My first glipse of "The Pit"

A view of the pit from outside our room

Blade Show set-up

Chuck and Brenda at the famous Ruby Tuesdays

Todd Begg in The Pit Thursday night

Spy shot from another tabke: Ken Onion at breakfast

Strider Knives/Badlands booth had a large crowd

Tom Ferry with some awesome forged knives

Bobby Branton

Bobby and I with my Branton/Brend Custom Model#2, s/n#08/20

Walter Brend and I with my Branton/Brend Custom Model#2, s/n#08/20

Sheath maker for the Branton/Brend

Wally Hayes

Congratulations to Jon Christensen, J.S. for obtaining his ABS Journeyman Smith ranking!

Congratulations to Bruce Bump, M.S. for making ABS Mastersmith!

Gary House - some of the most killer Damascus in the world!

Anders Hogstrom with a very cool sword

Mike Draper and his new Sabra

Dave Ellis, M.S.

Will Fennel of Camillus, with a very maximum Maxx knife designed by DDR

Jerry Hossom with his Mayo Knife

The Crowd at the Emerson lottery - my first Emerson lottery and I came up empty handed :(

Rob Patton had the very cool Mini-Gun damascus

ABS Cutting competition - the first World Championships

Paul Fox who was the first maker I met at my very first knife show, back when I only owned a Gerber EZ-Out

The Pit starting to warm up

Brandon with a Ryan custom and Tom Lansing on the left

John (please let me know if I've got the name wrong) and Neil Blackwood

Matt Cucchiara (Pontiaker)

Carver and Trace Rinaldi

Larry Davidson and I with my new lefty mini-Tetra (review and pics of knife to follow shortly)

Mayo with a little too much to drink and Larry Chew REALLY nervous!

Larry Chew and I with my D/A Lefty Blade-trading Spitfire - standard recurve and a tanto blade, interchangeable!

It was really him! The great Vampire Gerbil!

Mayo, Michael (NC Blades), Brandon (Brandon), and the other Mitch (feverdoc)

Jon Christensen, Darrel Lewis of Bodycote, Brenda and Chuck Bybee

Steve let me fondle his Onion

Damit, gimme that Onion!

Wonder why he's so nervous abuot my holding the Hydro up near his neck?

Threesome! The pit has some kinky shit going on!

Blackwood with "Arrogant Bastard Ale". Quote by Trace Rinaldi "In Chuck's hands that looks like a regular beer bottle!" (don't worry Trace, probably won't publish your other quotes!)

Rick Hinderer and I

JB Cook (the King of the Hill "Texpert") and I

Chuck, Steve Freund of Tomway cases and I

Nothing says "Happy Fathers Day" like a weekend at Blade Show!