Dixons GM fair question

[Cuboodle]

Looking to add to my collection will there be makers that sell over the counter or are the displays examples of there work to take orders. I've been selling things that have been sitting around and have about a 4000 bag of cash it's been several years since I attended what say the regulars???

[Nate McKenzie]

I will be there in the main tent with 7 or 8 rifles for sale.
http://www.natemckenzie.com/
http://contemporarymakers.blogspot.com/search/label/Nate%20McKenzie

[Cuboodle]

Thanks I'll look for you there

[Molly]

So how did it go?  A friend returned last night and said it was a painful shadow of what it once was.  He said there were only 5 or 6 rifles entered to be judged.  And what he saw offered for sale was either very costly OR flea market quality.  He found it interesting that as he asked for specific things everyone seemed to refer him to Track of the Wolf.  He also encountered a few old time builders who professed (confessed) to using KITS for their last few projects!!  Also said Rice is getting into the trigger making business.

Maybe this is a builders dream world but I'm very glad I did not attend.

[wpalongrifle]

Close to 40 Rifles judged, the seminars were well attended. Friday was a little light for the crowd? Saturday made up for it. There were plenty of well made rifles for sale. All the top builders were there!!! Weather Hot & Humid as usual. Rained at times, might have had some stay home???
I still feel the economy has a lot to do with attendance at most events. Time of year, family vacations!!
There were more first Guns entered than ever.

[tddeangelo]

So how did it go?  A friend returned last night and said it was a painful shadow of what it once was.  He said there were only 5 or 6 rifles entered to be judged.  And what he saw offered for sale was either very costly OR flea market quality.  He found it interesting that as he asked for specific things everyone seemed to refer him to Track of the Wolf.  He also encountered a few old time builders who professed (confessed) to using KITS for their last few projects!!  Also said Rice is getting into the trigger making business.

Maybe this is a builders dream world but I'm very glad I did not attend.

I don't think I'd agree with that assessment. I saw a LOT of rifles to be judged, and I saw rifles for sale everywhere from a TC Hawken up to an Isaac Haines-style rifle that was in the 5 figure price range. And all sorts in between.

Not sure what your friend was looking for specifically...?

The parking lots and exhibits showed a pretty good turnout when I was there on Saturday. The seminars were great, and I really liked the ALR tent, too!

[Smoketown]

Molly,

You missed a good one.

Which day did your friend attend?

The parking lots were fairly full and it was elbow to elbow in the display tents all day Saturday.
(The only day I could attend ... Work REALLY gets in the way sometimes!!) 

It appeared to be standing room only at the ALR tent all day long.   

I also saw stacks of hundreds changing hands more than a few times.

Now, where exactly where was that 5 figure Issac Haines located? 

The 'old woman' is surprised that I missed it as I'm drawn to expensive rifles like a moth to a flame!   

Cheers,
Smoketown

[Molly]

Surprised at the comments.  Obviously the guy was in a daze which is unusual for him but I'm happy to hear it was better than his assessment.

Me and the old man were considering going.  I wish it were after the CLA show or that there was more time between these events.  Don't have enough $$ to make events this close together!!

Maybe next year.

Is there any photos available?  And is there any place you can go to see or learn about the winners of the guns judged??

My friend was there the first day (Friday?).  I think he said he arrived around 10:30 and left at around 3:30.

[jcmcclure]

Surprised at the comments.  Obviously the guy was in a daze which is unusual for him but I'm happy to hear it was better than his assessment.

Me and the old man were considering going.  I wish it were after the CLA show or that there was more time between these events.  Don't have enough $$ to make events this close together!!

Maybe next year.

Is there any photos available?  And is there any place you can go to see or learn about the winners of the guns judged??

My friend was there the first day (Friday?).  I think he said he arrived around 10:30 and left at around 3:30.

There were not a lot of entries during that time frame on Fri. We headed out to do a few other things around lunch and there were only a few pieces that had been entered. By Saturday morning there had been many more items entered.

[galudwig]

Surprised at the comments.  Obviously the guy was in a daze which is unusual for him but I'm happy to hear it was better than his assessment.

Me and the old man were considering going.  I wish it were after the CLA show or that there was more time between these events.  Don't have enough $$ to make events this close together!!

Maybe next year.

Is there any photos available?  And is there any place you can go to see or learn about the winners of the guns judged??

My friend was there the first day (Friday?).  I think he said he arrived around 10:30 and left at around 3:30.

 

If anything after having attended two years in a row, the seminars were basically the same.  The advantage though is that I was able to sit in on a couple of seminars I missed last year due to scheduling conflicts.  I think the hot ticket was the ALR tent though.  As mentioned, there was always a crowd up there on Saturday.  I got to hear part of Mitch Yates talking about finishing gun stocks and wished I had gotten there at the beginning.  It's kind of hard to get to all the good stuff when you have one day, 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM to do it and still talk to people and buy stuff.  The topics presented up there were all of interest to me and if I go again next year, I plan to spend more time up on the hill.  I just hope that no one suddenly determines that the ALR tent is competing with the main event.  There is room for both and I hope that relationship continues. 

I really wish the CLA did more with seminars.  I can recall in the early days sitting in on a horn building seminar there, but that kind of thing went away fairly quickly.  It would be nice though to have something to distract me from spending too much money there.   

[Osprey]

Fridays are always light on judging entries - you can't pick them back up until awards are given early Sunday afternoon, so entries never pick up heavy until Saturday.  I was there on Saturday, but heard from a few vendors who didn't make it on Friday.  Still lots of finished guns and horns and knives to see, probably more than when I started going 10 years ago.  But, there are a lot less parts suppliers.  Major shops like Tip Curtis and Stonewall Creek have been noticeably absent the last couple years, I really miss them as those were the places to stock up on barrels and small parts.  Only two stockwood guys this year, too.  Seminars are always great.

Overall still a fine event, but it seems to be more a makers show and information event these days.  I admit I'll probably spend more on my next TOTW order online than I did at the show for parts and supplies.

[rich pierce]

Kit Ravenshear dreamed up the Gunmaker's Fair with Chuck Dixon back in the 80s.  It has always been intended to be educational to help builders in their craft.  The fair continues to be for makers, though it is great for buyers too.  The judging is meant to teach, and the seminars are meant to teach.  Having all the great vendors there helps makers get the parts and raw materials they need for theitr craft, and to hand-pick those pieces.

At the same time, there are a lot of tables by top makers displaying and selling their work like we see at CLA.

It will always have a somewhat different flavor from the CLA, which is also terrific.  I see the CLA annual meeting as a place to see contemporary work and also buy some supplies, but not so much as a place to learn something from the best teachers.

[wpalongrifle]

Rich,   Very well said!!!     Most of the vendors and Known makers there all started out 30 years ago as entrants in the Gun Judging. Their early work and years of teaching, as well as passing along their knowledge has made the Muzzle loading sport what it is today!!!  Having Parts for sale at the fair helps new builders make the right selections and have opportunity to speak face to face. These vendors may not be teaching a seminar or doing a demonstration, but the ability to pick there brain or save valuable time and money is also beneficial to the craft.

 

[tddeangelo]

I got to talk to several pretty knowledgeable folks and get ideas to get me started building, which I want to do.

That alone was worth the price to park!

[G. Elsenbeck]

Rich,   Very well said!!!     Most of the vendors and Known makers there all started out 30 years ago as entrants in the Gun Judging. Their early work and years of teaching, as well as passing along their knowledge has made the Muzzle loading sport what it is today!!!  Having Parts for sale at the fair helps new builders make the right selections and have opportunity to speak face to face. These vendors may not be teaching a seminar or doing a demonstration, but the ability to pick there brain or save valuable time and money is also beneficial to the craft.

 

I'll ditto those sentiments as well Mike and Rich.  I was only able to attend on Friday this year, but  I look forward to coming back each year.  Much to learn and to enjoy. 

[EricEwing]

I've only been for the past 4 years but I have nothing negative to say about the gunmakers fair, only positive. It's a ton of fun and a great exchange of ideas and more longrifles, related items, relics, and people spouting knowledge than your brain can possibly absorb. I couldn't survive the weekend without a notebook and smartphone camera.  This was my first year there with a table and doing a demo at the alr tent and I can't wait to do both again next year. The people who run the fair and all the participants clearly do it because they love it. I thoroughly enjoy seeing friends and acquaintances I've made there every year as well as making new ones.  If you have so much as a passing interest in longrifles and live within driving distance I can't imagine missing it let alone how you could leave there unsatisfied.

I went to the CLA show for the first time last year and they are similar but different events, each with their own charms.

[oldtravler61]

My 2 cents. As a first timer. I thought the show was very good. Yes the ALR tent was standing room only. But if afterwards you wanted to ask a question. Everyone took the time to answer. As an old time newbie I was impressed. As for the guns for judging there were quite a few. Last thought for 5 bucks for parking an the knowledge you received was cheap. Will I go next year diffianatly. Sitting on Mr. Dixons porch an chatting with him along with everyone else was icing on the cake!!! Kudos to everyone who helped put the show on!!!!!!

[ClaudeH]

Speaking only as  raw first timer, I was highly impressed.

My travel plans were rather poorly conceived, so between a marathon overnight drive from Illinois and some humid tent-camping, I was exhausted and wandering around in a daze on Saturday.  In retrospect, if I hadn't been hauling a truck full of camping gear I could have driven the Prius and the savings on gas would have more than paid the difference in cost of a comfortable motel room.  Oh well.  As a result of my exhaustion and heat stress, I made poor use of this opportunity but I still came away impressed at the scope of the event and the abundance of talent on display.

There were more friendly, knowledgeable vendors and craftspeople than I could have spoken with if I had been there every minute of the three days... too many seminars to have to choose between...  beautifully made guns, accoutrements and related craft goods worthy of hours of study...  and Dixon's store alone was well worth a visit!

What a stellar event!

[acorn20]

I haven't missed a Dixon's show since it's inception.  To me it's more of a homecoming event to convort with individuals I've met decades ago.  I can't believe that Keith Casteel and David Price turned eighty this year but then I'm getting a little long in the tooth also.  They've both given their fair share of seminars over the years but are both willing to answer questions when asked.

Without a doubt, I think the largest contribution in recent years has been the addition of the ALR tent.  This year, I believe Tom had a tent a little larger than the "easy up" tent he may have used the first year.  It was certainly packed with interested participants gleaning information from very knowledgeable teachers.  The CLA show certainly has more eye candy but I personally enjoy the format of the Dixon Show.  Thanks fellows for another great show!

Dan

[Cuboodle]

I thought the fair was well worth the trip. I ended up with a chambers Virginia rifle in the white. Going through a divorce has left me an apartment dweller with no shop to work in although I have all the tools
And a state of the art woodshop as a middle school shop teacher I don't think I would be welcome working on a rifle in school. This will be my 4th rifle I'm going to try some tasteful carving on this one. I spent most of the time bugging Allen Martin. I found him to be a great guy down to earth and pretty humble. The ALR tent was a great format.