You ever paid for a space at a show? since I have only set up at some of the smaller local shows, the most that I have had to pay for a space at a ahow has been $150. That being said, I recently sent off for some information on obtaining a space at the Hunters Extravaganza that is put on by The Texas Trophy Hunters every year in Ft. Worth Texas.
A 10 x 10 booth with a 6 foot table is $600 for the 2 1/2 day show. By the time I include hotel and meals I would be out over $1000 and that is a lot of money to me.
I know that a lot of people with expendable income attend these shows, but just don't know if they are willing to spend some of it on one of my knives.I would have to do considerable business just to cover expenses for the show.
Has anyone ever set up at one of these large hunting shows, and if so how did you do?
Thanks for any feedback,
Mike

Mike-

It cost me over $1200 to do the Blade Show this year. The table was $375, and airfare, motel, meals and car rental all add up. Even if I had not sold a knife (and I have been to many shows where that was the case), I would consider it a solid investment in my knifemaking career. In addition to the exposure you get, you have access to materials and ideas that you just couldn't get anywhere else. The biggest benefit is the networking and schmoozing that goes on among the makers. Priceless.

Having said all that, I will admit that I would be unwilling to spend that kind of money on a non-knife show like you are considering, simply because many of the elements cited above would be missing.

Mike,
I paid $500.00 for a booth at a christian business expo in Ft. Worth a few years ago.BIG SHOW-no money.
Every vendor there was hurt except the car dealerships and the radio station there.
That ate up my show money for quite a while as most of the local shows are $50.00 a table.
I could have done 10 regular shows where I sell,vs. a $500.00 show that I didn't sell squat.
PKA show in Denver cost me about $1400.00 total.
How much profit is left, even for a good show?
Most hunters want to hunt.
They don't even think about a knife untill AFTER the kill.
Where do you think thier focus will be?
Guns, clothes, where to hunt, or on knives?
Just food for thought Brother.
Like Don said, Not for a non-knife related event.
That's a lot of money for a show.

It is probably wise to go to a show that you are sure that those who'll be paying to get in are paying to see, and possibly buy, knives.

You can pay up to $1500 for a table, maybe more, plus the additional expenses of getting there, eating, a car, etc.

It might be wise to look at it in such a way that we realize that shows are, to some extent, a form of advertizing. You probably won't always pay your way with sales. They are certainly mostly an "expense" sometimes.

If a small show pays, it might be worth it. However, if you "pay your way" to a show that costs a total of $500, you might not be that much ahead, whereas if you go to a more expensive show you might just find more buyers, more exposure (advertizing) and develop many more contacts and relationships with makers, suppliers and customers, publications, etc.

It all takes some thinking and some investigation and, perhaps, faith, to top it all off.

Shows are certainly risky business, if bringing home a profit is the only consideration.

You guys are going to those "Cheap" knife shows. Now if you want to spend some money head to New York City.

New York Custom Knife Show:
1 6ft table $700.00

1 Night at the hotel where the show is at $285.00 (with tax). True it has two double beds, but the rooms are not as nice as some Motel 6's I have stayed in.
$285 X 3 $855.00

Airfare from Augusta $200.00

Cab (back and forth to Airport) $ 50.00

Food $200.00
Total: $2,005.00

So if you are working on a 25% profit margin you have to sell approximately $8,000.00 just to pay for the trip.

Now if you don't have to fly and you can find a cheaper hotel, you may only have to sell $7,000.00 before you break even!

I am always amused when I talk to makers at that show who have brought about $3-$4,000 worth of knives (who did fly in and are staying at the hotel) telling me how they had a "killer" show and sold out on Friday.

How do you have a "killer" show and not even cover your expenses? Ah....the life of a part time maker!

As Don poionted out gaining exposure at a big show can be worth the money long term. As a maker you do need to attend shows.

Oh, I forgot to mention another expense. The 50% deposit they ask you to give them before you leave. Usually if you do this you can save $50 on your table for the next year.

Shows can be very expensive and time consuming. Especially if you go to a show and only sell one or two knives. If your not flying, and you have a long drive a head of you. Monday will be a lost day, as Thursday probably was. So a three day show can turn into a 5 day show. Unless your that maker who brings his shop on wheels with him, you probably aren't making any knives on the two travel days.

When you are picking your shows, consider your profit vs expenses ratio.

Les,

Cab fare is up in NY
$30 one way to LaGuardia or JFK, plus tools and tip
more to Newark Airport in NJ

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Thanks for the input guys,
I think that I will pass on this show. and concentrate on the knife and gun shows. I wouldn't mind investing the money for a big show if I could also use it as a learning experience and have the opportunity to talk with and learn from some of the better makers like the ones who frequent this forum. But after thinking about it for a couple of days I just dont think that this kind of show would but my knives in front of knife people.
Most of these guys will pay thousands for a hunt, and would want to buy a knife for $29.95
I appreciate your help.
Mike

Mike,

Now is the time to ask yourself how serious you are about being a custom knife maker.

If you are any good you are wasting your time at the nickel and dime gun shows. People come to gun shows to buy guns!

You need to attend knife shows. Even if they are small club shows.

You need to develop clients who buy custom knives. It has been my experience as well that the guys who spend the most on guns and hunting are the ones who will spend the least on a knife. Mostly because they are not the ones who dress out the animal, the guide does that.

What part of the country are you in? You should fill out your bio as well.

Les's question about how serious you are on being a custom knife maker is worth all the consideration you are able to give it.

If your goal is to make and sell a bunch of $150 hunters at gun shows, go for it.

On the other hand, if you aspire to improve your craft and carve out a distinctive niche for yourself in the world of custom knives, you will have to make some investment decisions that will cost you money ...and with no immediate return.

Part of the value of the pure knife show is letting people know that you are serious. Makers and buyers alike will learn your name, see your knives, and if invited to, can make valuable suggestions for improving your work.

Friendships with other makers, dealers, and suppliers are built at knife shows. This cannot happen at a gun and knife show, because the right players are not there. Yes, such shows are inexpensive to exhibit at, but where do you want to go with your knifemaking?

When your knives are not selling at a pure knife show, it is usually for a combination of the following reasons:

1. People don't know who you are.
2. Your prices are too high.
3. Your quality is too low.

Mixing with other folks at enough shows will go a long way to cure #1. Smile, be friendly, stand up, have an attractive display. Give them something to remember.

#2 can be cured by comparing your prices with those of other makers at the show- both lesser-known and well-known. Early knives are part of dues-paying, and will not bring in anything close to the prices you think they are worth, based on the time you spent on them. Later in your career, if you progress, they can even be an embarassment to you (see the pictures accompanying the thread on "first knives" in this forum), so don't be too eager to sell what you have made until you get some of the wrinkles ironed out.

If you are thick-skinned enough to be willing to invite criticism from seasoned makers and dealers, their feedback can be invaluable in highlighting areas for improvement, and even offering specific tricks and techniques to get the job done. This can make a big difference on #3 if you take it to heart.

Again, it all comes down to what you want to do with your knifemaking. Handmade hunters are a dime a dozen, and generally don't make much of a splash, even at a pure knife show. To grow and be recognized, a maker must give the customer something new, different, or better (or all three), at a fair price. If this is your goal, go to knife shows.

Keep it coming , I really appreciate the feedback and the opinions.
I guess that I need to clarify myself somewhat. First off while I strive to make the best knife that I possibly can and try to make each one better than the last, I have no intentions of doing this full time. I hold a middle management position in a very high stress environment at work and walk the razors edge daily, so my knife making is a get away for me. I make them because I enjoy it and don’t want to turn it into another job. I also spend what time I can in the fall deer hunting. I used to fish a lot also, but my boat hasn’t been moved in over two years since I now spend any spare time I have during the spring and summer working on my knives.
I live in North Texas, so full-blown knife shows are rare, which leaves me the options of gun & knife shows or the Internet as a means of marketing my knives.
I didn’t set up at the Spirit Of Steel show last September because I didn’t feel that I was ready for a show of that size. I wanted to further refine my skills before a show of that caliber. I did attend the show and really enjoyed it. I looked at and studied every knife that I could and talked to a lot of the big time makers that up until then I had only read about.
I saw knives there that were above and beyond what I was capable of making and I also saw knives there that were far inferior to mine, so I guess I would have been in the middle of the road. Seeing the knives of poor quality made me wonder why someone would bring knives like that to a show as big as that. I would not want my first appearance at a big show to represent me as a maker of poor quality knives. You only get one chance to make a First Impression.
As far as pricing goes I try to price my knives to where the customer is getting more than their moneys worth. At this point they are buying my knife and not my name. I usually try to price mine at about 2/3rds. of what a comparable knife from an established and known maker would sell for. To me the pricing game is a tricky one, ask too much and you will not sell any of them, ask too little and people think that there must something wrong with them.
I don’t mind making investments that have no immediate return, I will not lay a knife on my table that is of poor quality, so I guess I just need to get to the shows where I can start getting the exposure so people will Know Who I Am and what I am all about. Knife makers for the most part are some of the most helpful and friendliest people you could hope to be around and I really enjoy the environment.
I have no more problem with making someone a $150 hunter than I would making them a $450 knife, but the knives will not be the same and they know that going in. the blade quality will be the same, but the hunter wont have all the bells and whistles that the $450 piece will.
Maybe I am looking at this all wrong, but I am happy just to be a part of the knife making community.
Mike

Mike,

Don has hit a whole box of nails right on the head. Bring up his post and hit the "Print" button. Take that page out, laminate it and put it in your shop.

As for full blown knife shows. How about one right in your back yard.

The Spirit of Steel Show in Mesquite Texas. Septemeber 20th-22nd. The tables are $175.00. Contact Bruce Voyles at JBruce77@aol.com. Tell him I sent you.

Thanks Les,
I appreciate the input from those like yourself who are established as authorities on custom knives, your comments and points of view are taken to heart. Each of us has to find our own path down this road, but it never hurts to have some guidance along the way.
I am planning on being set up at the Spirit Of Steel show in September, as I stated in the previous post I just didn't think that I was ready last year, and from what I saw there I probably made the right decision. I have since refined both my skills and my designs and am ready to take the plunge.
Thanks again to all who have replied,
Mike

Mike, I'll see you in Mesquite! Looking forward to meeting you.

I have really enjoyed this thread as I have been wrestling with the same thoughts about going to a show. Like Mike I attended the Dallas show last year. I am a new maker who is part time also. Knife making for me is my get away and stress relieve too. But knife making is getting to be more of a passion and a eventual business doing this would not be out of the question for me. I know I have room for improvement and the thought of getting some of the best makers to give me some advise is most tempting.

My cost would be cheap at Dallas because I would be able to drive back and forth to the show everyday since I live close. So would this be good experience having my own table or would I be better off attending and taking my knives around to the knifemaker there to get their opinion?

I guess my question would be how many knives do I need to take to the show and have a table. I know - ONE. But seriously as a part time maker I don't make very many knives a year so what should a new maker have at his / her first show? With the show three months away my numbers of knives would be pretty low. Also I have not really taken any orders. I mostly make what I like and want to make. So is going to a show and selling what you make without taking orders a good idea or not?

Any more thought along this line would be welcomed.

Thanks

My first show was also the most expensive: $650 for a table at the New York Custom Knife Show. I am coming from the Craft circuit perspective though - I have worked for several high end Art-Jewelers and have attended quite a few ACC shows as well as Smithsonian in D.C. and the ACC Baltimore show. I've considered selling knives at these shows but some of the booth spaces go for $1000 and up! Also the competition for displays in the booths means that the minimum standard for a booth that merely fits in with the rest is $5000 on up!

Suffice it to say that $650 and a nice table cloth looks pretty cheap to me by comparison. I have the great fortune of friends I can stay with in NYC and it is just a short six-hour drive...

To respond to some of your questions, Tony - if knives are your hobby then bet on at least covering your costs. At my first show I had eight knives and sold all but one - ( I also got a few commissions. )

I'd suggest getting the table - you can still ask other knifemakers their opinions and you'll be sitting there all day, so they can come to you when things are slow or even after the show. There is a certain comaraderie among those behind the tables you won't get by approaching knifemakers from the other side of the table. Don't be afraid to tell customers you are new or looking for feedback. And don't assume all the feedback you'll get is good. In the end you have to figure it out yourself... at least that's my take on it.