The first day of the Blade Show opened with a demo of how to
FUBAR knife collectors.
Blade Magazine reduced the hours the VIPs could attend by
offering a Super-VIP ticket for $40 which got them in at noon. The VIPs got in at 1:00 and the great
unwashed (paying public) at 2:00.
Registration refused to process anyone’s VIP pass any
earlier than 10 AM. Processing consist of taking the VIP pass and $20 from you and
giving you a paper badge. The staff,
while polite, wasn’t interested in answering any questions or assisting you. In fact all the commands and instructions by
the staff were to make it easier for them.
They made the whole experience kind of like sleeping with a hooker who just
lays there and keeps looking at her watch asking “Are you done?”
We got our VIP passes and were then marched back into another
line and told we had to first enter the small, newly added room before we could
go to the main room where the Super VIPs were.
This room was largely new knife makers and sellers.
By the time I got into the main room, the Pro-Tech knives I
wanted were sold. I was also very
disappointed by the Pro-Tech staff. Did
they bring so few knives that everything popular was sold out by 3:00 on the
first day?
We did find a great neck knife for my wife. The seller just started last January and just
made these knives. He hadn’t even
established an account with Square.
Square lets the small business man accept plastic at a very reasonable
rate. So we stood there waiting for him
to establish an account. I suspect he’ll
sell out fast. The neck knives and his jewelry
were great.
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| Carbon Fiber Handle |
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| Another example of Jason's work. |
I bought a Damascus steel fixed blade from Shadow Tech
several years ago. It came with a very
nice kydex sheath. Unfortunately the
texture of the Damascus files the plastic and imbeds it in the open grain of
the metal. I want to carry that knife,
so I needed leather sheath. Of course
the Blade Show has them and I found a nice one in black with just the right
amount of texturing.
I stopped by Spyderco and bought a mule. Fortunately it fits in a small box and doesn’t
require anything but a handle and a sheath.
Spyderco makes standard blade configurations with different steels which
are tested to give them a better understanding of steel performance. They had several different steels available
and I selected LC200N, a high nitrogen tool steel. By high nitrogen they mean 0.5%
I spent a little time watching a fellow grind an edge into a
blade, creating a shower of sparks.
Another fellow was engraving a knife and I find that amazing. You cut steel into attractive patterns by
hand, using a magnifying glass and steel tools.
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| Weeee! Sparks! |
Work Sharp had a demo table set up and I stopped to get corrective
advice on the system I bought last year.
I don’t have trouble using the coarse and medium belts, but for some
reason the fine always gives me trouble.
I think I’m pressing knife too hard into the abrasive band and changing
the angle. They were very helpful.
The Blade Show is huge.
Unfortunately it is so cruel to the attendees. There aren’t places to sit, and food
facilities are sparse to lean. I don’t
mind paying higher prices, but waiting in line for an hour to get a sandwich
seems dumb. Restrooms are always crowded
and often are locked(!), so they, in my opinion, don’t have to be cleaned.
And I’m not sure if this is the place to see new creative
knives. Sheaths, yes; handles, yes; even
new steels, but if you’re looking for a new blade shape you’ll find table after
table of drop points, bowies and daggers.
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| It isn't just knives. |
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