Kentucky Knifemakers

mike (graveyard) just read about you idea im new as ya get i could get to sheperdsville in a short will NEVER hear a word about a knife show there theres a conviction hall right off i65 id like to see a show to to close members
 
graveyard said:
mike (graveyard) just read about you idea im new as ya get i could get to sheperdsville in a short will NEVER hear a word about a knife show there theres a conviction hall right off i65 id like to see a show to to close members
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The NKCA held a spring and fall show there every year until 2008. The KCA held it's show there in Sept 2009. I did the last 4 or 5 of them and never saw a good crowd there. At the last one we were listed in all of the knife publications, promoted it on all the knife forums and even had free admission but still very few came.

The KCA is going to hold another show there in April. We could meet there. We could probably get one of the meeting rooms inside for a meeting and I suppose we could set up demonstrations in the parking lot. The only problem is if any of us have a table at the show they wouldn't be free to participate in a hammer in.
 
The Shepherdsville is a great facility and easy to get to location. Hotels and food right there. Nothing wrong with it but the crowd won't come for some reason. I don't know if because it's not in a big town setting they think is no good. Last year we had some big name custom makers there and the if the custom knife collectors did think that they sure missed out.
 
I have now identified 53 Kentucky knifemakers. A few may no longer be active and I don't have contact information for everybody but I am surprised at the number of makers here in KY and that I had never heard of some of them.

All the more reason to promote ourselves as a group. Things are looking good to get something going. New info coming soon.
 
Cliff Fendley said:
The Shepherdsville is a great facility and easy to get to location. Hotels and food right there. Nothing wrong with it but the crowd won't come for some reason. I don't know if because it's not in a big town setting they think is no good. Last year we had some big name custom makers there and the if the custom knife collectors did think that they sure missed out.
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So true. We had at least 10 custom knifemakers there among the 125 or so tables. They included Gil Hibben, Gene and Barbara Baskett, Doug and Diana Casteel, Mike Pellegrin, Jerry Bodner, Ed Wallace, Mike Carter, Cliff Fendley, David Dobbs, and Ron Richerson.

If anyone is interested my pictures of the show are here: KCA 2009 Show
 
Mike
Do you think we need to have an organizational meeting before the show? Maybe with a smaller group, just to get an idea of how we want to be organized, set up a few guidelines etc. Let me know what you think

Sean
 
I just threw out the KCA show as a possibility. I'm sure they would welcome us and I can discuss it with them at our meeting Monday night. Of course they would like for us all to have tables at the show but then that ties us up from doing anything else like demonstrations.

Would you guys rather do something in conjunction with that show April 25-25 or do our own separate hammer-in / meeting sometime in April?
 
Mike, I thought I might toss another name out to you - Jerry Rados.
Many know him - some don't. Some would argue that he makes the single most sought after Damascus made. Period.
He's been my neighbor, friend and tutor since '98.
Anyway, he has just this winter moved to KENTUCKY!! He's right in your back yard - Columbia.
My loss - your gain.
http://www.jerryrados.com/home.html
A really smart guy would get ahold of him and make him part of your plans.
His name would also look GREAT on any promotional materials.
I also hope you guys have decided to let "outsiders" join? Right?
And hold tables at your shows?
I mean, I'm have been a member of the New England Knife Maker's Guild, even though I've never lived in New England.
And all that separates Illinois from Kentucky is some li'l ol' river.
Regardless, I think what you have in mind is fantastic. Anything we can do to promote this wonderful business can't be wrong.
Good luck to you guys.
 
Jerry Rados is in KY, I did not know that. Would definatly like to get him involved.
Karl I dont know about lettin' yankees in!!??:);)

I for one would like to have you Karl.

Sean
 
I do have Jerry Rados on my list of KY knifemakers to contact. There is no question that he makes some outstanding knives and I would certainly hope that he would join in with us.

Karl, you bring up a very good point and if/when we get organized it's one that we need to address right from the get-go. I have kind of taken the lead on trying to get an organization together but I feel it must be organized according to the wishes of the majority of the participants.

The question of allowing "outsiders" to join the Kentucky Knifemakers Guild is one I don't know how to address. It seems deceptive to promote a group of Kentucky artists and craftsmen if some of the members are not from Kentucky.

I hate to exclude anyone and I know there are a lot of very talented knifemakers in every surrounding state including southern Indiana which is only about 10 minutes from my house.

In my opinion, for a show, the more the better. But for the Kentucky Knifemakers Guild, if it does come to be ... I don't know.

How do the others feel about it?
 
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Here is my list of 53 Kentucky Knifemakers as of today, sorted by town. I have not contacted all of them and some may not even be making knives anymore but I think most are. If you know of someone I have missed please let me know.

Joe Keeslar Almo, KY
Adam Hill Betsy Layne, Ky
Larry Downing Bremen, KY
Willie Rigney Jr. Bronston, KY
Barry Bybee Cadiz, KY
Dan France Cawood, KY
Jerry Rados Columbia, KY
Hank Gevedon Crab Orchard, KY
Barbara Baskett Eastview, KY
Gene Baskett Eastview, KY
Gerald Corbit Elizabethtown, KY
WD Pease Ewing, KY
John Howser Frankfort, KY
Mitch Edwards Glasgow, KY
Ed Baumgardner Glendale, KY
John Greco Greensburg, KY
Ron Richerson Greensburg, KY
Kyle Addison Hazel, KY
Max Soaper Henderson, KY
Cliff Fendley LaGrange, KY
Daryl Hibben LaGrange, KY
Gil Hibben LaGrange, KY
Tom Hoke LaGrange, KY
Richard Mize Lawrenceburg, KY
Don Miller Lexington, KY
Bud Peyton Louisville, KY
David Steier Louisville, KY
Harold Pierce Louisville, KY
Jerry Bodner Louisville, KY
Mike Carter Louisville, KY
Mike Combs Louisville, KY
Richard Hutchings Louisville, KY
Ron Flaherty Louisville, KY
AT Barr Nicholasville, KY
DE Brown Nortonville, KY
Jimmie Coil Owensboro, KY
Sean Cochran Pikeville, KY
HL Holbrooks Sandy Hook, KY
Jim Adams Scottsville, KY
Morris Pulliam Shelbyville, KY
Donald Britt Shepherdsville, KY
Ed Wallace Shepherdsville, KY
Jim Fister Simpsonville, KY
Steve Dunn Smiths Grove, KY
Denton Eller Somerset, KY
Charles Wallingford Union, KY
Marty Young Vanceburg, KY
Kit Carson Vine Grove, KY
Bennie Lovejoy Wallins Creek, KY
Aaron Frederick West Liberty, KY
John W Smith West Liberty, KY
Ricky Finch West Liberty, KY
James Boren Western KY
 
I have started working on an organizational structure and by-laws just to give us a starting point for our consideration of forming a Guild.
My thinking is that the more we can bring makers and collectors together the better for all.

I propose several classes of membership:

Knifemaker Membership for knifemakers residing in KY.

Collector Membership open to anyone anywhere who buys or collects knives..

Family Membership for spouses and children. The purpose would be to offer a discounted membership to encourage family participation in Guild events.

Associate Membership for dealers, suppliers and others who provide services to knifemakers.

Honorary Membership to be offered to individuals who are not engaged in making knives, but advances the purpose of the Kentucky Knifemakers.

Founding Members: Those individuals who were/are engaged in making or collecting knives and were responsible for, or actively engaged in, founding the Kentucky Knifemakers Guild.

Maybe a Non-Resident Knifemaker Membership?
 
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Mike
I like your member classifications. I think a non-resident membership would be ok. I can send you a copy of our by-laws if you would like.

Sean
 
Mike

I like your classification too.
Here are a couple of names of Kentucky makers not on your list.
Charles Clifton - Georgetown
J.W. Fleming - Maysville

Rick
 
Sean, sure I would like to see your by-laws. I kind of worked from the Knifemakers Guild by-laws just to get a starting point.

I want to point out that nothing is set in stone. I am just trying to get some basic stuff together as someplace to start and discuss with the group. Once we get a group of founding members together we can hash out the details.

Even if a Guild doen't work out we still need to have some kind of get-together occasionally but it's looking like there is enough interest to form some kind of organization to promote KY Knifemakers.

Marty, thanks!
 
Mike
A group of founding members is the way to go. The way we did our club was with a group of founding members. It is alot easier to get the stucture of the organization with a smaller group. Then take the reccomendations to the group as a whole.
How about I give you a call this week, Ill send you a PM.

Sean
 
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