Thread: Convention Planning and Suggestions

Originally Posted by azjoe

See [ this ] thread

LOL....ok, I got it. Hey, thats really cool to be able see where each of us is spread out. I hope everybody puts their location in.

Soapmistress

Originally Posted by churley

Just a quick note here, as I posted a long comment under the Poll thread.....and then had to DELETE myself after I saw Joe's comments about not posting....LOL... Damn I have got to stop skimming!!

Colleen

Don't worry, I was in the same boat!!

Anyhoo, just a clarification about my vote ... I voted at the $1000--600 level (not realising that we were supposed to vote at multi-levels ... that skimming thing agian.

I'd love to go if ...

The poll was phrased in an "I will definitely go" way, but dates selected may not fit with my work schedule or my GF's schedule, and she doesn't get mych time off! I'd love to go and tie it in with an extra-long-weekend getaway with her but life may well get in the way! (Yeah, finding a day when everyone can attend is impossible. I know.)

The location doesn't really matter to me because, let's face it, the convention will be in the USA ... which means significant travel for me wherever it is. Since my GF really wants to go to Vegas ... But in a sense the location does matter, since I'd have to convince her to go for a vacation there. I don't mean to imply 'Vegas or nothing', but hopefully the location will be attractive to all the shaving widows out there.

And yes, I just put myself on the map ... quite easy as it turns out!!

Perhaps as a concurrent effort, following a recommendation earlier in the thread, we could start local get ogethers...see how they go, and then look at a larger national venue. Also, for either local or national venues, an internet feed and recording for demos and discussion could be a boon to folks who live off the beaten path and cannot attend without selling an organ.

Based on the responses to this thread and the participation in the poll azjoe set up, I am seeing that there is not much interest in an actual convention, in the traditional sense of the word.

Alternatives:

1. Local, smaller gatherings. Advertise on all shaving sites. Someone picks a hotel (for any out-of-towners), arranges a meeting room for some demos, solicits some donations from some vendors for drawings. Vendors also provide a list/catalog of their latest wares or soon-to-be-release items, maybe with a pre-order discount for SRP members. Some photos and a short narrative of the event and attendees could be post here and also sent to B&B, etc. to raise interest. Cost: only if you stay in the hotel and the rental of a meeting room.

2. Same as above, but with the venue to be a local event site (community center, American Legion, VFW, Lodge, chruch hall, etc.) Cost: Same as above or less, if the venue is free.

3. Webcast - demos/discussions scheduled for certain times, no travel required, vendors can also promote their goods (ala infomercial - but no screaming like the OxyClean guy), a list of attendees can be emailed to the vendor and they can do a drawing, etc. Cost: webcam if you don't have one, broadband access if you don't have it. Could also be recorded to disc for folks without High-speed access.

4. Sit at home and drink in the dark, gloating over your str8s as they glisten in the moonlight, mumbling "mine...hehehe...mine, all mine! Boo-wahahahahahaha!".....
.....er...sorry, scratch that last one.

I fully understand that some folks can travel, others can't - family, work, other commitments. Stll, it would be great if we could have some get-togethers and meet each other, demo skills, trade stories, buy/sell stuff.

Greg

I still think the idea of a larger get together would be great. The key would be to keep it smaller in scale than the National Auto Show and maybe tag along with the knife guys or try to come up a small hall somewhere. I will still try to get a small committee together for this. In the meantime, local get togethers are a super thought and will certainly help to spread the word.

Thanks for all your help folks.

Lynn

If anyone is a frequenter of gun/knfe shows and knows the organizers...that would bea great start (I don't attend...one obssession at a time, thank you...all I need is to see a good condition Navy colt and there goes the bank account)....I would be great to have the demos, see vendors wares (maybe enve some Maestro Livi's?) and see how things are done first hand. Meeting folks would be great as well.

We have a lot of talent and knowledge here...it would be great to be able to share it face to face and also spread the word to others. I'm available to help any way I can.

Greg

Originally Posted by WireBeard

If anyone is a frequenter of gun/knfe shows and knows the organizers...that would bea great start (I don't attend...one obssession at a time, thank you...all I need is to see a good condition Navy colt and there goes the bank account)....I would be great to have the demos, see vendors wares (maybe enve some Maestro Livi's?) and see how things are done first hand. Meeting folks would be great as well.

We have a lot of talent and knowledge here...it would be great to be able to share it face to face and also spread the word to others. I'm available to help any way I can.

Greg

Good Evenin Gents,

This is the Knife show schedule from my Husband's "Blade Magazine"....it only runs thru October, but they're EVERYWHERE. Might be a fun start for smaller get togethers.

Hope everybody is havin a Great Labor Day Weekend.
Soapmistress


__________________________________________________ _________________

SEPTEMBER

SEPT. 7-8 ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, ILChicago Custom Knife Show, Tactical Invitational & Knife Auction, Sheraton Chicago Northwest. Contact Ed Wormser 847.757.9926 edw11@aol.com.*/**

SEPT. 14-16 PORTLAND, OR The BLADE Show West, PortlandAirportHolidayInn & ConferenceCenter. The best in handmade and factory knives, including the naming of the 2006 BLADEhandmade™ Awards, knife seminars and much more. Contact BLADE®, c/o F+W Publications, attn: Mary Lutz, Dept. BL7, 700 E. State St., Iola, WI54990 877.746.9757 Mary.Lutz@fwpubs.com, www.collect.com/shows.*

SEPT. 14-16 WILMINGTON, OH The NKCA Ohio Fall Knife Show, Roberts Centre. Call the NKCA 423.875.6009 NKCAlisa@hotmail.com.*

SEPT. 14-16 ROCK SPRINGS, WY Heritage Collectables Knife Show, Best Western Outlaw Inn. Contact John Etten, Dept. BL10, 2995 Skyline Blvd., Ste. 204, Reno, NV 89509 800.301.5593 jetten@hcknives.com.*

SEPT. 22-23 CLAWSON, MI Wolverine Knife Collectors Show, K of C Hall. Call Pat Donovan 586.786.5549 or Frank Meek 586.264.2031.*

SEPT. 22-23 NEW BRAUNFELS, TX Guadalupe Forge Fall Hammer-In & Knifemakers Rendezvous. Contact Johnny Stout 830.606.4067 johnny@stoutknives.com, or Harvey Dean 512.446.3111 dean@tex1.net.**

Sept. 28-30 GRAPEVINE, TX Knives Illustrated Spirit of Steel Show, Hilton DFW Lakes Executive Conference Center. Contact Blade Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Famer© Bruce Voyles 423.238.6753 www.spiritofsteel.com.*

SEPT. 29-30 WIND GAP, PA Knife show, Plainfield Township Volunteer Fire Co. Social Hall. Contact Bill Goodman, 610.253.2745 (work), 610.258.5063 (office), 484.241.6176 (cell) goodknives@goodmancpa.biz.*

SEPT. 29-30 PARIS, FRANCE Salon International du Couteau d’Art et de Collection, Maison de la Mutualite, 24, rue Saint Victor, 75005 Paris, France op.org@wanadoo.fr.



OCTOBER

OCT. 5-6 JANESVILLE, WI Northern Lakes Knife Co. Annual Fall Knife Show, Holiday Inn Express/Janesville Conference Center. Contact Bob Schrap, Dept. BL10, 7024 W. Wells St., Wauwatosa, WI 53213 414.771.6472 rschrap@aol.com.*

OCT. 5-7 EXETER, CA Sierra Forge and Fire Hammer-In. Contact Rick Dunkerley 406.677.5496 rick@dunkerleyhandmadeknives.com.**

OCT. 13-14 ATLANTA, GA Flint River Knife and Chattahoochee Cutlery clubs’ Great Southern Knife Show, Cobb Civic Center. Contact Jack Jackson, Dept. BL10, POB 202, Fairburn, GA 30213 678.877.4605 jack57pat@yahoo.com.*

OCT. 13-14 SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY The NCCA Show in conjunction with NEACA, Saratoga City Center. Contact Arthur Green 518.725.4889 agreen03@nycap.rr.com.

OCT. 13-14 PUYALLUP, WA Northwest Knife Collectors’ Show in conjunction w/Washington Arms Collectors, Western Washington Fairgrounds. Contact Tony Berg 253.473.6967 or Don Hanham 425.827.1644 nwkc.org.

OCT. 20 SANTA CLARA, CA The BAKCA Inc. Annual Knife Show, Santa Clara Convention Center. Contact Jeff Pelz 925.336.1444 or J.P. Holmes 925.455.1839 bakcainc.org.*

OCT. 20-21 TULSA, OK Wanenmacher’s Tulsa Arms Show, Expo Square, Tulsa fairgrounds. Contact Tulsa Gun Show, Dept. BL10, POB 33201, Tulsa, OK 74153 918.492.0401 tulsaarmsshow.com.

OCT. 26-27 CAMBRIDGE, OH The Ohio Classic Knife Show, Pritchard-Laughlin Civic Center. Contact Larry Bailey 740.787.2317 info@ohioknifeshow.com.*BH

OCT. 26-28 SHEPHERDSVILLE, KY The NKCA Fall Knife Show, Paroquet Springs Conference Center. Contact NKCA 423.875.6009 NKCAlisa@hotmail.com.*

OCT. 27-28 OLD WASHINGTON, AR The ABS Fall Hammer-In, Bill Moran School of Bladesmithing. Contact Scotty Hayes 903.838.4541, ext. 237.**

Would the convention have to be in Chicago?? Or are other areas being considered? I personally like Las Vegas for conventions as I go to at least 1 or 2 in vegas per year and they have amazing hotel rates and its easy to get anywhere not to mention flights are always cheap.

Anyway, Im open to most places...just no NY or Chicago for me.

Originally Posted by JLStorm

Would the convention have to be in Chicago?? Or are other areas being considered? I personally like Las Vegas for conventions as I go to at least 1 or 2 in vegas per year and they have amazing hotel rates and its easy to get anywhere not to mention flights are always cheap.

Anyway, Im open to most places...just no NY or Chicago for me.

JL, there is a poll AZJoe is running soliciting cost brackets people are comfortable with for the convention. So far, all venues are open. It does look like, based on feedback, that several local gatherings may precede any large national/international event.

Greg