AKI report:

The Art Knife Invitational was great, well run and managed by Phil Lobred, the sponsor. All makers sold some knives, some makers sold all their knives. I brought home an S 60V Loveless-style Dropped Hunter integral with stag. (That stuff is tougher than nails!!) Otherwise did fine.

Sold #002 and #003 SRJ folders, locking liner-types. Thanks, Mike Smith, for the help on learning to make this type of knife. These knives are fun and challenging to make, as many of you know. Also took a narrow-tang drop point with stag handle and a bighorn spacer with Sakmar mokume butt cap, that I etched heavily, for a kind of textured look. And a miniature Loveless-bladed fighter with a Johnson-type handle, MOP.

This show, as you may know, is different, in that the 25 makers/members (Talk about being unworthy!) bring between 3-8 knives. The invited customers, who had to pay over $100 to attend, then preview the knives on the tables from 10:00 a.m. to 100 p.m., all the time placing bid slips in boxes by the kinves they like for their chance to purchase that/those knives. Then at 1:00 p.m. the makers draw one name from the box by each knife. If the "lucky" buyer wants theknife (He may have had his name drawn more than once) he says he wants it and the knife is sold. If he turns it down, the maker draws again, and so on for three times. Sometimes a buyer who bids on many knives has his name drawn for more knives than he can afford, thus the need for subsequent drawings.

There is also the opportunity for makers to offer one knife on an "open bid" basis, (The miniature above) where the knife is sold for whatever anyone will offer on the sheet, like a silent auction. And another knife may be sold on a "bid-up" offering, (My narrow tang was in this category) where the maker puts a minimum bid on the knife and it can go up from there with the highest bidder taking it.

Anyway, it was a great show. Shelley Berman was, as always, kind enough to entertain at the banquet Sat. eve. The show starts at 10:00 and is over by 2:00. Then there is time to visit and socialize afterwards. It was great to meet Don Guild, who has a banner on the CKD here frequently, Thad Kawakami-Wong, a friend of Tom Mayo's and other great people, customers, friends.

The San Diego Marriott at the Marina is a beautiful hotel and the town is great. Shirt sleeve weather all the time, it seems.

See the folder photos below.

That's the report, hopefully not too booring, or out of line.....

Thanks, Steve! Looking forward to the folder pics.

You can/have seen the pics on the "debut" thread, herein.

The show was a great success We were all a bit worried I think because of air travel and all thats happened since 9/11. But the collectors there bought lots of knives.

Steve, it was good to see you again.

Hey, Tim.
Did you get any pics taken?

Great to see you, Tim. Isn't that a fine group of people?

Bob's right, that would really class up the place, to add a few shots of some of those fabulous Herman knives!

It is a fine group of people and I am honored to be a small part of it. Here is one small piece I had, a mini Price Garter bowie. 3" blade of ats34

Steve, show us those cool folders you did!

Thanks for letting us see that beauty, Tim, Steve
Here is a Point 7 shot of the AKI folders:

After the Milan show, where I'm committed to premier the knife, at the end of the month, we can post a shot of the 001 folder, a drop point.

Steve,

That ivory one with the boot blade is gorgeous!!! I would love to own that one

Thanks, Tim. What kind words. Ditto, for just about any Herman knife ever made.