Usual Suspect Gathering(G7), Las Vegas

The show certainly did seem to be dominated by drawings to buy this year. I noticed a number of the big knife companies (yes, I know that is of no interest to custom purists) were missing this year. Kind of wonder if that means this one has jumped the shark.
 
BenR.T. said:
We just got back yesterday afternoon.
It was my first time there. I had a good time and it seemed like a pretty good turn out. I was great meeting other makers and customers I hadn't met yet. It really is a "tactical" folder centered show, and the popular guys that build folders sold out easy and fast. Either by Lotttery, open bid, or FCFS.

Being a fixed blade maker, I did OK, sold a couple knives and some handle material. I don't travel a ton for shows, so can't say whether I'll have a table again next year, might do Blade instead as I haven't had a chance to yet. All in all the crowd was great and we had a good time.

My table.....


Simon and I checking out Ryan Johnson's had forged hawks. It was a pleasure meeting and chatting with Ryan, he is a wealth of information and knowledge....


My lovely wife Veronica. Simon Partied a little to hard.....
Click to expand...

What a cute kid!

Scurvy092 said:
I think you'd like Blade more to be honest Ben. It's a lot more variation in the work and types of knives.
Click to expand...

I agree.

Kohai999 said:
Glad to hear you got quality time with your progeny, Bing!!!!! I would have enjoyed visiting with you as well.....everything is a decision, right?

I have the Plaza Show coming up in about a month, and the Art Knife Invitational after that....no airfare, no hotel costs, just a little bit of time and gas and am there, but have really enjoyed the Gatherings in the past....usually pick up a flashlight or some oddball gizmo, but occasionally a knife that I can't live without....

Anyway, show reports are coming in dribs and drabs, hopefully we will get a good feel for the show overall shortly!

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
Click to expand...

Of course there is a TON of info over at USN since it is their show. Don't know if you need a membership to read posts there or not - I have had a paid membership over there for a few years now and find that it is well worth the very small fee even though I am not really "tactical guy" and rarely post there.


If you don't have a membership, you might want to consider it!
 
I'm shocked!:D
 
Kohai999 said:
I was banned years ago and never bothered to contest it.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
Click to expand...

Doug C said:
I only got a Warning:p and it was for not agreeing with the status quo. :thumbup:
I learned my lesson. :D

Doug
Click to expand...

1400127270-0.jpg
 
No, it was a forged Bowie kinda' thing. ;)
With Ernest's charming personality why would I bash Emerson ? :confused: :p

Doug...:D
 
Ernie is really an exceptional person....I like him very much, and he and his entire family would be welcome in my home at any point....we are friends, in the true sense of the word.

He is very much misunderstood, Doug.....he speaks honestly and straight with no sarcasm that I have ever found.....he is a husband and father first, a knifemaker and patriot second.....and somewhere much later comes businessman.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
I thank you, STeven, and always appreciate your particular knowledge and insight. :thumbup:
I was never really a fan of chisel grinds and visited there infrequently, although I do realize they've made
standard ground knives for a while now.

I did change my mind some about chisels when I got my first RJ Martin. ;)

Doug
 
Doug C said:
I thank you, STeven, and always appreciate your particular knowledge and insight. :thumbup:
I was never really a fan of chisel grinds and visited there infrequently, although I do realize they've made
standard ground knives for a while now.

I did change my mind some about chisels when I got my first RJ Martin. ;)

Doug
Click to expand...

I don't like chisel ground knives, and own four EKI's that are not....the Gentleman Jim, the Patriot, the Mini Commander and an El Bandito....each has been Garssonized, switched from the Phillips screws to Torx, shortened the handles and in some cases changed the clips or pivots. I don't like the WAVE feature at all, find it dangerous when deployed as designed frankly, but DSFDF.

What I completely respect is the base design and production that goes into each piece....they are simply very good knives at a very reasonable price....U.S. designed, produced, packaged and shipped.

BTW, Doug, my RJM Wasabi is double ground, in an AWESOME carbon fiber wrapped, magnetic sheath....just gotta know how to ask, lol.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Last edited:
STeven,

OT but who shortened the handles for you or did you do it ?

Doug
 
Doug C said:
STeven,

OT but who shortened the handles for you or did you do it ?

Doug
Click to expand...

I did it myself, and they look great....when I showed them to Ernie, he could hardly tell the difference, although the handle had been shortened a full 1/2" or more.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Kohai999 said:
BTW, Doug, my RJM Wasabi is double ground, in an AWSOME carbon fiber wrapped, magnetic sheath....just gotta know how to ask, lol.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
Click to expand...
That sounds too cool:thumbup:, I missed out on a slightly smaller than Wasabi Jpz style chisel grind w/one of the magnetic sheaths you're talking about, think it was at Nordic.
It was there in the AM and gone by afternoon.

I got my Wasabi here at BFC.
Anyway, thanks again. :)

Doug
 
STeven, I spent some time trying to find you at the Gathering to get your thoughts on a quasi-Japanese long-handled waki/ko-katana and tanto daisho. I took what you had told me at Blade about the snake killer tanto's handle and implemented it and wanted to see what you had to say about the changes. Sorry to not see you there.

All the following are cell phone pics. Be warned.

The aforementioned daisho:



As usual, I flogged to get ready for the show, was unable to get together everything I wanted to, and yet still had a full table. My loverly bride Allie was an awesome table monkey, and I got to see a lot more of the show than I would have otherwise been able to.



Got to meet Ben Tendick for the first time, and we had supper with his family and Enrique Pena. Had a great time, and I'm looking forward to doing a Helm/Tendick collaboration in the (hopefully) near future. I unfortunately missed getting to handle a waki that Ben had brought since it sold before I made it to his table.



David Brown is a hoot to talk with. And he likes both big choppers and tomahawks.



I don't think this picture truly captures how massive his hands are. Mine is the one in the top of the picture. I have a decent set of gorilla paws, but his dwarfs mine.



I wear a size 14 1/2 ring. One of his skull rings fits neatly right on top.



I have talked briefly with DJ Urbanovsky outside of the Blade Show, but finally formally introduced myself. His S6 sword, made of S7 steel, was very cool, even unsharpened.



Near the end of the show, I swung by Kiku Matsuda's table. I'm not sure if he was there personally, but his blades sure were. I liked the way this handle fit into my hand. *Not* my best haircut. :(



About fifteen minutes before the end of the show, awesome jeweler and knifemaker Pat Pruitt, who has been in the same pod as me since I started having a table there three years ago, was talking about a trade for one of my Woodsman tomahawks, when all of a sudden there was blood on the blade and elsewhere.



My wife, an RN, was able to get him patched up with the loan of a first aid kit from the Broadwells, also long-time podmates.

My impression of the show is somewhat skewed as I spent time at my table, and sought out particular people to talk with, but it is definitely geared toward folding knives. Even well-established fixed blade makers did not move a whole lot, though if they had folders those would sell. It's worth going for me as sales were fairly decent (more tomahawks than my forged big blades) and it's a good opportunity to make contact with dealers and other makers, but I would not be surprised to show up with a full table and leave with a full table as a fixed blade maker.

Looking forward to next year! Glad I have some recovery time between now and then, though. :D

Funny side story: My wife Allie and I took an extra day on the drive back to be able to spend a day in Santa Fe and Taos. I checked Instagram when we got to Taos and saw that Nita Broadwell had posted a picture from the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge. We went out there right before sundown. In the morning, we went to breakfast at the hotel after checking out and see the Broadwells just leaving their table. Of course, we talked with them a minute before letting them go on their way and loading our plates. After leaving Taos and taking a leisurely drive through the beautiful, winding drive out of town, we stopped at a convenience store in the little ski town of Eagle's Nest. Who did I see while I was walking out of the store? Nita Broadwell! She got a picture of me and David, and we both managed to have our eyes closed. Our paths diverged in Cimmaron. See y'all next year!
 
James, It was a pleasure meeting you and your wife and hanging out.
You are doing good work, keep it up!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top