Blade Show 2006 - Atlanta, GA

Here are a few pictures and thoughts from this year's Blade Show. It was once again quite an event. The crowds were large on Friday and Saturday. On Friday morning, I would estimate that there were 300-400 people standing line who had paid the extra $10 to get into the show 2 hours before the general public. I'm not sure that I agree with this procedure but it is becoming more common at shows.

Big Crowds

Gil Hibben

Beautiful Damascus and Walrus Tusk Bowie by Gil Hibben

Hibben "Elmer Keith Skinner" and handmade "Silver Shadow"

Incredible Integral Designs by Ron Best

"Hutch" Hutchings Doing Scrimshaw on a Randall Vietnam Commemorative Knife

An example of Hutch's incredible reverse scrimshaw

Some nice Xikar cigar cutters and knives scrimmed by HutcH

Competitors in the 2006 World Championship Cutting Competition chopping through 2x4s: Some of these guys chopped through a 2x4 in 9 seconds!

Michael Bouse

Reggie Barker (last year's champ)

Dickie Robinson makes chips fly

Concentration (Sorry, I don't remember his name)

This was interesting timing: I was shooting pictures in "burst" mode which shoots approximately 2 frames per second. I had 7 shots of this competitor and in every frame he was in almost exactly the same position just starting his down swing.

This year's champ Lin Rhea working hard

And Then Cutting a Hanging 1" Rope

Lin Rhea (this year's champ)

Nice knife

Reggie Barker makes a nice clean cut without breaking the thread

Dickie Robinson makes his cut

Michael Bouse takes aim

Some Entries From "The Best of Show" Showcase

Kit Rae (as if I needed to say it)

Interesting shank - Pipe Knife

Left to Right: "Hutch" Hutchings, Bob Costonas, Bill Churchill, Rick Shuchmann.
Rick Schuchmann arranged for a limited edition of 50 Randall Model One knives to commemorate the Veterans of the Vietnam War. Hutch Hutchings scrimshawed the black buffalo horn handles with a depiction of the Vietnam Memorial Wall. Here, Hutch and Rick Schuchmann present knives number 5 and 6 to Bob Costonas and Bill Churchill respectively.

SCAR Knives

Randall Model 1 "Remember Vietnam" commemorative with sheath by Greg Gutcher and a Mini Randall Model 1

Rick and Sharilyn Schuchmann of SCAR Custom Knives

Some of the incredible work by Willy B Ellis

Dian Tanaka and Zach Whitson of Iron Mountain Knives

Stag and Wooly Mammoth was in abundance at the show

Some beautiful silver wire inlay work by master smith Mark Sentz

Some miscellaneous shots around the show

John Bailey demonstrates whip cracking in the courtyard

Knife throwing competition: From left to right; Mike "Alamo" Bainton (World champ 2003, 2004, 2005), Bob "Mountain Man" Pyle (World Champ 2006), Ed Imperatore, Joe Darrah. Event emcee John Bailey. I am sorry but I don't know the last gentleman's name, he was the judge.