2019’s Biggest Knife Shows

The beginning of the year is a particularly exciting time for knife nerds. Companies begin to unveil their new lineups, custom makers set to work on their latest creations, and anticipation for dozens of knife shows begins to build. If you want to stay on top of what’s going on in the knife world, following the yearly batch of shows is a must.

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 2019 to mark on your calendar.

SHOT Show | January 22 – 25 | Las Vegas, NV
Although many big names in the knife world have begun to play with their release strategies, SHOT is still the definitive production knife show of the year. If you can only follow one show this year, SHOT should be that one.

Tactical Knife Invitational | January 25 | Las Vegas, NV
TKI is one of the most exclusive meetups of the year. A small selection of top-tier custom makers are invited to display their wares, and collectors come to bid on high-end blade with their fellow high-rollers.

Perth Knife Show | February 2 – 3 | Fremantle, WA, Australia
Australia remains a consistent force in both quality and innovation in the knife world. Some of these talented makers will be making an appearance at the Perth Knife Show, which is held at the Fremantle Prison heritage site.

Queensland Knife Show | February 16 – 17 | Ipswich, Queensland, Australia
Later in February, the Queensland Knife Show occurs on the other side of the country. Again, it gathers together some of the best talent that Australia has to offer. In a country that houses many makers of distinction, that’s a big deal.

Hawaii Custom Knife & Tactical Show | Date TBD | Hawaii
Plaza Cutlery is behind this classic show. It may not be a particularly large one, but that’s an important part of its appeal. Big names including Ken Onion, Hawaii’s premier knife maker, are often at this one.

IWA Outdoor Classics | March 8 – 11 | Nuremberg, Germany
What SHOT is to the US, IWA is to Europe: a wide-ranging and influential industry show where all sorts of exciting announcements can happen. Unless your purview is strictly custom stuff, this should be near the top of your list of shows to watch.

East Coast Custom Knife Show | Date TBD | Location TBD
The ECCKS is another well-known show for U.S. makers and collectors. Although primarily known for its custom knives, a number of established and new knife companies have begun to show up at ECCKS too.

Lone Star Knife Expo | Date TD | Location TBD
This Texas show has been on the fast track for growth, and is now the premier knife show experience in the Lone Star state.

Oregon Knife Show | April 13 – 14 | Eugene, OR
Don’t be fooled by the Oregon Knife Show’s early-Geocities era website: this show is the real deal. The OKS is a big one for anybody into the traditional knife scene, and it attracts a lot of the elder statespeople of the knife world in general.

Northeast Cutlery Collectors’ Association Annual Show | April 27 – 28 | Mystic, CT
Auctions, awards, and a consistently high profile, high quality list of exhibitors are what you’ll find at the NCCA show.

Lehigh Valley Knife Show | May 4 – 5 AND September 29 – 30 | Easton, PA
The Lehigh Valley Knife Show gathers an impressive roster of makers covering a wide range of styles. It should be no surprise that Great Eastern Cutlery makes an appearance at the Lehigh Valley Knife Show, among others.

Blade Show | June 7 – 9 | Atlanta, GA
Another one for the Required Reading list, Blade Show is the mid-year get-together for custom and production makers alike. It can be a bit of a wild card in terms of new releases and announcements, but you can be sure just about every big name will show up at Blade.

The Knifemakers’ Guild of Southern Africa Annual Show | August 2 -3 | Fairland, Gauteng
South Africa is another consistent hotbed for quality and innovation in the cutlery realm. This one is important for makers local to the country, and one that any knife user should watch no matter where they live.

The Gathering | August 29 – 31 | Las Vegas, NV
The third in the “Las Vegas Trilogy” of knife shows, the Gathering blends the wide appeal of SHOT with the intimate atmosphere of TKI. A small but mighty show, it originated with the Usual Suspects Network, a long-running forum that you probably already know about.

SICAC Paris Knife Show | Dates TBD | Paris, France
SICAC is a classic destination for sophisticated custom makers. So much amazing talent comes from Europe, and Paris is in a perfect position to attract a large swathe of that talent under one roof.

Adelaide Knife Show | Dates TBD | Fullarton, SA, Australia
Geographically between the Perth and Queensland shows, the Adelaide knife show has those in the south of Australia covered. A custom-oriented show, raffles are a big part of the appeal.

New York Custom Knife Show | November 22 – 23 | Jersey City, NJ
One of the last big knife events of the year, the NYCKS is another mid-range show that, recently, started to branch out from its custom origins and incorporate more production exhibitors.

Knife in Featured image: Todd Begg Knives Steelcraft Kwaiken