (lots of Case knives), custom knives, handle/ knife making supplies and even an impressive “Art” section. I will give you makers a tip: even if you don’t set-up at this show, it’s well worth a visit just for the outstanding supply of handle material. I purchased one of the nicest stag carvers I have ever had in my hand and the exotic wood and ivory are as impressive.
I really enjoyed seeing and visiting with friends and examining some great knives. In addition to some outstanding knives from veteran makers, there were some really nice pieces from newer makers and guys that only do this show. Really drives home the fact that there are good makers out there making fine knives who don’t have much exposure.
I also enjoyed Larry’s “Art Section” which is made up of five artists who create some amazing pieces. A warning though, if you bring your wives you could drop some serious $$ outside of the realm of knives. If I didn't have a strong policy of only purchasing knife related items at knife shows a beautifully forged "Dragon" theme fireplace set would have been mind.
I really wasn’t expecting to buy much, however picked up the stag mentioned above, a very nice block of Cocobolo, a couple “knife annuals” I was missing, one of Karl Andersen’s indestructible “Brut de Forge” hunters and a very nice (vintage 1973) Case Stockman for a friend.
Yep, Larry Bailey has the knife show thing figured out there in Cambridge as every detail is covered and nothing left to chance. This equals pleased table holders and show attendees. I was not at all surprised to learn that the Ohio Classic 2009 attendance was up 14% and knife sales were up 20% over 2008. The tables for the 2010 show are already full. I would strongly recommend this show for all collectors of factory and customs knives. The only improvement I would make for this show is to insure it's not on the same weekend as the AKI in 2011.
I will be posting photos over the next few days. I took quite a few however, as usual, some did not turn out in quality to do the knives justice.
Award Winners; (starting from top left of this Turrill Hoffman photo), WC (Bill) Johnson (Best in Show & Best Period Piece), John Howser (Best Folder), Harvey Holbrook (Best Value & Best Tactical), Karl Andersen (Best Damascus), Tom Downing (Best Fixed-Blade) Pete Crowl (Best Hunter/Utility), Burton Harruff (Best New Maker & Best Handforged)
(starting from left of this Turrill Hoffmam photo) CKCA members; Larry Danielkiewicz, Pete Crowl, Kevin Jones, Larry Bailey (a Founder, Vice-president of the CKCA and promoter of the Ohio Classic), Karl Andersen, Frank DeCola
Wayne Whittaker and his beautiful Folders.
Wayne Hensley
The BF's own Andrew Takach demostrating some really fine handle carving
More to come........
Though being relatively rural, Cambridge is a very good location for a regional knife show in that it has a very nice Convention Center ( the Pritchard-Laughlin Civic Center ) and is located at the junction of interstate 70 and 77 between Pittsburg PA and Columbus OH and has ample good food and lodging (reserve rooms early for best pricing). It actually has a population of around 8 million people within about a 150 mile area surrounding the show.
With Larry kind of downplaying his show to me over several months, I was pleasantly surprised and very impressed with the Ohio Classic. The show facility was much nicer, the show larger and the knives on display were of a higher quality than I expected. Larry has done a very good job of providing a high quality and versatile mix of factory knives (lots of Case knives), custom knives, handle/ knife making supplies and even an impressive “Art” section. I will give you makers a tip: even if you don’t set-up at this show, it’s well worth a visit just for the outstanding supply of handle material. I purchased one of the nicest stag carvers I have ever had in my hand and the exotic wood and ivory are as impressive.
I really enjoyed seeing and visiting with friends and examining some great knives. In addition to some outstanding knives from veteran makers, there were some really nice pieces from newer makers and guys that only do this show. Really drives home the fact that there are good makers out there making fine knives who don’t have much exposure.
I also enjoyed Larry’s “Art Section” which is made up of five artists who create some amazing pieces. A warning though, if you bring your wives you could drop some serious $$ outside of the realm of knives. If I didn't have a strong policy of only purchasing knife related items at knife shows a beautifully forged "Dragon" theme fireplace set would have been mind.
I really wasn’t expecting to buy much, however picked up the stag mentioned above, a very nice block of Cocobolo, a couple “knife annuals” I was missing, one of Karl Andersen’s indestructible “Brut de Forge” hunters and a very nice (vintage 1973) Case Stockman for a friend.
Yep, Larry Bailey has the knife show thing figured out there in Cambridge as every detail is covered and nothing left to chance. This equals pleased table holders and show attendees. I was not at all surprised to learn that the Ohio Classic 2009 attendance was up 14% and knife sales were up 20% over 2008. The tables for the 2010 show are already full. I would strongly recommend this show for all collectors of factory and customs knives. The only improvement I would make for this show is to insure it's not on the same weekend as the AKI in 2011.
I will be posting photos over the next few days. I took quite a few however, as usual, some did not turn out in quality to do the knives justice.
Award Winners; (starting from top left of this Turrill Hoffman photo), WC (Bill) Johnson (Best in Show & Best Period Piece), John Howser (Best Folder), Harvey Holbrook (Best Value & Best Tactical), Karl Andersen (Best Damascus), Tom Downing (Best Fixed-Blade) Pete Crowl (Best Hunter/Utility), Burton Harruff (Best New Maker & Best Handforged)
(starting from left of this Turrill Hoffmam photo) CKCA members; Larry Danielkiewicz, Pete Crowl, Kevin Jones, Larry Bailey (a Founder, Vice-president of the CKCA and promoter of the Ohio Classic), Karl Andersen, Frank DeCola
Wayne Whittaker and his beautiful Folders.
Wayne Hensley
The BF's own Andrew Takach demostrating some really fine handle carving
More to come........
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