View Full Version : OKCA Begins
gunnerjohn
04-07-2006, 22:36
Well the Oregon Knife Collectors Show has begun. Today (Friday) was a simple set-up day where meet and greets occurred. This evening we had a BBQ at Harseys shop. Steak, fixings and beer. Many of the Crucible boys were there, signed knife and wife attended, and special guest Chief "Patches" Watson. The aftermath was evident at the end. (See Pic) I will try to remember to post updates each day of the show. Hope to see those in the area.
JJ
Eagle5US
04-07-2006, 22:57
Well no wonder that Mr. Harsey didn't answer his phone this afternoon:D
Glad you guys tipped a couple.
Eagle
Bill Harsey
04-08-2006, 07:31
It sure takes a lot of coolant to keep those big city Crucible metallurgists in good shape.
Chief "Patches" Watson had tea of course.
Gunner, Great job running the grill and serving, thank you very much. (this guy can cook) The Crucible guys have done a lot for this industry, it's good to have them around.
Eagle5US, Sorry to miss your call but did get the message. I'll call ya when we get this weekend over with. Wish you was here to see the show.
Time to head back in.
Team Sergeant
04-08-2006, 07:42
The aftermath was evident at the end. (See Pic)
JJ
I had no idea! Mr. Harsey never told me that he was working on a "concealable knife" designed as an adult beverage container! And from the looks of it he's gone into mass production!!! Bravo Mr. Harsey, Bravo!
TS
Looks like a hell of a time, will you be at Blade '06 ?
gunnerjohn
04-09-2006, 00:06
Well, here is the update on today at OKCA....
9 minutes into the show opening, Mr. Harsey decided to spice up his display case with a Gerber Harsey Hunter Iraqi Freedom knife. He gracefully opened his custom titanium folder from his pocket and proceded to cut an opening in the anti-shoplift packaging that Gerber uses. After cutting the package open, Bill grab the opening to get the knife out and discovered that the edges were a little more than he anticipated. Needless to say the pool of blood on the floor was greater than anyone anticipated. Appropriate logger language was used as well as a little stubborn country attitude. In a building with over 10,000 knives in it, the first blood was drawn by the great Mr. Harsey with plastic. Paper towels, gauze, bandaides and tape were sent for. The 1.5" long 1/4" deep incision was quickly patched. One phone call to a retired Plastic Surgeon was made and steri-strips, more gauze, butterfly's oitment and real tape got delivered. Ken Onion provided knife makers elastic super tape and all was thought to be good til another day. Wrong!!! After a lawyer saw the aftermath, another call to another plastic surgeon was telephoned. This time a "show call" happened. Upon the expert review of the damage done by the plastic wrap, a personal drive down to the doctors office by the doctor was in order. After an annescetic block to the thumb, five stiches and an anti-biotic shot in the rear meat zone, Bill was delivered back to the show. Upon returning to the show, Thumbs Harsey decided that he would never buy anything in a blister pack and got a thumbs up review.
Other news from the show was that it has started off great. Patches has signed many books and a few knives, people have loved what they have seen and some of the knives at the show are extreme pieces of artwork. Enclosed are a few pictures of Thumbs and his damage.
The Reaper
04-09-2006, 08:32
Incredible.
Bill, have you told the Crucible guys about the cutting properties of common plastic?
How about a new knife made of poly?:D
TR
NousDefionsDoc
04-09-2006, 08:43
Is it really a knife show until a little blood gets spilt?
Bill Harsey
04-09-2006, 09:01
If you do something dumb, be sure to do it in front of ps.coms documentary journalist in Oregon and a few hundred other folks that have good memories.
Gunnerjohn, Thanks for your help.
Next time Eagle5US and NDD are our personal guests at the knife show.
Reaper, I'll talkwith Crucible this morning about our new clear steel.
Yes that stuff can be made into an edge and I'll tell you exactly what did it off the air.
I'll be speaking with Gerber's product package designer Monday morning.
NDD, We made it a real knife show.
NousDefionsDoc
04-09-2006, 09:04
Am I to assume that bringing an aid bag is the price of admission?:cool:
Peregrino
04-09-2006, 09:08
Bill - It's nice to know you're maintaining standards; i.e. "it's not a cut unless it needs stitches". It would have been educational - though probably not appropriate in a family oriented forum - to have heard some of the "logger language" as you vented frustration on the Gerber marketing executive that mandated the culprit packaging. That worthy is probably still cringing (without knowing why) since I've never known you to do anything by halves (witness five stitches when one would have satisfied honor :p ). Peregrino
ETA: Probably going to be an interesting conversation Monday. If you can change anything (sadly doubtful) a lot of consumers will appreciate it. At least the Gerber executive will know why he felt a herd of elephants trampling his grave site over the weekend.
The Reaper
04-09-2006, 09:55
I'll be speaking with Gerber's product package designer Monday morning.
Good luck.
More and more companies are going to clamshell. I think it sucks. Frankly, I prefer a shrink-wrapped cardboard box with a window. They stack better, too, though there are some who prefer the clamshell for hanging displays.
Almost as bad as the cereal and chip bags that cannot be pulled open until the tensile strength of the entire package is exceeded and they explode, dumping the contents onto the floor.
TR
Bill Harsey
04-09-2006, 17:31
Am I to assume that bringing an aid bag is the price of admission?:cool:
Yes.
Perigrino, Reaper,
The interesting thing about everyone in the whole room knowing what happened is how many stories I heard about other folks getting hurt opening those things, including Gerber employees who travel and show this stuff for a living.
Where's RL, I smell a class action!
One of the stories to come out is that a major "big box store" buyer of my designs as made by Gerber was having a problem in the store with my knives being taken out of the clam shell packs and used to cut the fine cables and alarm coded packaging holding expensive electronics components (cameras, etc) so they could be stolen.
The knives were left behind and the old clamshell packages that once held them were found opened littering the floor of the sporting goods aisle. The store solved the problem by discontinuing the sale of my knives.
Do I design good knives or what? :D
I'm calling Gerber in the morning.
Yessum.
Look at that edge.... :D
The Reaper
04-09-2006, 18:16
Yessum.
Look at that edge.... :D
It wasn't the blade, it was the plastic packaging.
What were the Koreans doing there?
TR
Book on intergroup relations for psych. :munchin
gunnerjohn
04-09-2006, 20:14
The last day of the OKCA show was pretty uneventful. Everyone in the building took caution when opening the tactical clam shell packaging so as not to spill anymore blood on the floor. Mr. Harsey made it through the show with out anymore slip ups. Pretty much a "Thumbs Up" report. Comments were made about the picture of Bill and Vince (See earlier pictures... the 5th one) This was referred to be a picture of Bill Harsey and Mini Me.
Take care and watch those packages.
GunnerJohn
swatsurgeon
04-10-2006, 06:19
Bill,
hope the laceration is healing well.......I'm putting together a laceration package for you that will save you the trip to the surgeons office....
-stuff to make it stop bleeding
- stuff to close the skin
- stuff to protect it
will be in the mail this week.......should be carrying the HUGE bandage I sent, you would have people talking about that one!!
Take care and be safe.
ss
Bill Harsey
04-10-2006, 09:52
swatsurgeon,
Thanks.
also have the package you sent ready to return.
Roguish Lawyer
04-10-2006, 11:03
Get well soon, Bill.
Hi Mr. Harsey.
Renee and I were looking for you at the knife show on Saturday, but you were MIA due to your accident. …Sorry to hear about that!
Gary
Bill Harsey
04-12-2006, 14:06
Hi Mr. Harsey.
Renee and I were looking for you at the knife show on Saturday, but you were MIA due to your accident. …Sorry to hear about that!
Gary
Gary, Sorry to have missed you. I promise to be much more careful in the future.
We have some swim meets in your town once in a while.
Will advise.
Sounds great. I actually work on campus at OSU. Let me know if you will be on campus during normal business hours, yeah?
Renee
Bill Harsey
04-12-2006, 20:50
Sounds great. I actually work on campus at OSU. Let me know if you will be on campus during normal business hours, yeah?
Renee
Many Thanks! Will do.
My Dad, Bill Sr., wrestled for that school some years ago.
My Dad, Bill Sr., wrestled for that school some years ago.
Mr. Harsey, check it out (http://www.osubeavers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=4700&ATCLID=225651) Your dad is listed on the "Lettered" list online. Did you know that? It's kinda neat. I've kind of hijacked this thread. Sorry. But it's neat to see them remembering those who came before. I wish they would have put the year.
Renee
Bill Harsey
05-21-2009, 20:00
Mr. Harsey, check it out (http://www.osubeavers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=4700&ATCLID=225651) Your dad is listed on the "Lettered" list online. Did you know that? It's kinda neat. I've kind of hijacked this thread. Sorry. But it's neat to see them remembering those who came before. I wish they would have put the year.
Renee
Waaqaay late and sorry to have missed this post. Yes it really sucked to grapple with the old man even when I thought I was strong.
Waaqaay late and sorry to have missed this post. Yes it really sucked to grapple with the old man even when I thought I was strong.
No one pound chocolate chip cookie for you! No worries Mr. Harsey.
R