Anyone have Blade Show tips

[JaxBaron]

They went on sale mid-February this year

Thanks for the quick reply.

 

[Halfneck]

Comfortable shoes - I wore my Hoka One One running shoes. They look like orthopedic shoes, but that extra cushion sole made all the difference.
Messenger Bag/Small pack - I carried my Hidden Woodsman Haversack. Just big enough to cram catalogs, freebies, and a water bottle.
Comfortable Clothes - expect it to be warm. Shorts & a light shirt were my attire.
Early Bird Pass - If there is a high demand item you want, you need to be there ASAP on Friday.
Cash - It's a lot better than it use to be thanks to the Square, but cash is still King. Wifi was being spotty for some vendors, and some overseas vendors didn't have the option.

Slight rant - notice above how I have Small underlined? Some people were walking around with backpacks stuffed full & completely oblivious to those around them. I cannot fathom why you need to haul that much gear around a show. If you have to, then at least be aware of your surrounding while you maneuver around in the crowd. Both my son & I got banged into by oblivious pack wearings. Not good to be jostling people who might be handling sharp objects.

 

[Quiet]

I thought about this thread some more tonight, and have one more tip that served me well: SPEAK UP.

If you want to get the attention of the maker, or someone behind the table, be ready to speak up and get their attention, because as politely as I can, some people have really poor social skills and don't read situations well. As an example, 2:30PM on Friday is NOT the time to be at a maker's table trying to monopolize their time with your questions, or an impromptu unscheduled interview for your Youtube channel. There were a few times where I did my best to wait politely, as this one guy obliviously kept asking questions, and gushing over the knives of a few makers while I and several others stood there waiting. I wasn't there to chat, I was there to buy. So, finally I said loudly "HEY! OH MAN, IT'S (well known maker here), I REALLY WOULD LOVE TO GET A LOOK AT...." and cut the other guy off. Two of the three times, the makers looked grateful. I understand that a lot of these guys are rockstars, but try to understand that 10,000 people are there to talk to that exact guy (all the makers, really!), it doesn't leave a whole lot of time during the show for you to have an in-depth bonding session with the guy. A bunch of folks behind you getting fidgety while you play pocket pool with the knives? Time to cut it short.

You want to get into a super deep discussion, find 'em in The Pit later. During the show, for the most part, the makers are there to sell knives.

 

[22-rimfire]

Comfortable shoes - I wore my Hoka One One running shoes. They look like orthopedic shoes, but that extra cushion sole made all the difference.
Messenger Bag/Small pack - I carried my Hidden Woodsman Haversack. Just big enough to cram catalogs, freebies, and a water bottle.
Comfortable Clothes - expect it to be warm. Shorts & a light shirt were my attire.
Early Bird Pass - If there is a high demand item you want, you need to be there ASAP on Friday.
Cash - It's a lot better than it use to be thanks to the Square, but cash is still King. Wifi was being spotty for some vendors, and some overseas vendors didn't have the option.

Slight rant - notice above how I have Small underlined? Some people were walking around with backpacks stuffed full & completely oblivious to those around them. I cannot fathom why you need to haul that much gear around a show. If you have to, then at least be aware of your surrounding while you maneuver around in the crowd. Both my son & I got banged into by oblivious pack wearings. Not good to be jostling people who might be handling sharp objects.

I carried a 18L sling bag (5.11 bag). I debated going a bit smaller but some of those catalogs are tall and I wanted to be able to totally keep a knife secure. The bag served me well that day. Messenger bag works well too.

With Square you don't need wifi, just cell phone coverage. Cash is still king. But it was amazing how many were accepting plastic. People spend more if they use plastic.

... You want to get into a super deep discussion, find 'em in The Pit later. During the show, for the most part, the makers are there to sell knives.

I agree. No deep discussions, not even about knives.

I really wasn't paying any attention to when the early bird passes sold out. I didn't know if I was going until the day before. I often attend, but work comes first regardless.