2017’s Biggest Knife Shows

Knife shows are the life blood of the industry. At 2017’s biggest knife shows partnerships are forged, new knives are announced, trends are born – or die – and makers, production companies, and collectors all gather together to share the latest and greatest designs and inventions.

The following list is far from comprehensive – there are hundreds of other local shows and knife events – but here are some of the World’s most important knife shows of 2017 to mark in your calendar.

SHOT Show | January 17– 20 | Las Vegas, NV
Closed to the public – this is where the major production knife brands pitch the bulk of the year’s new products to dealers – SHOT occupies a premium place on the calendar, easily making it the most important knife show of the year. Visit KnifeNews starting January 17th for our live coverage of SHOT Show new for 2017 knife announcements.

Tactical Knife Invitational | January 21 | Las Vegas, NV
Hot on the heels of the biggest production knife show of the year, the TKI is much smaller, but equally exclusive. Collectors gather at the TKI to enter lotteries for super high-end custom knives in a close-knit, high-stakes atmosphere.

Hawaii Knife Show | February 18 | Honolulu, Hawaii
Plaza Cutlery hosts the Hawaii Knife Show, which features both production and custom knife makers including Tom Mayo, Chris Reeve Knives, and of course, Hawaii’s most famous knifemaker, Ken Onion.

IWA Outdoor Classics | March 3 – 6 | Nuremberg, Germany
The largest industry show outside the United States, the IWA features hunting, shooting sports, and outdoor equipment manufacturers.

East Coast Custom Knife Show | March 17 – 18 | Jersey City, NJ
A popular destination for custom knifemakers, the ECCKS attracts makers and collectors from all over the world.

Oregon Knife Show | April 8 – 9 | Eugene, OR
The Oregon Knife Show showcases custom and production knives, especially traditionals. 2017 will be the 42nd anniversary of the show.

Lone Star Knife Expo | 2017 dates not yet confirmed; 2016 ran from April 9 – 10 | Dallas, TX
The LSKE is the largest gun and knife show in Texas, and sees a mix of modern and traditional custom knife makers attending every year.

Blade Show | June 2 – 4 | Atlanta, GA
Blade still remains the hugest of the big custom knife shows. The event is an annual pilgrimage of custom knife collectors to Atlanta. Custom knife makers and custom knife collectors from all over the world will be in Atlanta in early June.

The Knifemakers’ Guild of Southern Africa Annual Show | 2017 dates not yet confirmed; 2016 ran from August 19 – 20 | Gauteng, South Africa
South African knife makers made a big splash in 2016. The South African Guild Show is a good place to see some of the best work coming from an increasingly important part of the knife world.

The Gathering | 2017 dates not yet confirmed; 2016 ran from September 1 – 3 | Las Vegas, NV
Organized by the tightly-knit members of the Usual Suspect Network, The Gathering brings together collectors with knifemakers of all stripes.

SICAC Paris Knife Show | September 15 – 16 | Paris, France
SICAC has been a fixture of the European knife scene since 1989. It was the first show outside of the US that Bob Loveless attended. Many other greats, including Ron Lake and Anthony Marfione, have shown there since.

International Custom Cutlery Exposition | 2017 dates not yet confirmed; 2016 ran from September 23 – 25 | Kansas City, MO
The Knifemakers’ Guild and the American Bladesmith Society work together every year to showcase custom knives of all kinds, but especially forged knives.

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California Custom Knife Show | October 21 – 22 | Garden Grove, CA
Also hosted by Plaza Cutlery, the CCKS began in 1981 and has continued to showcase custom high-end knives every year.

Adelaide Knife Show | 2017 dates not yet confirmed; 2016 ran from November 5 – 6 | Fullarton, South Australia
Australian Knifemakers’ Guild member Peter Bald runs the Adelaide Knife Show, the longest running show in Australia. It celebrates its 25th year in 2017.

New York Custom Knife Show | November 10-11 | Jersey City, NJ
Originally held in New York City, the NYCKS recently moved to Jersey City to avoid dealing with highly restrictive NYC knife laws.

Knife featured in image: Curtiss Knives F3 Medium