# Displays for shows



## Jschrum (Sep 22, 2015)

I am curious if any of you have photos of your displays from past craft shows? I am looking for ideas on how I could make my display better. 
I'm toying with the idea of having a deer skull and antlers on my table. My table is going to be a pantry door from an 1800s farm house and my legs are old 8x8. I have two large saw blades on my legs facing the attendees.

My products are knives that I forge from reclaimed materials and use reclaimed woods or wood I purchase on here. I also make a burlap laminate.

Mods if this isn't where this goes, please move it to the correct spot, and I apologize in advance.


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## woodtickgreg (Sep 22, 2015)

Joe I moved the thread here as it is a better place for open discussion. The classroom is better for instructional tutorials.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Kevin (Sep 22, 2015)

Joe show us your display as it is now so we have a starting point.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Jschrum (Sep 22, 2015)

Will do tomorrow when I make it to the shop


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## barry richardson (Sep 22, 2015)

I have done a few shows, and granted, my displays were probably lacking. But I learned very quickly that moving and setting up big stuff like you describe kinda sucked.......


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## Jschrum (Sep 22, 2015)

@barry richardson i don't intend to do many, but the ones I do, I want to do right.


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## Schroedc (Sep 22, 2015)

An observation from six years of doing shows- While you want your display to be nice, you don't want it so over the top that it attracts everyone into your booth and that crowd then blocks paying customers. I do pens and bowls so my setup wouldn't translate to your products but we learned the hard way that all-out displays eat a ton of time and actually seemed to hurt sales some.

Reactions: Informative 1


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## NYWoodturner (Sep 23, 2015)

Being a craft show I would think the skull might keep some folks with squeamish gals and kids away. I agree with Kevin - post a pic so we have a starting point.


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## robert flynt (Sep 23, 2015)

I try not to clutter up my table to much and it is better to not put to many knives on the table. It is also better to put a few samples of your sheathes on the table, not all of them. At shows where tables are not furnished I bring a light folding table. A good table cover that is not to busy is a must to cover the table and I made some ovals to put knives on I want to highlight. They can be made of formica or a number of of other products. Knife and Gun Supply sells knife stand for individual knives, that are nice. If you want get some interest, display a piece of saw blade then a piece with blade profiled from it, then a ground blade and so forth right up to a finished knife. People seem to like that.

Reactions: Like 2 | Informative 1


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## Jschrum (Sep 23, 2015)

So hopefully this works. Here's what I've got for table and all, I think the deer head is out. I have some live edge walnut I'm going to cut and make like a cutting board with it and put that as my center piece. Let me know your thoughts. I'm going for reclaimed/rustic look.


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## robert flynt (Sep 23, 2015)

Jschrum said:


> So hopefully this works. Here's what I've got for table and all, I think the deer head is out. I have some live edge walnut I'm going to cut and make like a cutting board with it and put that as my center piece. Let me know your thoughts. I'm going for reclaimed/rustic look.


Watch the kid with those saw blades, the parents sure don't. Could be a liability and believe me, I have seen some things that would curl your hair! Might consider making them out of plywood.

Reactions: Agree 3


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## Jschrum (Sep 24, 2015)

@robert flynt since you pointed that out I think I'm going to make like a frame to put them in which would make it a lot harder to get to the pointy edges, just use some pallet wood.


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## Sprung (Sep 24, 2015)

I like it, but I agree with Robert on the saw blades. Especially as a parent. Not every parent is going to let their child run free and without supervision or keeping a close eye on them, but many do. And sometimes, even when the parent is keeping a close eye on their child, children can be sneaky. My wife and I always keep a close eye on our toddler son, but I know that if we walked up to your booth with the edges of of those saw blades exposed, our son would be drawn to them out of curiosity. We would certainly keep him away from them if we were to walk up to your table, but there are a lot of parents who just don't care or keep an eye on their kids (and then get upset at someone else when their kids get hurt, like it's the other person's fault). When you think of the liability aspect, protecting the teeth of the saw blade from little hands is protecting you just as much as it is protecting the little kids who might want to play with them.


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## Jschrum (Sep 24, 2015)

@Sprung i agree whole heartedly, so I'm gonna go with the shadow box design and they will be recessed and a lot harder to get to. do you guys think that will solve the issue?

Reactions: Like 1


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## ripjack13 (Sep 24, 2015)

A long shadowbox that holds all the steps of the process? That would be good. It would serve double duty as a display. Lean some of the knives on the edge, assuming you lay it flat in front of you..


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## robert flynt (Sep 24, 2015)

Jschrum said:


> @Sprung i agree whole heartedly, so I'm gonna go with the shadow box design and they will be recessed and a lot harder to get to. do you guys think that will solve the issue?


I think that will work, as long as the points of the blades are well protected from little hands. Also watch the kid at your table very closely and don't put the knives right on the edge of the table. To my horror I have had them grab the knives in the blink of an eye. Don't allow anyone, less than teenager age, pick them up, they are not going to buy them any ways.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Kevin (Sep 24, 2015)

Joe I've never made a knife but been to countless gun & knife shows. Never been to a dedicated knife show just gun shows where knife guys set up also. So I do have an opinion. I think the display you are showing is way too busy, unattractive, and also not practical at all. It'll be a PITA to haul around and set up. Your potential customers are already being bombarded with thousands and thousands of visual stimuli so give them a break by keeping it simple. If I were you I would start with Robert's suggestion with the most basic display possible and work from there, adding things little by little - if at all. This is just a table with a nice cloth and some simple but attractive display stands. I think it looks professional, is very easy on the eyes, and couldn't be simpler to haul around and set up.





Personally most knife buyers (not lookers) know what they want and are looking for that - they aren't looking to buy from the guy who spends the most time on his display. They'll scarcely notice (or appreciate) all the extra flash and work of a setup like you have shown. The only thing a dazzling display will do is attract a higher number of lookers who rarely buy a knife - it's not going to sway the real buyers. JMO.

Reactions: Agree 4


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## robert flynt (Sep 24, 2015)

One last thing, Don't leave your table unattended. I had one stolen last year, at the show I am attending tomorrow, because I did ask someone to watch my table when I went to the bathroom and they didn't keep an eye on my table as I had done for them. He was charging $2.00 to sharpen knives and he was so afraid he was going to loose a a couple of dollars if he told them to come back in a bit he turned hid back to the tables and cost me $300.


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## Kevin (Sep 24, 2015)

I just don't understand people. I would watch someone's table like a hawk if they asked me to. Sorry to hear that Robert hope it wasn't one of your more expensive ones but none of your knives would be easy to lose.


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## robert flynt (Sep 24, 2015)

I got two good size display cases with locks and intend to use them. You can be sure I wont ask this money grubbing rascal to watch my table ever again and you can bet he knows _was not happy. _It's just a shame you have to do thing like this because the knives are not displayed to the best advantage.


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## Jschrum (Sep 25, 2015)

@robert flynt thank you for all of your advice. There will be myself, my girlfriend, and a buddy so we shouldn't have to worry about not having enough knives. With your advice, I'm going to just take the table and an all walnut cutting board. I'll still take the saw blades with the shadow box since they are pretty cool.


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