Doing Knife Shows

[Dana Acker]

This year I set up at my first knife show--the Southeast Custom Knife Show, in Winston Salem, NC. Several people had recommended my attending a show and meeting the knife buying public--which I'm glad to have done.

I just wanted to ask some of you vets, about particular shows you may recommend, and why? Also what about some of the do's and don't's of doing a successful show? For some of us, it's new experience, and it never hurts to get feedback from those who either have done it or do it on a regular basis. Any hints, or words of advice guys?

[Sweany]

Hey Dana, a couple things I learned was bring bandaids, and leave em around the table, the bandaids seem to keep it peoples minds that they are knifes and are sharp.. I saw a person cut himself badly, just looking at a makers knife,\. One maker I know prints his business card on Bandaids.

Don't leave the sheath on the table, everybody wants to put the knife in the sheath backwards.

[MongoForge]

Ive never done a knife show but have read
a few articles on the subject

I believe it was Ed Fowler that
reccomended standing as much as possible
and dont be ashamed to be the last
to leave the show.

Im sure a nice big war club would be
an attention getter :-)

[Phillip Jones]

One thing I have learned is that you should take something relatively inexpensive to sell just in case you don't sell a knife. Been there, done that. Those copper flowers I make have provided me gas money home on more than one ocassion.

Try to take as wide a variety of knives as possible for the type of knives that you make.

One show I recommend is the upcoming Chesapeake Knife Show on December 8th. It is a one day only show, but, the crowd is really packed in all day long and they come ready to buy knives.
This year will be the 5th year that Barry and I have attended and each year we do well.
I'll post a link to that show info.

A lot of shows charge some hefty table fees, $250 and up
. The Shenandoah Valley Knife Collectors show , here in Virginia, charges $45-$50 for a table. That is usually the first weekend in April.

[Phillip Jones]

Here is the link to the Chesapeake Show...

http://www.knifeshows.com/

Contact Ted Merchant for any table openings.
He is a great guy to deal with and puts on a heck of a show.

It's a lot like fish'n.

Dana,

There is a more important question in there, for me: How have you been selling your knives, otherwise?

Sam

[Phillip Jones]

Tai has it right.

You can cast out your line but it's totally up to the fish as to whether it will take the bait.

Yeah, first you find a good spot and make your bait as attractive as you can, then throw it out there, and it's up to the fish to bite or not. You can have better gear, bait and spot, but the guy next to you still might catch more fish. Is it science or art?

[Phillip Jones]

One good advantage of setting up at a show, as opposed to just sticking it out on the internet, is that the buyers can see the quality of your work firsthand. Looking at a picture does not always show that.
They get to feel the fit and finish, check to see if the knife fits thier hand and get to know a little bit more about the maker.

[Dana Acker]

Sam, up 'til now, all my sales have been by orders, either local to my area or by internet, from my website or through the CKD. I did a craft show once, and sold all the little knives (neck knife sized) knives that I had. Bigger knives didn't do much.

[Dana Acker]

I might add, while I've been making and selling knives for a number of years, I'm still fairly new to the "business" of knives. Alex was and still is a tremendous help, as has been Tai, Les Robertson, and others, and, my website has done wonders for my knife sales. But there's still a lot of aspects I have to learn--shows being one of them. There's alot more to it than just picking a show, paying for a table and then showing up. I figured if I had questions in this regard, others might as well. If one is going to be serious about selling knives, shows cannot be discounted. This is such a good place to learn, I thought I'd cast my line out here, to borrow Tai's analogy.

[Sweany]

I think I'm seeing double, the before and after Tai.

I like it. Uh,which one is the evil twin

:confused: :confused: :confused:

If you look at shows just in terms of sales (catching fish) you may find yourself disapointed. It's about the whole experience. It's a good way to meet people and make conections.

Sweany. Does the one with the glasses tell the one with the hair what to say? Or, does the one with the hair tell the one with the glasses what to say?