I know several Trad Gang Members will be attending the Blade show this year.  So, who's going to be there and what hotels/motels will you be staying.  Maybe we could all get together sometime.  As for me, I'm getting in Thursday afternoon, Hampton Inn at the Galleria.
Bob

I'll be there Thusday afternoon at the Sheriton across the foot bridge.
                              Lin

I'll be staying at Ray Hammond's house.
Cell phone 478-288-2354.
Call when you want to meet.
Dan

Dan,
     You and Ray stop by my table. I'm sure you'll be shopping and have to carry a lot of stuff. If you need a base, you can leave things under my table and pick them up when you get ready. It's 23-P. You should get a table ledger, map, or something when you get there. That place is huge and you might see some sights. I saw a man wearing a skirt last year. I think they call em kilts or somethin. If you see him, dont make direct eye contact.
cell 870-942-6419 if you need it.
                                 Lin

ha ha. Now you are gonna laugh,but my best friend has some health problems and one offshoot ofthat is that he needs "cool" all the time. His house is like a meat locker.

Anyway, last year he bought himself a kilt thinking it might make him cooler, temperature wise.  It did, but he stopped wearing it because of all the stares. He's going to spend summers someplace cool instead.

Your booth is marked on my map already, Lin. I
can't afford to buy that camp knife,but I want to hold it really bad!

Hey anyone knoiw if they have TShirts there??<><

I'll be sitting across from from Lin at 23-Q.
He doesn't know it yet, but he and I are going to have a "contest"!

Yea Frank, they sell lots of stuff. You name it.

What kind o contest Karl?    Lin

It'll be a knife making "endeavor" that I'll discuss with you at Blade and then we'll do it afterwards and post our "creations' here.
I think it could be fun.

Lin, my dad and I are looking forward to seeing those knives in person, I dont have enough to buy one, but like Ray said, I wanna hold it real bad

QuoteOriginally posted by Lin Rhea:
Yea Frank, they sell lots of stuff. You name it.

What kind o contest Karl?     Lin

Actually, "contest" is probably the wrong word - more like a "game".
If there was a contest between you and me, you'd win right out of the chute!
It could be fun, Lin.

Karl, Give me a hint. I need to know what shoes to wear.    
                       Lin

I'm gonna supply the knife materials and then you and I can each create our own type of knife out of the same materials and see how varied they are!
I have another "maker/collector/student" in mind to give the materials to as well to see what he might come up with.
What will be unique about it is the type of materials!
You just can't stand a mystery, can you?!?
Don't ask me anymore 'cause that's all I'm gonna tell ya'!!

It does sound like fun! I'm game.  Lin  

These are the blades that I want to see.
Some of the best come from little Games like this ..
Hope to see the pics when both of you boys are done playing...
 Later...Buzz

I will be at the blade show on Saturday.  I will have a string of boys wanting everything in the building.  

Frank,

you want me to look for you another shirt?

Phil

Well, I managed to lose my cell phone yesterday.  Unless I can find it, my cell number that I listed above will not work.
Dan

Fellas,
The Blade show can be overwhelming.  There are so, so many knives and never enough funds.  

Anyhow, here's a little Blade show update.  I got to meet a few Trad Gang Members, OconeeDan and Ray Hammond.  I've known Lin for a few years and always been a fan of his work.  Matter of fact, his hunter won best hunter for the show....quite an accomplishment....congrats Lin!  It's the ironwood hunter he posted previously.

I was lucky to pick up Dan Winkler Hunter.  Dan sold out in 20 minutes upon opening. I also snagged an Ed Caffrey hunter.  Pictures below, sorry for the terrible photography.

Oconee Dan, Me, Lin and Ray...nice meeting you fellas.
 

Best Hunter, 2008 Blade Show.


Ed Caffrey MS, blackwood handle, mosaic damascus blade.
 

Dan Winkler MS, damascus, sheephorn handle, sheath by Karen Shook.  
 
 
Bob

Bob, you pretty much summed it up.  It was great to meet up with you, Lin and his wife Kay, Karl, and Ray.
The diversity of people there was jaw dropping.  There were people there from all over the world.  Many were there from Japan and from Europe.  Many knife makers could speak little English.  The crowd ranged from rocket scientist to red necks, from burly mountain men to pencil necked geeks. And not just men, but women and children as well.
I ended up spending every penney I had in my pocket, but didn't buy anything exciting.  Mainly materials and supplies.
The most common knives there were hunters and folders, but there were every other kind there too, from 1/2 in miniatures to 4 foot giants, swords, and collectables.
What a blast.
CONGRATULATIONS to Lin Rhea for his Best Hunter of Show award, that is a huge honor.
Big thanks to Ray and his bride Gloria for opening up their home to me.
Dan

Here is a photo of Lin, Karl, and myself.  They are truly nice guys that would be fun to share a campfire with.


The blade cutting competetion was a hoot to attend.  An obstacle course that involved cutting free hanging rope, and chopping/cutting balls, 2x4 boards, bottles of water, and plywood.


Materials were abundant and for sale.  Here is some walrus tusk and oosik, among other things.


Mammoth tooth in the rough.


Ever seen a damascus pizza cutter?  I told them that a damascus beer bottle opener would make a nice set.

I 'third' Dan and Stark's comments. What a fun time.

Lin and Kay, as well as Karl, were great fun to spend time with..I wish we could have hung out more but they were on a mission at the show- to get customers so we tried, repeat, tried to leave them alone as much as we could!

You folks like knives? You need to plan to be at next year's event. Its a lot of fun.