I went to the 33rd annual OKCA Knife Show yesterday.
Once upon a time they billed themselves as "The largest knife show West of the Mississippi." The epithet is still accurate, but is now insufficient. "Largest knife show in America" would also be accurate, but insufficient.
According to the April '08 Knewsletter, the OKCA Knife Show now rightfully claims to be the largest event like this in the world.
It certainly was an exciting show.
I'm always amazed by the variety I see at knife shows. Not simply the variety of knives, enough in itself to astound. But in the variety of people, of types of exhibitors and exhibits, and of ways to appreciate knives. Old men in fine three-piece suits chat pleasantly with young mohawk & black bedecked lads about ideal edge geometries for culinary use while standing in front of a collection of pocket knives. A museum-quality display of Remington's Larry Duke illustrations stands as backdrop to a banker asking advice from a young housewife regarding collectable swords. Long time custom makers, new custom makers, factory representatives, collectors, purveyors, booksellers, and miscellaneous vendors all cater pleasantly to a crowd of more than 2,000 enthusiasts.
Despite having been there all day, and having stayed for the Club Social afterward, I feel I was barely there for an hour.
The OKCA doesn't just put on a big knife show, they put on a good knife show.
This really has me jazzed to dig out my induction heating experiments and try once again to make some differentially austenitized blades! Unfortunately, my wife will kill me if I drag out that box from storage prior to finishing our remodel...
Once upon a time they billed themselves as "The largest knife show West of the Mississippi." The epithet is still accurate, but is now insufficient. "Largest knife show in America" would also be accurate, but insufficient.
According to the April '08 Knewsletter, the OKCA Knife Show now rightfully claims to be the largest event like this in the world.
It certainly was an exciting show.
I'm always amazed by the variety I see at knife shows. Not simply the variety of knives, enough in itself to astound. But in the variety of people, of types of exhibitors and exhibits, and of ways to appreciate knives. Old men in fine three-piece suits chat pleasantly with young mohawk & black bedecked lads about ideal edge geometries for culinary use while standing in front of a collection of pocket knives. A museum-quality display of Remington's Larry Duke illustrations stands as backdrop to a banker asking advice from a young housewife regarding collectable swords. Long time custom makers, new custom makers, factory representatives, collectors, purveyors, booksellers, and miscellaneous vendors all cater pleasantly to a crowd of more than 2,000 enthusiasts.
Despite having been there all day, and having stayed for the Club Social afterward, I feel I was barely there for an hour.
The OKCA doesn't just put on a big knife show, they put on a good knife show.
This really has me jazzed to dig out my induction heating experiments and try once again to make some differentially austenitized blades! Unfortunately, my wife will kill me if I drag out that box from storage prior to finishing our remodel...
