2016 Blade Show

[cyprant]

Who is going, who is not? What are you hoping to see and do? Driving or flying? Ordering any Knives in hopes to take delivery at Blade?



I decided that I was going to go to my first Blade Show. I have a lot to learn about what to expect and how much $ I should plan to spend, so please help feel free to give advice.

I booked my room at the Renaissance Waverly (discounted from the Bladeshow.com website bit.ly/1LNx2uB) for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night, and also booked a round trip from ORD to ATL and back kfor $109, seriously I didn't realize you could fly that cheap these days (Spirit). Book early is the lesson here..

Anyways, I'm excited and starting to save for this... Tips appreciated!

 

[cyprant]

So if I'm flying home on Sunday after blade show, how can I get any Knives I aquire back home safely with out checking them? I don't trust airlines with anything checked... The post office will be closed on Sunday, as well as all common carriers... Does Bladeshow offer a shipping service?


EDIT: I have confirmed that the UPS store at the hotel will be open for at least 4 hours on the Sunday of the show... They do charge a surcharge for the convenience by weight. I asked a bout a 20lb package and they said it would be an additional $15 ontop of regular fees. Not too bad in my opinion to be able to ship on Sunday from the convenience of the hotel lobby...

Also, @vigilant says there's a Fed Ex/Kinko's near by that will be a bit cheaper. I assume they would just have normal business hours. (Closed Sunday)

 

[Gamez235]

I'm going. I live two hours away.

 

[M67]

1) You can never bring too much money.

2) I've always drove, it's not a bad drive, still 8-9 hours depending on traffic but it's an "enjoyable" drive if that makes any sense. That is if you leave at the right time and bypass rushour in Louisville, Nashville, Chattanooga, and Atlanta.

3) If you fly, you can either have a friend who drove bring your knives back for you (did that one year for a friend in Massachusetts, he flew, I drove, I brought his knives home and shipped them to him)

4) You can never bring too much money.

5) There is a UPS store at the Cobb Galleria so you can ship your knives to yourself

6) There are ATMs there in case you didn't bring enough money, they may have a limit on withdraw though, not sure

 

[Gamez235]

7) The ATM's run out of money..

 

[cyprant]

Thanks guys! Appreciate the tips!

Is JGKT going to have a table?

 

[cyprant]

Just extended my trip to include Thursday night, I kept reading Thursday night in the Pit is where its at!

 

[jd4320t]

I was gonna say you should go Thursday night.

 

[Gabriel]

I hear it is THE show for knives and such.

 

[cyprant]

Well I'm glad I realized this before the hotel booked up!!!

 

[rhino]

I believe that the Blade Show is every bit as awesome as all describe.

Q: if someone can't walk or stand very much (and is too proud to be another fat guy riding a scooter), is it worth the trip and expense of attending?

 

[Vigilant]

ATM' s all set at $200 limits, so, next to worthless at Blade. There is a Chase bank at the top of the hill where you can get advances, it was busy as hell! Rhino, not such a good investment. It's nearly a quarter mile walk from the hotel lobby to the event doors alone! The UPS store is generall open for short hour on Sunday, but the hotel butt rapes you with surcharges to ship from there. There is a FedEx Kinkos down the road a little that is open on Sunday's without the hotel convenience fee.

 

[cyprant]

The UPS store is generall open for short hour on Sunday, but the hotel butt rapes you with surcharges to ship from there. There is a FedEx Kinkos down the road a little that is open on Sunday's without the hotel convenience fee.

Sweet! I just confirmed with the UPS store at the hotel. I asked for an example surcharge, and The surcharge is $15 for a 20lb package... Seems reasonable to be to be able to ship on Sunday with out leaving the convention... Thanks for the info!

 

[Gamez235]

I have a UPS acct. an can ship your haul back for you. Cost of the label.

No table for me at this point. I had some space on another guys table who bailed on me last minute, so I just sold everything I had made for the show, online that weekend. I like to go to the demo's and classes. hang with friends and proxy for the lotto's.

 

[Gabriel]

I have a UPS acct. an can ship your haul back for you. Cost of the label.

No table for me at this point. I had some space on another guys table who bailed on me last minute, so I just sold everything I had made for the show, online that weekend. I like to go to the demo's and classes. hang with friends and proxy for the lotto's.

That peaks my interest more than walking around looking at knives I can't afford.

 

[cyprant]

I have a UPS acct. an can ship your haul back for you. Cost of the label.

That's super cool of you, I will likely take you up on that offer! Thank you!


The classes are what really pushed me over edge to go ahead and book the trip... Although, I am super excited to meet makers, handle Knives I could never afford to own, make friends and drink with the cool people of the knife community, see what's up for the next year, and of coruse excited for lotteries, and possibly placing an order for a grail...

I'm also a beginning knife maker and am considering bringing some of my work for some critiquing from fellow knife nuts... Unsure how this will go over with out paying for a table. Don't want to ruffle any feathers as I will not have any for sale, but figured it would be the best place on earth to get some honest opinions... Your thoughts?

 

[Bradsknives]

That's super cool of you, I will likely take you up on that offer! Thank you!


The classes are what really pushed me over edge to go ahead and book the trip... Although, I am super excited to meet makers, handle Knives I could never afford to own, make friends and drink with the cool people of the knife community, see what's up for the next year, and of coruse excited for lotteries, and possibly placing an order for a grail...

I'm also a beginning knife maker and am considering bringing some of my work for some critiquing from fellow knife nuts... Unsure how this will go over with out paying for a table. Don't want to ruffle any feathers as I will not have any for sale, but figured it would be the best place on earth to get some honest opinions... Your thoughts?

IMO, I wouldn't take up a makers time at their table/booth while the show is going on. They are their to promote their own work and sell knives. You will have plenty of time and opportunities to get opinions if you hang out at the "Pit" during the after hours.

 

[Gamez235]

If your gonna show work off table, the PIT is for that like brad said.

 

[Gabriel]

You'll get murdered with you own knives for brown bagging it.

 

[cyprant]

I should have clairified, I would be intending to do my show and tell at the Pit, not the show it self...

@Gabriel
Is it considered brown bagging if I'm not selling anything?


The last thing I want is to do is make an ass hat out of myself...