KnifeDogs at Blade...

Latest Update.......Coming Soon

Well guys and gals, I kinda dropped the ball today. For some reason, Uncle Sam thought I would be best employed working a range today as opposed to answering my phone when Blade returned my call to answer questions. I will do my best to contact them in the morning and update everyone with what I find out as soon as possible. Be advised, updates will be late tomorrow or early Thursday, I have a range tomorrow and night fire following.
 
No Bull Answers

Alrighty guys and gals, here's the scoop.......

I've spoken with the Blade Show Coordinator, Alicia Newton.

Confirmed prices for Table: $ 475
Booth: $1125
(***$75 discount per booth with payment for multiple booths***)

As of now, Alicia can not guarantee that she can reserve adjoining booths for the Knife Dogs Kennel, but has stated that more booths are being planned for 2010. She has told me that she is very willing to assist, but that last year's table and booth holders have first choice in maintaining thier former locations. The deadline for last years attendees to confirm is in January.

Alicia has asked that we complete the contract she is sending me and asked that we request the max number of booths that we believe we will require (we may reduce this number if need be). She has asked that we do this in order for her to attempt to organize things for them to be adjoining. She has further stated that there is normally a deposit required to reserve, but that given that we have a unique request she does not want us paying until she can confirm booth assignment.

With this being said....I believe it would be best that all of the Knife Dogs combine resources in order to take best advantage of the booth discount. In doing so, we need to.....

1. Establish who will be responsible for the contract. (Boss, this has your name all over it!)

2. Determine the exact number of booths we will need. Any members who wish to share a booth within the kennel, please PM me with a confirmation along with names for the booth.

3. Create a treasury for Blade along with appointing a treasurer (this ain't me, I'm working logistics). I think this could easily be done by establishing a PayPal account for Knife Dogs Blade Show (Once again, this has Boss's name all over it).

4. Determine what all we wish to provide and/or promote at the show. I personally believe that our greatest advertiseing point is not just knives, but that we are a family oriented forum deticated to the education and camaraderie of knifemakers, suppliers, collectors, dealers, hobbyist, and thier loved ones.


These are just a few ideas off the top of my head, but we need to make a few decisions pretty soon as to what our game plan will be. I hope the information I have been able to obtain has given everyone a better idea of what is going on.

Any and all serious input is greatly welcomed.
 
Boss, the range I'm working are small arms ranges. I'm an instructor for "Urban Operations" (urban combat tactics) as well as the Reflex Fire, and Shoot House ranges. The only weapons we deal with are the M-4, M-9, M-249, and shotgun.
 
murphda2 said:
4. Determine what all we wish to provide and/or promote at the show. I personally believe that our greatest advertiseing point is not just knives, but that we are a family oriented forum deticated to the education and camaraderie of knifemakers, suppliers, collectors, dealers, hobbyist, and thier loved ones.


These are just a few ideas off the top of my head, but we need to make a few decisions pretty soon as to what our game plan will be. I hope the information I have been able to obtain has given everyone a better idea of what is going on.

Any and all serious input is greatly welcomed.
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Murph
I just sent you a PM.

I couldnt agree more about the above, this will be my first trip to Blade, so to be able to have some friends to meet there is great.

As for suggestions, I agree with Josh that it would nice for some of us makers to be able to show some of our work. In return we would volunteer to "man" a section of the booth, maybe an "up and coming maker" area, this would be a great oppurtunity for meet and greet just to help get our name and info out there. For instance I agree to work that area for a couple of hours, while Im there I would display a couple of my knives, then another maker would have a chance and so forth.

Thanks for putting your time in this Murph. Keep 'em shooting straight!2guns

Sean
 
Josh Dabney said:
I've got a couple ideas/suggestions and info for the show

1. This is gonna be AWESOME ! Oh back on topic

2. After the fiasco with the event planners last year it may be a good idea to try to contact them and get a response on the chances of putting together our Kennel (No idea if the booth assignments work the same way that maker tables get assigned)

3. It would be sweet if we could arrange a knife display at one of our booths so folks like myself who'll have 1 or 2 knives will have a shot at getting a little exposure. Offering them for sale may be too much to keep straight moneywise with a buch of different members, but displaying knives with their contact # would be great.

4. We've got amazing talent here so perhaps an OFFICIAL KD collaboration knife to raffle off during the show is in order ? Proceeds could go towards Blade Show 2011 booths, or paying off the BB's :)

5. Last year Me, DCknives, & Mrs.DC stayed here-

Hampton Inn & Suites Atlanta-Galleria
2733 Circle 75 Parkway, Atlanta, Georgia, USA 30339
Tel: +1-770-955-1110 Fax: +1-770-955-1154

It is hard to overlook the convenience of staying at the Wavery but the benefits of the Hampton are, $60 a night including a very nice continental breakfast (sandwiches,omlets,sausage,bacon+the usual stuff), plus a free shuttle service to and from the Cobb Galaria Centre that runs till 10:00 PM. We hung out in the Pit till after hours and the cab cost $7 back to the Hampton. Plus they do have smoking rooms for those interested.

I was just thinking if we're gonna unite and be the Lead Dogs of the show we might as well do the same at the Hotel so I thought I post this as a topic of conversation.

6. I've got a nice little ATS-34 paring knife blade tempering right now that I'll finish up and donate to help out the cause.

-Josh
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The chain wide Marriott no smoking policy keeps me out of the Waverly. When I went in 2005, you could spark up a cigar in The Pit. I missed 2006 and when I went back in 2007 and 2008, they had banished us to the driveway. I was too tired to go to the pit this past year, but from the pictures, it looked like they had moved the smoking area out into the parking lot. I got "fined" $250 at the Marriott Marquis in New York for smoking in my room New Years 2006-2007 after paying $600+ a night and swore that I would never stay in another Marriott.
I stayed at the Sheraton in 2007, but they have figured out they have a captive audience and have jacked up the prices accordingly. I am now a loyal Hilton guy and stayed at the Hampton in 2008 and at the Doubletree Gust Suites one light up the hill from Hampton. Hilton had just taken the Doubletree over, so they were making deals. I will probably be back at the Hampton that is right under the interstate from the Galleria again this year.
 
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Last year I had enough frequent points I got 2 free nights at the waverly. This year I am going to have to stay 4 nights so I'm not sure where/what I'm doing. I may have to bring some helpers, a buddy to help run the booth so I can go visit suppliers and my 15yr old son who needs to start getting involved in the family business.
 
BossDog said:
Last year I had enough frequent points I got 2 free nights at the waverly. This year I am going to have to stay 4 nights so I'm not sure where/what I'm doing. I may have to bring some helpers, a buddy to help run the booth so I can go visit suppliers and my 15yr old son who needs to start getting involved in the family business.
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Tracy, if you are going to have multiple bodies to accommodate and a vehicle to get your wares to the Galleria, I would look seriously at the Sheraton and the Doubletree Suites. You get a lot more room in you room, so to speak. :D Another option is the one of the extended stay places around the corner.
 
I am planning on sending a big check to the Blade Show people for booths on January 15.

At this point we are calling KnifeDogs for sure. We are also calling Great Lakes Waterjet and Midwest Knifemakers Supply sharing a booth for sure.
We have 1 group of 3 makers sharing a booth that are 90% committed.
I have 1 other group of 2 service/sellers sharing a booth 75% committed. One is a go, the other is maybe. We will find the 100% another partner if we need to.

We have tentatively 4 booths in a block we will be purchasing.
Is anyone else interested in hanging out with the dogs?
 
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Tracy,
Any chance of having a table with knives from various makers, kinda like a tag sale where 10% of the sale prices goes toward the table and a few guys can takes turns manning the table. Each knife could have a tag made out by the maker with the price and maybe the lowest offer they would accept in code on the back. Just a thought.
How many knives would you think a guy should have for sale in order to take a third of a booth and what's the chances of a new guy actually selling anything?
Steve
 
"what's the chances of a new guy actually selling anything?"


Pretty good if they look like the one in the for sale section. 2thumbs

Rudy
 
Les George said:
There should only be one price for a knife, the price. ;)
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I couldnt agree more Les. When I first started selling them I was afraid of pricing them too high, now that Im getting them to the point where I am satisfied with them, I realize that Im putting alot of work into them and price them that way, still not what a better known maker gets but what I feel is a fair price, and I dont move off that price. I dont mean to be arrogant, but if $X.XX is what I feel the knife is worth then that is what Im going to ask.
Just my .02

Sean
 
I'm not sure of how the logistics will work but I am sure we can work out a way for KD members to show/sell a knife or two.

There would have to be a lot of conditions decided and agreed to up front. Things like max number knives, staying with the knives, physically how are they going to be displayed (booths are just empty spaces - tables and chair rental is additional), only paid members?, etc.

The main ideas behind the KD booth was to build KnifeDogs membership and as a place to meet, relax, network, show knives, etc. That will drive all decisions around what is eventually decided.

I am sure we will have a way for members here to show a knife or two and try to sell them. We will have to get an idea of how many would like to do that before we can really put some governance in place. The last thing we need is a bunch of annoyed people because we didn't anticipate issues and plan for them in advance and communicate well.

We will talk about all this in advance so everyone knows what is going on and can contribute to the decisions around this. We have plenty of time. I think it would be great to have 200 knives for sale in the KD booth by 150 makers. I don't know where we will all stand but it will be a big, fun crowd won't it?

The Blade Show Dog Pound...
 
Boss, I have a few ideas. I'll shoot you a PM tomorrow. I also have another maker interested in sharing a booth.
 
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