My visit with the Master and his Apprentice

C

craig anthony

Joined
Aug 20, 2009
Messages
94
Hey guys,
I got a chance to go to Fiddleback Mecca and meet the man and his sidekick yesterday. All I can say is AWESOME! Andy it was truely a pleasure meeting you and Dan, you guys are great. Some of the nicest people I've met in a long time. Really appreciate the tour of the shop and getting to see the knives in progress and the process it takes to make one. Can't wait for Blade this summer and will proudly don my new Fiddleback hat to show support. If anyone ever has the chance to meet Andy, don't pass it up, you'll have a blast. And, as a bonus, you'll get to meet one of the most friendliest dogs on the planet! Andy if you ever find yourself up here on this side of the lake, feel free to stop by and down a cold one. Thanks again :thumbup:
 
Thanks Craig, I appreciate that a lot. It was good meeting you as well. When you're up here, we need to hang out. You can make a knife of your own in the shop or something.
 
That is the reason I love posting in this forum - Andy (like many knife makers here) have always helped the guy trying to learn. I have always found people very free with their information. I was never this free with stuff I had made in the past - until I posted on these forums (and this forum in particular) and I realized how little I gain through keeping the information I have gained.

So I post up a lot more with anything I think will help. It has made me a better person.

TF
 
One of these days, I'm gonna load all the kids and the wife in the van and head out for Georgia. While they visit Crystal's old friend from Germany nearby, I'm gonna sweep Andy's shop floor until it shines and try to absorb some win.
 
Talfuchre said:
That is the reason I love posting in this forum - Andy (like many knife makers here) have always helped the guy trying to learn. I have always found people very free with their information. I was never this free with stuff I had made in the past - until I posted on these forums (and this forum in particular) and I realized how little I gain through keeping the information I have gained.

So I post up a lot more with anything I think will help. It has made me a better person.

TF
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You really do learn a lot teaching folks. You start to notice little things to teach them. AND, your students skill drives you. As Dylan got better and better, I had to really work to keep improving also. It is a good thing, and even though he is selling to the same market, it has not hurt, it has helped.
 
I need to take a trip south and meet the "apprentice"! Its only about 3.5 hours for me.
 
I got a spare room for you and yours whenever you're ready.

Why not time the visit around the first week in June, and leave the kids with grandma. If you help me man my table, I'll cover your room, I mean, we all share a room or two, but hey, no room costs. Its the funnest ass knife weekend you can imagine. Kerry, I hope you and Ken are coming again too. We're in the Renaissance, so the Pit is downstairs, -no driving while stumbling. Late nights Friday and Saturday, and early LONG show days. Swimming in the shallow end of the knife-gene pool, but still in the room. We'll do a Fiddleback Forge, Fletcher Knives, and Dogwood Knives dinner on Saturday night. This year Dylan and I are getting a booth. We'll need knife folks to help. I don't mind acting as a consignment dealer for your knives at the show for the lofty fee of 0% either. Hehe.
 
That would be awesome! I would love to do it. I planned on going to this years show for the first time anyways. Im sure the wife would want to come so we can get our own room if there are any available ;) Wouldn't want to make anyone uncomfortable. She is hot too so Ill make her wear a Fiddleback shirt! I wouldn't want my knives anywhere near yours so Ill just help sell ya'lls knives.
 
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Excellent. The hotel is the Renaissance Waverly. Don't get a room somewhere else. Trust me on this. The experience is totaly different if you're not on the spot.
 
Bring plenty of gatorade and beer money, well actually Andy usually provides all the beer a man can drink, unless I get started early again this year. Let me tell you what Sat hurts, bad!! U find out who the pros are Sat nite. The Pit is a lil less crowded Sat nite but a better party! Oh yea make sure you bring some high quality sticks with you as well. Speaking of which Dylan you owe me a Montecristo this year! :), Since you a movie star and all. Yea like Andy says dont get a room anywhere else, the experience just will not be the same. Hell there was a dude sleeping in his van in the parking lot last year, just so he could be near the party, I guess.
Enough about the party, you will meet some of the coolest people on the planet. Like I have said b4 I did not meet one douche bag all weekend last year. And with a booth we will have room for chairs!! Im sure Mrs. Fletcher will be glad of that. And see more knife porn than ought to be legal. It is a awesome experience. This year Im going over to the Busse booth when they start throwing cards and try to catch as many as I can and then throw em away, just to mess with em, LOL. J/K but it is a sight to see grown men acting like teenage girls at a Justin Bieber concert.
 
Sounds awesome! What dates should I reserve a room for? Does everyone go down on Thursday?
 
Ridge-Runner said:
Bring plenty of gatorade and beer money, well actually Andy usually provides all the beer a man can drink, unless I get started early again this year. Let me tell you what Sat hurts, bad!! U find out who the pros are Sat nite. The Pit is a lil less crowded Sat nite but a better party! Oh yea make sure you bring some high quality sticks with you as well. Speaking of which Dylan you owe me a Montecristo this year! :), Since you a movie star and all. Yea like Andy says dont get a room anywhere else, the experience just will not be the same. Hell there was a dude sleeping in his van in the parking lot last year, just so he could be near the party, I guess.
Enough about the party, you will meet some of the coolest people on the planet. Like I have said b4 I did not meet one douche bag all weekend last year. And with a booth we will have room for chairs!! Im sure Mrs. Fletcher will be glad of that. And see more knife porn than ought to be legal. It is a awesome experience. This year Im going over to the Busse booth when they start throwing cards and try to catch as many as I can and then throw em away, just to mess with em, LOL. J/K but it is a sight to see grown men acting like teenage girls at a Justin Bieber concert.
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Blade is awesome! The show is great, the pit is really fun, (I really wish I had felt better last year), and yeah watching the goings on at the Busse booth is definitely just hilarious at times!!

As for the OP, I've gotten to meet Andy a couple of times. He's a great guy and fun to talk too, plus his table is much more fun to see than photos!!
 
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