2021 SCHEDULE TBA
Below is a schedule of events for the 2019 show which took place on November 1-3, 2019. All demos listed were FREE with the purchase of a BLADE Show West ticket.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1
10:00am: Day 1, Show opens to the public
"BACK FROM THE EDGE OF DULL"
Maintaining a keen edge on your knife requires sharpening on a regular basis. However, that isn’t always done and the edge may go almost completely dull as a result. According to Clay Allison of Wicked Edge, his company has the tools to bring your knife back from the edge of dull. Let him show you how.
Above: Clay Allison of Wicked Edge
"KEEP DRUG CARTELS OUT OF YOUR BACKYARD"
Lt. John Nores (retired), team leader for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Marijuana Enforcement Team, describes his team’s fight to stop the cartels from destroying U.S. wildlands. Emphasizing the cartel’s use of highly toxic EPA-banned poisons, stolen firearms and homemade anti-personnel and anti-K9 blades, Nores outlines their widespread use throughout black market trespass grow operations nationwide. John covers the health and safety issues associated with these toxics when encountered, identifies grow site indicators for the outdoor enthusiast to be aware of, and highlights the positive relationship developed with the legitimate cannabis industry to aid in this fight. Nores is an author of the "The Hidden War" and has been featured on televisions, podcasts, and more.
Above: Nores on the Joe Rogan Podcast
Learn More About Nores & "The Hidden War"
KNIFE AWARDS
Exhibitors are eligible to enter a knife in each category. The Kitchen knife category is new this year and anyone (including non-exhibitors) can enter a knife in the kitchen knife category. To see the award winners from the 2018 Show, CLICK HERE.
CUSTOM KNIFE CATEGORIIES
- Best in Show (knife)
- Best EDC knife
- Best EDC tool (non-knife)
- Best Fixed blade
- Best Folding knife
- Best "Weird" knife
- Best Kitchen knife (open to non-exhibitors)
- Best in Show (knife)
- Best EDC knife
- Best EDC tool (non-knife)
- Best fixed blade
- Best folding knife
- Best "weird" knife
- Best Kitchen knife (open to non-exhibitors)
6:00pm: Show closes Day 1
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 2
10:00am: Day 2, Show opens to the public
"HOW TO MAKE A SINGLE-BLADE TRAPPER"
Award-winning knifemakers Luke Swenson and Bill Ruple will show you how it’s done based on Swenson’s video tutorial “Slipjoints with Luke Swenson.” Basic setup, assembly, tang geometry, spring tension, fixtures and tuning, including the Ruple Gauge and the Elite Folder Jig from Metal Head Tools, will be among the highlights.
Above: Bill Ruple Knife
Above: Luke Swenson Knife
"COMBAT KNIFE DESIGN: WORLD WAR II TO TODAY"
Celebrating 40 years as a maker and designer of knives, Bill Harsey worked closely for 14 of those years with Col. Rex Applegate, retired OSS operative and bodyguard for President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, designing and making combat knives. Bill takes you through Col. Applegate’s mindset in creating folding and fixed-blade daggers, the smatchet and other combat knives, and how that mindset was influenced by the actual use of the knives. Harsey also details how Col. Applegate has influenced him in his creation of combat knives for Gerber, Chris Reeve Knives, CRKT/Ruger, Spartan Blades and more, a number of which have won BLADE Magazine Knife-Of-The-Year Awards.
"STAG HANDLES: TIPS, TRICKS & MORE"
Last year ABS master smith David Lisch demonstrated how to make a flowed-in “S” guard for one of his stag-handle fixed blades. This year he will “cap off” the process by demonstrating how to pin the buttcap to the stag handle, shape the buttcap to the stag tips and other tricks of the trade.
"PUUKKO: FIRST BLADE OF FINLAND"
The all-purpose Finnish puukko knife is famous for tackling any number of bushcraft and other utilitarian cutting chores, and Jeremy Spake’s custom puukkos are stunning examples of the genre. Join him as he shares his personal story of falling in love with the design early in his knifemaking journey, and his quest to learn as much as he can about making these fascinating knives.
Above: Puukko by Jeremy Spake
4:30pm - ?
WEST COAST FLIPPING CHAMPIONSHIP
The West Coast Flipping Championship hosted by Squid Industries is the first annual balisong flipping competition at Blade Show West. The event will feature head to head live blade balisong flipping in an elimination bracket style competition.
Click Here to Learn More
6:00pm: Show Closes Day 2. After Party kicks off at 6pm. The Chef's Knife Cutting Competition will start at 7:30.
HOSTED BY BLADE MAGAZINE
Come join the show attendees, makers, companies, and the rest of the BLADE Community at our West Coast Pit After-Party, Hosted by BLADE Magazine. There will be food and alcohol for purchase at the event. Free prizes & Giveaways are held throughout the evening.
WHERE: 100 SE Alder Street (0.8 of a mile from the Oregon Convention Center)
WHEN: The West Coast Pit After Party will begin around 6:00 PM on Saturday, November 2nd immediately following the show. The Chef's Knife Cutting Competition will take place in the same location and will start at 7:30pm. Party will go to 11pm.
Click Here for WEST COAST PIT AFTER PARTY Full Details & Information
WEST COAST PIT PARTY EVENTS:
CHEF'S KNIFE CUTTING COMPETITION
The Chef's Knife Cutting Competition will Happen during the After Party. Learn More Here or Sign Up to Compete by Clicking Here.
PRIZES & GIVEWAYS
Pit Party Prizes & Giveaways will happen during the party and will be free to enter. Everyone will be eligible to win.
Learn More Here.
Prizes Include:
-Murray Carter Custom Kitchen Knife
-Jason Knife Custom Chopper
-Medford Auto Knife
-Vaquest Gear Backpack
-Jason Knight 3-Day Forging Class
& More....
The CHEF’S KNIFE CUTTING COMPETITION will take place after the West Coast After-Party in the same building and will start at 7:30pm.
Watch some of the best knifemakers and chefs put their cutting skills to the test as the compete for top prize. The event will be FREE to attend and open to the public and will kick off at 7:30pm with food trucks and cash bar available along with drink specials and more.
Location:
The venue is located less than 1 mile from the Oregon Convention Center at 100 SE Alder Street and is accessible via the Portland Streetcar public transportation system (3 stops) or by foot.
CLICK HERE TO SEE 2019 WINNERS
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 3
10:00am: Day 3, Show opens to the public
LET THE PROS CRITIQUE YOUR KNIFE
Have a panel of award-winning knifemakers share their decades of knowledge and experience in critiquing your custom knife. Murray Carter, Bill Harsey, David Lisch, Bill Ruple, Brian Tighe and Mike Tyre will go over every square inch of your knife and tell you what is good about it, what is not and how you can make it better. This will be a limited seating event. Bring one knife only. Questions from attendees will be entertained throughout. Sign-ups will be held onsite.
PLAY VIDEO BELOW:
1:00pm - 2:00pm - "BOWIE'S BOWIE: THE BEST CANDIDATE" - Author of the book, The Knife Behind the Curtain: The True Story of Actor Edwin Forrest, James Bowie, and the Blade that Binds Them, Dale M. Larson will outline a knife a number of James Bowie authorities agree belonged to Bowie. Larson will discuss the controversies and myths that surround the knife. He will provide documented evidence to support the validity of Edwin Forrest’s claim that Bowie gave Forrest a knife circa 1830, and what is now known as the Forrest Bowie or Forrest Knife is that knife. Larson will have the Forrest Bowie at his exhibitor table during the show.
3:00pm: Show Closes Day 3, Show Ends
